New Feature on the Cleveland Park Listserv! It's Time for WORDLE

 by Peggy Robin

We are thrilled to announce that starting today, April 1, 2026, Cleveland Park Listserv will offer a new feature:

WORDLE !

We've seen how other traditional media have been able to attract new subscribers by adding word games -- and the most successful of these is the New York Times' five-letter word guessing game, Wordle.

You may wonder, "Is a Listserv now considered 'traditional media'?" Well, given that Listservs, having been around since the turn of the last century, are practically ancient in the timeline of the internet, the answer is a resounding YES. The oldest popularly available version of Listserv dates back to 1994 -- so the Cleveland Park Listserv, launched in 1999, is not so far off the original mark. 

At 12,811 verified subscribers, we are already the largest community Listserv in the US, according to Groups.io -- but all forms of media, new and old, need to keep attracting new members to stay fresh and competitive. We have seen how word games lead the way.

But this just isn't any ordinary Wordle. When you solve a Wordle, you've found a five letter word -- nothing too special about that. The CP Listserv's Wordle will be so much more! Once you have found today's three words, you have just set off on a literary adventure. Each day, solve three more of our Wordles. Keep a record of all the words you find. After five days, you will have fifteen words. On the last day we will give you two more Wordles to solve, making a total of 17 words.

Study them carefully: They may seem random to you. You may notice they are all one-syllable words. Now here's the part where your own creativity comes in. Arrange the words in the classic Japanese haiku pattern: Five syllables for the first line; seven for the middle line; five syllables for the last line. You determine the order of the words according to your own sense of what creates the most evocative image or stirs a beautiful emotional response -- plus what sounds best to your ear. 

Submit your entry to the web link given at the end of this message.

When we have collected all the entries, we will judge them and award a first-place winner and two runners-up.

Here are your first three WORDLES:

Please note: Grids are shown for illustrative purposes only. You must click on the link above each grid to play each one.

1. You're invited to play a puzzle created by CPListserv:   

Did you beat the bot? 

Click on the link above to reveal the solution.

2. You're invited to play a puzzle created by CPListserv:

Did you beat the bot?  

(Click on the above link to reveal the solution) 

3. You're invited to play a puzzle created by CPListserv:

Did you beat the bot? 

(Click on the above link to reveal the solution.)

Save your three solutions:

__ __ __ __ __ __   

__ __ __ __ __ __     

__ __ __ __ __ __   

Keep playing for the next five days (three solutions per day, plus two more on the last day equals 17 one-syllable words.

On April 6, arrange the 17 words into your own haiku. 

You can register to start playing today! Click on THIS LINK to register.

At the end of the day on April 6, 2026, click on SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETED HAIKU HERE.

You won't find that in your New York Times!

Enjoy!!!

-Peggy Robin & Bill Adler

Owners and Publishers, The Cleveland Park Listserv

Home Page: https://groups.io/g/clevelandpark 

CP Info Pages: www.cleveland-park.com 

FAQ: www.cleveland-park.com/faq.html 

Still Life with Robin: Marching with Marie Antoinette & Her Courtiers...and Cakes!

 by Peggy Robin

You may have noticed that there were no messages posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv between 7:55am and 2:52 this afternoon. That's because there was no one at the moderator's desk. I metroed early this morning to the Arlington Cemetary Metro stop, where my friend and I met up with the members of the Washington ArtWatch 2.0 performance ensemble, who came dressed up as Marie Antoinette and her courtiers -- two of whom were bearing exquisitely decorated cherry-topped cakes (made of exquisitely un-cake-like Styrofoam). 

My friend was there to photograph the group, who, at the end of the march across Memorial Bridge and past the Lincoln Reflecting Pool, found a gravel clearing near Constitution Gardens, where they put on an 18th Century French dance to the tune of "Royals," and gave interviews to The Guardian, WUSA-TV, MS-Now, ZDFheute (German news), and NPR (among others). 

Photo by Peggy Robin

All along the route, they handed out free buttons of Trump as the notoriously uncaring queen .... even if she never actually said her most-frequently attributed quote: "Let them eat cake."

Trump as Marie Antoinette

Here's the aerial news photo showing the big turnout for the NO KINGS March on Memorial Bridge -- one of dozens of such marches and rallies in the DC Metro area -- and one of about 3,000 across the US.

