Grewia occidentalis/Grewia. Malvaceae. Malvales. Magnoliopsida. Tracheophyta Commonly called/Crossberry. Lavender Starflower Native to/Southern Africa *It’s found from the Cape Provinces of South Africa. Symbolism/Enduring beauty. Resilience. *It’s associated with artistic perfection and nature’s harmony. *Genus of approximately 150 species. *The leaves are ovate-diamond-shaped to lance-shaped, 3/4-3in(2-8cm)long. Bears small stalked,axilliary cymes of flowets,1 1/4in(3cm)across with pink sepals and mauve to purple. *The genus name honors English botanist Nehemiah Grew(1641-1712). *”Occidental” means ‘from the west’. Photographed 7/3 10:16am 2025 Posted 7/4(Friday) 12:10pm 2025
Yumiko(California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Good mornevening ! 🌅🌃 Grewia occidentalis is called Suiren-boku(睡蓮木) in Japan🇯🇵.😄👌 It is a South African🇿🇦 native evergreen shrub, and it produces pink flowers like water lilies(Suiren: 睡蓮), so this is the name it's called in Japan🇯🇵.🤔🤗🪷 Ah!!🤯 Oni-chan have to get up early tomorrow, because a lotus viewing event is scheduled for early tomorrow morning! 🌄🏃💨📸🪷 So long Yumi !!! 👋😪💤✨🎠 Have a nice weekend !🏊♀️🏃♀️💨🌞✌️✨
@じゅん Thank you for a message, June san. Yes, it’s becoming hot…it’s still 26°C. In the morning, 13°C~. Ok, today! I know, it’s hot hotter in Japan, take care of yourself. Hot summer ☀️ (better in winter?) Have a nice day ! with smile 😊
@ラスカル Thank you for a message. lovely This ladies came from my garden. Only this time, they bloom. I call my birthday flower. I became one year older last week. How are you? You keep going well, O can tell! 👍 I am happy . We are together on GS. Good day! 😊
@ユミ Thank you for a message. I went to my garden to trim my roses. These ladies have just started blooming. I was with her for a while in my garden. happy feeling ~ Let’s have a good day together! with smile 😊
@ゆきりん Thank you for a message. lovely Every year at this time she(they) show nicely in my garden. I am happy to see them. Let’s go for a good day together! with smile 😊
@太陽の塔 Good morning! 🌞 How are you? It will be a good day for you. I like you to call me ‘Yumi’. Here, I talked to them ‘my name is Yumi/ ‘you and me’. It’s easy to remember. Have you got it? I like you to call me ‘Yumi’.
By the way…😁suddenly I want to know your age…Maybe I had known it?! You are 7 years elder to me?~ Good day together! with smile 😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Good early morning, Yumi. 🌅🗻 Oni-chan feel sleepy ! 🥱😪 You and me, Yumi ? 🤔 Your English is easy to understand. 🤭🤗 By the way, how did you know my age ? 😊 I refer to men under 70 as "onii-san"(older brother) and men 70 and older as "otou-san"(father).👌 This is a story of the geiko(芸妓)san from Kyoto told me, so my name is onii-chan. Please tell me why I am 7 years elder to Yumi. So long. 👋🪷💦
Good morning.☺️✨ A pale purple flower. This may be the first time I've seen it. It's also known as the lavender star. A gentle, lovely flower that blooms beautifully. Thank you for letting me see it. 🐰💗
@太陽の塔 …I said to you ‘you may be 7 years elder to me’…I do not know why~ just I felt something ~ 🙂 ‘oni~san’…I am an only child. Since I was a little girl, I had wanted to have my elder brother(like a dream). When I was a high school student(16 years old), I attended at the tennis club. One guy(7 years elder to me), gave me a lesson and he was a such a nice person. He was a college student. 🎈…nothing happened ~🙄 your sense is similar to him. I was in those days, (okute). + my high school and college are all girls. No boys. ~~~I will talk to you later~ Sorry…I lost my way what I am talking to you! 😅 Anyway your age is around 7 years senior to me. (sutekina oni~san) I can tell you your personality is very close to me. 👏 We are together on GS. lovely talking! with smile 😊
