DC: Snow, Then Cherry Blossoms

The DC Metro Area will get more snow this week, but we’ve been promised signs of Spring. The National Park Service predicts peak cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin between April 11th and 14th. Of course the National Cherry Blossom Festival ends on April 12th, but what the heck, lots of stuff will be happening in DC anyway, not just pollen allergies.

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Shortlink: http://wp.me/p6sb6-kZW

Photo: (“Cherry Blossoms in the Snow, St. Patrick’s Day 2014”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Finally, Blossoms

It’s the last day of Washington’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, and something new has been added: Cherry blossoms. They were delayed by a long spell of unseasonably cold weather. Now that spring-like temperatures are here, all the flowering plants are blooming at once. Maybe next week DC will have a National Pollen Festival.

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Short Link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-gw8

Image (“Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms, South Carolina Avenue SE”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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DC Celebrates Cherry Blossom Festival with Bare Branches

Tourists have infested thronged Washington for the city’s annual Spring celebration, the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year’s festival has concerts, kites, kimonos, food, fireworks ….. everything but cherry blossoms. Unseasonably cool temperatures have resulted in tiny green and pink buds but no real blossoms. The festival ends next weekend; maybe the cherry blossoms will be out by then.

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Short Link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-gtf

Image (“DC Spring Weenies, Barracks Row“) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Cherry Blossom Webcam

Cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. It’s that time again — or is it? March temperatures have been colder than expected, so the National Park Service has pushed its peak bloom forecast from next week to April 3rd through 6th. Keep track of bloom progress with the National Park Service Cherry Blossom Webcam.

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Short Link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-ghu

Image (“Cherry Blossom Webcam, after After Hiroshige”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Cherry Blossom Web Cam

The National Park Service Cherry Blossom Web Cam is in full bloom. Use it to view the seasonal beauty surrounding Washington’s Tidal Basin before the fragile flowers are gone. Due to Global Climate Change, the cherry trees began blooming well before the traditional date of Washington’s biggest annual festival.

Note: Webcam does not work with Chrome. Use another browser.

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Short link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-cPf

Image (“Cherry Blossom Viewing at the Tidal Basin, after Hiroshige”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license. Credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Cherry Blossoms

As Washington’s famed cherry blossoms are poised to reach their peak, let us take a moment to reflect on the land of their origin, Japan.

Done? Okay, back to DC.

In keeping with the gentle, contemplative nature of the Japanese blossom-viewing tradition, Washington visitors can take part in the Cherry Blossom Rugby Tournament, Cherry Blossom Festival Gala Dinner Cruise, Cherry Blossom Family Bike Rally, Cherry Blossom Classic Golf Tournament, Cherry Blossom Festival Pink Tie Party,  and Cherry Blast Dance Party.

Weekend Blossom Blow-Out in DC

It’s the big final weekend of Washington’s National Cherry Blossom Festival®. The 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade®. Giant balloons. Marching bands. Tap dancers. Taiko drummers. Miss America. Local celebrities. The 50th Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival. The Target® Performance Stage near the Washington Monument®.

And the Cherry Blossom Web Cam is working great still broken.

 

Image (“Cherry Blossom Viewing at the Tidal Basin, after Hiroshige”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Beaver Apes Poodle

Washington’s National Cherry Blossom Festival begins today, and any naughty children attending will be disciplined by huge, frightening  Paddles the Beaver.  The man-sized mascot is new, inspired by the Potomac beavers who felled several of DC’s cherry trees back in 1999.

Macon Georgia hosts the annual International Cherry Blossom Festival, and the mascot down there for the past few years has been Petals the Poodle, based on a real-life pink poodle named Lacie.

Coincidence?

Image and haiku by Mike Licht, based on a classic Japanese ukiyo-e print. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license. Credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Cherry Blossom Webcam

The sun is shining and Washington has warmed up a bit, but the National Park Service Cherry Blossom web cam displays a chilly, gray winter image from 2009 (above). Nice work, people.

DC’s 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival  starts in three weeks and runs from March 27th to April 11th. Peak blossom time is usually around April 4th. Maybe the blossom web cam will be working by then.

 

The image above is a copy, grabbed 6 March 2010. The “live” feed — from last Christmas — is here. The publicity campaign for the 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival began some weeks ago.

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