It had rained for several days, and when it wasn't raining it was cloudy. Like one of those green and gray-hued movies that, even though you can see the sun is out, you're supposed to feel somber and sad. We felt sad because we couldn't get out of the house. We'd spent a weekend in Texas where it was unseasonably cold and gray, then came back and the weather turned against us again at home.
The forecast showed the clouds clearing away overnight, but I was convinced the fog would linger in the morning. After all that rain, I thought the morning sun would evaporate it and that a dense fog would cover the entire city.
Undeterred, we planned our trip. Set our alarms for 6:15 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Yuck. I can't remember the last time I woke up that early on a Sunday, on purpose. We rubbed the sleep out of our eyes and rolled out of bed into the clothes we'd set out the night before and opened the windows to see what we had to work with.
Not a cloud in the dark blue sky and the slightest hint of orange on the horizon. Perfect.
We loaded up the car and set on toward our destination. I didn't even need to put it in the navigation system - I knew where I was going. I was surprised at how much traffic there was, but then I realized that everyone else had the same rainy, green-gray-hued days that we did and they were ready for their chance, too. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, as my mom says.
Because today, the cherry blossoms were in bloom.
Not just in bloom, but they were at peak bloom. Once they are in peak bloom they are a sight to behold. And not just because there are thousands of people crowded beneath them. Their light pink and white hues fill up the landscape surrounding the Tidal Basin and all of the massive stone monuments to our nation's history take a bit of a back seat.
Standing beneath them you can't help but feel like you're draped in a flowery blanket made just for you and walking underneath is like walking with all of the stars in the sky pulled down around you. You can barely see the bright blue sky through them and the stark contrast of their dark branches and bright flowers makes the blooms pop with brightness and zest.
Folks come from all over the world for the chance to be there when the blossoms finally come out. Lovers embrace and take selfies with their phones, families walk together, snapping pictures as they stroll underneath, some crazy people wake up even earlier than we did to put on their suits and dresses for engagement and wedding photos.
My favorite part is when the petals begin to fall. It looks like it's snowing on a beautiful spring day. The ground is eventually covered in a carpet of white and pink petals and when a breeze blows in they swirl and dance around your feet.
It really is worth it to go see them in person.
Now, I'm no photographer, but I got to take pictures with my wife's fancy digital camera because she likes to use her old-school film camera and I wanted to share my favorites and a little story behind each.
I hope you'll enjoy.
When we arrived, the sun wasn't even high enough to reach the other side of the Tidal Basin, but you can still see the pink and white blossoms getting ready to pop out. Hundreds of people were already walking around but it felt like it was just us at this moment. For those not familiar with D.C. that's not actually D.C. in the distance but Rosslyn, VA, the gateway between Arlington and D.C. The Potomac River rushes by on the other side of the trees, in front of the buildings, marking the divide between the District and the Commonwealth.
The sun starts to peek through and light up the petals of the trees as thousands of people stand underneath, snapping photos, chatting with friends and family, and taking in the awe-inspiring views. The contrast of dark branches and bright blooms is breathtaking and it's easy to see why people come from near and far to witness this event. The trees were given to the U.S. from Japan in 1912 as a gesture of friendship; their simple beauty brings friends and strangers together under them year after year.
It may have been early but I'm glad she made me get up - it was worth it just to see the smile on her face. The trees were just the "cherry" on top.
OK, she got one of me as well, I must have been deep in thought about something. Probably tacos. Or how cool I look in my hat.
I love when the petals start to fall and look like snow in spring. Here, a rare view of untouched earth cloaked in petals. All around were paths people had made all around the grounds. In the distance the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. remind us that"right , temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." Words to remember as we appreciate these trees and what they symbolize - a friendship that, though temporarily tested, still stands today.
A gnarly, twisted cherry tree that bears a striking resemblance to the tattoo on my arm. My tattoo is a reminder for myself to be grateful for my roots - my family and friends. The trunk symbolizes the strength I've gained, and I can never forget to continue to grow like the leaves and flowers - to acknowledge what has gotten me here and to continue to build, year after year. The water behind tree will show its reflection - in my tattoo there's a blue eye that, like the blue water, reminds me to reflect on things, as I'm doing now.
I snapped this picture without knowing what the monument was - I would later find out it's the D.C. War Memorial, commemorating citizens of the District who served in World War I. One of the lesser visited memorials on the National Mall, but not unimportant as it's the only monument dedicated to local citizens. Walking along Independence Avenue and peering through the blossoms here, it catches the first rays from the sun this lovely spring morning.
"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." Looking at this I'm reminded of one of my early blogs where I wrote about being inspired by Amanda Gorman's speech on January 21, 2021. Dr. King looks directly at me while Amanda's words remind me that "history has its eyes on us." The cherry blossoms are beautiful and it's a lovely day to be here taking pictures, but every now and then we should take a minute to be thankful for all those who came before and gave us the ability to stand in the shade of the trees they planted. And we should ask ourselves what we're doing to make progress in our own lives, our own communities, and be good stewards of the world they left for us.
The furthest north part of the Tidal Basin, a small pool where Independence Avenue wraps around on both sides, and a quieter area for taking pictures. The throngs of people mostly stayed on the other side of the basin, so Meagan took an opportunity to photograph the sun illuminating the flowers on this side - while I took the opportunity to photograph her.
Traffic, crowds, and sleep be damned, it was definitely worth it.
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