I was anxious to see if our new little cherry tree, dormant all winter, would blossom its first spring in its new home. The tree was a gift from the Japanese Consular Office in San Francisco in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the Museum. It is the same variety as the cherry trees in the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. Those trees also were gifts from the Japanese government in 1912, so they have just celebrated the 100th birthday of the gift of those trees.

The azaleas and the cherry trees in the courtyard also delighted visitors. The blossoms are short lived, though, as they melt away with the rain and the wind. Notice Lucy’s baseball cap on the right, partly hidden by the redwood tree.

The fragrant wisteria clusters last longer and are wonderfully fragrant. They have attracted a mass of bees and I wonder where the hives are that they are returning to with their nectar. I am glad to see a healthy bee population to assure the pollination of our fruits and flowers. Many places are noticing a worrisome decline in the bee populations, and three agricultural products are being restricted in Europe because they are believed to be contributing to colony collapse.

In addition to all these heart-filling sights, this year we are expecting surprise guests. Instead of building a nest on Snoopy’s stomach, as they did in the comic strip, some birds have built a nest under Lucy’s baseball cap (one can almost hear her outrage). So far the bird has not been identified. Should I find out, you will be the first to know!

 — Jean Schulz