This is photo #8 of 9 of WTOP news photos in their "Share This Gallery" series.

I took many more photos, some of which I have uploaded to Listserv's photo album on rallies and marches, available HERE. I may upload even more tomorrow. (Too tired to keep at it tonight!) 

The Listserv's PHOTO albums are open to all members to contribute their photos. If you took some great shots at NO KINGS DAY today, by all means, upload them to the RALLIES photo album.

You can find the upload instructions at Message #224008.

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.

Get Out! It's PEAK BLOOM WEEK IN DC!

 by Peggy Robin

 

Is the Tidal Basin too crowded for you? Been there, done that, too many times to count? Keep in mind, they're not the only bloomin' trees in town!

 

Casey Trees has compiled this helpful little map so you can find blossoms in all sorts of places in DC...and some will even have ample strolling room (if you time it right.) For individualized bloom-spotting, just enter your address in the search box to find flowering trees right around the corner from you.

 

Cherry blossoms & the Cathedral
Photo by Thomas S. Mann

Click on the link below:

Explore Our Cherry Blossom Maps!

 

For information on the species of trees on 

the map, click on each dot that represents a tree:

 

Light pink: Okame cherry

Medium pink: Yoshino cherry

Hot pink: Kwanzan cherry

Dark pink: Sour cherry

Lilac: Snowgoose cherry

Greyish lilac: Chokecherry

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The "Get Out!" event of the week is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Thursdays.

Still Life with Robin: Phishing in a Punchbowl

 by Peggy Robin

There are so many email scams and phishing messages out there that if I sent out warnings about all the threats I hear about, I'd be doing nothing but that, all day long. However, some of them are so egregious -- and so clever and so widespread -- that even some of the savviest and most cautious list members have fallen for them.

That seems to be the case right now with the Punchbowl Invitation phishing scam. It's come in to the Listserv's posting address and/or to my personal Gmail address at least four times in the last couple of weeks.

It goes like this:

Someone on your contacts list sends you what looks like a Punchbowl invitation to attend an event. Punchbowl is a legitimate party-invite app, similar to Evite or Paperless Post, although the one making the rounds right now is just a copycat, created by some fairly sophisticated hacker(s). 

They start by acquiring someone's hacked email address, giving them access to that person's entire contacts list, and then each person on that list receives what looks like a legitimate, colorful invitation to some sort of party or celebration.

If you are on the receipient list, you may find it hard to see anything pointing to the fakery. It comes from someone you know....and it's always nice to be invited to a party, right? Your alarm bells are probably not going off -- even if you are unaware of any big milestone event coming up in that person's life. 

Anyway, you are likely curious, and so you click to open the "envelope." You see the animated envelope draw closer and then the flap opens -- just as it always does in these invitation apps -- but then you don't see the details of the event. The next thing you see is the requirement to click on a link to continue to the event.

That's where the GOTCHA comes in. If you don't fall for it and you don't click on the link, you can just delete the damn thing and you don't need to worry about it another minute. But if you thought it was real and you responded accordingly...change your email password immediately! That way you will limit the damage.

However, if the scammers have already accessed your contacts list and have started a new round of phishing emails using your name and email address, the next thing you must do is email all your contacts and tell them, "Sorry, that invitation wasn't from me but from a scammer who temporarily hijacked my email address. Please delete without opening it."

Here's a TV news segment (Las Vegas Fox 5) about the Punchbowl phishing invite: 

Cybercriminals use fake event invitations to install malware and steal data

By Lisa Sturgis

Published: Feb. 12, 2026

Fox5 Las Vegas image (does not open the video
Please click on the headline above)

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Cybercriminals are sending fake event invitations that appear to come from Punchbowl, a popular website for digital greeting cards and invitations.

The fraudulent invitations tell recipients to click a link for full details on the event. The emails may advise users to open the link on a desktop or laptop for the “best experience.”

Punchbowl did not send these invitations. They come from cybercriminals who use the links to install malware on victims’ devices.

Clicking on the link allows bad actors access to the device and all personal information stored on it. 

How to avoid the scam

Security experts recommend checking the sender’s email address before responding to any invitation. Personal email accounts or odd-looking web addresses indicate the invitation is not from Punchbowl.

Unusual requests, such as asking users to open a link on a laptop, are red flags. Hackers often provide instructions to help them bypass security measures.

