tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977131499402656352024-03-18T21:40:03.095+00:00LIT's Living on Capitol Hill (Hell!?)Observations, pictures, and sketches highlight the transition of moving to the nations's Capitol after 30 years of living in the Midwest. A clash in cultures? Maybe not!LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.comBlogger4715125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-1559899723433334372024-03-18T16:42:00.001+00:002024-03-18T16:42:17.413+00:0052Frames Road Weekly Photo Challenge The photo challenge this week for 52Frames was “road.” We didn’t know it at the time, but it was one of the last days we would be driving around outside before we both tested positive for Covid on Friday. We had been so careful these last four years and just got another booster vaccine eight days before. Now we are in the twilight zone. Looking back on last week feels like centuries ago. I wanted to see the magnolias that were blooming at the Enid Haupt gardens at the Smithsonian Castle. We found a great parking spot by the Air and Space Museum and started our morning walk there. We headed down Pennsylvania Avenue towards the Capitol and noticed an elegant figure in black. We positioned ourselves in the median of the street by the National Gallery of Art and waited for her to cross the street. That was the image we decided to use. I took a lot of photos of the avenue from inside the National Gallery as well. It’s a great view not only from the second floor, but also from the rooftop where the blue chicken sculpture resides. On our way home there were a lot more options for road pics in our old neighborhood on Capitol Hill. Surprisingly the image we liked didn’t get as much attention on instagram as a few of the others. But I always trust my husband’s artistic judgement - even though it may not coincide with the photo challenge literal subject interpretation. I’m not sure when we will be able to get out this week to take photos for the challenge this week. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom a week ahead of schedule. I really don’t want to miss them. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_2d98_8cc4_3729_70e4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1rWoISMpH564pcPzxk95fBdtZnvkPgWaz" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 188px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9b44_bc21_cf7_882e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1E6mAdAUF0W6cCxFS8KhfFNjQ4OhsA4Y8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 193px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_98f8_fd2b_2e05_6bc7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/15bo9UHcNKmmgOOCiPYOpmX5uMYQ0qoDL" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 194px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ccab_e46d_f190_3291" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1KclBJ-Q-t4vRWPvXnf5OJHDtZrOvgLKj" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 196px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8e13_1c86_26d6_98a8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1q2ThtvVy8VBdcI2diURBajzBfWOCUfPp" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 198px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3280_91e9_6209_86b1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1iR0IdHBveY-ZYXpSuUcgjAbeovJbXHnI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 201px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_4b09_e6ed_f86d_9fc8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1RAfh11_SmcuwnbniwLNfAPysywCXCeNp" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 202px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6d6f_d990_f7c9_3233" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1IlXdi4dMVjHb5JzE4i_ds3sB_7sRUFY1" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 203px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f64a_a755_fb13_4945" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1hc8Qu48F5VKYHnoP4DI4OMrrOF-WLUlT" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 206px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-28537324533798341152024-03-17T15:14:00.001+00:002024-03-17T15:14:45.552+00:00Happy Anniversary?It hit us out of nowhere. After four years of being very careful and isolating ourselves to an extreme the inevitable happened. Both my husband and I tested positive for Covid - on our anniversary. We just got our booster shots eight days before. We were both feeling a bit under the weather starting Thursday afternoon with post nasal drip. Even the dinner tasted funny. Then the next morning we woke up with sniffles and coughs. What else was there to do but take out two of the Covid tests we have been collecting and never needed to use. Initially my husband tested positive and I was negative. We still had enough energy to go for a morning walk. But as the day went on we started to deteriorate. I took another test in the afternoon and it was positive. We contacted our doctors office to get paxlovid, but of course no one responded. But both of us are on medications that may disqualify us from taking it. Then we both got low grade temps and felt lousy. I was hoping we would have just a slight version, and so far we have even though it’s still very crappy. Luckily we have all sorts of over the counter drugs to help us get comfortable. It’s still worrying because it is the weekend and we are pretty much on our own. These are the times you wish family lived closer. And wouldn’t you know we were planning a weekend trip to central Virginia to visit and this happened. We also need to cancel a few appointments this week. It’s a good reminder that you can’t take your health for granted. So far this year has been awful for a variety of reasons. I hope this is the end of it. