a quiet May flower in the woods【photographed by Collie】

As I have a walk in Tokyo, Collie has a walk in Michigan. That said, it got almost Summer in Tokyo! Alternatively, the climate in Michigan seems to be comfortable.

Collie got a new smartphone. He is an Android user like I am. Changed to a new model, a touch of his photograph was changed.

Different from a garden in Japan, a garden in the U.S. is very wide. When he says he goes for a walk, it means he walks along the path in the great nature, which is called garden, but for me, it is woods!

A single flower which name I don't even know. Though the white flower might not be luxurious, it is blooming gracefully.

I love his natural personality that finds such kind of hidden beautifulness in a great landscape. And I feel, photographs taken by him are manly.

I want to move to the U.S. for good.

It is my wish. I might live in Japan for good, however, living in the U.S. is still my dream. For now, under the stay at home order, I go shopping alone, I eat alone, and I take a walk alone. I saw the lovely little flowers beside the path on my walk.

Rose's update －

⧫I started eating oatmeal every day! It is ultimate super food. I found oatmeal pancake is

   surprisingly delicious💕

⧫Tasting a glass of wine at home is my happy thing to do, refraining from drinking more than that 

   for my health. 

⧫It looks like visiting a bistro on Saturday to receive my takeaway lunch is going to be my habit.

⧫I got back into "shuai shou", which at all I thought essential to stay young.

⧫I have been studying English. It will never change. It takes a good amount of time to become fluent

   in a foreign language. 

Sigh... I feel faint-hearted. If my dream doesn't come true, I have to find my own way to live here. How I can make me happy? I don't know. Health, modest amounts of wine, and English. 

I appreciate that I have a job, and am working hard to improve myself in advertising field in Tokyo. It is not my real happiness, though.  It is what it is. 

  Wish me luck, Rose

A photo message on FaceTime Stay at home with a smile

Hi, guys. What have you been up to during this self-restraint period?

The government is requesting that people refrain from going outside unless they urgently need to. There is a day I stay in all day, avoiding any unnecessary outings due to COVID-19. 

There is no wonder that I don't have a chance to be taken a photo of myself recently, so I did screenshot myself on FaceTime to make a photo letter.

People tend to lose the opportunity to smile when they spend time alone, especially they live alone. I must try to smile on self-quarantine. I shouldn't forget smiling.

I sent these pictures to Collie yesterday. :)  I thought it's a good idea to use FaceTime this way to make me more expressive, or to know how to make a happy expression on my face. The beauty of selfie is that you can watch how you actually look when it's taken. 

We must not let our guard down even if we are suffering from cabin fever. We should stay away form crowded places. Hand-washing and gargling are still essential at a time like this. 

Stay at home with a smile, Rose.

Tasty salmon soup for my dinner at KAUPPAHALLI SALUHALL（Hakaniemi Market Hall）

My guidebook says Hakaniemi Market Hall is held until 4 p.m. on Saturday. It was a quarter past 3 p.m. when I arrived there by tram. There was a specific food I was dying to eat. I checked it before leaving the stand offering a salmon soup which looked so good. But I decided to come back to my hotel once to put chocolate bars. It was pretty sunny outside and I wanted to prevent the chocolate from melting.

I rushed into the stand, and said to the clerk, "Can I have a salmon soup!?"  The charming lady said to me in an apologetic manner, "Sorry, it's sold out." 

（O O）！！！！！　Oh, no〜〜〜. 

I missed a chance to taste that tempting salmon soup everybody was enjoying here under the tent. It makes sense. Even if the guidebook says it's open until 4 p.m., each stall gets closed when all food is sold out... So, I came into the indoor market instead.

Salmon is the specialty of Finland. Open sands of this shop looks yummy. But, I really wanted salmon soup...（・・。）

There is a very nice indoor market hall called KAUPPAHALLI SALUHALL next to the outdoor flea market, just across the road from Hakaniemi metro station. It opened in 1914. The shops on the first floor sell foodstuffs.

Look! There is an eating space and they offer salmon soup also!（〃▽〃）Maybe I can eat my early supper here.

Salmon soup is one of the signature dish in Finland. This soup looks more of "watery" than "thick". Though prices in Finland is high, this is an affordable way people dine out. It was a tasty salmon soup with abundant spice (rosemary?).