@ﾃﾞｭﾗﾝｻ You are welcome. These ladies came from my garden. Once a year at this time, they show cute flowers. When I do trimming in my garden, I can see them. I said ‘welcome back’. 😊 Have a great day! with our smiles
@ゆきばー Thank you for a message. These ladies are showing today,too in my garden. They are enjoying the day and night! Let’s have a good day together! with smile 😊
@ラスカル Thank you. I made this flower my birthday flower. Actually my birthday flower is Agapanthus. How are you? You look nice! lovely Keep going. Thank to your family and you will be better ~ 👍 Have a great day! with our smiles 😊😊
It's a flower that blooms every year in Yumiko's garden. It's nice to see the flowers that bloom every year bloom again this year. "Welcome home" I see🐰💗
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ I've got it ! 👌 I will always be your good elder brother, and I look forward to our continued relationship in the future !😄🤗✌️ Tomorrow I'm going to the Kansai Expo eary in the morning, so I have to go to bed early today.💙♥️👀😴 Have a nice day, Yumi from your Oni-chan. 🌞📣📣📣
@ﾃﾞｭﾗﾝｻ Thank you. That’s right. This lady shows to me around my birthday. I call her ‘my birthday flower’ in my garden. It’s getting hot. Let’s take cake of each other. And go for tomorrow! with smile 😊
@ラスカル Thank you. Agapanthus is my birthday flower. I love in~ always. How are you? You have been good~. Don’t think about little/small stress. You are fine!🫶 I will be with you. 😊
@太陽の塔 Thank you for a message. Wow…you are going ~ I am looking forward to seeing your photos. Take care of yourself. It’s hot. Take a cold towels to put it around your neck. 👍 Ice cooler bag. You can keep the thing in the cooler box. Have a great day! with smile 😊
"Birthday flowers" are very happy flowers 😘💞 In my garden, the flower that blooms in February is "Wintersweet (Rossai)". It has a lemon yellow transparent flower. It is a flowering tree that I like very much. 🐰💗
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Nice advice ! 😄👌 Thank Yumi for offering your valuable advice ! 🤗✌️ We took cold towels to put them around our necks.🐔 The weather forecast was cloudy with rain but today was very hot day. 🥵💦 Your advice helped ours !🌞 The theme of the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion, which we visited today at Expo, was HEALTH and Anti-Aging. Oni-chan found it very helpful and Oni-chan hope Yumi-chan can experience it at the Kansai Expo.💙♥️👀😊👌 By the way, it's Wimbledon season now and Yumi have been playing tennis as well when Yumi-chan were a high sciool student. 🎾👧 Oni-chan used to play tennis. When I was younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in any way.🏸🤭 I'd love to play tennis with Yumi sometime !⚔️ Long talk sorry. 🙇 Have a nice day with your partner ! 🥰🤫🌞✌️
@太陽の塔 😊Thank you for a message. oni~san! When I became a high school girl, I got the lesson how to play 🎾 tennis for one year. After that ~ I was pretty good playing. 🤙(1974-1977) I was also good at skiing! How about you? Tennis 🎾 Skiing ⛷️ Good day together! with smile 😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yumi for your sports message ! 😄👌 Nice, you were pretty good tennis player.🎾🏸〜1977 Was that your first GS-icon around that time ? 🤔 Yumi are still so cute !👩✌️ I lived in Tokyo until 14 years ago. I used to ski and play tennis, but I don't anymore. I don't even play golf now. But I go to the sports gym and do running, stretching, and occasionally swimming.🏊 🎶 Good day sunshine ! I feel good, in a special way I'm in love and it's a sunny day 🎶🎸🤗🥰 So long, Yumi.📣📣📣🌞✌️
