March 31

On Saturday, it rained a ridiculous amount, and I went to a couple of plays.  On Sunday, the weather was better, and I walked over to visit the trees, but my camera batteries had finally given up the ghost (they'd lasted almost three months, so good run.)  But today, was sunny and cold and I had batteries...yes.  I don't know why the angle is so awkward. Other trees are blooming, too.

March 31/L Herlevi 2014

March 31/L Herlevi 2014

Other trees in bloom/L Herlevi 2014

March 28

The robins are singing outside my window, regularly, once more.  Been awhile.  It pretty much rained all day.  Water spots on the lens.  Only shot five pictures total, as I was trying to keep the camera mostly dry.  The blossoms are on the decline and the leaves are beginning to come in.

March 28/L Herlevi 2014

The sun came out eventually

Had a lousy start to the day, but the light was very beautiful in the late afternoon.  The trees are still glorious.  (The top picture is a little blown-out, but I'm trying to show the same view, more-or-less, everyday, and it's what I had.)

March 27/L Herlevi 2014

Dwarfing the people/L Herlevi 2014

March 26

The crowds have disappeared.  The rising sun shines through the trees, throwing shadows on the pavement when I walk through.  A half hour later, I look out the windows and the rains have returned.

March 26/L Herlevi 2014

Soft/L Herlevi 2014

The rising sun casts shadows/L Herlevi 2014

March 25

Rainy Tuesday.  Storms rolling in like waves all day.  Pouring rain followed by bright blue sky, followed by pouring rain blowing sideways.

March 25/L Herlevi 2014

Petals/L Herlevi 2014

Monday, March 24

The trees seemed to have survived the weekend intact.  More crowds today, but slightly smaller.  Heard there were traffic jams yesterday.  I didn't make it there, had to be other places.  So these are both today, March 24.  They are kinda' similar, looking in opposite directions.

March 24/L Herlevi 2014

West/L Herlevi 2014
 

Crowds

Surprised by the crowds.  An impromptu festival of trees.  Of blossoms.  Still chilly, the people cheerful, undeterred.  Seemingly appearing out of nowhere and returning again.  Sky was overcast, the sun never burned through, still the people came to witness the cherry trees. To photograph, to mark the time, that they were there, that this happened.

March 22/L Herlevi 2014

Bearing Witness/L Herlevi 2014



Contrast/L Herlevi 2014

Friday

Cold again.  Very sunny.  Crowds, growing everyday.  Loud and cheerful.  Walking through the Quad at 5:30 pm, people everywhere.  The trees are having their yearly moment in the sun.

March 21/L Herlevi 2014

Friday Afternoon/L Herlevi 2014

Equinox

Winter's last gasp was a layer of ice on windshields and rooftops this morning, and a lingering chill in the air which didn't dissipate in spite of the sunny skies that lasted most of the day.  Hello Spring!

March 20/L Herlevi 2014

The toilet paper seems to have been removed.

Blue sky/L Herlevi 2014

Seasonal transition

Hailing.  Got back from lunch in the nick of time.  Sunny when I left.  The Fill was mucky both from the rain and the construction vehicles; my boots are muddy.  Lots of the white-bellied swallows filling the sky when I looked up: the air full of darting birds and song.  Last full day of winter, going out with a bang.

March 19/L Herlevi 2014

Spotted Towhee, March 19/L Herlevi 2014

March 18

It was a little dark out today, weather and otherwise.  And someone toilet-papered the trees.

Here's a couple of cherry trees shots.  I took some pictures of a squirrel, but it looks a little crazed, probably won't post them.


March 18/L Herlevi 2014
 

Cherry Trees/L Herlevi 2014

Putting on the show

The trees are just about fully in bloom.  Crowds visit, find excuses to detour through the cherry trees, take pictures.  The light is whitish-silver again today, because of the increasing clouds, more brilliant than if there were no clouds.  Such beautiful light.  Chilly, with a slight breeze, and the trees hung onto their blossoms through the rainstorms that besieged them over the weekend.  I think the blooms are a week earlier than last year.  (Yeah, they were just beginning to bloom on the 21rst of March last year.  Fully in bloom on Good Friday, which was March 29.)  At least the students get to see them during finals week, last year, they bloomed during the week of spring break.

I didn't photograph them over the weekend, both days raining far too hard (drenching) when I was in the area.

March 17/L Herlevi 2014

Light, March 17/L Herlevi 2014

End of Winter/L Herlevi 2014

March 14

Warmer today.  Trees almost in full bloom.  Stumbled across a couple of garter snakes while walking during lunch, lots of turtles, and n. shovelers.  Another swallow with a white belly, just one.  I looked at the bird-sighting board and saw what it was, but quickly forgot.

March 14/L Herlevi 2014

Crossing the path/L Herlevi 2014

Turtles/L Herlevi 2014
 

March 13

Later in the day, near dusk, so a little dark on the trees.  Plus, a seagull at Seattle Center.

March 13/L Herlevi

Loud/L Herlevi

March 12

These are just a daily series of the cherry trees beginning to bloom.

March 12/L Herlevi

Trees waking

The cherry trees are beginning to awaken.  Stretching out their branches into the warmth of burgeoning spring.  Sending out test flowers, here and there.

My wildlife pics have been slim to nil this month: six inches of rain, and scheduling.  Good intentions, failing to materialize, yet.

March 10/L Herlevi

March 11/L Herlevi