Cherry Blossoms (in hues of white & pink).
Marking the end of winter, the beginning of springtime.
Happening now – Cherry Blossom Festivals (Hanami in Japanese, viewing the blossoms).
Cherry blossoms are edible. They have a flowery subtle taste, and are a used in many Japanese foods and drinks.
Cherry blossom petals can be dried & sprinkled on foods.
Petal talk – like the petals of the Egoic (Soul) Lotus unfolding.
They are blooming everywhere now in the U.S. In Brooklyn, New Jersey; Boston; Washington DC; Philadelphia; Athens, Ohio; Indiana: St. Louis, Missouri; Tulsa, Oklahoma (in bloom now at the Gathering Place); Traverse City, Michigan (edible cherries); Dallas; Nashville; San Francisco; La Canada, CA; Torrance, CA (LA); Seattle; Honolulu; etc.
Macon, Georgia (300,000 cherry trees), cherry blossom capital of the world – Visitors can watch traditional Japanese flower arrangements, and tour through the “forest” of cherry trees that line the many streets and parks.
The west coast cherry blossom festival has just passed (April).
However, the midwest & east coast blossoms are still just blooming.
https://www.afar.com/magazine/
Flower Viewing – The Ritual of Hanami
Hanami – meaning “flower viewing” in Japanese – is a custom dating back to the 8th century involving enjoying cherry blossoms’ (or other flowers’) beauty. Sitting alone or with others in quiet silence, gazing at the cherry blossoms, under a cherry blossom tree. Hanami is a time to reflect upon the beauty, the fragility & how lovely and short life is. A being present in the moment before the petals fall.
Night Time Viewing – by lantern light.
At night, Hanami transforms into yozakura – “cherry blossoms at night” – a quiet way to appreciate the blooms, often by lantern light.
Facts:
Japan sent 3,020 cherry blossom trees to Washington, D.C. in 1912 as a gift. These trees (or their descendants) still fill the National Mall with pink blooms every spring.
Cherry blossom trees likely originated in China’s Himalayan Highlands before making their way to Japan around 1,100 years ago.
George Washington didn’t chop down a cherry tree. The famous tale was added to the fifth edition of one of his biographies to portray him as a virtuous role model.
While cherry blossoms are most commonly pink, they can also be white.
Cherry blossoms are a celebrated & recognized symbol of friendship between the United States & Japan & the Japanese culture.
In Washington DC, thousands of cherry trees are in bloom, along the National Mass & in the Rose Garden of the White House. Washington DC’s cherry blossom festival is from March 20 – April 15 – The cherry blossoms last for 7 – 10 days depending on weather. The trees are the Yoshino Cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossoms, or “sakura” in Japanese, symbolize the fragile & fleeting nature of life, impermanence, of beauty, hope & renewal, blooming as they do at the beginning of spring. The short lifespan of the blossoms, blooming for a brief period before falling, is a powerful metaphor for the transient nature of life and the beauty of appreciating the present moment.
Samuri
The Cherry blossom is embodied in the life & mortality of the samuri. These warriors lived by a strict moral code of honor, respect, and discipline called bushido – the way of the warrior. Their duty was to embody these virtues while appreciating the inevitability of death without fearing it. It was believed that a fallen cherry blossom symbolized the end of their short lives.
Japanese pilots in World War II embraced a similar meaning of cherry blossoms when they painted their kamikaze planes with the blooms before going on suicide missions to “die like beautiful falling cherry petals for the emperor.”
Cherry Blossoms in Japanese Culture.
https://www.jal.co.jp/my/en/
The Astrology
Sun joins retrograde Mercury today as Moon joins Venus & Mercury. Complex day today – Monday, March 24, 2025.
Upcoming:
Venus retrogrades back to Pisces on Thursday.
And Saturday is a solar eclipse, new moon festival – 9 degrees Aries.
And following Venus’s retrograde back to Pisces, Mercury also retrograding back to Pisces. A sojourn into our memories.
Sunday is an important astrological day –
Neptune, after 14 years in PIsces, enters Aries.
The last time Neptune was in Aries was 163 years ago.
Neptune in Aries – 1862 – 1875 –
Question: what was happening in our world then?
If we will each research this question.
And then share what we learn.
Then we are all teachers here.
When the outer planets change signs, it becomes a generational change of realities – we are never the same when the outer planets shift signs & elements.
Pluto left Capricorn (earth) entered Aquarius (air).
Neptune in Pisces (water) is entering Aries (fire).
Uranus in Taurus (earth) is entering Gemini (air)-
Elements/realities shifting from water/earth to fire/air.
From structures & constraint, to freedom.
Interesting Astronomical event.
