One of the many things the University of Washington is famous for is its beautiful collection of Japanese cherry trees on the big campus quad. The trees are over 80 years old, and a rare variety in the U.S. When they bloom in the spring, the UW is bombarded by visitors wanting to see the blossoms.
Last year I foolishly went to see them on a warm Saturday. The crowds were like Disneyland and I was panicked the whole time, worried that my kids would get lost.
This year I was able to see the flowers on a weekday when the kids had no school. There were still plenty of petal-peepers there, but it wasn’t nearly the same levels of crazy as before.
I love the peaceful sense of communion there. Everyone on the quad seemed happy and energetic, like we knew we were appreciating something fleeting and wondrous.
Hence my zillion billion photographs. Enjoy.
I tried to get individual portraits of each child as well as some group shots. The results were . . . mixed. It’s really difficult to get Jeff to smile naturally for the camera. The picture below isn’t all that bad.
I LOVE this picture of Katie alone with a tree. Patiently waiting for other pedestrians to pass out of the camera’s frame, while hoping the child will stay in the same spot — good luck. Getting good pictures of children is 90% luck.
Yes, two pictures in a row of Katie running away from the camera. Nice. I love the shape of the branches in the photo below:
“Jeffrey! Look at the camera! Look over here for just a minute, buddy — look over — look — oh, forget it.”
This one I absolutely love. William had been playing peek-a-boo with Katie to get her to smile. As a result, they were all smiling together.
I promised them that they could take a “silly” picture if they held still for a nice picture. Notice how Jeff looks basically the same.
And this is a picture of one of the beautiful buildings on campus. Eleanor decided to leap in the air, and I managed to click the camera shutter just in time. I really like it in black & white, it shows off the funky shape of her legs.
Casa Camisas 
Fleeting and wondrous–I love that. It’s how I feel when a late winter snow storm coats every branch and twig, completely transforming the way the world looks for a while.