Users should be suspicious of unexpected emails, especially those that ask them to click a link.''

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now here are the instructions straight from the real Punchbowl people:

How Do I Know if the Punchbowl Invitation or Card I Received is Real or Spam?

Here are a few things to look out for if you suspect you may have received a fake Punchbowl message and steps to take to protect yourself.

Who it’s coming from

• All legitimate Online Invitations and Digital Greeting Cards sent from Punchbowl via email will come from mail@mail.punchbowl.com.
  • Legitimate emails will often show the Punchbowl logo and a blue verified checkmark next to the sender’s name. While this feature may not appear in all email clients, it should be visible in major ones.

Punchbowl logo and blue (verified) checkmark

• Official support emails will come from help@punchbowl.com.
• Additional legitimate emails that may communicate with users include:
  • mail@mail.punchbowl.com
  • help@punchbowl.com
  • info@punchbowl.com
  • privacy@punchbowl.com
  • security@punchbowl.com
  • support@punchbowl.com
  • updates@punchbowl.com
  • accessibility@punchbowl.com
• All legitimate Online Invitations and Digital Greeting Cards sent from Punchbowl via text message in the U.S. will come from our short code: 90403. Invites and Cards sent from Punchbowl via text message outside the U.S. will come from 877-642-0804.

What it looks like

• Invitation and Card links always start with “https://www.punchbowl.com”.
• It is important for you to know that legitimate emails from Punchbowl will never contain an attachment.
• Visual indicators and errors to look out for:
  • Broken Layouts or images that won’t load
  • Logos or buttons that are incorrectly sized
  • ALL CAPS, incorrect fonts, or red miscolored text
  • Asked to sign in before viewing invitation or card
  • Misaligned text in design or email

What to do if you suspect the message is fraudulent

If you're concerned about an Invitation or Card that you received, or have gotten reports that recipients have received an Invitation or Card from you that you didn't send, you can take the following steps to protect yourself:

• Do not open it, and do not click on any links within the email if you do.
• Please forward the email to help@punchbowl.com. It's possible that someone has created an email to look like an Invitation or Card from Punchbowl in a phishing attempt.
• Mark the email as spam within your inbox.
• If recipients have received an Invitation or Card from you that you didn't send, we recommend that you update your email account password.

How to help others

If friends and family email you to say they received an invitation from you that you never sent AND they cannot open the links, we suggest that you reply with text along these lines:

"It looks like someone may have created an email to look like an Invitation from Punchbowl in a phishing attempt. Please do not click any links in the email. If/when I send actual invitations from Punchbowl, they will come from mail@mail.punchbowl.com."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wishing you a scam-free spring and lots of invitations toREAL events put on by people you love and trust!

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.

Get Out! The "Empower Her - Outdoor Market" is happening on the Cleveland Park Promenade on Saturday, 11am-4pm

 by Peggy Robin

March is Women's History Month -- and it's two-thirds over! If you haven't done anything special to observe Women's History Month yet, you're in luck: The Cleveland Park Promenade, right in our neighborhood, is the place for the Women's History Month event, "Empower Her - Outdoor Market"

Empower Her - Outdoor Market

Saturday, March 21st, 11am–4pm

Cleveland Park Promenade

In front of Femme Fatale

3409 Connecticut Avenue NW

You'll find 30+ women-identifying vendors offering vintage, handmade items, baked goods, and more!

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The "Get Out!" event of the week is posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Thursdays.

Still Life with Robin: STUMPY LIVES!!!

 by Peggy Robin

Spring is the season of rebirth; we glory in the new life that grows from what was, it seems but moments ago, the cold, barren winter soil.

This spring, these words are more than just a generic greeting to the green shoots and pink buds; they apply to some very particular new growth. We can welcome back an old friend. It's Stumpy!

If you remember, it was 2024 when we last saw the forlorn little cherry tree -- being cut down while there was still life in him.

Now, through the miracle of science, he's been cloned, and is coming back in the form of dozens of little saplings, propagated from his genes. 

If this were a sci-fi story, of course, the saplings would be imbued with evil, and be part of some plot to do the bidding of the mad scientist who created them....but so far the story seems innocuous enough (at least, as told to the Washington Post in this article last summer).

So we can expect all the little Stumpy-replicas to bloom in quiet glory for many years to come. Although really, these days, who can be sure of anything????

