Spring Has Sprung - Sakura-Style

It's been a long time since last I posted... and for good (and bad) reasons. Firstly, I've been pretty busy this time around with our daughter, C-chan, who has just clocked up her 7th month! Secondly, work has been a bit hectic of late (as it should be). But finally, I've just been spending what online time I've had on G+ rather than blogging.

That, I hope (and keep telling myself) will change. And so, let's start the ball rolling with something that happened just now. Cherry Blossom season. Well, actually, the cherry trees have been blossoming around Adelaide for a while now, but our cherry tree has only just hit peak now. So I thought I'd just liven up blog with a few of my shots of our own Sakura down South....

Hanami - the Japanese tradition of going out to watch the cherry blossoms (amongst others)... but is really just a good excuse to get totally drunk with your friends and workmates...  is a tradition in our house. Normally it means us setting up a picnic rug and table under the blossoms and eating a homemade picnic hamper, and me of course knocking back a couple of beers (suitably Japanese in origin).

This year was looking a little grim weather-wise, and indeed it's been blowing a gale, and when not blowing a gale, it's been raining, then sun-shining, then back to the gale part. Thankfully, today (a public holiday here, for Labour Day) the weather turned a treat. Beautiful sunshine, not too hot, not too cold. Just right (though it did get a little chilly later in the day). So we quickly revised our plans and grabbed the picnic gear. Hanami time was here again!

Now I was going to also throw down a few of my favourite pics from the season... in no particular order. But these were shot over two days, and the weather really did change around a lot (hence why you will notice a very dark grey sky in some of the shots).

Anyway, hope you enjoy!