Cherry blossoms are gone for the year

I found this house (right) on a walk with my family to the neighborhood corner coffee shop. I do hope they don't mind that I took this picture of their oasis of sakura blossoms littering the walkway to their door. This picture doesn't do justice to the intense pink that covered every inch under these cherry trees (click on all pictures for a larger view.) I am absolutely green with envy and lust.

I just wish the blossoms lasted a little longer than they do; a week or two, and they're on their way to being a sweet dream of the past. Having to wait a whole year for a repeat performance makes it all the more bittersweet.

Speaking of cherry trees, a neighbor of ours has the largest rock cherry tree I've never seen before (left and below), bordering our yard. The branches overhang our old fashioned garage out back, and litter the roof and our driveway with white cherry blossoms every spring. Our back yard is aswirl with fluttering petals. Then the birds go nuts on the cherries, squabbling drunkenly.

Just about a month ago while my husband and I lounged around on our back deck drinking after dark, two raccoons had a screeching, snarling fight up in that tree before one was summarily evicted by way of falling about 10 feet onto my neighbor's concrete walkway. I stood staring in horror (that was a loud splat!) until I saw a dark shape waddling irritably away. Tough little guys.