Holiday Arrangement using Glass Container

It’s been a long while since I had posted an arrangement for Christmas holiday.  For the entire month I just had no desire to do any Ikekana. I think I suffered a deep depression! (I might talk about it later).  We have been moving here for more than two months now. It’s been so cold! We had 15 inches of snow the other day and then we got 34 inches of snow on yesterday (1/25/2026). It’s a historic winter snow storm across the region. Before the day of the snow storm started, my daughter in-law and I went to Kingston area for food shopping and I bought a bouquet of flowers, thinking about making an arrangement finally! (1/27/2026)

Materials: The branches and pine I cut from my yard, the others from part of bouquet. The glass container from class required that I keep it in mind. 

Merry Christmas to all - Happy Holidays

The holidays are here. My materials are limited, I only have two poinsettias from my daughter and friend as a gift, immediately! It feels Christmas spirit in the air! 

The same arrangement from previous one, I just changed the poinsettia from red to white, 

Holiday Table Arrangement - Poinsettia and Snow Scene

It seems like winter arrived early in Rhinebeck, NY.  It’s colder here than where I used to live in Washington Crossing, PA. The temperature difference between the two places is about three to seven degrees. We had our second snowfall today; it covered the first one! The temperature is not warm enough to melt it. Watching the snow fall through the window made me calm and relaxed for a while. (12/10/2025)

In front of my house is Orchard Street 

My front yard 

I Was There for The Last Time - Nandina Arrangement

Our house sold unexpectedly quickly! The settlement is around the corner. Therefore, I went back to the Washington Crossing, PA house with my daughter on Saturday (11/29/2025). It was the only time I went back there since we moved out; to see what I left behind. We spent almost the whole day there to clean up. One of my daughter’s bedroom set went free to a good home, paintings to a person who knows art, many books donated to library, the Irish harp free to a musical therapist who plays for the elderly and those in hospice…etc.  To move out of our beloved home, it’s just not that easy and was emotionally heartbreaking! I thought my husband and I were going to grow old there together until the end.

Bye bye for many plants that I planted for Ilkebana 
materials, nandina is one of them 

“ Late Autumn Greetings”

 As Autumn deepened and the holiday season begins. This time of year can evoke feelings of sadness due to the lack of sunshine and especially for my husband’s Dementia, but it also perceive as happiness of holiday family gatherings and soon will be enjoying the beauty of winter wonderland! Actually we have the first accumulated snow (2 inches) today in Rhinebeck. 

Dogwood, mum and pine / ceramic (11/23/2025)

Freestyle - Using Leftover Materials

We have moved to the new home for more than three weeks now, the house is still a mess, it will take a long time to get to the condition as I pleased! It’s a blessings that our children live in nearby and they have been helping us throughout the moving, hoping us to settle down as soon as possible!

I had my first class lessons at the new place on 11/10/2025. After home, I was able to make an another arrangement using leftover flowers that Hata Sensei prepared for us.  (11/14/2025)

Special Materials and Arrangements for Feastive Occasions or Arrangements for Celebrations

This is the third lesson;  “Autumn Festival Celebrations” is my theme. The bittersweet, branches and pine I cut from my yard, fall color mum provided, I added two apples to complete this arrangement. 

Final arrangement in the class  (11/10/2025)

Tried to arrange at home, no flowers yet 

My First New Class at Pound Ridge Library

I’m ready for my first new class on 11/10/2025. It’s with the Dutchess Putnam Westchester Sogetsu Group. Hata Sensei teaches here too. I am so happy and fortunate that I still have the opportunity to learn Ikebana under her guidance! Even though it needs one hour and twenty minutes to get to the library through Taconic parkway. Hata Sensei and I are so happy to meet again! We have 17 students today, most of them are new faces to me.  The difference between DPW Sogetsu Group and Mainline Branch are the materials, they provide flowers for you (purchased from the group), not prepared by ourself. I think both have its own advantages! I cut my branches from my new home backyard, and used provided fall color mum which were just what I need.

The subjects are: 1). Variation No.1 Slanting Style Moribana;  2). Variation No.4  Upright Style Nageire;  3). Special Materials and Arrangements for Festive Occasions or Arrangements for Celebrations. The first two lessons are basic styles, Sensei would like us to practice repeatedly until we reach mastery the skills to perfection!

Lesson (1) Moribana (suiban)

Lesson (2) Nageire (tall vase)

A Last Glimpse

Stunning morning at the pond near my Washington Crossing home. It’s my last glimpse on October 26, two days before we moved to our new house in Rhinebeck, NY., another beautiful, historic town. I will miss Bucks County, we spent our whole life there, bringing up children, from youth to old age, to the final stages of life! 

A last lingering look, courtesy of my daughter:

Beautiful fall colors. (10/26/2025)

 

Take it Easy - Simplified Arrangement

October is the month full of anxiety and hope! It’s a preparation and moving month. I am feeling overwhelmed, have a lot of things on my mind during this busy moving process. It’s just too much to do. To temporarily relieve the stress, I made this “Simplified Arrangement”, one of the subjects in my old Mainline Branch October class lesson. 

10/24/2025