Adorable Mini Pumpkins in Whimsical Swirls of Nature's Wonder

Visiting my mother back home at dusk, I brought along some small decorative pumpkins and a mini bouquet as gifts.

Surrounded by these adorable mini pumpkins, the mini bouquet shimmered tenderly in the warm room light.

I arranged the mini bouquet and marveled at so much floral variety in one small bunch! Now, let's capture the pumpkins from another angle too.

The following day, in the soft morning light, I took fresh shots. These small decorative pumpkins fill me with wonder at nature's mysteries. How do such whimsical patterns emerge? Notice especially the one split in color between top and bottom.

Adorable mini pumpkins in whimsical swirls of nature's wonder. 

Around autumn, these adorable pumpkins of all varieties begin popping up around town. They keep delighting our eyes for over half a year, sometimes shifting in color along the way. Nature's wondrous creations leave us in awe, unable to do anything but marvel.

The Tender Struggle with Miniature Roses

I am enthralled by small roses. While large roses are gorgeous and classy, small roses are so cute that they gently make my heart flutter. Their dainty appearance truly touches my heart.

I usually tend to be frugal, so I don't buy flowers to decorate my home. However, one day I thought, if I could grow miniature roses in pots, I could enjoy them all year round! So, I bought a miniature rose that captured my heart at the flower shop and brought it home.

I also bought another miniature rose. Watching the small buds gradually open each day lifted my spirits. Truly, these adorable roses warmed my heart. Arranging cut small roses in a little container must be adorable too!

However, these miniature roses were difficult to grow. When I put them out on the balcony, the sunlight caused the flowers to droop, and even indoors, the sunlight from the west into my room didn’t seem suitable. Watching the little roses weaken day by day was painful and disappointing, so I gave up on the dream of growing potted roses.

With an apology for not being able to grow them well, please allow me to share photos of these delicate roses that warmed my heart.

Since then, each time I catch sight of a potted miniature rose, I am captivated by its cuteness and at the same time feel a little pang of the feelings of not being able to nurture them. Yet, I cannot help but look. These tiny roses hold a special place in my heart, as my most cherished flowers. 

A Seven-Day Floral Diary: From Homegrown Chrysanthemums to Office Farewell Bouquet

At one point, flowers were gathered in my room. And I took photos of their impressive transformation. Today, I would like to share these photos with you while keeping them as a record. 

2023.11.16

I brought home some chrysanthemums my mother grew at her place. The little chrysanthemums are so cute, embraced by the soft morning light. Dear sweet blooms, how do you find your new surroundings?

2023.11.18

Two days have passed, and the flowers have opened more. 

So there are pink chrysanthemums, huh? They are so lovely. I looked up the meaning of pink chrysanthemums. "Sweet Dreams"! What a lovely flower message💕💕💕  I also looked up that white chrysanthemums symbolize “purity” and yellow chrysanthemums symbolize “friendship.”

A small flower arrangement of happy messages brings a smile to my face as I spend time at home.

2023.11.22

My colleagues held a farewell party for me at work and gave me a bouquet. On the train home, I snapped a photo☆

2023.11.22

As soon as I got home, I put them in a container filled with plenty of water. Welcome to my home! I'm happy to have you here for a while starting tonight.

2023.11.23

The next day... Three-colored chrysanthemums blooming vibrantly in the daylight were amazing. They continue to bloom beautifully. The white chrysanthemums look like marguerites, don't they? 

2023.11.23

They all came to my house around the same time. The flowers, arranged in two vases, seem to share their beauty in harmony.

2023.11.23

The orange-toned bouquet looked even more vibrant as it absorbed water, and I was captivated by its lively presence.

I recorded the gentle yet bittersweet memories of a while ago, alongside the photo diary of pretty flowers. Thanks so much for visiting my flower diary. I hope something here touched your heart.

St.Francis Solanus Indian Mission Church & Little Traverse Bay

We came to the coast by car. The morning air was crisp and the place had a serene atmosphere.

St.Francis Solanus Indian Mission Church

W Lake Street, Petoskey Michigan 49770

St.Francis Solanus Indian Mission is the first Catholic church and the oldest building in Petoskey built in 1859. Through its restoration completed in 2008, a Mass is celebrated annually on July 14th.

The church and burial grounds are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Overlooking Little Traverse Bay

O powerful St.Francis Solanus,

you who explored and evangelized in the wilds of South America,

please assist me in the wilds of this world and obtain for me,

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

the grace I ask of you.

Amen.

from Novena to St.Francis Solanus

 

Awesome sunset in Northern Michigan coast

It's about a 35 minute or so drive from Fred Friedli Playground in Petoskey. It should be situated somewhere on the eastern coastline of Lake Michigan.

 We arrived in time for sunset.

Collie took me to the secret spot which he thought had the most beautiful sunset he'd ever seen.

As you can see, this one is different. It's the moment caught on camera by Collie. What a magic!

We were mesmerized by the natural beauty of the sunset in Northern Michigan coast. I also recorded a video: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8oIb_KxZps/

 It is a hidden gem.

It has not been introduced on the internet nor in the magazine. A small number of people park their cars to take a stroll and admire the sunset view. They know this is a hidden gem as Collie knows. 

The tranquil sky and lake with various colors were divine. I didn't dare to locate the place because it was his secret spot. I'll let it remain mysterious... Then, we arrived at our hotel in 30 minutes or so. 

Next time, I will let you know about breakfast at AmericInn by Wyndham Petoskey. 

I'd be happy if you could see it.  Rose

We departed for North Michigan and stopped by AWA SAGINAW AN.

