A short break from cherry blooms! I know I promised a Lytro Shot of the Week back when my blog went public again, but frankly, winter was not the best time for this little camera.

For those of you who might have missed the Lytro introduction, play with this photo! Click in the foreground on the main flower, then click anywhere in the background and the image will re-focus there. Hold and drag your mouse over the image to move it around and get a different perspective. If you want more information on the Lytro, follow this link!

Okay, here comes cherry overload, all in one fell swoop!

The tree that I featured a couple of days ago shown here from a different angle with its twin sister.

The light coming through this magnificent cherry tree was what I was trying to capture. The people standing under it were not in my original plan but I waited a full ten minutes for them to get done with their "take my picture with the tree" business but they didn't budge. So, I took my photo and moved on to the other 3,997 trees in the park.

(Seriously, are you worried you will be seeing the other 3,997 trees here on the blog? Never fear, the cherry brigade will end soon. Some trees just needed to stand all by themselves.)

This huge old tree is right at the main parking lot and one of the most beautiful trees in the park in my opinion. Everyone wants to stand beneath it and gaze upwards at its lush blooms. They have their photo taken under it, or just take photos of it. It's impossible to get any "alone" time with it. I love its shadow almost as much as its limb span. Hello gorgeousness!

Linked to Madge's Weekly Top Shot

 I took myself off to Skylands yesterday for a check on how things were coming along. Things are not quite in gear yet for Spring, but almost. This weeping cherry is almost there. I imagine a few more days and it will burst forth in a froth of pink blossoms.

Buds were popping everywhere!

I did the entire three miles (both loops) yesterday and it got so warm that I had to shed my jacket about 3/4 of the way through. I did see Mr. Pileated Woodpecker again in the same spot as I took photos of him the last time, but no pics this time. He just flew right over my head and into the woods, all the while doing his laughing call. It's a nice walk because the terrain is varied. It's mostly level with a few hills thrown in for good measure.

I keep checking the FaceBook page for Branch Brook park every day and the cherry trees down there are coming along but they are slow too. Maybe tomorrow I'll head down there anyway even if they aren't quite in full bloom. If I wait much longer I probably won't get down there to capture the spectacle since we have some rainy days moving in at the end of the week.

P.S. I got impatient for the camera store to get my lens in so I ordered it from Amazon instead. I hate not supporting local business, but when I called them they had no idea when the lenses were shipping. It's a Tamron 18-270mm. It was the only lens I took to Skylands yesterday to give it a try. It's lighter than my other zoom lenses and it was nice to not have to carry multiple lenses or to switch them out.