More on the return of Stumpy (well, the cloned Stumpettes) at:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1610031270236004 

(Reel by Tommy McFly, NBC4Washington)

Here's a look back at Stumpy in his final year:

Photo by Peggy Robin

And here are the Stumpettes at the Arboretum, waiting to be transplanted:

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays

Get Out! Celebrate Holi in Many Colors on Friday, March 13 starting at 5:45pm at Union Market

by Peggy Robin

Celebrate the Colors of Holi at Union Market on Friday, March 13! 

In partnership with RASA, Buffalo & Bergen and Chai Pani, Union Market District invites you to the fourth annual vibrant celebration of Holi, the Festival of Colors. Get ready for an evening filled with authentic Indian flavors, great music, dancing, cocktails and lively festivities—including the joyful tradition of color throwing and other fun surprises.

Learn more about Holi in the FAQ below.

Suggested attire: Not your nicest whites, but the colored powder is washable and non-toxic. 
Location: The Plaza, 1325 5th St NE Washington, DC 20002 (Just past Union Market) 

FREE!

SCHEDULE:
5:45 PM: Suggested arrival. Guests will receive a satchel of colored powder and a T-shirt upon arrival (while supplies last).
6 PM: Time to throw the colors!
6:15-8 PM: Catch a live DJ set by Elite Entertainment + live dhol by Dholi Ram. Plus RASA, Chai Pani, Malai Ice Cream, Karravaan, Buffalo & Bergen, Doosra and Keya’s Snacks and will have food + drinks available for purchase.

Union Market will be open for food, drinks and shopping!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS [edited by CP Moderator for space - see complete list of FAQs at https://unionmarketdc.com/event/holi-in-the-district/]

📍Where exactly is the event?
Holi will be held in The Plaza behind Union Market at 1325 5th St NE. Enter from either side, 5th or 6th Street NE. Look for Holi at Union Market District signage and check-in stations.

🎟 Do I need a ticket?
This is a free event; no tickets are needed to enjoy the festivities. This event will be first-come, first-served. Colors and T-shirts are available while supplies last, so please arrive early.

☔ What happens if it rains?
A few sprinkles can’t keep us down. Unless the weather presents a danger, the event will happen rain or shine.

🐶 Is this event pet-friendly?
We expect large crowds and highly recommend leaving your pets at home for their safety and comfort.

💃 What should I wear?
Comfortable clothes you can dance and jump in that you don’t mind getting colorful! The color is non-toxic and washable but don’t wear your finest ‘fit! We will be giving out white Holi in the District T-shirts and color packets on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that you will not be able to choose your color packets.

What else should I know for the event?
Arrive early! Vendors will have food and drinks available for purchase (while supplies last). Still hungry? Please visit The Market or make a reservation at our other Union Market District restaurants! For more info, see our Eat & Drink page.

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The "Get Out!" event of the week is posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Thursdays. 

Still Life with Robin: Eavesdropping in Cleveland Park

 by Peggy Robin

I'm sure you all know Joe Himali of Best Address Real Estate. Every week he posts a message on the Listserv with a trifecta of information: 

1. His weekly real estate offerings

2. A list of his lively and informative walking tours

3. His Instagram reels on history, architecture, local lore, quirky factoids and curiosities. 

Today, my column is about one of his Instagram reels, which combines a bit of all of the above. It's about the origins (history) of the word "eavesdropping" (quirky factoid), including an architectural tour of some of the eaves of Cleveland Park...starting with the ones overhanging my house (pictured below).

This reel is definitely worth 64 seconds of your time!

[Video will play at link: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DFyViHjyKAH/]

One factoid of my own: Joe HImali is the Cleveland Park Listserv's first-ever sponsor -- the quickest to sign up back in 2000 when we first decided to seek sponsorship from our neighborhood business owners, service providers, and professionals, to help us maintain our daily online publication. -- which is why Joe is always listed first in our monthly column of Thank-yous to Our Sponsors and Friends (See Message  #234262   ) . 

Want more of these little online gems? Go to Joe's latest ad on the Listserv at Message #234462 and scroll down to the Instagram section - or follow Joe on Instagram at  https://www.instagram.com/bestaddress/

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Still Life with Robin is posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.

