:::cherry blossoms, 2009:::

{this is an extremely picture-heavy post}

on monday i woke up early to go to the tidal basin and see the cherry blossoms. better late than never.


things are so quiet in the early morning. i think it's my favorite time of day. there were plenty of commuters on buses and on the train, but that overwhelming rushed feeling wasn't in the air yet.

not much narrating to do. if you want to see about a million more of the pictures i took, go here.

{this is one of my favorite shots because you can see tj between the columns of the monument.}

it was nice to see some of my favorite trees from last year. i love it when the branches arch over the pathway and dip into the water.


i thought i wouldn't have much time there, but i was able to spend at least an hour looking at the blossoms and walking around the basin. i was only sad that the sun was hiding and only peeked out from behind the gray clouds here and there. regardless of what people say, taking photos in overcast skies is not my preference.

my original departure plan was to catch a cab, but i still had plenty of time on my hands and i no longer have the desire to get to work extra early. forgoing that idea, i decided to walk up to the washington monument, then up 15th near the white house and over to my office.

as i was leaving the area surrounding the tidal basin, i saw a planting of tulips and went over to investigate.


i have to say that i had no idea that there was a tulip library here. it's small, but it seemed to me that each major variety of tulips was represented. since i still had time to spare, i stopped to take some photos.





after i left and was nearing the monument, i had to photograph this tree since it looks very much like the whomping willow from harry potter.



i also got to see the lincoln and the world war II memorials from a distance. i thought it was funny that i had only set out to see the cherry blossom, but ended up seeing the jefferson memorial (that's a given at the tidal basin), the washington monument, the lincoln memorial, the world war II memorial, the elipse, and the white house. sometimes i realize that i actually do live here, and on a regular basis i see big things that matter to the nation.

as i was walking across the large open field behind the washington monument, i noticed that the sky wasn't just overcast, it was gradually getting darker and darker as storm clouds came in from the west.

when my sister called and told me she had just seen lightening near the temple, i thought i'd better get out of the open and become more serious about heading to work. my leisurely field trip turned into a lightening-strike-aversion plan rather quickly. of course, i didn't have my umbrella with me, or an overcoat.

here's something funny. because i left so early i didn't have time to eat breakfast, so i was planning on going to the mcdonald's near my office when i was done. when i realized that it was going to start raining very shortly, i said a prayer and asked that it would stay dry and lightening free until i got to work. almost immediately, i got an impression that the weather would hold for a short time longer, but not long enough for me to stop at mcdonald's and eat. after quickly weighing my options, i responded to the prompting with, 'i can live with that,' and decided to get my fattening breakfast anyhow. ha! priorities. let it be know that when i left mcdonald's, it had just started sprinkling.

so, that was all that happened to me before 9:30 a.m. that day. it was such a nice morning, not only because i got to see the blossoms, but because i was able to spend so much time outside just wandering around. maybe i should do more things outside. alas, pretty soon all the blossoms will blow off the trees, spring will pass, and then we'll be in it -- the hot, muggy days of summer. we'll see how i fare this year. anyone care to make a wager?