@太陽の塔 😁oni~san is very happy! I like that. I can feel~. ✌️ You know Tokyo. You were Osaka boy, right? My grandfather and father came from Fukushima/ Iwate. As you know, Tokyo is the place where lots of Japanese moved in live. ‘Edokko’! What is meaning? I would like you to let me know. (I know~a little) How is your day? It’s becoming hot. Keep being your body cooler. Have a great day! with smile 😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yumi for your nice message ! 😄👌 Although I have lived in Tokyo before, I was born and raised in Osaka. That's why I love the Osaka Expo.🌞💙♥️👀😊 But eddoko people are nice so lively(生:iki) and have great spirit(気概:kigai) .✌️ Do Yumi know NHK Taiga drama "UNBOUND" ? 🌌🤔 It means Japanese historical drama "Berabou(べらぼう)". Thank is Arigatayama.🤭 Was he who is 7 years older than Yumi from Edo(Tokyo) ? I'm curious as to why.🎾🏸👱♂️🏃🏃♀️ Have a nice weekend ! 🏊♀️🏃♀️⛳️🌞✌️ So long. 😴💤✨🎠✨
@太陽の塔 Nice meeting. Enjoyable My family has not come from Edo/Tokyo. As I told you, my father’s family is from Iwate, Fukushima Prefectures. My mother is from Chiba Prefecture. I was born in Tokyo. But…not real Tokyo blood. How about you ? Are you are real Osaka family for at least 90~100 years, going back. Anyway you are the Osaka boy- I am the Tokyo girl. sounds nice. We will have a nice friendship on GS. Have a great day! with smile 😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yumi for your sharing your story about your roots.😊😄👌 Do Yumi know the Japanese military commander Date Masamune ? ⚔️🏇 I started watching NHK's Taiga drama series with 'Date Masamune'. Since then, I have been watching the Taiga drama without fail.🌌📺🙆♀️ In Japanese🇯🇵, 'date' means showy behavior or attitude. As Yumi told me, your father's family is from Iwate.⛰️ I traveled to the Hiraizumi ruins in Iwate Prefecture and Morioka city, where is a great place. 😄🌞✌️ I like the words of Miyazawa Kenji.😊🤗 "I will not give in the rain☔️. I will not give in to the wind🌪️." Oh ! Long talk sorry.🙇 Have a nice weekend !🏊♀️🚶♀️🏌️♀️💦 I'm looking forward to the Blue Impulse. ✈︎✈︎✈︎✈︎🌞✌️ So long. 😴💤🌃✨🎠✨
@太陽の塔 I am well ~ my grandfather and father graduated at Iwate Medical University. As Surgeon(geka-i). My grandfather studied his skill at Keio gijyuku hospital. And he established his own hospital in Tokyo in 1950~. My father took his place ~ …long story 🫶to be continued Life … we will go for~ not so long, 20~30 ears! Let’s have a good day! with smile 😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yumi for your sharing your story about your roots.😊 Nice keio by Yukichi!✌️ By the way, Oni-chan have to get up early tomorrow🐓🌅, because I will go to the Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai ♥️💙👀to see the Blue Impulse ✈︎✈︎ ✈︎✈︎✈︎✈︎ tomorrow.😄🤗 I'm looking forward to seeing the Blue Impuls circle.😵💫🌀 I will be taking photos, so please look forward to it !🌞✌️ Have a nice weekend, Yumi .🏊♀️🏃♀️💨📸🌺👌
@太陽の塔 Thank you for your message. lovely ☺️ I am looking forward to seeing your pictures. Please take care of yourself. You know…you are (so )young boy! You will appreciate to your partner to go with you/all the time! 👌 enjoyable Have a great a great day! with smile 😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yumi for looking forward to my photos.😄👌 I saw the Blue Impulse at Expo Park yesterday, the last time I saw them, 15 seconds.💙✈︎✈︎✈︎ And I saw the Blue Impulse Show at the currently ongoing Osaka Kansai Expo, for 15 minutes. 💙✈︎✈︎✈︎🤗😄✌️ The Blue Impuls flew very fast and drew one very large cherry blossom pattern. 🌸 It was an impressive sight to watch the six planes in formation for 15 minutes under the blue sky. 💙✈︎✈︎✈︎😊 The weather todey was particularly fine ! ☀️🌞✌️ Have a nice day ! 🏊♀️🏃♀️💨👌 So long. 😴💤🌃✨🎠✨
