Saturday, March 29, 2008

Cherry Madness



Think pink! Who can help it? Pink is all around! The trees on Capitol Hill as well as at the Tidal Basin are now at maximum poof and foof. The landscape is gorgeous, and, well, kind of silly looking. In a few days the blossoms will begin to flutter down like so much pink snow, but today? Pink. Really, really PINK.

It's a busy weekend in and around Capitol Hill. I'm referring not only to the Cherry Blossom Festival, featuring hordes of Cherry Tourists and their many many many many many many tour buses, but also to the opening game at the new Nats stadium tomorrow, the Smithsonian Kite Festival today, and at least two marathons.

All the activity: cherry madness, kites, people with numbers hanging around their necks running through the streets, baseball bats flying around while crowds cheer, etc. is thematically perfect. This busy weekend is a shamanic dance of alignment with the bursting energy of spring. All the gathering together, running, games, beer drinking, kite flying, buses and movement of people in and around the street level clouds of ethereal pink helps distribute the surge of upwards moving springtime energy. If we didn't run around frantically this weekend, I think the whole city would go up in a puff of pink smoke. There's so much energy available during spring! So, it's all good.

Overwhelming, though, for quiet types such as myself. It's a really good day to get out of the neighborhood, go hang out with friends in Columbia Heights where the vibe will no doubt be more peaceful. Carry on, ye shamanic dancers of Capitol Hill and Tidal Basin. Go forth and fly kites, oh great shamans at the National Mall. Shamans of the national game of baseball? Hit some out of the park, OK? Move that springtime energy around for the greater good, please!

As for myself, I'm outta here. Oh yeah!

12 comments:

Gary said...

Isn't it funny to live in a place that becomes a tourist attraction so that when the crowds come in the local folks high tail it out? That's the way it was for me when I lived in NYC, constantly getting out of town.

It does look beautiful with all the pink. I hope some of it sticks around until the beginning of May so I can see it when I visit.

Reya Mellicker said...

The cherries will be long gone in two weeks, Gary, but early May is spectacular here. You will not be disappointed, I promise!!

Can't wait!!

Aileen said...

You are lucky to be so close to the blossoms...I have to get through way too much traffic and crowds of tourists just to see them!

Don't you just love the smell?

Reya Mellicker said...

Hey Aileen! Happy spring!

I even love the way the cherry blossoms taste - like cough syrup, cherryish, but bitter. Yum!!

LadrĂ³n de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

A coworker just came back gushing about her annual trip. I seem to manage only coming to DC during sweaty swamp and shivering somber days. I must make a March trip sometime!

kbrow said...

Oh I want to throw open my arms and embrace those cherry blossoms!! Too bad about the throng; but I always used to like to go look at them at night. They're more surreal under the lights.

lettuce said...

these pictures are so fab., i can almost smell the blossom. i've never tasted them tho, i must admit.
and i know what you mean about it all being slightly silly looking! its just so - wonderfully over the top.

sorry to hear that they will be gone before i arrive. but i'm sure there will be lots of other loveliness to see.

R.L. Bourges said...

we had a wild burst of green silliness here yesterday. The sun came out for the first time in fifteen days and the leaves unfurled almost as quickly as in those time-lapse movies!
Enjoy the pink (I love your new avatar - loved the old one too, come to think of it)

dennis said...

Dennis doesn't get Cherry Blossoms until May! But then the Cherry esplanade is pretty amazing and quiet. Dennis will have to taste a blossom!

Unknown said...

Wow! The trees must be so amazing to see - they look like candy floss! (That, I think is cotton candy where you are.)
I just have one question - what's the sneeze factor like?

Reya Mellicker said...

Right now my sneeze factor is non existent. I'm drinking a grassy brew from the Sufi acupuncturist, but too this isn't my bad moment for allergies. When the trees pollinate and esp. when the grass goes to seed, well, I go to seed.

So far, I'm holding steady. A salute to Chinese herbal medicine!

mouse (aka kimy) said...

hey, I have dc on the brain as I just booked my flight to dc for may day.....too bad the cherry blossoms will be kaput, but you are right may in dc is glorious! the tulips will be in their glory!!!

nyc is bit wet right now - just getting a jump start on april showers! and we know what april showers bring; but do you know what may flowers bring?