After dropping my camerado off at the airport and before delivering a holiday snow slug to a friend in West Philly, I stopped by Shofuso, the Japanese House and Garden in Fairmount Park.
It was dawn: colder than a warlock's perineum. I couldn't warm up the rest of the day after taking these photos--I was under a spell of coldness.
I thought the dawn light on the snow would be beautiful, but it's just sort of okay. I was too early. My favorite time to see Shofuso is the Cherry Blossom Festival. A few years ago we saw some Elegant Gothic Lolitas and Aristocrats there, which completely fascinated Matt, and which I thought were pretty cool, too. The martial arts demonstrations and the Taiko Drum and Dance were great. Also: my former scoutmaster and his wife were selling and demonstrating kites, which strikes me as a great way to spend your retirement!
This year Sakura Sunday is April 11. It's not too early to start thinking about cherry blossoms! Pay the admission to Shofuso so you can tour the grounds, search for a large but mysteriously hidden stone sage, walk the paths, and meet the fish. Inside, new paintings by Hiroshi Senju on the paper sliding walls evoke frozen cascades and inspire silent rapture. Then get coffee and apple cake at the nearby Ohio House, one of the few structures left in Fairmount Park from the 1876 Centennial Exhibition.
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