Tag Archives: cherry blossoms

Over the Cherry Blossoms

The annual deluge of tourists is diminishing as the cherry blossoms fade. I had a good dose of them in various locations and at various times of day and night, as per the picture gallery below. (Featuring the Tidal Basin, our own Cherrydale neighborhood, and Kenwood, Maryland.)

But first, a poem to mark their passing.

Past Peak

Ungracious green, pushing pink

To the verge. Swirling, disturbed,

By passing (not pausing) hordes

Apathetic, unperturbed.

Cherry Blossom Chagrin

Well, here in DC it is cherry blossom time again, and yesterday evening my husband and a friend of ours and I went walking around the Ti20150412_130047dal Basin to see the blooms.   (Full disclosure, this photo is of last year’s blooms.)  We began to talk about all the things that make us grumpy while walking around the Tidal Basin during Cherry Blossom Madness.  These include:  Photographers who set their tripods up in the middle of the walkway.   Parents with double strollers hogging the sidewalk.   People jogging – really, you can’t find a better place to jog than a sidewalk clogged with tourists?  People walking multiple dogs.  Not just one little dog, but three medium to large sized dogs.   On long leashes that get tangled around people’s legs.  Oblivious people taking selfies with the trees.  Kids who pick blossoms off the trees for a souvenir.  Okay, so there are always too many people, not enough sidewalk, and things that are going to annoy you.  But, still, the cherry blossoms are gorgeous and despite it all, you have to enjoy them and share them with everyone, be they considerate or not.  The blossoms remind us of everything lovely and fleeting, soft and seasonal.