Cherry Blossom Snapshots

The annual Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival started this weekend. The best-loved images of our nation's capitol are ones that include cherry blossoms. It all looks so serene in those post cards. The reality is that the walkways encircling the Tidal Basin can be as crowded as the Beltway during rush hour. Everyone wants that perfect shot, with branches reflecting in the water, perhaps with the Jefferson Memorial in the background. But more than anything, they want their wife and baby, grandchild, boyfriend or girlfriend perfectly posed in front of the cherry blossoms. This can lead to unsportsmanlike jockeying for the best position. Babies get cranky. Toddlers run away. I've learned to love this fascinating encounter between nature and human nature. It's the same, yet slightly different, every year. Just like the cherry blossoms.