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Washington DC's Cherry Blossoms

3/18/2024

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Each spring, the cherry blossoms lining Washington DC’s Tidal Basin burst in a beautiful display of floral fireworks – white, light pink, dark pink, yellow and green.
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**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links which help to keep this blog running.**
The blooms typically come out between the last week of March and the first week of April. That timeframe is usually a good time to aim for if you’re planning on visiting the nation’s capital. 

Precisely when peak bloom occurs depends on the weather in the weeks and months leading up to it. Warmer, sunnier conditions through the winter and early spring tend to bring an earlier bloom. Sustained cold, wintry weather delays it.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is typically scheduled over 2-3 weeks around the average peak bloom date. The hope is that the blossoms will come out at some point during that period, but it’s unlikely they’ll be out for the duration. 

I just read that this year’s peak bloom, which only lasts a few days, will probably be March 18-20 as they are already starting to find flowers blooming. So I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my photos from previous years.
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They are so beautiful that people want to touch them and sit in their beauty
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And grab your cameras because you are going to want to take your photo in and amongst the blooms.
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I wish that I could be there this year to see them because they are truly spectacular. If you haven’t seen them in real life, I highly recommend it.
Recommended Products
Here is some of my artwork on various products.  Click on the photo to be taken to the product in my Amazon or Redbubble store to purchase.
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This design is available on variety of products here.
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A Visit to Purple Haze Organic Lavender Farm

8/14/2009

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Sequim is a town located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State along the Dungeness River near the base of the Olympic Mountains.

Each summer the cool fresh air flows in off the Strait of Juan de Fuca and mixes with the 300 days of sunshine thanks to the rain shadow created when Olympic Mountains filter the incoming storms hogging all the precipitation.

It’s considered to be the lavender capital of North America because lavender plants flourish in the unique combination of dry soil and cool air. ​ ​
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Purple Haze is just one of the many lavender farms in the area.  Dogs are welcome as long as they are on leash.
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Definitely take time to wander through the lavender fields.  The smell is heavenly.
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We spent time strolling in Sunflower fields capturing pics.
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Whether you’re looking to explore your own backyard or planning a trip to the great northwest, the lavender farms on the Olympic Peninsula are an absolute must!
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Picking Berries at Graymarsh Farm

8/8/2009

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**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links which help to keep this blog running.**
In this post, I’m going to be talking about the berry picking and why it is a good idea to pick your own whether it is a Graymarsh Farms or another U-Pick farm. You can find complete listings of pick-your-own farms near you by visiting the website www.PickYourOwn.org. 
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Graysmarsh Farms grows lavender and a wide array of berries on their 1000 acre farm. It’s located at 6187 Woodcock Road in Sequim, Washington just below the Olympic Mountains and next to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
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Upon arrival, head over to the farm stand to get your containers (they provide them) and then head out to the fields. Depending on what is in season, you will find strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, loganberries and boysenberries.
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Reasons Your Should Pick-Your-Own this summer:
1. Save money because you are not paying the added costs of someone else picking, packaging, shipping, and shelving your produce. 
2. You get to pick the perfect berries. No more moldy, squishy berries that have seen better days.
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3. It’s a fun (and educational) adventure where you can spend time with your family or friends and connect with Mother Earth. You may even meet new people amongst the vines. 
4. You’ll get better nutrition from the fruits when you eat them just after they have been picked because they have more nutrients than when they have sat on a grocery store shelf for a while.
5. You can stock your freezer. Pick some extra that you don’t intend to eat right away and freeze them right away to preserve the nutrients and well ensure you have fresh whole fruits at least for a few months…think about Sunday morning pancakes with strawberries.
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6. Make your own jam, chutney or coulis which could be great over pancakes or would even make great homemade Christmas gifts. 
7. It’s good for the environment. When you buy food directly from a farmer, it promotes sustainability because you are supporting the farmer and his family instead large corporations who either import the food from other countries or pay low wages to workers here in the United States
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8. It’s healthy for your body and mind. As I kneeled or crouched over the rows of berries, you really get a sense where you food comes from as well as how much work was involved in planting, weeding, watering and harvesting. And the next time you spread your homemade jam on toast or make a berry clafouti, you’ll feel very satisfied knowing that you picked the berries that went into your creations as well as keeping local farms in business.
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Tips for Picking:
1. Dress for picking. Wear closed toed shoes and a hat if it is hot outside. Don’t forget the sun screen. Consider wearing long sleeves if the serrated edges of leaves tend to irritate your arms. Wear dark colored clothes to hide the inevitable juice stains. Be sure to check for ticks when you get home.
2. Berries are fragile so bring a cooler with ice to store them after picking.
Don’t have time to pick your own? No worries. Graymarsh Farms has an area where they have berries already picked just waiting for you to take them home … after you pay for them, of course.
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If you haven't been berry picking before, I highly recommend it!
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    Linda Roisum

    Traveller, chief taste-tester and food finder and retired expat living in Lisbon, Portugal.

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