Get Out! Saturday, March 7 is the first of THREE big St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

 by Peggy Robin

 

I had to do a double-take (or triple-take?) when I started looking over the events to post to be considered for the "Get Out!" column's event of the week: It seems this year the organizers of St Patrick's Day events have managed to do the holiday in triplicate. By that I mean that the snake-conquering saint is being feted THREE TIMES -- with events on THIS Saturday, March 7, and again on NEXT Saturday, March 14, and of course, on the ACTUAL ST PATRICK'S DAY, March 17.

 

Seems like those who view the holiday as the best excuse for a day-long pub crawl are in for three-times the fun!

 

For those looking for a nice, traditional St Patrick's Day Parade, with pipers, marching bands, step dancers and lots of... 

...and you can start with the big St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturuday in Old Town Alexandria

Here are the deets:

 

Old Town Alexandria's St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 7, 2026 starting at 12:15 PM

300 King Street

Website: https://visitalexandria.com/events/2026-st-patricks-day-parade/ 

Parade route: https://ballyshaners.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-Parade-Route-for-Website.pdf 

Event description: The Ballyshaners 43rd Alexandria St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Saturday, March 7th, 2026. Residents and tourists are encouraged to come early to enjoy the events at one of the DC area’s finest parades. This event is free and open to the public.

~~~~~

 

Ready for another, even BIGGER Irish festival? Go to:

IRLAND AT THE WHARF a week from tomorrow - on Saturday, March 14 from 1-7 PM.

 

Here's what you need to know before you go (from the FAQ at https://www.wharfdc.com/ireland/):

 

Do I need a ticket?
Ireland at The Wharf is free to attend; no tickets are needed. Drinks are available for purchase on District and Transit Pier and at all Wharf bars and restaurants. You must be 21+ to consume alcohol. The VIP Irish Experience presented by Jameson is back! Ticket holders can taste Premium Irish Whiskeys, get backstage access, and more. Limited tickets are available here.

 

What activities are there at the event?
Listen to great live music, watch Six Nations rugby on a jumbotron screen, learn to play Gaelic Football with DC Gaels, watch local Irish dance troupes and of course, enjoy a pint or two.

 

Is this event family-friendly and pet-friendly?
Yes, children and pets are welcome throughout the festival area. Children may enjoy watching the musicians and Irish dancers, a kids coloring station, and more.

 

Are there any St. Patrick's Day food and drink specials?
Kirwan's on The Wharf serves authentic Irish food and drinks 365 days a year, and especially on St. Patrick's Day weekend. There will be a festival bar serving Guinness and a Fever-Tree Mocktail Bar on District Pier!

 

Will there be Irish music?

Of course! The festival's main stage on District Pier features three live local bands performing familiar Celtic, Irish, and Americana tunes that you can sing along and dance to including special headliners Chasing Abbey direct from Ireland. On Transit Pier watch Irish dancing and listen to local favorites Kentucky Avenue Trio. 

 

What is the best way to get to The Wharf?
The Wharf has three underground parking garages that are open around the clock. Check our garages' capacity before you arrive. Or plan to utilize one of the nearby off-site parking garages (view PDF map), including Ace Parking at L’Enfant Plaza (420 10th St SW), L'Enfant East Parking Garage (840 D St SW), or the 1100 4th St SW Garage. You can also ride the Metro to Waterfront Station and walk 5 minutes to The Wharf, or ride to L’Enfant Plaza and connect to The Wharf on the free Southwest Shuttle. Or consider taking Bikeshare.

 

~~~~~

Still wanting more of the holiday? Here are some places to celebrate with Irish food and drink -- and music! -- on the proper day itself, TUESDAY, MARCH 17th (results from Google AI):

 

Top St. Patrick's Day Pubs & Events in DC (March 17, 2026):

• The Dubliner (Capitol Hill): Renowned for its massive celebration, starting at 9 a.m. with live music from bands like Brian Gaffney.
• Duffy's Irish Pub (Dupont Circle): Opens at 12 p.m. with Irish dancers from the McGrath Morgan Academy and a focus on traditional tunes.
• Kelly's Irish Times (Capitol Hill): A popular, boisterous spot known for its extensive whiskey list and all-day atmosphere.
• Kirwan's on the Wharf (Southwest Waterfront): Offers a more modern, upscale, yet authentic Irish experience.
• Ireland's Four Courts (Arlington/DC Area): A major destination with live music and, in 2026, potentially celebrating their 30th anniversary.
• The Auld Shebeen (Fairfax): A popular spot often featuring Irish bands.
• Boundary Stone (Bloomingdale): Features authentic Irish pub fare like bangers and mash.
   

