fleeting spring

this year is the one hundredth year since the japanese cherry trees were gifted to the united states by japan and they first bloomed along the tidal basin here in DC. it is cherry blossom festival time here in DC, where the mall and tidal basin are swamped with visitors all reveling in the beauty of these flowers and in recognition of the arrival of spring.





[japanese lantern near what remains of the original cherry trees (yes, 100-year old trees)]


this year they are blooming weeks ahead of schedule due to our quite mild winter and the warmth of the past weeks. and now that it has rained all weekend, it is expected that all the blossoms will soon be gone. due to an electrical fire in my building, i had thursday and friday off (yay long weekend), so we wandered down to the basin to soak in the beauty of these flowers, marvel at the crowds, and enjoy spring.









come stay a moment to picnic under the flowering cherry trees (sakura) and breathe in spring.







if this world had never
known the ephemeral charms
of cherry blossoms
then our hearts in spring might match
nature's deep tranquility"
~ ariwara no narihira