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_1227_df74_edc2_c1c7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/18xJd42ANXDbHOR4k3H7tkZj9nmPruEYS" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 181px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_6bcf_4b30_359e_3a63" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1X0OcL4KmKM3_vgRibbqkwEOK0hGpyngN" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 179px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-72766224738083598442024-03-15T16:46:00.001+00:002024-03-15T16:46:12.892+00:00Water Leak and Travel John As it so happens after our morning walk were met at the front door of our condo by the building’s mechanic. He said he found a water leak in the parking garage and traced it up to our unit after searching the tier on this side of the building. We have been having issues with water since a pump mechanism was added to the pipes in the HVAC closet in January. Regardless, having a water leak means shutting off the water until the issue can be addressed. We were not happy. We thought when we moved from Capitol Hill we would finally be rid of these headaches. Since we only have one bathroom that can also potentially create a problem. And when we first moved in five years ago I ordered a potty stool and a Travel John solid waste collection kit - just in case we would ever need it. We already have disposable urinals in the car, but luckily have never had to use them. I also kept two disposable urinals in the house just in case. Because we didn’t know how long the situation would last, the potty chair was set up - just in case we couldn’t wait any longer. But I needed to pee, and this gave me an opportunity to see how one of the items works. Since we aren’t campers or outdoorsy types, these things are foreign to us. I have to say the product worked just like it said and can hold up to 800 cc’s that eventually turns solid, and then gets tossed away. It does help to think ahead, but it sure would be nice to have two bathrooms. But then again, that wouldn’t have helped if the water was turned off. Let’s just hope we get a resolution to the pump problem sooner than later. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_7250_7838_e0fa_df0e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1_J4esL-Il-ZJbRCyvZKmBso28H7Elqrv" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 162px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ac05_4eab_d521_a9d2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1PxP6WTgDtzXNGKuVcL01rMyznuChJs4F" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 163px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_22b7_d447_1003_ad9e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1MaXB7Bg1KnBciZJ_8yOGC3jhR9LOPph-" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 159px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d84b_92c6_b1a5_9b0b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1DuQzQRZMhkU1NWiY4jKdVphqP_L5CrqQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 159px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_94f8_2070_f958_2329" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1YR4Bu3TsyL7UNt-KnXBg7Y6nU1FRS84u" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 160px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_c4e_4f55_b75a_584c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1dYkh0U_veuUA-OV3mFBrsIEDMhIpGwTZ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 162px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_765d_d30e_83d3_5df8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1e4OqNYxase_vmkpkRNxyFMH8CvalggZh" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 161px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_55c3_2f4d_e00f_92c2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1zytiqvHh-rdI6bubn6DT0rIqgOeLVTC-" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 160px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-52139018163350650782024-03-12T16:41:00.001+00:002024-03-12T16:41:42.766+00:00Typing Baba I took several years of French, but you wouldn’t know it. It was to the point that I could read it quite well, but never had the knack for conversation. My husband knew French before he learned English. His best friend lives in France. We haven’t seen them since the pandemic. But when we did, the common language for them was Persian. Even his friend’s French speaking wife knows Persian. So I wasn’t a part of the conversation. She would try to speak some English and I would try to speak some French, but it was really limited. At least now when we email every so often we can use the typing baba option. We can write whatever we want in English and push the translate button to French. Then I can cut and paste the translated French in to the body of the email. And that’s what we did last week and it turned out really well. My husband was trying to tell his friend about a website that is all things Persian. And since neither he nor my husband are savvy at anything internet, I get to do the honors - including creating PDF files on some medical issues that needed to be sent. Anyway, it’s nice to know all of these options exist. It makes things so much easier - even though I can’t understand what was finally translated. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_5168_c2a3_8e97_12c6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1kWG_vx5KuT6lE6hyi_hqAqXUNI7UQovV" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 167px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><img id="id_fb1f_dfaa_44e8_9e72" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1zS7uJuYJzuSbkUQUtuwEBqfW1cN7zvR4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 167px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_69f2_2ba3_89e7_8558" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Ulj-na-myO0BwB_Ew1NqEmbkWUwkPOis" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 162px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-72904626260749347512024-03-11T16:45:00.001+00:002024-03-11T16:45:50.174+00:0052Frames Symmetrical Composition Weekly Photo Challenge The subject this week for the 52Frames photo challenge was “symmetrical composition.” So we drove in to town and parked by the US Botanic Garden where I thought there must be something that would meet that requirement. Bartholdi Park offered a couple of garden options, and when we came around the corner of the main conservatory, a pair of rocking chairs, planted pots, and symmetrical lines ended up being the submission. I did edit the image to include two tiny birds to make the scene more complete. The high key version was also nice but my husband preferred the original colors. Inside the botanic garden were pairs of different plants. There were two trucks parked in front of the Capitol, two police officers on their bikes, a reflection of the Capitol in the fountain, and a set of chairs with a table. As we made our way towards the Hirshhorn Museum the pair of trees in front of the facade looked really cool, as did the curves of the round building. Whenever you look hard enough there are always many options out there. You just have to use your imagination. