(one odd spring day)

Cherry blossoms, a herald of spring, were spotted as early as mid-January about 10 minutes away from home in London. They were again spotted late last week as I went around to help out the sewing (see my post on myesight for pictures.) And yet it snowed on Sunday... and Monday... and today. In what order should these natural phenomenons happen anyway? Blame it on climate change if you'd love to, and blame it on yourself for creating carbon footprints (myself included.)

Yesterday (Monday) was supposed to be a relatively snowy day. I was pretty disappointed to wake up to a blue sky. When later in the afternoon a brief snowstorm hit, I frantically tried to capture its images to no avail. But then, I was really lucky today. I went to Anne's place, and the snowstorm hit literally right after I got into her room! Call me a lucky lass if you'd like to ^^ so what we three never-really-lived-in-snowy-seasons girls put our boots and jackets back on, then ran as fast as we could down the stairs and onto the courtyard! Nevermind the chilly bite ^^



Hang on... I was planning to talk about wagashi as well. Due to the fact that the Japanese enjoy imbuing every facet of their lives with seasonality, and also to their love of sakura/cherry blossoms, some very creative people/chefs created what is affectionately known as sakura-mochi. Yes, as its name says, it is mochi made out of sakura.


The variety sold at Minamoto Kitchoan is not tinted pink. Regardless of its colour, it basically consists of a ball of sweet red bean paste that is wrapped with proper mochi (made from mashed-up steamed glutinous rice), which is then wrapped with a salty-flavoured preserved cherry leaf and topped with [yet another preserved bit of] a cherry blossom. It looks properly fancy. It inspires me to hit the store bedecked in a kimono attire that's properly of the season too ^__^

I wonder where I can get these preserved cherry leaves and blossoms... it would then mean I'd be able to recreate sakura-mochi whenever I choose to, although I'd rather reserve it for springtime occasions.

Oh yeah, the preserved cherry leaves and blossoms are also edible. I must be joking.


I also had a bit of fun by playing Monopoly. It turns out proper financial and strategic planning can be easily ruined just as easily as rolling dice. Playing Monopoly also sharpens one's sense of business dealing and bargaining... nevermind the fact that five grown-up Asians are playing at it. While trying to abide to the written rules, we feverishly over-invested on and over-developed our respective plots, and happily gave out soft loans when a renter could not afford the rent... as well as developing various tracts. (The I-pay-peanuts-when-I'm-on-yours-and-you-too-when-you're-on-mine kind of agreements.) It was like there was a secondary money market other than mortgaging properties to the bank. There was simply not enough money circulating in the game while we spent every little pretend cash we had on building hotels. Amusingly, the exercise had an ironic ring that sounds so close to reality. It did dawn on me that the whole banking/financial system that is widely enforced in the world bears the essential spirit of the exacting and calculative Moors (which in turn spread their influence to Europeans.) Probably it was just what I observed; do please correct me when I'm wrong.


At the end of the day, it was one good day... and I'm happy for it ^^
Have a good day, everyone!