Every spring in Japan, the cherry blossoms ("sakura") bloom for a brief period and everyone has a party. They go to parks, spread out blue tarps under the cherry blossom trees, bring snacks, drink, and contemplate the cycles of life. The party is called "hanami" (hana = flower; mi = see or look at). Last Spring I was in Tokyo for research and was fortunate enough to attend several hanami. Back home at Lamont, we actually have a row of cherry blossom trees just outside our lab.
This spring grad student Hannah Rabinowitz successfully completed her oral exams just in time for the cherry blossoms to bloom. So we decided to have a party for her…our own "Hannah-mi". Ted found the perfect big blue tarp and we all brought our favorite treats. Despite the chill, we spread the tarp out beneath the blossoms.
There we had a bit to eat…
…and nearly froze to death. Ted wisely snuck off to set up a space in the lab to spread out all the Japanese treats (wasabi seaweed, senbei, and sake) and we concluded our party in the warmth of the lab...
...enjoying the cherry blossoms from the other side of the window.
Congratulations, Hannah!!
No comments:
Post a Comment