The 7th of the 24 solar terms [Rikka]
The beginning of summer.
The season when the earth is covered with grass and trees grow.
Carp streamers swim in the refreshing breeze under the blue sky.
The beginning of summer is said to be the most pleasant season of the year.
``Rikka'' is written as ``summer stands'' and means ``when the signs of summer begin to appear.'' ``Tate'' represents the beginning of a new season, and according to the calendar, summer is from the first day of summer to the day before the first day of autumn.
▲Read about “Two to Two Minutes, Four Standings, and Eight Sections”
Now, I would like to introduce the events that take place during early summer (Ritsuka).
[Events around the beginning of summer]
Otaue ritual
The first day of summer is the time when rice planting begins, and it also falls before the start of the rainy season.
In some regions, festivals are held to pray for a rich harvest. After women and children have been purified, they pray for a good harvest by planting rice and dancing.
Mother's Day May 14, 2023
Mother's Day is a day to express gratitude to mothers , and is celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year. On Mother's Day, there is a custom of giving gifts and flowers to mothers to show their gratitude and respect. Furthermore, May 5th is Children's Day, and according to the National Holiday Law, it is stated as ``a day to respect children's personalities, measure their happiness, and express gratitude to their mothers.''
It is not only a day to pray for the healthy growth of children, but also a day when children express their gratitude to their mothers by saying, ``Thank you for giving birth to me.''
As a result, ``Mother's Day'' is a day when families express their gratitude to their mothers, and mothers celebrate the fact that they have become ``mothers'' with their children and families by saying ``Thank you for giving birth to me.'' You can read it as a day of sharing.
mother's day and carnation
Giving carnations on Mother's Day has long been a standard gift. The origin of this name is that when carnations wither, they do not drop their petals, but stick to the center of the flower, and the process of withering resembles the image of a mother hugging her child to her chest, which means that ``a mother's love never dies''. Carnations have been cherished as a symbol of Mother's Day, believing that they represent this.
In addition, the flower language of carnation is "innocent and deep love." It is said that the carnation was chosen for this reason as well.
Each flower has its own flower language, and even flowers of the same variety can have different meanings depending on their color and number. Now, let's take a look at the flower language of carnations by color!
●Standard! Vibrant “red carnation”●
Red carnations represent ``love for mother,'' ``mother's love,'' ``pure love,'' and ``true love.'' It also means ``I want to see you,'' making it a perfect gift for your mother who lives far away.
●Deep red●
The flower language of deep red carnations, such as wine red or dark red, is ``sadness of the heart.'' Although it has a mature and elegant impression, it has a meaning in the language of flowers that is not very appropriate as a gift.
●White carnation●
It has both positive meanings such as "pure love" and "respect" and negative meanings such as "rejection of love".
In addition, there is a custom of giving white carnations to graves and Buddhist altars on Mother's Day and in memory of a deceased mother. Some people think that it is not appropriate to give a gift to someone who is still alive. Be particular about combinations such as arranging bouquets with other flowers.
●Pink carnation●
The flower language of pink carnations, which are often given on Mother's Day, is "gratitude." Other meanings include "female love," "beautiful gestures," "elegance," "elegance," and "warm heart." The color is perfect for gifts.
●Yellow carnation●
Yellow carnations symbolize beauty and friendship. In addition to this meaning, there are other meanings of flowers such as ``contempt'' and ``jealousy''. Yellow is a color that has a positive impression, but in the language of flowers, it often has a negative meaning.
●Flower language of orange carnation●
Orange carnations represent "pure love." It also means ``I love you,'' so it's perfect not only for Mother's Day, but also as a gift for your lover.
●Flower language of purple carnation●
The flower language of the chic purple carnation is "pride" and "elegance". It also has negative flower meanings such as "whimsical" and "fickle," so it would be best to give it as a gift by pairing it with other colors.
●Flower language of blue carnation●
The language of flowers is "eternal happiness". The blue carnation was developed through genetic modification and is named "Moondust." There are varieties such as aqua blue and lilac blue, and when you actually look at it, the color is closer to purple than blue.
Colorful rainbow carnations and deep blue carnations are often sold, but these are white carnations colored with colored water.
●Green carnation●
The flower language of gentle green carnations is "healing" and "pure love." Green, which evokes a sense of nature, is said to have a soothing and relaxing effect on people.
Give carnations as many as you like!
There is no set number of flowers recommended for a Mother's Day bouquet. If you're not sure how many carnations to give on Mother's Day, it might be fun to consider this idea. However, unlike roses, the meaning of carnations does not change depending on the number of carnations you give, so you can choose one according to your budget.
1 bottle: Thank you
2: Honesty
3 bottles: happiness
4: Trust
5 bottles: hope
6 books: love
7 books: passion
8 books: truth
9 books: respect
10 bottles: Glory
11: Effort
12: Eternity
Choosing the number of carnations for Mother's Day using the language of flowers
1 bottle: If you want to express your gratitude simply
8 bottles: with the meaning of “thank you for your consideration”
12 bottles: Recommended to give with meanings such as ``gratitude,'' ``love,'' ``happiness,'' and ``respect.''
By the way, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June as a day to show respect and gratitude to fathers. It is said that the flower for Father's Day is ``yellow roses.''
The flower language of "yellow rose" means "friendship", "peace", and "devotion", as well as "infidelity", "jealousy", and "fading love". Unlike other colors, yellow flowers have both good and bad meanings, and many have negative meanings, so it's a good idea to be particular about the combination of other flowers when giving presents.
Giving a gift of seasonal flowers will make both the giver and the recipient look forward to the Ibuki season.
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The 72 lords of [Rikka] are expressed as follows.
Early summer is when frogs begin to croak, worms begin to crawl, and bamboo shoots begin to grow.
(It is believed that the bamboo bamboo used in “Chikusuo” is Madake.)
First appearance of the frog
Frogs wake up from hibernation in early spring.
This is the time when they begin to move around actively in fields and rice fields, and begin to make their cries echo throughout the surrounding area.
Next candidate <Mimizu Izuru>
This is the time when plants grow thickly, plants become active, worms become active, and the soil becomes plowed and rich.
Descendant <Takenoko Shozu>
Bamboo shoots grow quickly, and if you don't harvest them before they grow too long, you won't be able to enjoy delicious bamboo shoots.
After it rains, bamboo shoots appear one after another and grow all at once overnight, so ``bamboo shoots after the rain'' is used as an analogy for similar things appearing one after another.
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Spring has passed with many events, and now that Golden Week has ended, it may be time for the hectic feelings to finally calm down. Foods that are in season in early summer are also rich in nutritional value. Let's prepare for the heat while being grateful for the blessings of nature.