Cherry Blossoms

We didn't have a great chance to go down to the cherry blossoms as a family this year during peak bloom, so I diverted my commute one morning into downtown just to see the tail-end of it. My goal is to go every year that we live here 1) because we never know when we'll move away and 2) it's a great reminder that life sometimes throws some beautiful opportunities at you when you least expect it and it's important to pay attention and take advantage them.

4-13-15 - Tidal Basin

Jefferson

Trees & Paddleboats

Spring Again in DC

In my book, spring in DC officially starts when the cherry blossoms bloom.  The peak this year was 4/8-4/10 and we made a special point to go see them Tuesday after work when it was a perfect 75-80 degrees.  I've heard that in Japan they celebrate cherry blossoms because of their fleeting beauty.  It's their version of stopping to smell the roses, I guess.  Even though we've lived here three years and can easily see the tidal basin in bloom, I feel like the year we fail to make time to do so is the year we probably need to move away from DC because that means that life has become too urban or busy.  If you can't stop and appreciate those special things that come along infrequently then you're not really living, right?

 Here are some photos of the family with the trees.  We walked from Nathan's office near the Washington Monument, along the Tidal Basin to FDR, then found a much less-crowded trail along the river to the Lincoln Memorial where I decided to hop onto a Capital Bikeshare bike back to the metro (because walking that far is just not as much fun with 25 extra pounds).

 On Friday, we also took Alison to get her first haircut!  She screamed bloody murder until I pointed out the happy 5-year-old who'd just finished his haircut.  With two lollypops and a bucket of toys, the rest was easy and now Alison no longer looks like a wild child....most of the time.

Blossom Time

It's that time of year again!  Time for crowds, increased traffic, tourists, eighth graders, and the trees that in spite of all that, make living here well worth it: cherry blossoms.  I was able to see the tidal basin at peak bloom two days last week, right before a rainstorm came and knocked all the blossoms to the ground.  If you didn't make it to DC, here's your tidal basin tour.

MLK

Washington Monument

Resident Ducks

Jefferson

Blossoms!

FDR

Sakura

We've all heard of it and now Nathan actually works at it, but could the Cherry Blossoms in DC really be that great?  Yes, yes they can.  I went to view the trees on March 25th, a day before the actual festival began.  It's really nice to have someone with the inside scoop because, although it wasn't a sunny day, I got to see the trees at near peak bloom with a fraction of the people there that usually come for the festival.  I guess I'll just let the pictures do the talking.

 Almost makes you forget you're in a city.

Human progress meets nature.

The Forest

Just the two of us!

Washington Monument