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_b193_7e57_875b_5736" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1YpvIxJXp_dBep5hfZC1tnKe-wuEnzyp9" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 203px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1aeb_ac_2769_d129" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1kWuOEuOw5EKgVl7oeTUtg4WdK_Mhty3Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 202px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8d64_159_7c95_3b49" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/16NPcF2LIkiYNuITA99awqTAh-avlgH8w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 204px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_b935_56a3_8d3b_5ae2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1cYBnjln5iKZUYD2drhxI3N0B-NiMswRH" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 208px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9e38_12f5_eab5_3829" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/16A-WynUMyovrMpKTi8B_xpjbbp-e5ZV3" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 212px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_c8d1_76f2_dc76_fd03" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/15HZ46gL6qtvaYXs8cssUi-safXXERxc3" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3352_68ff_59ba_419e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1se8naBSWCWOplfmOAIgByW3oCo4R-DiJ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 210px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_be32_dca_9c24_7f49" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1seq5aZ2I-_l-M64FFM4XGizjAo482H-E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 212px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6a0e_c4b2_3feb_de64" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1SOIxB-3PduJshH2SHJ_q03UfXz57Nc9O" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_de38_8eb3_820c_e784" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Ms-8LyBYoMoVDWKL6Rw62Hkejvg_ruXT" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 223px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_b357_5646_130b_6206" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1TF5G13WBkHjbRkOCsDm0EJyNnNNOl6O6" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 220px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_48d_26f1_e808_447e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/13rPO6Yma1LRyv4hOIscZneU8yfRlnv8h" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_feb3_8f09_84a9_68ec" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/18BB6xcP1ybPdhbQ2JbB7J1aTCVGLalmY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 213px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-88235013178812232282024-03-10T16:59:00.001+00:002024-03-11T16:28:46.141+00:00Decaf Lipton Tea Every evening after dinner my husband and I have a dessert/snack. I always have a piece of angel food cake and a decaf tea. He always has a variety of cookies, a tiny slice of angel food cake, and a piece of candy. He used to have tea as well but is avoiding anything that affects his current medical condition - and that includes both tea and coffee. We always got Lipton decaf tea and for whatever reason it hasn’t been on the shelves at Giant for a few months. So we asked someone about the reason and they said they aren’t able to get it due to availability. So I’ve tried other decaf brands but they just don’t taste good. Finally I gave up waiting for Giant to get the tea in and ordered it on Amazon. The price was no different and there wasn’t any back order so I’m not sure what the fuss is all about. So last night was the first time I’ve had Lipton decaf tea in quite some time. I like it because it is essentially tasteless, but that’s what I’m used to. Hopefully the tea will eventually get restocked at the local grocery store. It’s just a lot easier to get it there. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_2809_da6d_71db_9876" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Jyt8T6tMr3skxrYZbr-IFpUnwFQXCGi_" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 204px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8d38_7b55_51c6_d213" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1tTEfoZ1G7hEH7zPjXxJKeUwdJ5LcmEFt" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 206px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_17cf_a5c9_f77d_7c6f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1morFE86AKhUwsR0YT2qgUfBerPcpROEi" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 201px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-16135587194449656002024-03-09T18:05:00.001+00:002024-03-09T18:05:16.424+00:00Maz-Tek Motion Sensor LED Night Light We always had night lights in the bathroom. And they have certainly changed from the olden days to now. And they come in all shapes and types. Because we are getting older bumping in to things is not a good idea, I thought having a little light along the path to the bathroom would also make sense. I was most interested in a motion sensor device that would only go on when necessary - not something that would shine all night long. I found the Maz-tek motion sensor night light on Amazon in a pack of two. They arrived the other day and are really quite nice. They can be set to on all of the time, or auto, or off. The brightness of the light can also be adjusted via a slider button. One was placed at the outlet by the foot of the bed, and the other was placed in the outlet in the kitchen. My husband tends to get up very early and needs a bit of light to walk around the living room/kitchen and doesn’t want to wake me up with bright lights. The night lights are very nice and more than anything else we tend to try and stay on the safe side. When you get older it’s even more important. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_a273_6ef1_cd9e_b2e4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1kyOkOM1lp7iKNVYbc8O4s6VJi5nqW98H" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 169px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d04c_f2b7_28b_7569" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1xRp_rHcDGK3-24Tb4az3ukD2JY4pgIMJ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 166px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_84b7_52ab_394c_36ce" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1QlmyJVmlxA4lHVYvHkGhaB4clUooCnum" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 165px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9a91_a073_18b_bcb4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/14m2OyRht5b2ZTaPvdO4g7Uyo15--3R1H" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 174px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_76e8_3918_ce60_b19" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1GHrVf0zolPkZYlyohVgOKVw0rDT-Qjhb" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 