Cherry Blossom Festival

The National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off today in Washington, D.C., making me homesick for the city I called home for years. It is one of the most beautiful times of year in our nation's capital as the pink and white blossoms decorate the Potomac River shores around the city's monuments and power buildings. This year, it's even more beautiful, as the festival is being used to remember and help the people of Japan in wake of the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami.  What do the two have in common? A little history in case your history knowledge is foggy -- In 1912, Japan gifted the United States 3,000 cherry trees, which have stood as symbols of friendship between our two countries since. In exchange, we gave them Dogwood trees. The first festival to celebrate the trees was held in 1935, and today it has grown into a two-week celebration filled with events and parties galore.