what does "natsukashii" really mean?

i just peeled a clementine and kept the peel in one giant piece! i used to be amazed when my japanese students did that at lunch time. [who knew it wasn't such a tricky task?!]

a few minutes later i stumbled upon a Tokyo travel video. this one is all about sakura/cherry blossoms. there are tons of gorgeous photos & it makes me miss japan so very much.

on a related note-- i do writing journals with my students. they each have a little notebook and they can write to me as often as they want. each time i respond to their writing and ask questions to prompt the next entry. some write twice a week and some have never written at all; i left it up to them to decide how much they want to improve their writing... anyway, one of my students does a great job asking ME questions. lately we've been talking about my experience in japan. she asked what i miss about living there. basically the answer depends on the day. today i miss the following:
cherry blossoms & hanami!
my lovely friends
adventures with new friends who take us to stay with their grandparents on a tiny island~!
the view from my beach
little baby students!!
festivals!

[p.s. natsukashii is an "expression that conveys a complicated and favorite Japanese emotion, the bittersweet nostalgia for something lovely and loved, now past". read more here. and here.]