180px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e87e_7312_41d2_bd30" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1EbE67fzr_2oGfa8SW30vaE_WYUewtFPN" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 179px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-55789381821441819602024-03-08T17:04:00.001+00:002024-03-08T17:04:15.960+00:00Another Covid Booster Aren’t we lucky to be in the “over 65 category?” All told we have had about eight Covid vaccines and boosters. As far as we can tell, neither my husband nor I have ever had Covid - an unusual circumstance based on what we hear from our friends and neighbors. And many have contracted it in the last six months. So, wanting to continue our winning streak, we thought it would be a good idea to get another booster since our last vaccine was in September 2023. And since we will be venturing out to visit family later this month it’s always a good thing to be prepared - especially around a college aged grandson. So we picked up the required paperwork when we went grocery shopping on Tuesday and walked over to Giant yesterday. It wasn’t very busy at the pharmacy, but we needed to wait 45 minutes for them to get things prepared. We picked up a couple of groceries and then we took our morning walk in the neighborhood there. The time passed quickly and when we went back to the counter everything was ready. We know the process all too well by now. Obviously a lot of people don’t care any more about Covid, but the CDC recommendations came out recently. And being in health care all of our careers and also being in the “danger category” were reason enough to get it done. So now we have sore arms and are a bit fatigued. But it still beats the alternative based on the stories we hear. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_353_3a31_2023_c2c4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1yuBVRatUIU6zU_FMSamZbM6D7TuDGU5O" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 153px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_39df_17ba_2e4a_667e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1jEOaZrnr1QB5mCY_c84l5SfTy8usBRmL" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 156px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_3f43_5e77_305a_fa94" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1OwwNgPsnk8D9L39ZyHQZNY0-tC6Wp0Wo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 158px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-90796724058920907412024-03-07T18:08:00.001+00:002024-03-07T18:08:45.819+00:00Subaru Oil and Filter and Virginia Safety Check It’s not quite six months since our last oil and filter change, but the Virginia Auto Safety check was due this month. So we made an appointment for this week to get both things taken care of. We arrived for our one o’clock time and checked in. I also found a ten percent off coupon on the internet that always comes in handy these days. The attendant said it would take about an hour and a half, so we knew we would spend that time walking in the surrounding Tyson’s neighborhood. It’s not exactly the most pleasant place to walk because there is a lot of traffic and noise. At least the rain had stopped but everything was still pretty wet, grey and gloomy. After checking out the Container Store, we continued up through all of the auto dealerships along the metro rail roadway, then turned back toward the Subaru dealership and the Boro. Since we still had another thirty minutes to go we diverted to more of a neighborhood street which was on an incline and getting harder and harder to walk up. When we came back we stopped in the showroom to see if there was anything new for Subaru Forester in 2024/25. Our Subaru is 2016 and will probably need to be replaced eventually. There was a hint that a hybrid vehicle might be available next year - which would be nice since we don’t have a plug to park in our condo parking space, but could be plugged in somewhere if we needed. So we killed three birds with one stone - oil and filter, vehicle safety check, and daily walk. It’s feels good to cross the tasks off your list. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_67ab_d2eb_dab2_c018" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1FQwT1SyTs9qZxjVuoGALBpMJgZKUp9QA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 192px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7a9f_2001_67d8_6e83" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/18yaCySpEdd0656WQHz8cuJy0LHWWJHTe" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 194px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_85d2_ab6e_9eb7_29e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1D3KKYMLSJwtlcQRqc1C_GeQKLR7X6DEo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 197px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1a14_e633_a9cb_d7ae" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/12cwDQGlexXcbNmU_3DpSFAWBZ80oFJXI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 194px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_c50e_2527_c5d8_1d11" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1EWMD7TCJhw9CniyCuEH5V5xj-EE0eKh-" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 196px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8073_5009_908_566" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1JsuRfeZADDGf9sgSGzi8ImHi_8Sa9O7X" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 191px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7046_2ac9_929a_7586" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/17tsVDjmkY-s8trNAbUIAmyuTubv3By6Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 193px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8074_db66_45db_937a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1W1UP9rxZg8oXI_c5B5lYQ8k8wyJvqZK-" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 189px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-45191327222048143162024-03-05T17:09:00.001+00:002024-03-05T17:09:53.745+00:00Cherry Blossoms and Magnolias are ComingLast week we took a morning walk near Constitution Gardens. We parked in our usual spot at the Tidal Basin. This time of year brings an end to the peace and quiet of the winter months when the traffic is less and the pedestrian traffic is even more less. There was an announcement that the cherry blossoms would be in full peak around March 23-26. On our way back to the car we stopped at the Martin Luther King Memorial where there were a lot of school children frolicking about. And when we walked back along the Tdial Basin you could see the hint of what is to come. The almost dead looking cherry trees and branches were beginning to show signs of life. And over at the Smithsonian Castle the magnolias are already showing pink buds that will turn in to a magical fairy land a lot sooner than the cherry blossoms. Wherever there is direct sunlight there are also blossoms already bursting - like in front of the Washington Monument. It is a beautiful time of year and it will the seventeenth year straight that we have witnessed the splendor of it all. Unfortunately with the lovely views comes the hoards of visitors. And that’s something I can do without. