Late Bloomers-- 2013 Cherry Blossoms at the Tidal Basin

[Photo BD Matt]

Last year, during the 100th anniversary of Japan's gift to the United States of Cherry Blossom trees,  peak bloom had come and gone before the festival even began.  Fortunately, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is more than about the flowers, and has such activities as the Bloom Kite Festival.

[Photo: BD Matt]

In 2013, the National Park Service thrice had made predictions of when the peak bloom would be at the Tidal Basin.  This year peak bloom actually occurred on April 9th.

[Photo: BD Matt]

  

The Cherry Blossoms are a time when Washingtonians can appreciate the beauty of Spring in the City of Monuments before the oppressive heat hits the swamp where the District of Calamity (sic) is situated.

Alas, this year Mother Nature seems to have given Spring a miss, so we went straight from winter chill to summer mugginess.  But that sort of weather is characteristic of baseball, so the Oriole seemed perfectly perched. Too bad DC is now a Nats town.

[Photo Credit Gail Broeckel]

     
This stone Japanese lantern is dated from the 16th Century and was donated by the people of Japan in 1954.

[Photo: BD Matt}

  

[Photo credit: Gail Broeckel]

  

[Photo: BD Matt]

  

[Photo credit: Gail Broeckel]

  

[Photo: BD Matt]

  

[Photo: BD Matt]

While people old and young are fascinated by the pink cherry blossoms, be sure not to pick them as it is against federal law.  But in a survey by the the Crime Museum, 17% of respondents admitted to having nicked a blossom.

[Photo credit:  Gail Broeckel]

[Photo: BD Matt]

[Photo: BD Matt]

[Photo credit: Gail Broeckel]

[Photo: BD Matt]

[Photo: BD Matt]

The Tidal Basin at Cherry Blossom time was full of activity from the air, land and sea,  as planes and helicopters flew overhead, pedestrians packed the Tidal Basin paths as paddleboats and motorboats navigated the waters.

[Photo: BD Matt]

[Photo: BD Matt}

[Photo: BD Matt]

The District of Columbia War Memorial is a forgotten jewel in West Potomac Park which is enhanced by the beauty of the Cherry Blossoms.

[Photo: BD Matt]

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was dedicated in 2011.  The severe Stone of Hope portrayal of Dr. King in the 30 foot granite sculpture by artist Lei Yixin is softened by the blossoming of the Cherry Trees.

[Photo: BD Matt]

[Photo: BD Matt]