Special thanks to Sensei Michael Belzer, President of the ‘Friends of Shoseian,’ a non-profit founded to maintain and preserve the beauty and serenity of the Shoseian Teahouse and the Japanese Friendship Garden, for again asking me to participate in the ‘Cherry Blossom Celebration’ at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Brand Park. What a beautiful day!

Veronica did a magnificent job of setting up the booth!

Ralph Komai, a longtime student of mine at the Huntington Botanical Gardens, stopped by with his bride, Sweet Kathy, and his brother and sister (in white jackets). Ralph’s parents were the leaders of the L.A. Bonsai Society and made major donations to the Huntington. There’s a bench dedicated to them in the Bonsai area at the Huntington, and Ralph and I went to see it when it was first installed. Wonderful memories.

I absolutely adore my precious new neighbors…they are the most precious family.

It’s always a joy to see Wondrous Carol Soucek King, who is super supportive of all her myriad of friends!

Carol was absolutely stunning!

Edward, Patricia, Gary, Curtis, and Carol!

Lovely Susie Katharine Shaw with her Nan Rae scarf!

I’m always so happy with these three…Yi Lin, Curtis, and Fashionable Kevin Casey. It was so terrific that they picked me up…Kita also got some doggie time with them! Happy pup!!!

It’s no secret that I’m addicted to Sumo wrestling & watch competitions on Japanese TV. Sumo at the event was great fun but not quite the same!

It was really adorable when they had the little kids participate.

Everyone loved it!

Photo op! Viva Sullivan and Susie, with her friend, got the full-on Sumo….

And yours truly…

The end of a perfect day! A world of thanks to everyone who stopped by to give me moral support…so sorry if I didn’t get your photograph.

Dear friend Seta, VP at Woodbury University, stopped by so we could catch up and was so happy to get two books!

I wish you all the joys of Spring!