When the Winter Cherry Blossoms fall

Everybody knows the typical sakura scene you can find in many Japanese movies. Families gather together in parks full of cherry blossom trees to enjoy the wonder of nature. Sitting on blankets, eating bento boxes, talking and just having fun all day long. And everywhere, the cherry blossom petals are flying around, giving the scenery a magical touch.
But never have I ever thought, that this would become reality. And that I would be allowed to be part of all of this.

It all happened on a normal Sunday. Almost the whole Goen family gathered together to go to a parc where the winter sakura was in full bloom. Some took the car with all the stuff for the picnic and some decided to go there by bicycle. As if the weather knew the plan, it was a beautiful sunny day with an ocean blue sky above us and almost no clouds.
As soon as we arrived at the destination, it took us only a couple of minutes to set up everything. In between the blooming Sakura trees we opened a huge, blue blanket for everybody to sit on. But because the wind this day was quite strong, it almost flew away if we would not have secured it with some heavy stuff on the edges.

As soon as everybody was gathered together, the picnic started. But when the covers of the four huge Bento Boxes were opened, everybody's jaw dropped. The day before, it took at least two hours for the cook to prepare everything, but it was completely worth it. From Onigiri to Karaage and KariKariCheese over Tamagoyaki, meat balls, sausages, salmon, pork and marinated shrimp up to korokke and a bunch of different vegetables, everything was there. Also a delicious chocolate cake was waiting for us for dessert. It was so much food that we were not even able to eat all of it and ended up sharing it with another family which joined us later.

After everybody's stomach was completely full and satisfied, it was time to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. And it was exactly like in all of those movies. The pink sakura petals were flying all around, dancing with the wind and going with the flow. It felt like a dream. But it was not. All of it was real.

While the children were playing with each other on the lawn, the adults started to let out their inner child once again. And the reason for all of that were some soap bubble maker tools. Starting with just trying it out, it ended up with having a photo shooting in between the sakura trees and the biggest bubbles flying around.
But as soon as the only a few months old baby woke up, everybody's focus was on her. She was just too adorable! Chubby mochi cheeks (like her father) and always in a state between crying and laughing. Wearing a fluffy light brown bear outfit with ears on the hoodie she caught everyones attention.



Time passed fast and at one point it was time to go. But we all left with a smile on our faces. Because this day created a memory, which no one of us would ever forget. The memory of the time when the winter cherry blossoms fell.

- CH -