Finished our preparations and headed north by car. 

Ah! Downtown Oxford! I should take a picture of this from inside the car!

I like the vibe of Downtown Oxford, but I don't think I'll have time to hang out here on this trip. We had an awesome time at dinner just once before, but Victoria's Wine & Dine - Victoria's Bistro and Cocktail Bar est 1997 - is a wonderful tasty bistro. 

Having driven for a while, we got off in Saginaw. It was Collie's idea. There is Japanese Cultural Center and Tea House. I didn't know Saginaw, Michigan and Tokushima, Japan are sister cities! The sisterhood originated a young Japanese exchange student from Tokushima. He did a homestay on a farm in Saginaw during semester breaks from Michigan State University. (Collie's alma mater😲!)

Everybody can walk freely in a Friendship Garden. It's open to the public from 12:00-16:00, April through October. A vermillion bridge arching over a peaceful stream is impressive in the nature! 

AWA SAGINAW AN (阿波鷺能庵)　"AWA" is ancient name of Tokushima, Japan.  "AN" is a hut in which tea ceremonies were conducted by Japanese monks. 

Though other tea houses have been built in different locations of the world, this is the first time two international cities such as Saginaw and Tokushima have collaborated in both efforts to increase understanding and goodwill between their citizens. 

peace through a bowl of tea 

More details about Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House & Gardens of Saginaw is :

https://japaneseculturalcenter.org

Taking care of myself & Rose style healthy carrot cake

Happy New Year to all of you☺　How did you spend New Year's?

Today, let me share my carrot cake I baked during this holidays with you before I resume a Michigan travel journal.

I call it "healthy" carrot cake because I'm using organic rolled oats & rice flour (gluten free!), non oil this time! (I just forgot adding...😅 I usually use a little ghee and olive oil), and less sugar. I just put plain cream cheese on top instead of cream cheese frosting. You can feel delicious natural flavor.

This is "Toshikoshi soba" my brother made for my mother. "Toshikoshi soba" is a traditional noodle bowl dish made from buckwheat which Japanese people eat on New Year's Eve. It is said to bring good luck and longevity because they are long and thin. My brother made the dish using duck meat!

On the other hand, I made "Ozoni", traditional New Year's soup with rice cakes and vegetables at my place. I'm cutting each rice cake into 5 pieces because I haven't been able to open my mouth enough since I got injured. That's why I spent this holiday alone at my condo to have a good rest quietly.

It was all of a sudden. I hit my left face strongly on December 23, so I'm barely able to eat with the right side of my mouth slowly. I'm cutting food into small pieces and thinly. I'm taking care of my left knee too. However, I appreciate that I didn't break any bones. I'm saved. Thank you God! 

It doesn't look traditional Japanese, but I cerebrated the New Year in a small way I could while my face and knee ached. 

This muffins are made of plenty grated carrot and apple. Also, an egg, soy milk... Thinner ones have cinnamon in them. I like without cinnamon ones better as they taste very natural and gentle.

I think the beauty is that a carrot cake baked without cocoa brings out the original taste of ingredients and shows each ingredients well when divided. The cut dates are adding lovely sweetness to a cake(muffin). If you want more sweetness, it's pretty to add honey on cream cheese❤︎

I still have pain and can't open my mouth very much, however, the swelling / the gray bruising of my face are gradually going down. I will continue to take a good care of myself😌

I wish everyone a year full of blessings, fun moments, and good health.  Rose

A Christmas time God gave me.

It was in January 2023 that I knew Fr.Callistus at FCC (Franciscan Chapel Center) had passed away last month. I was in the depths of sadness.

One day, I walked to Ballon in Nakameguro. It is a small vegan cafe that provides vegan food like falafel sandwiches, vegan soft serve ice cream, and more. 

This cafe has a very smooth organic coffee served with a nice cup. Taking a seat, I felt calm at the mild taste and foam. It's my cup of "coffee".

I realized they were playing Christmas songs in the store in spite of late January.

Since I lost my biological father in mid-December, I couldn't even feel the Christmas vibes everywhere in the city. But I could feel comforting Christmas through the quiet Christmas music played at the small place in January. I think Fr.Callistus went to Heaven at Christmas time. 

God, thanks for giving me a time to be with Fr.Callistus here.  －   This became my Christmas.

I didn't imagine that a falafel sandwich made of only vegetables would be this delicious! Not only healthy but also tasty...

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I showed up at Ballon later again in February.  It's just the time when I'd been thinking about quitting my job. 

I tried a vegan soft serve & a vegan banana muffin. Delicious, Healthy, Environmentally Friendly. Each has a gentle taste as well as a repeated organic coffee. Luckily, you can ask for soy milk if you want.  

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Time has passed. Today is October 1st, 2023. My business at the present company is within this year. I went through the toughest time. I should use my paid holidays to take care of myself, so just a little more patience at work.

I sometimes think about my spiritual father & biological father. At times like that, I always pray, 

"May both fathers' souls be happy and in peace forever..." 

Dedicated to both fathers who ascended to Heaven in December 2022.

Michigan has Northern Lights! Great ones from Mackinac City, Michigan.

Collie took a 4 hour drive to see forecasted Northern Lights. It was an unplanned trip after work. There was a forecast for Northern Lights, then, he decided to get to Mackinac City.

Great lights he never saw. 

Iceland, Norway, and Alaska have these Lights often.  Michigan does, but they are not as bright usually.  He told me that way.

He stayed at the hotel one night there and drove back to the south next morning. He must be sleeping right now. While he was laying down, I am uploading pictures photographed by him.