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_73c3_cc03_2160_b21b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Z50LWg45Az1CGMewaFHwyvqjFwyntftF" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 218px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6861_7fad_52f1_d576" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ZYEVuQI9oiiq1m9-66b-669s7r10TN_V" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1298_280b_3c65_3809" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/10mOT4KmB7OKaIZ2arUH6UN2jgj2lwonQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 212px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e0f9_8473_d5c0_9621" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Cv0HY1XhtpM_He1UPR0QHvE2VQeAJe2J" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1242_5bb4_bfa0_ae8e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1gOs2E-x_8BDicVqNAWZTlppexqpJ1STy" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_cdbb_b086_4c82_4280" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Mc9iV1iAYkX8rQZWL5rC2J6lLl5zhO26" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_277d_cb1a_99_9b65" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1cfmjfE25ZZ3CVlEwbZIWjd3pR0nQ8Mz6" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 210px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_4189_7c1e_3636_11e6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1fsw5j0xYJbWfDcLgJYXRkUZWJTRqVEUV" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 210px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_10ea_7b26_92a3_3003" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1jrdANrCJxvAvM5Nq23WAsDwV1d5S3fGI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-14786804551330193072024-03-04T17:54:00.001+00:002024-03-04T17:54:37.759+00:0052Frames Move the Camera The subject for the 52Frames weekly photo challenge was “move the camera.” It’s hard to do when your camera is an iPhone. So I use an app with a long exposure - and I don’t really know what I am doing. At first I tried a few things around the house - like the orchid and the building across the street. But later in the week we took a walk to the Smithsonian American History Museum in search of something “historical.” We have been there many times before and started off in the entertainment section. I like Prince’s guitar and the overall bright primary colors. Then we headed over to the First Ladies exhibit for some fashion. The last stop was the transportation area but nothing seemed right. Before leaving we hung around the second floor area overlooking the main lobby/entrance. There were a bunch of kids in bright hats and yellow safety jackets bursting with enthusiasm as they ran towards the Star Spangled Banner. Luckily I caught the action in time and was able to edit the image more to accentuate the pops of color. There were also a few men huddled together that made for an interesting look, but my husband liked the kids a lot more. This wasn’t one of my favorite challenges but lately all of them have seemed more difficult than usual. It still gets us out of the house - and for that reason it’s a good thing. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_a201_2620_2cd4_237e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ELbHkTExp_vhRiYvCV_lY9-jW5nw-hca" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 200px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d44f_ede2_c5e5_6802" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1J4rmXo6GhQdzkcwlKOGVdXHtlZEKuGS1" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 208px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_bc00_d964_da36_d4f3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1hwsXi4W_MWH6qZ6Nxw3OPbEKN609rP6c" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ea5e_28d5_8de1_b66f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Dq5ewIGQN18TLtAa5gBC267xlKMpcngz" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 218px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2680_2cd7_9c3c_dadf" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1X5JfSoWdolx-u2xf95WorbORxv6904yW" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 214px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_ed12_97e4_e1a6_3b9a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1YzkI10whC07gnm5I2VZmGE-7pUppPW5c" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 212px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5233_1bac_1b8a_32c7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ggb_dOn0YIvxJdnjXvBqEySjL6znMXPn" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 217px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-78457545003183087542024-03-03T17:24:00.001+00:002024-03-03T17:24:52.516+00:00Zazzle Cat Postcard I have been painting digital art pet portraits since 2012 using my iPad. After each portrait is completed, the images are uploaded to several websites. There, they can be added to all sorts of products - like t shirts, coffee mugs and so many other items. I have shops on Zazzle, Fine Art America/Pixels, TeePublic, Amazon Merch, and Redbubble. It’s always a treat when I get notified that there is a sale. And that happened last week - for a cat postcard. Zazzle sent an email to let me know, and also that I made an incredible sixteen cents! Obviously I don’t do this for the money! But it’s just hard to imagine that someone noticed a painting and liked it enough to purchase an item - no matter how small. And, it’s not unusual to have customers from all over the world. This time the postcard was purchased by Colette in Seurre, France. I continue to replenish and update these sites as often as possible. I’ve expanded the options to include some of my digital photos that are taken for the weekly 52Franes photo challenge. I do have to say that Zazzle has made it more difficult to upload an image on to several products at one time. It seems you have to do one at a time and it can be very time consuming. And since I don’t have a lap top anymore it is impossible to upload items to Amazon Merch - which is quite