I should've ordered a glass of champaign as the man clerk recommended? Actually, I didn't because it must be almost the same price as my salmon soup set or more. ww

An eating space is on a passage alongside the shop. It was not bad, I didn't feel like I was eating alone because of it.

There are several cafeterias which make us possible to taste their fresh food.  

Included coffee was available by helping myself to. It was strong one★

After I finished my soup, a waitress came to me to clear my table. I'll never forget her gentle smile. When she took away my soup bowl and tray, she looked into my face with her tender smile, shaking her face a little bit as if she were asking, "May I take your plates?" How sweet it is! I was totally blown away.

I wanted to say bye to them, but the man clerk was talking with other visitors. So, I left. When I walked a few meters away, he said it out loud, "Arigato－－－Sayonara－－－！！！"     I turned around. And said it back out loud, "Thank you－！ Arigato－－－  I will come back here again！"

The man might be an owner. I missed a creamy salmon soup at the stand outside, however, what a wonderful time I experienced at the table inside.  

This is where Finns go to get really good fishes and ecological vegetables.   　 And   －

This is a place that brings back good memories. 

Dear Irene Tomoe Cooper, you are always in my heart.

Dear Irene, my life has changed since I met you. You taught me how I could be more attractive, more feminine while becoming confident. You have made me what I am today. I admire your gorgeousness, intelligence, and strength.

I had a dream to announce my marriage with him to you, earlier than anybody. I even imagined how to say, like, "Irene, I wanted you to be the first to know. Guess what? I will..."

But the dream was not realized. I heard you passed away.  Irene, now you are free from agonizing struggle with cancer.

It has been a tough time for you.  However, I'm sure you did your very best.   Please rest in peace...

I am sorry for the long silence. I felt like I needed to stay away from everything because years passed and my life didn't go the way I wanted. I've just kept hoping you'd stay well. You sent me a line, ”How have you been, Rose? I'm always hoping for your happiness." I replied from the cafe in Michigan with the picture of hamburger, you sent me back with the picture of scone you baked. Since then, time passed again...

That lace dress in red is your favorite, I know. I remember it's a kind of dress you'd never worn and you enjoyed your new style. And my dress I chose and he bought in Michigan became way more special by taking a picture with you. 

Many people are greatly influenced by your teaching methods and you will live on in us. 

My life is going on. Can I talk to you sometimes, like I did until now? Let me report 'how my love life is going' to you. 

I feel you close.  Dear Irene, you are always in my heart.

A lot of love, Rose

A pistachio roll for lunch & brilliant Helsinki Cathedral

Having a short rest at the hotel St.GEORGE. 

A pistachio roll with sliced almonds on top became my lunch today. It is a bread from Eromanga at Hakaniemen Kauppahalli (Hakaniemi Market Hall). It was a little sweet, and a mild taste. I admired the subtle green color layered into the dough.

The one of impressive vivid red is "KOFF", a popular beer in Finland. It is smooth, like...goes with everything! 

I stepped out of the hotel and hung around Esplanadin Puisto (Esplanadi Park). The yellow cute shop is called Kauniste and sells charming daily goods. I didn't buy anything, but enjoyed looking around.

One of the nice things in Helsinki is people can wear whatever they want, like, elegant dresses, too. Sometimes, we should wear jeans or T-shirts properly as tourists so we don't stand out from the rest of the crowd. However, I don't have to worry about it here in Helsinki since people are dressed as they wish. 

I love it!  Everyone do their own thing.

Helsingin Tuomiokirkko (Helsinki Cathedral)

The contrast between chalky outer walls and green domes is magnificent. 

Helsinki Cathedral is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral of Helsinki, located in the center of Helsinki, Finland. 

In the dazzling light, I look up at the Cathedral.  The chalk was shining way more brilliantly. 

dogwoods & fancy lunch dish to go

I have been feverish since this Friday night, so stay at home and just lie down on the bed most of my time this weekend. Sunday evening, I still feel under the weather. So I'll go to bed again.

Cherry blossoms are falling down gradually and we see dogwoods lately. Dog? Not sure why it's called dogwood, though. It's interesting. I found a nice cafe a young couple manages on the first floor at their house. The pictures were taken on the day I was taking a walk to the place for to go. 

It takes about 22 min. on foot from my apartment one way and it's a good walking exercise at the same time. 

Blessed Sunday to you... Rose.