Blossom Time

 After enduring the dark, rainy months of winter, when spring finally arrives, Portlanders are rewarded with dazzling displays of tree blossoms.

Waterfront Park's famous cherry blossoms

There's no better place to witness spring's finery than at downtown Portland's Waterfront Park.  A linear greenspace paralleling the Willamette River, it's north end features a huge grove of cherry trees.  Every year around mid-March these trees erupt in a riot of pink blossoms.

Pink tunnel

After getting word that the cherry tree bloom was happening, I invited my neighbor and photo-mentor Cheri to join me for a photography session.  

Close up of the glorious blooms

It was your typical rainy spring day, causing Cheri and I to reconsider our trip.  However, despite numerous raindrops on the trip over, we were delighted when the sky dried up upon our arrival.  The yearly cherry blossom bloom typically draws a crowd, but today's wet weather had kept most visitors away.

Closer up

Cheri and I noticed quite a few flowers yet to bloom, so we'd definitely caught things in the early stages.  However, despite the less-than-full blossoming trees, I still thought the floral show was quite stunning.

Flower-lined walkway

We climbed up to the top of the adjacent Steel Bridge for an aerial view.  Not too shabby!

Trees in bloom with Steel Bridge towers

A wide walkway follows the Willamette River.  When the cherry trees are in full bloom, this walk is full of blossom-peepers.  A week later, I saw several social media posts of the cherry trees and people were all over the park.  I was lucky to only have a few folks in my shots.  

A lovely time of year!

A great way to usher in spring!  I can't wait for more wildflowers to bloom - my camera and I are ready.