Tag Archives: cherry blossoms

Apr13

Cherry blossoms’ blissful craze

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cherry blossomsIt’s this time of the year again! The time when thousands flock to Washington DC’s Tidal Basin with their blankets, picnic baskets, strollers, and yes – above all cameras – to enjoy the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms. They just peaked last Thursday after about a week of delay due to unseasonably chilly winter. Today the blossoms were on display in their full glory. But the window for viewing is closing! More and more petals are falling down and even the slightest breeze causes a “snowstorm” – the last of the season 🙂

In case you’re wondering, yes, it was crowded. Especially spots that offered iconic cherry-blossom-framed angles of Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, FDR Memorial, the Capitol, and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial were popular to put it mildly. Was it worth it? Absolutely yes! I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again! Spring in DC is not complete without the cherry blossom experience. A saukra-themed poem is obligatory as well. I like this one, very appropriate today:

“The first day of spring
are those snowflakes or petals
twirling in the wind?”
— Amy Liedtke Loy Read the rest of this entry →

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Apr13

Celebrating the gift of trees

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cherry blossomsLast year around this time I pulled together the best of my cherry blossom shots from past seasons. It’s time to augment the collection with fresh images of these delicate and ephemeral blossoms that I never get tired of. Spring is finally here in Washington after a long wait, and with it the blossoms are in full force. So are the throngs of visitors but I tried my best to crop them out and fill the whole frame with white, pink, and blue. This poem captures the mood of today well…

“Shining spring day
Falling cherry blossoms with my calm mind”
~ Kino Tomonari

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Mar31

Best of cherry blossoms

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Japanese cherry blossoms were planted around Washington’s Tidal Basin in 1912 as a gift of friendship between the two nations. Actually, the initial batch of 2,000 trees arrived two years earlier but became infested with pests and had to be destroyed – fortunately the second attempt was successful. Ever since every spring cherry blossoms draw crowds of enthusiasts and photographers to DC, myself included. Each year they also inspire dozens of haiku writers to capture the special moments courtesy of the delicate blossoms. I have to say given what’s going on in here this one (submitted to the Washington Post by dmor) is my favorite:

“Beautiful flowers
Pretty and ephemeral as
Bipartisanship”

This year the timing and the weather didn’t quite work out for the optimal peak blooming viewing of the cherry blossoms – at least for me. So instead of trying to scramble for miserable shots of half-fallen blooms, I hereby present my best of collection from the last few years. Following in the footsteps of past generations… Read the rest of this entry →