We've been having days that feel like early summer.
The strawberries I grew on my balcony were perfectly ripe, very sweet, and delicious.
I also harvested some garlic.
The hydrangeas are starting to bloom.
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I tried dragon fruit for the first time.
It doesn't have a particularly strong flavor, so it seems like it could be used in a variety of dishes.
I ate Kashiwa mochi (rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves) again this year.
The oak tree is considered a symbol of prosperity of descendants because it "does not shed its old leaves until new buds appear," and it is said that the oak leaves embody the wish for the prosperity of the family.
Today was Children's Day, but I didn't see a single house displaying carp streamers.
It makes me sad to think that just a short while ago, I could still see carp streamers flying...
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Today I harvested the potatoes I had been growing on my balcony.
Those potatoes were small in size, but I harvested more than I had expected.
New potatoes have very soft skins, so they can be cooked without peeling.
This year, I'll be growing summer vegetables on my balcony again.
The shishito pepper and cherry tomato seeds I planted the other day have sprouted nicely.
I'm thinking about growing other summer vegetables as well.
Strawberries and watercress are currently in bloom on my balcony.
Also, succulents like "Choco Chip" are blooming one after another.
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The flowers, such as nemophila and azaleas, are beautiful along my recent walks.
April has brought warm, early-summer-like days, and various flowers have begun to bloom, making walks enjoyable for me.
Plants are so honest in how they feel the seasons.
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It was cloudy this morning, with occasional light rain.
I took a walk near my house.
It seems the cherry blossoms bloomed a little later this year than usual.
The cherry blossoms in my neighborhood were only about 30% in bloom.
Today was warm with a high of 25℃, but the weather forecast says it will be 11℃ tomorrow, so I'm happy that we'll be able to enjoy the cherry blossoms for a longer period this year.
There were two very impressive Japanese andromeda trees（馬酔木／あせび）, covered in many white and pink flowers.
The subtle fragrance was so elegant that I stopped for a while to savor the atmosphere.
With spring arriving, you can enjoy a variety of flowers along the walking paths.
My local supermarket grows seasonal flowers.
I look forward to seeing them every time I shop.
Because of the warm weather that's continued, the cherry blossoms (not the Somei-Yoshino variety) are in full bloom.
The Japanese daffodils are also in full bloom.
At the beginning of this month, the northern regions were hit by heavy snow every day, causing great hardship.
Could we have predicted such warm weather at the end of the month?
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The Nanko plum (南高梅) blossoms on my balcony have bloomed again this year.
The pansies are blooming beautifully too.
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Today was “One month since death anniversary” of my older brother.
My brother wasn't old enough to die yet.
He had a lot of plans for his future.
It's a real shame that all of that went to waste.
My older brother passed away recently.
The doctors ignored his wishes and pushed ahead with treatment anyway, which led to his death.
It was completely preventable.
I'm filled with frustration and regret.
Nothing I say can bring him back now.
I just can't believe this happened.
He's not coming back anymore.
At my brother's funeral ceremony, his fellow music lovers, who cherished enjoying music just as deeply as he did, performed songs and played instruments to see him off.
I am overflowing with thanks.
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The Nanko plum tree (南高梅) on my balcony has lots of buds.
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I ended up spending the last night of 2025 in the hospital.
My older brother is hospitalized, so I'm here to be with him.
My older brother is single, so I take care of him at the hospital and so on.
He had been working normally until three months ago, but he was suddenly hospitalized.
The Christmas tree at the hospital was huge and very beautiful.
～～～～～～～～～～～～ ☆☆☆ ～～～～～～～～～～～～
I'm making dried persimmons again this year. I hung up some slightly smaller persimmons than usual.
Rape blossoms were blooming beautifully on my walking path.
I also planted pansies again this year.
They will decorate my balcony until the warmer weather arrives in spring.
The leaves on the trees visible from my window have turned color and stand out against the blue sky.
This is my usual walking path, but the scenery has completely changed into autumn.
The ginkgo trees in the park are also shining a beautiful yellow.
The fallen leaves on the slope also add to the charm.
The cyclamen flowers on my balcony are a vibrant red.
The persimmons were delicious today.
The daily maximum temperature has finally dropped to 20°C.
These days it feels like the beautiful changes of the seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—are a thing of the past.
The bitter melon(苦瓜) on my balcony is at its last, but it still has five fruits.
I'm happy that I was able to collect lots of seeds from it this year as well.
～～～～～～～～～～～～ ☆☆☆ ～～～～～～～～～～～～
Yesterday was my birthday.
As usual, I made "this year's cake."
This year, I decorated it with strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries, along with whipped cream.
A year really goes by so quickly.
As we spend our days busy, we grow older.
On my birthday, I feel empty and regretful that I wasn't able to do the things I had set out to do this year.
I hope to have a birthday next year that doesn't make me feel empty.
I will do my best to make my wishes come true, even if just a little, while being considerate of the circumstances around me.
