Cherry Blossoms in the Spring

 

 

 

What a strange thing! to be alive beneath cherry blossoms.

~Kobayashi Issa

 

 

This time of year in D.C. is beautiful--when the cherry blossoms bloom.  I image it is especially lovely to be out on those paddle boats in the water, gazing back at the trees along the shore.

 

Look at the cherry blossoms.

Their color and scent fall with them,

are gone forever

yet, mindless, the spring comes again.

~Ikkyu 

 

 

I made my yearly spring pilgrimage to the tidal basin to see the prettiest trees with their blossoms just starting to burst into life.

 





 

The Cherry Blossom festival in the city is more than just viewing the trees, but also live music, different events over town, even a parade.  The nearby museum stores had special displays,

 

 

and even areas far away from the trees were decked out.

 

(I had no idea until I went into a different part of town for work that this high end shopping was even here).





 

Cherry blossoms definitely mean spring here in D.C.  Even my neighborhood has quite a few cherry trees.  I brought out another new Shelley set to share with this post with little pink flowers that look like they could be cherry blossoms to me:

 

 

 

In the cherry blossoms shade

there's no such thing as a stranger.

~Kobayashi Issa