Cherry Blossom Bonanza in Fall City

I am someone who points out pink blossoms. Do you know someone like that? Who names the tree and points to its fantastic display of color as they drive along. This year, Dan and I heard that Fall City was in full bloom and when we arrived we pulled over. This was something that was short-lived and needed to be enjoyed up close.

Fall City is a small town on the backroad route near our house. 

While we were there we perused an antique shop called The Vintage Flea and stopped in the library to look over their selection. Then we drove to North Bend, WA for a latte at Hutdotter Coffee. It was a glorious spring day and I pointed out cherries, magnolia and forsythia every chance I got.

#springblossoms #bloomingtrees #fallcitywa  

 

Cherry Blossoms on the Quad

I couldn't have timed Heidi's visit any better. The cherry blossoms were blooming on University of Washington campus (a big deal every year) and we had blue sky and sunshine in March - pinch me!

The Quad at University of Washington is an area of campus planted with 90 year old cherry trees that were moved to this area of campus in 1962 to allow for more visitors. The university even has a live-cam set up so you can time your visit to align with peak. It was very cold when we visited but the blooms were enchanting. Dan dropped us off and then found a parking spot. Here is a map of campus (below) to help you find them next year.

Here we are! Dan and I ran to find Heidi on Michigan State's campus the night we got engaged to tell her the news, so we've all known each other a long time. It was so fun to be back together again and able to reminisce. 

We walked around and imagined looking at the blooms through the classroom windows even with the tree canopy. I would never be able to concentrate.

#UWcherryblossoms #springblossoms #friendintown #cherryblossoms #seattle

 

Seattle: University of Washington: Clouds of Cherry Blossoms

I love flowering trees and have been hearing about the cherry blossoms in the University of Washington's quad being in bloom from several sources lately. The sun was out and I decided to swing by campus and try to find delight.

I walked around campus until I found this spectacular grove of trees. I thought that the trees looked like a crowd of debutantes in white dresses with crinolines.

Every bud on every tree lining the large walkway was in full bloom. The area was cram-jam with admirers and it was remarkably quiet for the number of people on campus. The crowds' mood was a mix of happiness and reverence. These trees are 80 years old and the idea that people would come out to enjoy this flowering walkway was initiated long ago.

Bright green grass, peeks of blue sky and clouds of cherry blossoms. That's a weather report we deserve after a long wet winter.

My Third Spring: Cherry Blossoms Start the Season in Seattle

I found these two examples of flowering cherry trees when I was in the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle last month.  I loved that I could frame the picture so that the branch of darker cherry blossom puffs frame the more delicate pale pink cherry branches. Don't you think its pretty?

Time marches on, these blooms have faded in Seattle, but miraculously I am experiencing my third Spring this year.  When I arrived in Seattle in early April, I was thrilled to see a magnolia tree in full bloom outside of our hotel.  I remember being so happy about this sign of Spring that I texted a picture of the tree to show my mom.

When I returned home to southeastern Michigan in early May, I hadn't missed a thing! The flowering crabs on the side of our house were just leafing out.  The dogwood tree was still dormant and the Bradford Pears were just about to bloom. My roses in the rose garden were alive (I could see small wisps of leaves at the base of each plant), but I'd lost the bulk of each cane to the cold winter temperatures. I've given them a lot of care over the past 2 weeks (pruning, Rose Tone fertilizer, Neptune's Harvest fish emulsion and a coating of bug spray) and I have high hopes for a healthy blooms by late June.

Now I am up north and everything is just starting to bloom here!  How can I be so lucky? The lilacs are just coming out, the forsythia makes vibrant swaths of yellow here and they and I saw the river lined with Marsh Marigolds today! I have been able to experience a "second Spring" by traveling north to the cottage, but I never dreamed I'd be able to start with the tulip festival in Washington on April 12 and still watch bulbs develop by the cottage in Michigan on May 30. That is a lot of Spring and I enjoyed every minute of it.