This painting is from a photo I took several years ago during the cherry blossom festival at the University of Washington. As hundreds of people scurried about taking and posing for photos this little gray squirrel watched the show from his safe perch in one of the iconic trees.

I love cherry blossoms and not just because my name is Cherry :). Their delicate petals, bright yellow stamens and the way they bunch together. They appear to grow from nearly every part of the tree, little spikes of just a few on the trunk to grander clusters on the branches. One of the most spectacular cherry blossom displays is at the University of Washington’s Quad where the 29, 88-year old Yoshino cherry trees bloom mid-March to early April. I look forward to visiting every year. But, like so many places (due to Covid) I couldn’t see them last year or this year. Maybe 2022!

We have two cherry trees in our yard, Royal Ann’s, which have white blossoms. I seldom have the opportunity to enjoy the cherries. The squirrels, like this little guy, birds and raccoons make off with most of them. But I’d rather have the wildlife than the cherries any day, I can buy cherries! :)

Happy Spring Everyone! Thanks for reading and your continued support.