Cherry blossom season

I can't let the sakura blooming season pass without showing you just one more taste. We missed the peak of it while we were in Hokkaido, but caught some at either end.

This first photo was taken just before we went to Hokkaido (25th March). It was one of the few trees with some branches in full bloom (you can see some in the blue section of the photo that aren't).

This next photo of pre-blooming cherry bloom trees was taken mid-March. I shared it on Facebook and a friend asked for an "after" photo. But that turned out harder to do than I thought. The trees are at a small shopping centre about three kilometres from here. A distance that isn't great if you're driving around a lot, but I am not. I don't go here more than once or twice a month. The second photo I rode down on my bike especially to take it just before we left for Hokkaido and you can see they are on the verge of blooming. Nine days later (yesterday) I took the third photo of the same scene. You can see I missed them at their peak! I'll take a fourth photo in early May to show you what magnificent shade trees they are in summer.

On Saturday David and I rode to my usual large park for a picnic and a spot of ohanami (cherry blossom viewing). There were thousands of people in the park, but plenty of blossoms to go around, even in the areas away from where the majority of trees are planted.

I love this unusual, "on the edge of ordinary" blossom!

People go gaga about the cherry blossoms, but I also love the new green leaves!