Month: February 2023

Secrets to Make a Beautiful Flower Arrangement

So that you can arrange a beautiful arrangement on day 1

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

Today I conducted a private Ikebana workshop for a group of twelve women.

Nobody has ever done Ikebana before.  For beginners like them, I normally give them one challenge for making an arrangement: Use only one kind of branch, and only one kind and color of flowers. 

Today I provided two kinds of greens, and four different colors of the same flower, alstroemeria: red, pink, yellow, and purple.

The basic structure is the same.  However, depending upon which branch and which color of flowers to use, quite a variety of arrangements are created. 

As you can see in the photos below, Ikebana is an art form, giving a new life to flowers with your own creativity and expression.  Just like no two persons are the same, no two Ikebana works are the same.  Enjoy the photos!      

Partial Myth of Rainy Seattle

It’s not as bad as you think

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

When my husband moved from Florida to Seattle, his colleagues gave him a raincoat as a farewell gift. 

As such is the reputation of Seattle.  A TV crime drama called Killing was set in Seattle, and it was raining in every episode.

Well, having lived here for 28 years, I have to admit that Seattle’s reputation as a rainy city holds.  According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Average precipitation days is over 156 days a year.  It’s more than twice as many days as San Francisco (71 days/year), and 25% more than New York City (125 days/year).

By the amount of annual rainfall, however, Seattle doesn’t even come close to the top of the list.  With 39 inches, Seattle picks up less precipitation each year compared to New York City (47 inches). 

A drizzling shower early in the morning, thick fog developing late morning, the fog burns off by 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and the bright sunset… Such a variety of weather can be seen in a day, but still is counted as a rainy day. 

I took the photo from our window.  The rain shower cleansed the air.  The leaves are vivid green.  And here, it’s a rainbow!

Well, is half the myth of rainy Seattle gone?