11 Comments
User's avatar
Sheila Moeschen's avatar

GORGEOUS images and beautiful ruminations of this special spot and celebration. Thanks for sharing these!

Expand full comment
Glenn Cook's avatar

Thanks for giving them a look, Sheila. Appreciate it!

Expand full comment
Mark Foard's avatar

Great photos, Glenn. You were lucky to be able to photograph the blossoms before the crowds showed up. We have a large number of cherry trees here in Toronto that were also given as a gift by the Japanese government. The largest group are located in a park near where I live. When they bloom, usually in May, the crowds are just nuts. It pays to get there early.

Expand full comment
Glenn Cook's avatar

If you can't get there before 8-8:15, you might as well not. Exception: Cold breezy days just before sunset. Thanks for looking and commenting!

Expand full comment
Brad Kyle's avatar

Hey, fellow Close-Up cohort! I made the trip about a decade before you with Bellaire High in Houston!

Expand full comment
Glenn Cook's avatar

Strange as it may seem, I remember the music I heard and seeing the museum more than the content. But it was a great opportunity; everyone should see the beauty of D.C. (the monuments, not the government) at some point.

Expand full comment
Brad Kyle's avatar

I wonder if they still have the Close Up program going, in one iteration or another. I would guess not, as costs and liability issues have both grown to a point where parents and administrators just don't want to bother, anymore.

Expand full comment
Glenn Cook's avatar

It’s still going on, and in fact, they’ve expanded it to include other cities. Check it out: www.closeup.org

Expand full comment
Brad Kyle's avatar

Wow! I'd-a bet it had been ended or curtailed a bit. I'm glad it's still going on! Thanks, Glenn!

Expand full comment
Mark Caicedo's avatar

What a treat! To photograph the cherry blossoms without the crowds. Have you contacted NPS about using that Stumpy image? It's wonderful.

Expand full comment
Glenn Cook's avatar

Thanks, Mark! I haven't, but will.

Expand full comment