I probably take too many photos of flowers, but I do love them. When we lived in London I used to visit the flower stall in St John’s Wood on Monday afternoon. I would buy a small bunch and come home with an armful. They were always trying to get rid of their flowers on Monday because Tuesday was the day they went to the New Covent Garden Flower Market (an amazing place by the way). My flat was rarely without a bunch of flowers. That all ended when we moved to Singapore, they were just too expensive. It is the same here in Japan, hence the Ikebana style of flower arranging. Ikebana requires very few flowers. I took a course a while ago, but I just don’t get the same joy from it as I do from English floral arranging. I love flowers and in large quantities.

Here in Japan I purchase a bunch of roses occasionally when the local flower shop has a Saturday special. Other than that I appreciate them as they grow in my neighborhood. This morning I noticed that the hollyhocks are blooming around the baseball diamond on the corner. And yes it is still raining!