Cherry Blossom Festival

When I lived in Washington, DC, this was my favorite time of the year. Not simply because it's Spring and the temperature was typically in the upper 50s to lower 70s and without the humidity that DC is famous for in the Summer. But because the city turned green and came alive again after the winter.

Washington is a town with a lot of green space - Rock Creek Park, The Mall, George Washington Parkway, and much more. My favorite apartment at Park Fairfax in Alexandria, VA was surrounded with huge lush trees and fragrant azalea bushes making me believe I lived in the middle of the world's finest gardens.

But what made this particular time of the year so extra special was the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Tidal Basin. A gift from the city of Tokyo, the first Cherry Blossom tree was planted at the Tidal Basin exactly 98 years ago on March 27, 1912, by First Lady Helen Taft.

This year, the Cherry Blossom Festival spans March 27 - April 11 with events all over DC and the suburbs. Click here for a wonderful photo gallery. Click here for a video of the 2009 Cherry Blossom Festival.

One year my friend Christopher came to DC in time for the Cherry Blossom Festival and we spent a fantastic day playing tourist. Oh, and we took what to this day is one of my absolute favorite pictures.

Enjoy the rest of my pictures from that wonderful day!
Now will someone please remind me why I left Washington?

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might, Have the Wish I Wish Tonight

Picture from Telegraph.co.uk

Star Light Star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

Do you remember this Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme from when you were a kid? Do you remember wishing on falling stars?

I do. And I still make wishes upon stars. Maybe that sounds silly, but I do.

Usually, I wish upon the first star I see nightly at Watervale as I'm walking back from watching the sunset on the beach. Later at night, I have even more opportunities because I'm always there during the annual Perseid Meteor Showers. They usually run for about a month and seem to peak when I'm sitting on the dock or the beach at Watervale. This year, they peak tonight and tomorrow and although the moon is expected to be bright in most areas, National Geographic predicts that from anywhere in the world (!) you'll be able to see 80 meteors per hour during the peak hours (late tonight into the wee hours of Wednesday morning).

Unfortunately, I'm not at Watervale tonight, but I'll still be outside laying in the grass and watching these miracles of nature. It's truly one of my favorite events of the summer. And, of course, I'll be making some wishes. I have a long list waiting for a night like tonight.

Here's a timelapse video of the Perseid Meteor Showers. Watch closely. The quick flashes of light across the screen are the meteors.



And just in case you don't remember how to make a wish upon a star, here are some helpful tips:

1. Find the first star. As any child can tell you, it's not the brightest or best star you must wish on, it's the first one visible in the sky. Go outside at dusk and stare at the heavens. Stars appear quickly, so start your wish as soon as you see one--even if you suspect it might be a 747.
2. Stare intently at the wishing star. There's no need to feel embarrassed. Remember, you already know how to make a wish come true. Say the magic words we all learned as children aloud: "Star light, Star bright, the first Star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight."
3. Close your eyes tightly as soon as you're done and silently make your wish as fast as you can. You must finish making your wish before any other stars appear in the sky. When you open your eyes, look for any other stars that may have appeared. If there aren't any, your wish is in the clear.
4. BELIEVE in your wish. When you wish upon a star, the star knows whether or not your wish is genuine. If you feel sheepish, or make a half-hearted wish, no one will hear it. Simply put, if you don't deserve your wish, it will never come true.

My Favorite Things

This isn't exactly the version of My Favorite Things that I was looking for. I was hoping to find the video of that terrific scene in The Sound of Music where Maria is singing My Favorite Things with the kids in her bedroom during the thunderstorm and they're all dancing around until the Captain interrupts them. Unfortunately, I didn't find it.

I love My Favorite Things because it always makes me smile and cheers me up, which I need tonight after the day week month I've had. Listening to it tonight dried up my most recent tears, for a few minutes anyway.

As I explained to my grief counselor last week, I just want to feel like me again. She explained to me that I won't ever really go back there. Grief changes us. So a new me will emerge. Okay, but when? When will it stop being so hard to find a smile? When will I stop being sad all the time, except for when I pretend I'm not? When will I be able to stop pretending I'm okay and I'm happy for real?

I know there are no answers to my questions except that time heals all wounds. But I want answers. I guess I'll settle for a few minutes of smiling every now and again and hope that the distance between now and again diminishes over time.