Saturn’s rings not seen. On March 23, 2025, Saturn’s rings will begin to seemingly “disappear” from Earth’s perspective due to a “ring plane crossing,” where the rings will be viewed edge-on, making them appear thin and nearly invisible
There’s so much yet to come in this year, 2025.The Year of the 100 year Conclave & of the Precipitation.The rings will be nearly invisible for a few months, but they will gradually become visible again as Saturn’s orbit progresses. The rings will be visible again November 2025. During the ring plane crossing (rings seemingly disappeared), Saturn will appear as a pale yellow sphere, with a subtle line around its middle visible through powerful telescopes.
The rings of Saturn are still there, but they are simply not visible from Earth at this specific time due to the angle of view.
Saturn’s rings appear to “disappear” or become very faint roughly every 13 to 15 years, as Saturn’s axial tilt causes the rings to align edge-on to us, making them appear thin and difficult to see.
The great shift of the Ages. And the Reappearance!
love, Risa
The Pie Auction Today – Sunday.
Recipes for the Village.
Capricorn moon today. A practical day.
Aries Sun – moving forward (a bit).
Venus Mercury Chiron in Aries. Trying to move forward.
However…
Two retrogrades – Mercury & Venus.
And Saturn & Neptune in Pisces.
Neptune (other worlds, etc.) is at the very last degree which is a critical degree of Pisces.
Taking these into consideration, all of humanity, could be feeling a bit tired if not exhausted & wonder why each day.
Retros & Saturn & Neptune in Pisces – living in the past, under veils – it presents a challenge to all of us.
Today, Capricorn moon – Moon/Mars, Moon/Saturn, Moon/Chiron, Moon/uranus. Sun sextiles (friendly) Pluto – Sun illuminating anything in shadow, hidden, dark & seeking light.
A Pie Auction Today.
I have written about this before. Where we live, deep in the woods, in a tiny village that has a mountain & a valley near a long winding river…we have our own fire department, the village people as volunteers. To maintain the upkeep of the fire department, the village has a yearly Pie Auction.
So, We are once again offering two pot roast dinners.
I realize that after all these years, these two pot roast dinner (along with the turkey dinner) are now part of our Ashramic cookbook. So what are we making today & how – the recipes.
Pot Roast w/ Potatoes, Veggies, gravy. Cole Slaw. Green Beans sauteed in garlic w/ almonds. Apple Pie.
Pot Roast
Brown in hot oil (grape seed, avocado, rice bran) & butter or bacon fat…onions, carrots, celery, bell pepper (cut in 1/2 or quartered), garlic cloves.
Take out of pot & set aside.
Be sure the dutch oven (searing pan) is searing hot has enough oil & butter –
Add Chuck Roast (salt & pepper generously) w/ good marbling.
Sear in oil or bacon fat on both sides.
Add 2 T flour (I use chickpea flour) to the pot after the meat is seared. Stir flour into oil.
Add veggies back into pot.
Add tomatoes (fresh or paste or dried), anchovies (in oil, use the oil), Worcestershire sauce, spices (onion powder, garlic powder, basil, tarragon, thyme, rosemary
Add red wine or chicken or beef broth.
Meat & veggies should be 1/2 way or more covered in liquid.
Place in oven (350 degrees) for four hours.
3 lb chuck roast for 3 hours. 4-5 lb chuck roast for 4 hours.
Check every hour if there is enough liquid in the pot.
In the last hour of cooking the meat, add quartered potatoes & several more carrots (to serve whole with the meat).
Or make mashed potatoes.
A gravy can be made out of the liquid & the original veggies added to the meat. Use an immersion blender. Taste if there is enough salt & pepper. Add if needed.
Serve w/ sprinkled parsley on top w/ potatoes, green beans & cole slaw.
Cole Sław
Red & green cabbage, carrots – (shredded), green onions, bell peppers, parsley. Lemon juice, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar (rice wine is good), dijon mustard, salt & pepper – mix in jar, add to slaw mixture. Refrigerate for several hours.
Green Beans w/ Almonds Onions/Shallots & Garlic.
Clean & trim green beans. Steam for a few moments. In skillet, add peanut oil or olive oil & butter. To hot skillet, add chopped onions or shallots, green beans, garlic (chopped), sliced almonds. Saute til green beans are slightly charred. Add salt pepper & sprinkling of lemon juice & zest.
I made the pie yesterday –
A strawberry, blueberry apple pie.
Served on the side.
Someday we will all cook & eat together in our village community.
And publish the Ashram cookbook.
Someday – together.
I’m off to prepare the foods now.
Wish you were all here with me. love, Risa
Thank you for your contribution
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