(SakuraWatch 2010) A Very Large Update
(Note: This is part of a set of posts on the cherry blossoms blooming at Lake Balboa. To find the other posts, just browse for all posts tagged " sakura")
Previous Data Reports:
jinyo: March 9, 2010
jinyo: March 4, 2010
slave_to_anime: February 26, 2010
random_karen: February 21, 2010
slave_to_anime: February 15, 2010
slave_to_anime: February 6, 2010
slave_to_anime: January 24, 2010
Check out the tagged posts to see items from past years.
You know that point where we all get obsessive compulsive about keeping an eye on the park? Yeah, we're at that phase now. :P
UPDATES
- random_karen went out to the park on the 10th to see how things were going.
- jinyo took another visit on the 11th himself for more.
- And I hit the park today to get yet more.
March 20-21st, +/- 1 week. In easier words: ANY DAY NOW. :P Things are definitely changing from day to day. Some of the flowers won't be ready this weekend. Some will probably be just to the early side. Some will likely be in some bloom, especially probably by Sunday. It's just a matter of how many.
Notes on Weather:
10 day forecast from Weather.com looks clear out through the period. Slightly worried about just how warm it's going to be early next week (80 degrees? Welcome to late winter in LA). We'll see.
Summary:
No trees in full bloom yet, though some are close. Based on what I can tell, unfortunately, it looks like we're going to see some inconsistency in the park yet again this year. It definitely won't be as bad as last year, where there was pretty much nothing really usable at all. I expect a few trees here and there to be usable by Sunday quite likely. Some of these trees will probably peak sometime next week. I think there's good reason to focus on next weekend as likely being better. However, this weekend won't be fatally bad. About 1/4 of the trees look ready to bloom any day now, about 1/4 look like they'll probably bloom in the next week or so, about 1/4 look beyond that, and about 1/4 just look non-productive this year.
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If 2008 was any sort of reminder, these flowers could bloom tomorrow or Sunday. Really, things can change one day to the next.
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Regardless, things are getting close.
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This tree, unfortunately, will probably be bare this year outright.
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Unfortunately, you can sort of see where there's still a spread problem. Lower branches here are days from blooming, but the upper branches are way way behind.
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By next weekend, these should be nice.
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A couple of nice flowers around.
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As jinyo mentioned, some of the new trees that have been planted along the west bank of the lake.
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This set of branches is going to be NICE in a few days.
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The new trees have flowers that are actually pretty close to pure white rather than the soft pink that the older trees all have.
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The tag doesn't lie, however. These are pink cloud flowering cherries, the same varietal as the rest of the park.
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Showing promise. :3
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OOOH BUTTERFLY. *_*
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Yeah, I'm easily distracted. I was staring at the thing fluttering around for like 10 minutes. XD
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Couple of the trees along the western edge of the park north of the entrance are showing some budding as well.
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Probably not by this weekend. Next weekend, though...
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Though these... are a little more difficult to pin down. It's in multiple phases here.
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SO CLOSE. *___*
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The other pictures don't show though that most of the trees on the small patch south of the entranceway on the western edge of the park look not anywhere near ready.
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These are spread out, but at least it seems more productive than last year, for sure.
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These might bloom outside this window even. Maybe out beyond 2 weeks.
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Plans this weekend:
Will probably be at the park before around 9AM tomorrow with any luck. Since the weather forecast for tomorrow looks tolerable, I'll probably look to grab the tables near where we were last year, because of the presence of a grill there (might need it). This may not be the choice location for the other days, but for tomorrow, it makes sense. Strike that. Unless someone else wants to do grilling, it looks like we'll just take the tables that we used two years ago, "the usual spot" if we can. Again, Sunday dependent on how tomorrow looks, and whether anyone actually is going to show up then.