frustrating. Apparently their platform doesn’t like Apple and tablet products. In the end it’s a fun hobby and it is nice to be noticed. Thanks Colette for your recent purchase! <div><br></div><div><img id="id_26ba_6d50_2109_5313" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1H3mJ22uJEj5ngIi-1EHUkYuz5mkMFL2q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 182px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9476_34db_5ee9_6b2c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1D63y4T3vDhG_Y-whbux3OxuaOUT26xHc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 194px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_415b_fb9e_15b3_f812" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1SqzfuKiLRKbr_4MqyB_H1bQdDA9UNC9t" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 199px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1e8_574d_dc05_d720" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1vafUQ_9wRqDfIZMsSAupmcnRO4q7mNRy" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 194px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-79670671622060613422024-03-02T18:05:00.001+00:002024-03-02T18:05:57.857+00:00We Love Our Air Fryers We got our first air fryer a few months ago. I’m not sure why it took us so long to get one. My husband loves French fries and that was the impetus. So we started out with a small four quart basket type - just to see if we liked it. And we did. It was easy to use, had a window, and is easily handled and washed. But it was a bit cumbersome because everything had to be made in batches. So we got another larger oven style type. It was not only larger but it had more functions. But you need to use oven mitts to handle the trays and the buttons are on the front rather than the top - so it is not as easy to see. But now we were able to make French fries, pizza, eggplant, and shrimp in one setting. But now since we have two appliances it is not unusual to use both of them at the same time. The air fryers have made making dinner so much easier. We also have tried combi dinners - chicken, rice and a vegetable that are all made at the same time. I am still amazed how nicely the chicken turns out. So routinely we make salmon, shrimp, hamburgers, chicken breasts, French fries, pizza, eggplant, and even pillsbury French bread, various potatoes, frozen packaged foods like Barber stuffed chicken breasts, and Phillips crab cakes. We like buying the fresh seafood and making it the same day or the day after. I don’t know why we would we use the oven - it took forever to preheat. I suppose if you have a large family the need for the traditional oven will always be there. But for two people, the air fryer is perfect! <div><br></div><div><img id="id_359d_1f01_f9d5_c878" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1gylGqk4KD2rMzpuKfj3sDiVWR8isjg0Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 177px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1ab1_dc9c_e11a_89df" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1N017uUArhRSoRf1giT997J0l_QvOwEMf" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 178px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_687b_fe3c_d62b_25a0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1fhgtWWhrWjW3Q8XnpAzikgERy259cG3-" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 178px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8f70_bdd6_9e2d_a1a4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1vo4MjtW285FPrRFYszVTYrw7oAV2wz4a" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 182px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_64ad_9f8f_f2c1_e1a1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Byz-7RJPe7JD-zZL38fZJUk-E4TDakO6" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 180px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3def_53e6_6fc_38b6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1SJTJmDzdG4DzS_IrJf6nFnq_6HcjC2H3" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 184px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d0d5_fea0_eb05_f2af" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1TT9zCW7saraXN1pwvX-uuLjzqlTv-kaa" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 185px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5933_9264_257f_3f60" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1pqE83nbfVN0uQ0pP2f42cUsytq_D7dLt" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 183px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_c28e_89cb_3d82_f7bb" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1IU9tG3zgNhG52t1PrXZPCAGFKBehJr_t" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 191px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_a29d_e7fe_7978_43e8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/10hW1FLZUz0pkNP5KVWKyZnUCbp18xETm" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 191px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_ec17_23ea_86f8_54bf" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Jxn7ME_VGvHdKu-tQnRDN0OPEnQlHsqZ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 187px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9add_1a32_615f_ef7e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1PcKEQPIN38ndJVNTCClRmPu_KMuYlzLz" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 189px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5e75_7d02_254a_b66a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1SK6XXmz_CC-6UGVDf10CPOCZiMTHczBc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 200px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3e6c_ae6f_a005_49ab" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1fXlOyWa-f_1bJF1VejYnZYbHKxryqp7f" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 206px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3a5e_62aa_ce83_9ae2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1hUOvY-PdqG-3gHVKfAfWNZvsNGswnzks" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 207px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-13056335255110760182024-03-01T17:49:00.001+00:002024-03-01T17:49:24.133+00:00American History Museum Morning WalkIt was really cold yesterday! But the sun was shining and I needed to find some ideas for the weekly photo challenge. We hadn’t been to the Smithsonian American History Museum for quite a while, so we headed there. We parked at the Tidal Basin and walked over in no time. The building had just opened up, and it’s still winter - so there were no lines getting in and it was really empty. We have been to the museum so many times before. The newest exhibit is “Entertainment Nation.” My favorite piece is Prince and his yellow guitar. Then we headed over to the First Ladies gowns and China. I remember visiting that exhibit way back in high school and have returned many times. I was able to get full length photos with no one else in them. Then we went through the transportation area with all of the ships and trains and trucks and cars. We really didn’t stop to look at anything in particular because I was on a mission to get a photo for the weekly challenge. The volunteers approached us twice to tell us about Lincoln’s hat and the flag that flew at Fort McHnery. We politely acknowledged their help. It’s really nice to have the opportunity to visit any time we like. And it’s even better when there aren’t any crowds. