Cherries and Bluebells

Here is link to chilly cherries, including link to Whitman's response to the death of Lincoln (150 years ago.)

We finally had nice conditions, fair temps, wet bark, lush drops, and low wind, for starters anyway. As for bluebells, so easy on the eye, so not-easy to picture, I struggled with composition, and, by the time they became too irresistible to ignore, wind and bright light. Despite frustration missing still points due to inconsistent exposures (exposing up and down chasing the right one) they're too ephemeral not to enjoy.

I thought we were finished, then Jina spied the trunk and started again, and I found a lined trunk to love too.

These give no sense of where we actually were, unlike your big pictures with more a sense of place.

Cherry Blossoms Plus...

At long last, I'm posting some pix from the Tidal Basin.  I think my favorite might be the duck! 

Jo
PS:  I did not pick the cherry blossoms lying on the stone.  Some other miscreant did that.

Potomac Billy Goat Trail B 04-17-2015

We finally made it to the Potomac and the weather was nice!  It was an exciting first experience for me.

Bluebells were abundant

Natural beauty of these rocks and the moss speak for itself

I fell in love with this tree stump

Tidal Basin--on cold, rainy friday & the following monday. more to come after i figure out how to retrieve all my DELETED!! folders. sorry. jill

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Cherry Blossoms at Tidal Basin

Here's a few photos from our outing on a cold and damp morning.  It wasn't very inspiring.

I went out again on Sunday afternoon on a gorgeous day along with thousands of people.  I could barely walk and tripod was impossible, so I mostly shot above people's heads.  Consequently some of the photos are not as sharp as they should be.

I'm sorry that I wasn't able to join everyone for the Cherry Blossom outing, but I went out (a little later in the morning) the following day and then again on Monday to try my hand at capturing their beauty. They are breathtaking. I'm not sure I did them justice, but here are a few examples of what I got.

And here are two slightly different takes...one of the fallen petals and one of a dude enjoying the show in his own way.

Then as I was walking by the Washington Monument in search of a spot to get the Cherries with the Monument in the background, I happened upon a young girl practicing her gymnastics, which created a great photo op. I didn't get my horizon line quite straight. I tried straightening digitally, but there wasn't enough headroom to do it without messing up the proportions of the monument. Oh well.

Valentine