The cherry blossom is falling now. It's been a spectacular year for blossom - not just the cherry trees but also apple, pear and peach. This year, with Spring being so late, they all flowered at once.

We're hoping the bountiful blossom, so late in the frost season, might mean a good year for fruit. In the meantime, we've been indulging in what the Japanese call 'hanami' - viewing the cherry blossom (sakura).

The cherries bracketing the entrance to the courtyard have dropped their blossom in a thick carpet. Sometimes, sitting in the living room, I'd see the blossom falling outside and think for a moment that it was a flurry of snow.

The courtyard looks a little like it did in Winter, when we couldn't drive out past our gate because of the snow and ice. But the impression doesn't last in the wonderfully warm weather we've been having. In fact, it's more like someone held a wedding in the courtyard without telling us. Even the car looks like it's been part of the procession.