As my very witty friend aptly put it, “How can it be 9 pm? I swear it was just April 2 nights ago!”

Almost three quarters of the year is done, and the -ber months are on their way. Pretty soon, we’ll be wrapped again in Christmas carol melodies and the mad rush of bargain gift shopping. But before we snuggle up in our warmer clothes, here’s a little reminder of when the sun first peeked out from its sleep, kickstarting one of our more joyous and colorful seasons.

If you want to read more about my cherry-blossom-laden adventure in the lovely region of Kansai, Japan, then just come clicking over here.