100 Years of Cherry Trees

  

   I received my March issue of Better Homes and Gardens yesterday. My mother loves that magazine and I am frequently inspired by it.  The editors of this magazine, both the traditional and online versions, have one of the most useful and informative magazines around, as well as some of the most beautiful photographs.

  According to BH&G, this year marks the 100th anniversary of Japan's gift to the United States of America with 3,00 cherry trees. This sparked my curiosity and I did a little investigating.

  Washington D.C. celebrates the National Cherry Blossom Festival every year at the end of March with festivities that include dances, both modern and traditionally Japanese. At this time of year the country's capital is splendidly wardrobed in the many shades of pink and white blossoms that fall from these dainty trees. If you are planning a trip to Washington; this is a good time to see the capital at it's best. Last year's festival was held on March 28th.

                              

National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C.

  The trees were presented in 1912 by Ozaki Yukio I learned the Japanese word for cherry blossom is Sakura, which is also a popular name in that culture for girls. The US, in return, gifted Japan with flowering dogwood a few years later. 

  The origin of cherry blossom viewing goes back to the Heian period (794-1192) when aristocrats of the Japanese imperial court held parties to enjoy the beauty of sakura.Okinawa has enjoyed an earlier bloom time than the rest of Japan, having a warmer climate that other parts of that country. In 2010, Okinawa officially started cherry blossom season in January! This is a full two months before the cherry trees start to bloom over here.

                                       

Cherry Blossom (Sakura) in Okinawa Japan 沖縄のさくら

  I have been a scrapbooker for many years now. Over ten years have passed since I started chronically all of our many experiences as a family in the pages of my scrapbooks. Quite a few times I have found scrapbook sites with free patterns to download online. Wouldn't you know it; I just happen to have a piecing pattern for... wait for it...CHERRIES! (You knew that was coming, didn't you?) Here it is:

 

  As you can see this paper piecing project was done by Lisa Storms and published as a downloadable pdf file from scrapbooks etc online. Check them out for more scrapbook and card making ideas.
  Now, before I go, I have to give you one more cherry project. This is my favorite dessert, made first (in our family) by my Auntie Debbie and loved by everyone who loves cherries. If you do not love cherries, have no fear as this cake can be made with any flavor pie filling. It is Dump Cake and if you have never tried it; you are in for a treat! I absolutely LOVE it!!

Dump Cake

1 box yellow cake mix, with butter
2 sticks of butter
1 large can cherry (or your favorite flavor) pie filling

Melt a stick of butter in a 8 x8 casserole dish. Pour pie filling in next. Add dry cake mix evenly on top. DO NOT STIR TOGETHER! Put small pats of butter all over top, using whole stick. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes.

I like to eat mine with some vanilla ice cream. But, then, I like vanilla ice cream with almost anything...except broccoli, I guess.



My family got together and printed all of our favorite recipes from the extended family into our own cookbook. It is one of my favorite cookbooks. I only have a few cookbooks and rarely cook, even then I seldom open a book or follow anything but recipes I know by heart. When I do use a cookbook, it will either be this one (our family book) or Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.