Specialty Food & Drink:

• Guinness: Look for special, early morning, or discounted pours at The Dubliner (51-cent Guinness before 10 AM) and Ireland's Four Courts.
• Traditional Irish Fare: Corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and Irish soda bread will be featured at most, particularly The Dubliner.
• Festive Drinks: Dacha Shaw (green beer) and Dog Haus (Jameson shots, pickle backs) are also mentioned for the holiday. 

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The Get Out Event of the Week (and in this case, next week, too!) is usually posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and On All Life Is Local on Thursdays but today it was posted a day late....

Still Life with Robin: One Last Look at Winter - NYC after the "Bomb Cyclone" Dumped 20" of Snow

by Peggy Robin

64°F! That was the high in Washington, DC today. Sometime next week we should see temperatures in the mid-seventies. What a relief!

 

Just a few days ago (Monday, February 23), we were under anywhere from two to four inches of snow (it varied a lot, even within DC), but at least we escaped the big the white-out that shut down all the other big cities along I-95 to our north. 

 

Friends and relations in New York City got a snow day, and a couple of them sent me the photos below. I thought I'd pass them along for one last look at the snowiest winter in almost 30 years. (The winter of 1995-1996 holds the record.)

Snow on the front walk

View from the living room window

Snow Cat & Friend

Tree in the park by the bridge

These four photos are among 17 new photos, all taken in Astoria, Queens, New York on the day after the "Bomb Cyclone Blizzard of '26." 

 

To see all 17 photos go to the PHOTOS section of the Cleveland Park Listserv and click on the album Snowfall, snow art, and winter scenes.

 

You can add your own photos, too. The instructions to upload photos are at the end of Message #230198   .

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Still Life with Robin is posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.

Still Life with Robin: Hurry Up, Spring!

 by Peggy Robin

By now you must have heard that chances are high that we'll get hit by the bigeast coast snowstorm that Capital Weather Gang says is coming --but they also say right now, it's hard to tell how much we'll get. Could be 1-4" (50%). Could be a bust at under an inch (25%). Or (gulp!) a boom at 4"-8" (25%). They'll be posting regular updates on Bluesky. To see their latest forecast map (if you can stand the suspense), go to  https://bsky.app/profile/capitalweather.bsky.social/post/3mff4reopn22m 

 

Whether it turns out to be a late February blizzard or a negligible dusting, or something in between, it's worth remembering that spring is just eight days away.

 

Are you confused? Doesn't spring start on the equinox? This year, that would be at 10:46 AM on Friday, March 20, 2026. Well, that's right -- but that one is called "Astronomical Spring." The far older, more traditional breakdown of the seasons, called the Meteorogogical Seasons, goes like this: 

 

Spring starts on March 1st

Summer comes in on June 1st

Auturm arrives on September 1st

Winter begins on December 1st. 

 

So simple! No partial months! And of course, you get the change of seasons three weeks ahead of that other, more awkward Astronomical Seasonal System (ASS).

 

The trouble with using equinoxes and solstices is that they move around a bit, varying by up to three days across the four-year leap year cycle. So the spring equinox could come as early as March 20 or as late March 23.

 

If you're interested in a more detailed explanation of the difference between Astronomical and Meteorolgical Seasons, go here: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/meteorological-versus-astronomical-seasons

 

Now let's back to what may befall us in the next day or two: If a shovel-worthy amount is dumped on us come Sunday/Monday, we must grit out teeth, get out the snow shovels once again, and keep dreaming of the coming of spring. 

 

I hope a few photos will help you make it through the next week:

 

Forsythia will spring forth! 

Daffodils and tulips will form a blanket of many colors!

Redbuds will be budding!

And of course there will be cherry blossoms!

Cherry trees in full bloom with National Cathedral in the distance
(photo credit: Thomas S. Mann)

p.s. Cherry blossoms are predicted to bloom later than usual this year. The official predictions aren't out yet but you can get email updates from the National Park Service's "Bloom Watch" by signing up at https://cherryblossomwatch.com/peak-bloom-forecast/. The Cherry Blossom Festival 2026 will run from March 20 to April 12, so mark your calendars! 

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Still Life with Robin is posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.