Plum Blossoms bring us Spring
In Japan, we have flowers relay starts from early spring, around middle of February. It starts with the Plum (Ume), followed by the Peach (Momo), then finishes with the Cherry (Sakura). The lovely relay really brings me to the hopeful feeling.
Sometimes we use the name of flowers for the class name in the kindergarten. Actually, the kindergarten my younger brother used to go does have classes named Plum, Peach, and Cherry. Children in age of 3 are in Plum (Ume) class, and who are age of 4 are in Peach (Momo) class, and who are age of 5 are in Cherry (Sakura) class, the way they name follows the order of the blossoms bloom.
Plum blossom season is still cold
We have the plum blossom in middle of February, and it is the coldest month in February in a year. When I go out to see the blossoms, still I have to wear my coat and keep myself warm, and people including me rarely have picnic underneath the plum tree even though the situation is mostly as same as Sakura season that a lot of people enjoy picnicking underneath the tree with full of blossoms. Yes, apparently, the temperature is totally different between plum & cherry season, far warmer in cherry season.
Colorful Flowers Soothes Our Nerves
Lately we spend a lot of time in our home in order to keep the social distance each other due to the COVID-19, so sometimes we may have the depressed feeling. In such a time, seeing the colorful flowers makes us feel better. Thankfully, I have some public parks nearby my house, and they have many flowers in the flowerbed and they are well maintained. Sometime during my working time, I take some break in one of the parks. It refreshes me very much. Would I better to decorate my room with some flowers as well?