It's free and always opens its doors to the public. After calling it off in 2020 (Oh! That year!) and reimagining it in 2021, the show gets to go on! Sunday kicked off the Cherry Blossom Festival in downtown Washington, DC. Did I wish you a Happy first day of Spring, by the way!? Happy First Day of Spring - Yesterday! I never got to sit down and write this post, the celebration of spring was an all-day affair, hence, the next day.
As if on cue, Mother Nature started Sunday morning with a few pops of pretty on the trees, and just like magic, the mystery began to unfold. Until you could actually see the pink blooms, right before your very eyes. From none to beautiful, all in one afternoon. Of course, I exaggerate just a bit, there were few out, but, they work pretty quick and it takes them no time to put on the show and be one for the year. Another reason why the timing of the festival can be so tricky. It is always scheduled around the peak bloom, but, nature being unpredictable, that has occasionally not worked well for the tourists who have made reservations in hotels and taken time off from work. We have had a few (more than a few!) early springs, most notably in 2016 and 2017, they bloomed early and the blossoms were done at the very beginning of the festival. Oh, that wasn't pretty! They tried shuffling and moving the opening to save the festival and the cancelations of reservations, but, it was not terribly successful. Early blooms are probably worse than late blooms. Current peak bloom forecasted from the National Park Service: March 22-25
The Cherry Blossom Festival opened today, March 20, and will run through April 17. Here are announced dates for some of the key events:
Opening Ceremony: Sunday, March 20, 2022
Kite Festival: Saturday, March 26, 2022
Parade: Saturday, April 9, 2022
Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival: Saturday, April 9 – Sunday, April 10, 2022
PetalPalooza: Saturday, April 16, 2022
You can find the master list of events here.
Wait no more, the moment has come for me to go forth and unshell the beauty, reach out to your soul and fill every void with lovely scent and beauty that has been hard to come by... come close, open your heart and let me decorate it with petals of beauty
Spring cometh.
I like to stroll about, taking in nature and life. What better way to document my day than to take a walk through life? It is so hard to not be in love with this time of year. Everywhere you look, there are flowers. In the trees, on the ground, climbing, hanging down. In this section of town, it is just barely beginning, but, it takes no time to catch up. The timing seems absolutely perfect.
Did you note that there will be the annual Kite Festival this year?? Two years of quarantining and finally, my beloved festival is back!
Rediscover the joy of kite flying back on the Washington Monument grounds, at featured parks, and at home in 2022! The Blossom Kite Festival is a long-standing DC tradition encouraging attendees of all ages to fly kites among the cherry blossom trees. The iconic outdoor event is fun, free, and open to the public. This year will feature both virtual and in-person options so that you can fly your kite from your favorite neighborhood park or anywhere across the globe. Regardless of how you celebrate spring, join us in flying a kite during the last weekend of March.
I'm ready for it all! How about you? Will there be a kite in your future? Don't forget to bring a little fix-my-kite-kit. Just in case, or you can visit the KiteMeister there. He fixes everything,
All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand. Oh, yes. Still by hand. It has a different feel. Altered not by keys, backspace, and delete, I write, erase, tear it to pieces and start all over again. And again.
It’s my way. I walk out to the deep end of the page and dive right in.
Thank you, Mother Nature. You hit the right place in my heart.💗 And just like that, this post is over. Come back tomorrow and we will do it again. Have a fabulous day!
Lines Written in Early Spring
I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:—
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.
The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.
If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?
William Wordworth
#TeamUSA is a growing community of quality-content people from the United States or those living here. Check us out on Discord!
Kite flying festival found in my neighbour country, here its not a celebration but kids in villages found often flying kite in fields, it remind me my childhood days.
They fly a lot of kites here, they are often on the beaches, in fields, wherever there is the sky. However, years ago, the Smithsonian Institution sponsored a Kite Festival to celebrate flying and thousands show up and fly together, enjoy kite fighting and kite dancing... it is a great time for all and it is a wonderful way for people to enjoy each other, celebrating the beginning of spring.
I still go to the beach and fly kites! :) And will go on Saturday to the Festival!
Thank you for the repost @pxiresteemer!
PIZZA Holders sent $PIZZA tips in this post's comments:
@papilloncharity(5/10) tipped @dswigle (x1)
pixresteemer tipped dswigle (x1)
Please vote for pizza.witness!
Thanks for the pizza!
There must have been a memo; our blooms are also late this year and just kicking into gear. Yay .. cherries and kites:)
I am thinking I might preserve some cherries this year in gin. Yum.
Ohhh! Cherry Jack? I feel so behind, but they are all catching up and will be in full regalia by the weekend. It has been a bit blowy for the last few days, so perhaps the kites will get great lift!
It is usually a little windier down at the Washington Monument, so I feel like it should be a great weekend! Go out and talk to those blooms!
My allergies have been lesser this year too. It looked they would be if full bloom too and then they just disappeared. Nice.
Very cool festival! Such a good opportunity to get great photos! 😎
Every year... except these last two because they canceled out. Covid. Life was canceled. :(
Hi @trincowski ! Always great to see you!
How cool is that, there is something mesmerising about watching kites soar up down and all around the skies.
I was surprised that you can fly so many kites, I thought they might have thought a security threat, I guess not though!
Am looking forward to seeing some pictures of this, and yes it is still early for cherry blossoms here, but I see them starting to blossom😁
No, but, of course, there are always the choppers in the sky and the entire MallSee here also will be filled with kites. It is always and forever a wonderful time that I look forward to. While I am there, I always walk down to the Tidal Basin and click a few shots of the Cherry Blossoms... dozens of times while they are in season.
