Ryan Smith

Minobu Minamizato

“Being Japanese, it may sound a bit cliché to choose cherry blossoms, but no other flower brings me back to my childhood so vividly. When the blossoms peak in April, the scene is unforgettable. Pink petals appear everywhere–through parks, along riverbanks, and across school paths. Walking on a carpet of petals, you wonder who your new teacher will be or how you’ll get along with new classmates as the school year starts. Feeling the warm sunshine, excitement and anxiety drift back and forth in your mind. We celebrate cherry blossom season by eating lunch under the trees and welcoming petals that land on our lunch box or in tea.”

Minobu Minamizato lives in Chappaqua with her husband and daughter and works in the railroad industry.

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Richard Smith

“My favorite flower is the hydrangea. We have two hydrangea plants in our yard, one in the front and one in the back. The front yard hydrangea produces purple or pink flowers, and our backyard plant makes white flowers. This is primarily because of the Ph levels in the soil which I find so interesting.”

Richard Smith has had two careers. He spent over 20 years as a professional actor, appearing in seven national tours and on Broadway. He next made a career in food and beverage working with many Certified Master Chefs and receiving recognition from the American Academy of Chefs. In retirement, he still enjoys acting locally and he can be found behind the counter at Susan Lawrence Catering.

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Lara Stangel

“I’ve loved the bird of paradise since childhood, captivated by its striking resemblance to a statuesque, elegant bird. On January 2, 2000, I met the man who would become my husband at a party in downtown Manhattan. After I had to cancel our first date because of the flu, he surprised me the next day with a spectacular arrangement of tropical flowers overflowing with birds of paradise. He was a comedy writer by trade, the outrageous, nontraditional bouquet was equal parts irony and audacity: a funny, over-the-top way of shocking me into noticing what he already knew was love at first sight. I never told him the bird of paradise was my favorite flower; somehow, he just knew.”

Lara Stangel lives in Armonk with her husband Justin and daughters Emily and Ashley.

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Lorraine Isaac

“My favorite flower is the Martha Washington geranium. When my parents moved into an assisted living facility, they lost one of their joys – gardening. I brought them a bright pink Martha Washington geranium. Soon enough, it quadrupled in size and was covered with spectacular flowers. My dad began to miss doing yardwork, so he lined up a series of cuttings from the geranium plant on the windowsills with plans to give them away. Sadly, this past year he passed away. But luckily, I have one of my dad’s geraniums to remind me of his effort to make the world more beautiful.”

Lorraine Isaac is a retired English teacher who currently works as a library assistant at her local library. She has lived in Briarcliff Manor for over 20 years.