Categories
Haiku Photos

Cherry Trees and Haiku: A Digital Haiku Hedge by Lesley Donaldson

Point Grey resident Lesley Donaldson is usually displaying haiku on her hedge during cherry blossom season, but this year is different. She writes:

“I can’t assemble my Haiku Hedge this year because of social distancing and no gathering rules. So instead I am organizing a digital Haiku Hedge.”

Since March 25, Lesley sends to her family and friends a daily e-mail featuring a photo of her cherry trees and a haiku written by herself or by haiku masters. Here are some photos and haiku shared by Lesley.

a2020_akebono_donaldson_cherry8

 

Listen! Hear the voices

six feet apart –

between the blossomed trees

 

Lesley Donaldson

 

 

2020_akebono_donaldson_cherry2 2020_akebono_donaldson_cherry4

 

In these latter-day

degenerate times,

cherry-blossoms everywhere!

 

Kobayashi Issa (1763 – 1828)

 

2020_akebono_donaldson_cherry17 2020_akebono_donaldson_cherry19

 

Pale mountain sky:

cherry petals play

as they tumble earthward

 

Kusama Tokihiko (1920 – 2003)

 

2020_akebono_donaldson_cherry14

 

The light of a candle

Is transferred to another candle—

Spring twilight

 

Yosa Buson (1716 – 1784)

 

2020_akebono_donaldson_cherry5

Lesley, whose hedge has been  featured in the Georgia Straight, wrote about her beautiful Akebono cherry trees:

“I have four huge cherry trees planted over 30 years ago along the west side of my house. I live on a corner lot and I remember when I planted them my mother saying “people going places will say, ‘turn at the corner where the cherry trees are’”.  I liked that idea.”

She might have been wrong though –  I think people mainly notice my deep green yew hedge, 6 feet high that encloses my property.  It is clipped and maybe 200 ft long (…) and in the spring, when the pink blossoms fall from the cherry trees, it reminds me of sprinkles.”

At a time when the global order is in chaos (…) I find comfort in looking out of my windows at the giant cherry tree trunks “

 

2020_akebono_donaldson_cherry11

 

Lesley has been participating in the VCBF Haiku Invitational for many years, winning an honourable mention in 2008:

 

The carpet of blossoms—

my granddaughter in her pink dress

does a twirl

 

Lesley Donaldson (VCBF haiku invitational 2008 Adult Honourable Mention)

 

You too! You can share your love of cherry blossoms through haiku. Submit your poem to the VCBF haiku invitational.

Categories
Arts & Crafts Haiku Merchandise Photos Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Sakura Days Japan Fair 2018

Sakura Days Japan Fair gave visitors a chance to experience Japan with hands-on workshops (calligraphy, origami, haiku) and amazing performances.  What a fabulous week-end!

20180414_sakuradays_samurai_crowd_tremblay_IMG_9555 20180414_sakuradays_singers_tremblay_IMG_9381

Several tree talks and walks were lead by Van Dusen garden volunteers. There were lots of cherry trees to talk about including the beautiful tai-haku (great white cherry).

20180414_sakuradays_cherrytreetalkandwalk_tremblay_IMG_9548 20180414_vandusen_taihaku_tremblay_IMG_9402

The winning haiku from the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Invitational 2017 were displayed in the garden for everyone to read and enjoy.

20180414_sakuradays_haikubamboo_tremblay_IMG_9362 20180414_sakuradays_haikubamboo_IMG_9872

At the Haiku House, you could attend a workshop, try your hand at writing a haiku, make a button, or take a guided walk to the haiku rock.

20180414_sakuradays_haikuhouse_tremblay_IMG_9607 20180414_sakuradays_haikuhouse_tremblay_IMG_9594

The food was a major draw.

20180414_sakuradays_food_tremblayIMG_9482 20180414_sakuradays_japadog_tremblayIMG_9734

Outdoor demonstrations included the forging of Japanese knives by knifewear.

20180414_sakuradays_knifewear_tremblayIMG_9736

If you preferred to be inside, you could visit the vendors and pick up a petal mat or guide to Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver at the VCBF table.

20180414_sakuradays_vendors_tremblay_IMG_9621 20180414_sakuradays_vcbftable_tremblayIMG_9624

People gathered on the hill, sitting on petal mats, to watch the show on the cherry stage.

20180414_vandusen_cherryhill_tremblay_IMG_9370

During her calligraphy demo,Kisyuu disappeared behind the canvas to paint the back of the canvas while the picture was slowly revealed to the audience at the front.

20180414_sakuradays_calligraphyKissyu_tremblay_IMG_9510

Hojo Hand-Crafted Samurai Armor Corps grabbed visitors’ attention as they walked to the stage to perform an elaborate play in full costumes.

20180414_sakuradays_samurai_stage_tremblay_IMG_9551 20180414_sakuradays_samurai_tremblay_IMG_9424

Two performers from Japan, Keita Kanazashi on the Japanese Drum and Kohei Honda on the shamisen, drew a big crowd with their amazing energy.

20180414_sakuradays_shamisenTaiko_Tremblay_IMG_9705 20180414_sakuradays_shamisenTaiko_Tremblay_IMG_9726

Outdoor performances kept us dancing until 7 pm.

20180414_sakuradays_singer_tremblayIMG_9748 20180414_sakuradays_youthacademy_tremblay_IMG_9800

The event ended with lantern procession from the Cherry Stage to the Visitor Centre.

20180414_sakuradays_lanternparade_tremblay_IMG_9816 20180414_sakuradays_lanternparade_tremblay_IMG_9765

Sakura Days Japan Fair is two-day festival organized by the Japan Fair Association of Vancouver as part of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. It took place at the Van Dusen Botanical Garden.

People who attended Saturday were able to walk over to Queen Elizabeth park to see the Sakura Illuminations.

Categories
Haiku

cherry blossoms

20151220
20151220
Categories
Haiku

cherry blossoms

20151214

Categories
Haiku

Tourists ask for directions

20150103

Categories
Haiku

Alzheimer’s ward

20151122

 

Categories
Haiku

cherry blossoms

20151119

Categories
Haiku

cherry blossoms

20151115

Categories
Haiku

Stanley Cup playoffs

20151011

Categories
Haiku Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Haiku activities at Leith Wheeler Haiku House during Sakura Days Japan Fair

There were lots of haiku activities at the Leith Wheeler Haiku House during Sakura Days Japan Fair: haiku workshop, haiku rocks, haiku weathergrams, bookmaking, haikuseum. We had lots of fun getting people inspired to write haiku for the upcoming Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Invitational.

sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_0777  sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1091

sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1606 sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1094

sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1617 sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1616

sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1208 sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1599

sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1205 sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1190

   IMG_1520 IMG_1543

sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1038 sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1040

Meanwhile, visitors in the garden were able to read haiku on bamboo sticks and haiku written in chalk (thanks to Michael Dylan Welch for this great project installation!)

sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_1006 sakuradaysjapanfair_20150412_IMG_0854

If you missed the haiku workshop and the bookmaking workshop at Sakura Days Japan Fair, you’ll have a second chance. There will be a haiku workshop followed by a bookmaking workshop at the Kerrisdale Community Centre Picnic on Sunday April 26/15.

kerrisdale_workshop_tremblay_IMG_9523 kerrisdale_workshop_tremblay_IMG_9555  kerrisdale_workshop_tremblay_IMG_9645 kerrisdale_workshop_tremblay_IMG_9636