Springtime!

A nesting bird peeks out of the budding Japanese Yoshino cherry tree along the Tidal Basin in Washington, Sunday, April 7, 2013. Despite repeated predictions peak blossom time for the historic cherry trees is not yet here, but almost, almost.

 

 

Visitors enjoy walking through moss phlox at a garden in Tatebayashi, Gunma prefecture, about 80 kms north of Tokyo on April 7, 2013. Over 400,000 blossoming moss phlox are expected to attract many visitors until the upcoming Japanese “Golden Week” holiday season in late April and early May. 

 

People enjoy the sunset on the Tidal Basin as cherry blossoms begin to bloom in Washington on April 5, 2013. The peak of the cherry blossom season is expected in the next few days. 

 

A man photographs cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in Washington, April 7, 2013. Washington's celebrated cherry trees, which have been slow to bloom in 2013 due to a colder-than-normal springtime, originated as a gift of friendship from the people of Japan in 1912.

 

Tourists photograph cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin on April 7, 2013 in Washington. Tourists visited the National Mall along the Tidal Basin to view blooming cherry trees, some of which were a gift from Japan in 1912, as the weather warms and spring arrives. 

 

Cherry blossoms buds hang on branches of the famous Yoshino cherry trees along the Tidal Basin in Washington, Sunday, April 7, 2013. Despite repeated predictions peak blossom time for the cherry trees is not yet here as nighttime temperatures in the nation's capital continues to dip sharply.

 

Tourists photograph cherry blossoms on April 7, 2013 in Washington. Tourists visited the National Mall along the Tidal Basin to view blooming cherry trees, some of which were a gift from Japan in 1912, as the weather warms and spring arrives.

 

A Chinese man takes pictures of blooming plum blossoms at a public park in Beijing Sunday, April 7, 2013. 

 

Tourists photograph cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin on April 7, 2013 in Washington. Tourists visited the National Mall along the Tidal Basin to view blooming cherry trees, some of which were a gift from Japan in 1912, as the weather warms and spring arrives.