Seeing Double at the Reflecting Pond

Every morning we walk to the National Mall and there is usually something to see. This week the Capitol Christmas Tree and its' giant tree top star arrived from Montana and is being decorated this week; the botanical garden Christmas Trains and Roadside Adventures beckons to visitors and locals alike; and yesterday teleflora was giving away bouquets of flowers for the #loveoutloud campaign. Sometimes the beauty is in the scenes that we see all year, and stand out even more depending on the season and the time of day. The sun was brilliant and the recently cleaned out reflecting pond was still. It was an unusual windless day! So whatever surrounds the pond looks stunning in the mirror image that is created. It's not quite winter and feels like fall, and the golden leaves remaining on the trees cast a warm glow on every corner. The Capitol building is always striking. The office buildings across the way dot the landscape. The recently restored Ulysses S Grant statue stands tall above the crowd. The National Gallery of Art was also recently renovated and shows the sleek modern lines in the reflection. The Smithsonian American Indian Museum blends in to the blue sky and water. We always wonder what it would feel like to live somewhere else. I think we would miss a week like this.