@太陽の塔 How nice! You had a good time. I had seen ‘Red Bull Air Race” in San Diego. I was excited to watch the show. Every day is our good day! Have a nice one! with our smiles 😊😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yumi for your information of Red Bull Air Race ! ✈︎😄👌 Oni-chan didn’t know the Race at all. 🤔 It was the world's fastest motersport, but it seems to have ended in 2019. 😢 However, it was revived in 2013 as "AIR RACE X", and a digital race is scheduled to be held at Umeda in Osaka on September 6th this year！✌️ Have a nice day ! 👩 The Blue Impalse show was good ! 🌞
@太陽の塔 Thank you for a message. …yes. I know, it is excited time. I always think who ride the plane ✈️! And they show ~ like that! How are you? You are still have an enough energy~ 👏keep going! I am with you. with smile 😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yumi for your kind message ! 😄👌 The Blue Impulse aircraft typically has two pilots on board. ✈︎ One is the pilot who handles the controls, and the other is a 'flight operations officer' in the rear seat who handles navigation and other support tasks.✈︎✈︎✈︎✈︎✈︎✈︎🤔🌞✌️ Oni-chan have to get up early tomorrow, because I will go to the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.♥️💙👀🚃😊 Have a nice day. 🏊♀️🚶🏌️🤗💦 Good night,🌃😴💤✨🎠✨
@太陽の塔 👏you are great! oni~san. lovely You have an enough energy to go ~ Respect! You are the #1 Kansai Expo photographer on GS. I am looking forward to seeing your photos. Thank you for your energy. Have a great day! * thank to your wife💖
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ I am grateful to be your brother, Yumi ! 👨👩👌 Today, Fukui Prefecture Day was held at the Shine Hat Pavilion of the Osaka-Kansai Expo." So I could meet the dinosaurs at this Pavilion.🤗 I have met a moving dinosaur at The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, but today was my first experience meeting a walking dinosaur.🚶💦 I would love to know how the dinosaur in front of me wolks I am grateful to be frother of Yumi. Have a nice day.
[@id:2089220] Thank you for a message. Yes I saw your picture. We can see the same flowers on the same season. Happy! Japan-California…we can see the same flowers a year. Let’s have a good day together! with smile 😊
@太陽の塔 Thank you for a message. lovely 😊 I am watching your photos and enjoying. It’s great! 👏 Who dose? Yes, you have been doing! Keep going! Take a lots of water. Because of being thirsty. 💦 Let’s have a great day ! with our smiles 😊😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Yumi My Love, as always thanks for your advice ! 😄 That's right. I always get thirsty at the Expo site.🥵 I drink my favorite beer when I'm thirsty, but it's not good for my body. 🤔🍺🙆♀️🙅♀️ As Yumi say Oni-chan will try to drink more water from now on ! 🌞🫗💦✌️
@太陽の塔 😁you have a beer, when you feel thirsty! You are like me. I do the same way you do~ (atsukute~nodo ga kawaite shyouganai…Hi! 🍺) ☺️ Still pls take care of yourself. You have been doing heavy thing for your body. 👏 Have a great day my oni~san. lovely
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yumi for your advice.😉👌 German beer🍺 is the best. The next best beer comes from countries surrouding Germany.🇩🇪🇧🇪🇱🇺🇨🇿・・ That's the most useful information Oni-chan learned at the Kansai Expo. ♥️💙👀🌞✌️
@典子 Thank you for a message. This lady came from my garden. I was trimming my roses. And saw this lady. (hu..to kigatstuite). Have a nice day together with smile 😊
Commonly called/Crossberry. Lavender Starflower
Native to/Southern Africa
*It’s found from the Cape Provinces of South Africa.
Symbolism/Enduring beauty. Resilience.
*It’s associated with artistic perfection and nature’s harmony.
*Genus of approximately 150 species.
*The leaves are ovate-diamond-shaped to lance-shaped, 3/4-3in(2-8cm)long. Bears small stalked,axilliary cymes of flowets,1 1/4in(3cm)across with pink sepals and mauve to purple.
*The genus name honors English botanist Nehemiah Grew(1641-1712).
*”Occidental” means ‘from the west’.
Photographed 7/3 10:16am 2025
Posted 7/4(Friday) 12:10pm 2025