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_55a8_962d_7a6b_530f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/167Kyu8Z4cZg1G11vjt0nauArAkgUFjck" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 184px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ea6e_dab3_1b55_2ba5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1m-K4VI736fDhQOyE7akfNdrFQOM8dXaa" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 184px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_83bf_14e5_9375_2195" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1C4yFwDElZAcw0ghr3jB0Cel8P5idemEf" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 187px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6a23_64d7_f59d_b467" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1wcz7tIu6QiQc1xExw0_BPzFZVp6WnKke" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 195px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2f0d_50a1_5bbd_f24c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1shpADHEXVXRyJlCvxfD0GELxxVc91VxE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 192px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ea12_e17_b9ac_b527" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1PPhm2udSPYU26jSfRO-64ER_LY6YtsWL" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 197px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ac6c_55fd_3b27_d9bf" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1buulKKLDNHV4i4lmAN9J92vOrsrJCNrC" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 198px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_47b3_5ce5_8c5e_ca16" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/18XTqFRTGu24T0bZVtRFVlRqsqkbVarLz" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 201px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f6b3_c1_57ef_3b21" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/11uU3ssM7YKfLeKRIW32MGYNe_SlwwpYv" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 200px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6b38_1cd0_3dc0_94f2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1xCWOL8FAugpdfb45cmYUjPaPAK0hVDKN" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 198px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_5c2d_6936_a165_abab" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1dLB7PXWMqMw9N2MDcDJ1lUw5S8ZOS_dQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 200px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ddba_1406_e141_84ac" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1_7O0_5yekSw0Mq56h48bWdL1Fn-tKQV5" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 197px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_99e5_8bfc_190_602c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1EwY4c210CH1xTWRbQmSEwe2Iz06tgXKl" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 200px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f23e_249c_816e_a037" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1KP3kjxB1rj8DKpUPYn6kfdwGqsQZc2t4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 204px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_998f_8770_fbf8_b429" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/16VuYAhTQP-x6upb-cPUWYhe9o48hc7Hw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 213px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5bd5_253c_1b92_cf40" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1tX5MzrBxI9tkE2u-Ym4R6g-HRiWuu-V9" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 210px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2e1d_8073_c330_69b4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1hyJf8roMyiaGZ-d6VAe1_9A-QOLjHKI0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 206px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d339_de94_55b2_67a2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1n44EAHywWJlmdqVsf2zTGW72pycUxcIU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 206px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_301d_14e_7d65_913c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1cq4Q-ruTIsUiAkjfmXpexcSdaV6yNfbu" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 207px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-9903403397625340972024-02-29T17:51:00.001+00:002024-02-29T17:51:14.490+00:00Greenhill Vineyards It’s been a long time since we went to a vineyard. When we first moved the Capitol Hill seventeen years ago we drove to a Maryland vineyard and ended up sending six bottles to our friends in the Midwest - twice - because the first batch never arrived, but eventually did. Our next door neighbors asked us to join them on a drive to Middleburg this past weekend. We used to drive to Middleburg for the dog shows to see Borzoi. We also drove there several times because it’s just very pretty. There are many horse farms - and vineyards. Apparently our neighbors are members of Greenhill Vineyards and frequent the place a lot. It was the first time in a long time that we were being driven somewhere. It’s quite the luxury these days! When we arrived we met some friends of theirs from a different part of the state, and we all went to the tasting room for a two hour time period of conversation, sipping wine, and tasting cheese and small plate treats. Unfortunately it was very loud indoors and somewhat difficult to hear. The surrounding area is indeed very lovely - rolling hills and all. We ended up buying two bottles of “Susperstition” - the wine we were drinking. It was a nice getaway on a Sunday afternoon. We haven’t done anything like that since before the pandemic. