🌤️ A Quiet Morning in Okinawa During a Break in the Rainy Season | A Sunday with My Mother and the Changing Seasons

🌅 This Morning’s Sky and Temperature in Urasoe, Okinawa

This morning in Urasoe, the sky was calm and sunny, though clouds were beginning to spread slightly.

According to the weather data, the temperature at 9 a.m. was 25°C, with a north wind of 3–4 m/s and humidity at 78%—

it felt refreshing, just like a break in the rainy season.

Encouraged by the perfect weather for laundry, I started the washing machine first thing in the morning,

quietly reflecting, “Another day is beginning,” on this Sunday.

👵 The “Morning Battle” with Mom and a Much-Needed Breather

I woke up at my usual time this morning, filled the kettle with water to boil, and went to wake my mom, but

all I got in response was **“I’m not getting up!”**.

From there,

she wouldn’t get up → she got up → she wouldn’t get up

We repeated this back-and-forth for about an hour before she finally emerged from under the covers.

I urged her to eat breakfast, hung up the laundry, gave her her medicine, ran the dishwasher…

Before I knew it, it was already late morning.

I threw the entryway mat and toilet mat into the washing machine too.

Finally, just a tiny bit of “my own morning”has returned.

🛒 Yesterday’s shopping trip and Mom’s health ups and downs

Yesterday, even though she said she wasn’t feeling well, she insisted on “going shopping.”

In the end, she could barely walk, and after pushing the cart just a little,

she said, “Let’s go home.”

We managed to buy vegetables, but

we didn’t end up buying detergent or daily necessities.

My younger brother is home today, so

I thought, “If someone’s here to watch the house, maybe I can take my time shopping,” but

after lunch, she asked again, “Take me shopping.”

I guess I’ll just have to take it easy and do what I can, depending on how she’s feeling.

🌺 The Red of the Deigo and Hydrangea Season

It’s mid-May.

In Okinawa, this is the season when the deigo flowers start to bloom.

When I’m driving,

I see the deep red flowers blooming here and there,

and I feel, “Ah, summer is approaching.”

I’d love to take a photo, but it’s pretty hard to do while driving,

and I couldn’t find a park nearby.

I’m pretty sure there’s a Deigo tree next to the computer class I’m attending next week,

so I’m hoping I can take a picture there.

And then, another seasonal flower—hydrangeas.

We used to go to the “Yohena Hydrangea Garden” often when my father was still in good health.

Whether we can go this year depends on my mother’s stamina.

She also says she’d like to see the lilies on Ie Island,

but given her current health, it might be difficult.

There’s a big difference between her good days and bad days,

and some days, like yesterday, she can’t walk at all.

🌿 A Sunday during a break in the rainy season

Golden Week is over,

and it’s a somewhat calmer Sunday.

Although I’d love to just relax under the clear sky,

in a life filled with caregiving,

“relaxation” rarely comes as easily as I’d like.

Still,

the sound of laundry fluttering in the breeze,

the moment I spot the red flowers of the deigo tree,

or when my mother finally eats her breakfast—

I feel like those little moments

are what make today a “good day.”

☀️ Summary | Life in Okinawa moves slowly with the seasons

• – A refreshing morning during a break in the rainy season
• – The hectic morning routine with my mother
• – The changing seasons signaled by the deigo and hydrangeas
• – The real life of Okinawa, where caregiving and daily life blend together

I hope you can feel the “Okinawa within daily life”—

a side that’s a little different from the Okinawa you might visit as a tourist.

Let’s take it easy and do our best today, too.