Cherry Trees Blossoming in Palos Verdes

There have been some stellar days in Los Angeles and in my neighborhood of Palos Verdes, and the cherry blossom trees are SPECTACULAR.

Curious about them, and knowing a little bit about their Japanese origin, I thought I would read up on them. Here's what I found out -

The cherry blossom, know as "Sakura" is the beloved, unofficial flower of Japan that has been highly regarded in art and history and is imbued with quite a bit of symbolism. The delicate pink (or white) blooms last a very short time (5-10) days typically and symbolizes simplicity, fleeting beauty and purity. Many many years ago, the Japanese warrior spirit glorified the idea that samurai died in the prime of their lives, like blossoms falling from the sakura.

While that is sad, what I found uplifting, is the Japanese cherry blossom festival called "hanami" which has been practiced for centuries. It is the simple idea of gathering under the cherry trees to drink and eat and admire nature's beauty. I read that literally thousands of families concregate in parks.

Sakura - vibrant, beautiful, fleeting and ephemeral.
My plan is to savor every day of the cherry blossom.
Life is short.