Saturday, April 26: I’ve been taking 3-mile walks all winter, through the drab, icy, and freezing landscape of northern Virginia, but now my walks are filled with blossoms. Here are a few views of my springtime visions, as seen on my daily walks, either in my Oakton neighborhood, around Lake Audubon or Lake Thoreau in Reston, around Burke Lake, or in Vienna. All photos were taken with my iPhone as I don’t carry my camera while doing walks for exercise.
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” — Rainer Maria Rilke
“It is a very beautiful day. The woman looks around and thinks: ‘there cannot ever have been a spring more beautiful than this. I did not know until now that clouds could be like this. I did not know that the sky is the sea and that clouds are the souls of happy ships, sunk long ago. I did not know that the wind could be tender, like hands as they caress – what did I know – until now?”
― Unica Zürn
As you can see, I’ve been having a little fun with some apps on my iPhone, including Instagram and Snapseed. Oh, it’s so lovely to take a walk on a fine Virginia spring day.
“What a strange thing!
to be alive
beneath cherry blossoms.”
― Kobayashi Issa, Poems
nomad, interrupted 
beautiful photos! I love my iphone camera. in fact, that’s all I use these days. Thanks for the glimpse of things to come in the frozen tundra. I’m in Florida at the moment where it’s going to be 90!! perfect pool weather don’t ya know 😉 but back at home the tulip leaves are maybe 6 inches out of the ground and we likely won’t see bleeding hearts for a few more weeks yet. spring is late again this year…..have a great weekend!!
Thanks, Toby. I still prefer the quality of my Olympus PEN pictures, but the iPhone is definitely handy when you don’t want to lug a camera. I hope you’re enjoying the pool in Florida! I’m so envious. We’ve had weather in the 60s or 70s, and for the last two days it was in the 50s and pouring rain all day! No pool weather here. However, I do think blue skies are on the horizon. 🙂
This time of year, when everything is pregnant with renewal and rebirth, makes my heart swell, quicken, and happy. It is hard for me to choose between spring and fall – but perhaps I needn’t choose at all, since they represent opposite ends of the spectrum. Thank you for sharing your spring.
I know what you mean, Carol. Spring and fall are my favorites, with winter being next and summer last (we have such high humidity here, it’s miserable). 🙂
Oh Cathy, what a beautiful view of your spring. So refreshing to see the earth burst forth in such promised splendor. Your phone photos are perfect. I agree. No need lugging a camera around. Your quotes are perfect.
Thanks so much, Lynne. I still prefer my camera pictures, but the iPhone is handy for walking when you don’t want to lug the camera. I hope you’re enjoying your spring. 🙂
Walking with you now is so much nicer than in the cold and snow – you have some lovely countryside around you and the blossom is beautiful – nice house too! We’ve been house-hunting this week again, but not found the dream home. Still had a good week away and visited lots of lovely spring gardens 🙂
Jude xx
You’re so right that my walks now will be much more colorful and pleasant. Good luck with your house hunting, Jude. I’m glad you’re out enjoying your local gardens. xxx
Several hundred more flower photos to catalogue! Been an exhausting fortnight with several gardens visited.
You’re like me, Jude! You love to take tons of photos! It’s so hard to keep track of them all. I bet it’s been fun. Sorry, I haven’t been visiting you. I’ve been trying not to get distracted by blogs and blogging so I can stay focused on my job hunt and my book. I hope to get over your way soon. 🙂
No worries. You have more important things to think about and I know you are there 🙂
Thanks, Jude! 🙂
Brilliant photography Cathy. You’ve captured the simple beauty of spring in Virginia – I can almost smell the fresh earth and the blossoms.
I don’t know Snapseed…
Thanks Rosie. Snapseed is a new photo editing app I learned about from my iPhoneography group. 🙂
Snap! Lots of them! 🙂 Absolutely beautiful, Cathy 🙂 I meant to say earlier that I loved your Washington cherry blossoms post but I love the variety in this. Your house looks gorgeous with its ‘zap’ of pink! The white ones around the lake are especially lovely too. And that redbud. I’m trying to think what we would call that ‘in English’ 🙂 🙂
Love those borders! All done with an App? When I think of the trouble I could save myself….
The best time of year for walking ☆
Beautiful lakes and yes spring has finally come to Virginia!
Very beautiful Cathy. Those tulips are stunning. Tulips don’t grow well here because our winters are too warm. The bulbs need to be refrigerated before planting and even then they struggle and the flowers don’t last long. I will just enjoy looking at yours.
Cathy, such a feast and celebration of Spring! It seems blossoms are more abundant this year than for many years … maybe all that stressful winter is to thank? Thanks for the tulips too 🙂
I think you might be right, Christine. We’ve had such a horrible, and snowy winter. One can’t help but think all that water seeping into the ground must be good for the blossoms. 🙂
GREAT PICTURES!!!!
Thanks so much, Ron. At least it’s finally spring! 🙂
What are the gorgeous budding trees in front of your house?
Those are cherry blossoms. I guess there are several varieties of cherry trees! 🙂
They are beautiful! Thank you for telling me.
You’re welcome, Bespoke Traveler. 🙂
Sorry to be so late getting to this lovely post.. We’ve had friends visiting from the US and have had to do hostess thing. I’ve hardly had time to turn on my computer. Hope you are well.
The photos are amazing. Thank God spring has finally arrived!
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Oh Kathy, please don’t worry about getting to my blog late. I’ve been so busy lately, I’ve neglected all my blogging friends. I hope I’ll have time to catch up soon. I hope you had fun with your visitors. I can’t tell you how happy I am that spring has finally arrived. It was a long and bitter winter! 🙂