I think ours are a tad late this year, but, it is working well for the Cherry Blossoms Festival!
I need to keep an eye for our Cherry Blossoms, our town does not have that many, but I know where they are 😃
Imagine being a kid with all these kites in the air, what an awesome experience 😁
Comments that add value or genuinely connect with the author. That's why we decided to reward this commentator.
We reward valuable feedback. We encourage engagement on Hive.
|| Direct link ➡️ HERE. || 👩🏫 See our tutorial guide.
💬 Do you like our work? 😀 Consider voting this comment and help us grow! 💬
Thank you, I appreciate that 😀
I love flying kites. It's the best stress reliever I know.
Thanks for sharing. Take care, and have a good rest of your week.
Thank you! I love flying them too and always bring one along for some fun. :) Thanks for stopping by and leaving your words.
Have a great day!
Ohh yeah I almost forgot the first day of spring, it really is making a slow start here lOL
that festival is one I would love to visit and experience one year
You have been pretty busy, no wonder it escaped you. From my own memory, spring is a slow roller in Massachusetts. It is not far from Connecticut but seems to get more snow and cold.
Well, you still have amazing pictures coming out, so even if you are a little behind, it is always beautiful!
I hope you do get to the festival someday! You would love it and photograph it amazingly.
Luckily I had a good supply of photos in reserve from summer plus have got out once a week at least so have enough photos to keep me going
And visiting there at that time is fir sure on my things to do list
I just saw a news story about those cherry trees at the capitol the other day. Very interesting stuff. Very beautiful as well. We used to have a kite festival at the local college here, but I don't think they have done it in quite some time. I know there is lighthouse just North a bit that sits out on a point and there is a heavy kite community there simply because the winds off Lake Huron are so favorable for it. The signs of Spring are wonderful to see!
They are always such a welcome sight here! We love our cherry trees and the Tidal Basin. When it is in full bloom, it will take your breath away! I wonder if the local college still has it, but, if you become uninvolved in it, sometimes you just lose touch with the happenings.
The ocean is where I love flying kites and Lakes Huron is just like an ocean! People are drawn to those winds like bees on honey. I love to watch them too!
Spring has sprung! The rest of my cherry tree in the yard bloomed out last night! Thanks for stopping in! It is always a pleasure!
How dare those trees NOT cooperate with the festival !
Kites ! Can't wait to see your new kite flying post. I know that has to be a lot of fun to be there when so many kites are in the sky.
Happy Spring ! It felt like it would never get here. I'm very glad to see it.
I know!!! Last year, spring started in mid-February, so this feels very late. Although, I have had snow in March a couple of times, so... I guess it comes when it gets here.
Well, the festival will be for another three weeks so there will be plenty to go around. The only people there in the very beginning are locals this year. I can't wait to get there this year! It will be different I am sure and I'm not 100% sure I want to be in crowds that big. :) Playing it by ear.
Happy Spring!!!!
At least outside, you might find an option/area where you can distance sometimes. Maybe not if they have a food vendor area though..... LOL... but for watching.... maybe?
My intention is to go but there are literally thousands and thousands of people that were in the entire Mall because it's not just in front of the monument but from the memorial all the way down to the Capitol.
Bubble suit ?? !! 😄
Wow, that's good. I flew kite 19yrs ago
I would say that it is time to get one out again! :)
I don't think i would have much for it again! Will I even know how to handle it again?
Congratulations @dswigle! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):
Your next target is to reach 66000 replies.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out the last post from @hivebuzz:
Thank you so much for the notification! I hope you have a great day!
You're welcome @dswigle, that's with pleasure! We wish you a very nice day too 😊🌹
What a fabulous festival! I can't imagine that virtual is much fun but then I'm of the old school hands on type. And to be flying a kite with the family among those beautiful blossoming Cherry trees is something else! I remember the cherry blossoms so well from my short visit to Washington DC. They're a show. I hope you get to fly the highest and most magnificent kite Denise
Virtual wasn't fun (at all) but, it kept the festival going during Covid. That is about the best of it. They will be having it again this year, but, will keep the virtual going for those that aren't ready to join crowds. It does get quite crowded there. The family loves going to the Kite Festival and the Cherry Blossom Festival, after flying the kites, we wander down to the Tidal Basin and go for a few loops, ending at the Jefferson Memorial, the perfect place to experience the cherry trees in their entire cycle, from beginning to peak bloom.
Le sigh.
I don't have a kite yet! Mine got in an accident last year on the beach and I didn't replace it yet. We will have to get right on that!
Thanks for stopping by!
I can't fly a kite, what should I do?🧚🏻♀️
I'm not sure, but, ask a young child, they know how to do everything, :)
It's a very heppy festival event, I really like it, and I really want to visit a superpower like the United States
It is such a fun festival and I look forward to it every year. Thank you for stopping by.
You're welcome
Oh I used to love our kite days in October month as a kid. The windy month had all of us little guys making our own kites and we used to fly them all over the place. Swallows, Box-kites, and I cannot remember the names of the other patterns.
There were no kites on sale in those days and we made ours with paper as we had no money for proper tissue paper. Only the rich kids had those fancy colored kites and if one's string snapped we all raced after it to get it as it was finders keepers.
A lovely post here Lady Denise.
Blessings and some !PIZZA
Ahhh! That looks like so much fun! And I also get to have one of my favorite songs ever stuck in my head for the next thirty-two hours too, thanks DS😊😁
Love ya!