Japanese Cherry Blossoms

Posted on April 23, 2020 by vanbraman

Tonight my mind has wandered to Japanese Cherry Blossoms.

I have been to Japan several times during the Cherry Blossom season and it is a very beautiful time to visit.

Cherry Trees, Cherry Blossoms, Shinjuku Gyoen, Park, GardensLast year I made a trip at just the right time and saw these beautiful blossoms in Tokyo.

Cherry Blossoms, New National Stadium, Tokyo, 2020 Olympics in TokyoI also saw these cherry blossoms by the Olympic stadium which was nearing the end of construction. We will have to wait to see the events which have been postponed by a year.

Japanese Cherry Blossoms - Cherry trees blooming - White BlossomsI was mainly thinking today of a trip I made to Tokyo six years ago for a conference. I was really excited at that time as I knew that I would be there at the peak of the season.

Above is a picture of the beautiful cherry blossoms that were by Sophia University.

Ueno, Japan - Cherry Blossoms - Japan - Blossoms - Beautiful Cherry BlossomsCherry blossom viewing or hanami is a traditional Japanese custom and many people turn out to view the blooms each spring. Especially at Ueno and other parks around the country.

Cherry Blossoms - Japan - Traditions - Cherry Blossom Viewing - TokyoGetting together with friends or family to share a meal or snacks is also a custom with hanami. This year you will not see a scene like this due to social distancing. Also many traditional viewing spots are closed down.

There are many different websites that post a Cherry Blossom forecast with information about peak viewing times and when cherry blossoms in different areas of the country will start to appear. This year many of the websites have suspended their forecast to discourage people from traveling to areas away from their home.

It is nice to have pictures to trigger some nice memories.

Steven

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Missing Baseball

Posted on April 22, 2020 by vanbraman

Today is the 146th anniversary of the first National League baseball game.

The game was played on April 22, 1876 in Philadelphia and the Red Stockings of Boston beat the Athletics by a score of 6-5.

This has me thinking of baseball tonight.

Little League Baseball - Ceramic - Baseball Uniform - State Farm Insurance - Birthday GiftI have loved baseball since I was little. Here I am with my first uniform when I first played in Ottumwa, Iowa. Our team name was the Royals.

Baseball - Little League Baseball - Bench Warmer - Baseball Dugout - Baseball MemoriesTo be honest, I was really not very good at playing baseball. This was my regular position. I sat on the bench most of the time.

Softball, Bible Camp, Summer Camp, PitcherI also played baseball during the summer once we moved to Ashland, Kansas but again saw very little playing time.

But that did not make me lose my love of baseball.

I also played a lot of softball at summer Bible camps, where I did play a bit better. It was much easier to hit and catch that big ball that moved much slower.

Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha, Omaha Royals, College World SeriesWay back in the late 80’s I also worked for the Omaha Royals helping run part of the scoreboard. One of my friends was the regular operator, but I filled in for him when he was out of town and helped him for quite a few more games. However, it was just for one season before I moved away.

Baseball - Oakland A's - Baseball Stadium - Summer Pasttime - America's Favorite SportI have a few favorite teams. The team of my heart is the Kansas City Royals, but living here in California I am also an Oakland A’s fan. Of course, they used to play in Kansas City so there is a bit of a connection.

I have many memories of listening to Kansas City Royals baseball games while driving across Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska while working as a field service engineer.

Jayce Tingler, Auburn, Bakersfield, San Diego Padres, Baseball, General ManagerI will also be a San Diego Padres fan once baseball starts up again as I know Jayce Tingler who is their new Manager this year. I am hoping that he will have a good first year as a manager. Unfortunately it comes at a difficult time.

I am missing baseball, but at least I can turn on a classic game on TV and listen to the sounds of baseball.

Steven

 

 

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