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_e17b_51bb_9028_217a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/13UDWoz4R7AbsX5ixB7aL5vSQ10w-6axN" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 199px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2867_8484_e39f_cda4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Tjd0iCvPI-4HBoOZq8Haq2QGS2UzadrV" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 196px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-63077477695917842922024-02-28T18:22:00.001+00:002024-02-28T18:22:36.503+00:00Too Many Health Care Visits This is not been a good year so far mentally and physically. Mentally taxing because of the several medical visits we have had to make, and physically taxing because my husband is having some inconvenient and annoying health issues. Unfortunately these issues are not clear cut, and he is not used to being sick or ill or uncomfortable. Since January we have been seeing health care professionals for annual checks, acute care checks, lab work, video calls, prescription fills, etc. It is giving me a taste of what the future will hold. And of course I also had routine visits and more are planned for next month, adding to the fatigue. We have never had to deal with so much at one time - without a resolution. And since my husband is a retired surgeon, he isn’t happy until there is a definitive answer - which may never happen. So there was blood work on Monday, and a test yesterday in the outpatient department that was very uncomfortable. With that comes all the inevitable discussions and nightmares about getting old and dying. Neither one of us has had a decent nights sleep for quite a while. It is difficult to think about. It makes both of us irritable and cranky - even though everything so far has been negative. You know you are seeing the doctor too often when you know the password to your patient portal by heart. Next week there is another appointment. Since the pandemic out lives just haven’t snapped back to the way they used to be. I miss the old days. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_43c3_72e3_7a2a_7353" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1zqF8QLcaZ1CLdHOMX59PeHd5oLOt1kPZ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 181px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_747b_27ed_edfd_a8c8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1IfNtm28W2C8ylP1AhuIU_akFx7URLEnY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 182px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_b840_da71_c263_ba36" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/19qH5TpntWOAaFmLSMzD8hFR_M1SgzwzV" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 183px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-89463853702451495322024-02-27T16:54:00.001+00:002024-02-27T16:54:22.335+00:00The Orchid Has Bloomed We got an orchid plant from my brother and SIL as a housewarming gift when we moved to northern Virginia from Capitol Hill five years ago. The flowers lasted the usual life span. Bur ever since that first flowering, it never bloomed again - until Valentine’s Day. What I thought was just another root turned out to be a spike in October. We watched it mature from nothing to a large branch that eventually had five flowers. It’s amazing how long it took for the spike to grow - and then in such a short time, each bud opened just a couple of days apart. So I took photos of each of the five flowers - comparing them to see if they were identical or a little different. They all look pretty much the same, but there are subtle changes in the design shapes on the petals. I hope the flowers last for a long time - and I am almost afraid to cut the spike again once they fall. Orchids are tricky to keep going. If nothing else we were fortunate to see another showcase. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_b33f_763e_26ba_57df" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1EMo-km0zxC63zIYhXj2EuCUuoGOMSGSX" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 202px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ddee_902e_1788_47eb" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1hLLjuO9GGgbPrMfl2I-ghkKkLpokDqH1" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 203px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_911e_b190_d751_7961" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ICVvade6cef3p6dLa5fsdIHs19aWAwPS" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 205px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3c12_ec5d_7be_e95d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1JM6YmZvHr-DyAxHJkHuzAGFFlrAl9fE_" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 206px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e929_fc1b_78d6_9c4e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Fig8qoIi61RcS-N9DyEJQZMnaINRiTcC" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ce34_bd0f_d99d_5866" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1IADWrd7NDq-O5dUZcaf4UTXyN4m6ymNt" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 223px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-52557201364422057962024-02-26T17:16:00.001+00:002024-02-26T17:16:53.502+00:0052Frames Complementary Colors Weekly Photo Challenge The subject for the weekly 52Frames photo challenge was “complementary colors.” That meant red/green; yellow/purple; or orange/blue. Since I have never done oil and water macro photography before, I thought this might be a good time to try it. So I read up about what I needed to do. It would start out with either photos I have taken in my photo stream or creating a digital artwork using complementary colors. The background images would be seen on my iPad on the highest light, and then a clear glass casserole dish was placed on top of it - after first putting the iPad in a clear freezer bag. Then about an inch or two of water was added to the dish along with drops of oil. Then some dish washing detergent was added so the bubbles would be accentuated. This process went on for a few days - because each time I did it I learned something new, and it was just a lot of fun. The end result was a lot of different abstract bubble art. Of course my husband and I couldn’t agree on what image should be submitted. I liked the obvious bright two color combinations. He liked the image that was visually appealing - whether it met the criteria or not. So I ended up uploading the green/red bubble combination that looked like it was moving, that had a neighborhood park bench as the background. But because some of the bubbles were salmon in color I touched them up a bit to match the other red bubbles in the image. It was a fascinating process, but in the end there were just too many choices! <div><br></div><div><img id="id_7942_f822_3979_7f4c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1GeVxwvd4F8qdlzelMmp-HIdWSdZMiD1K" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 199px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_79f0_e0b_985e_c1a7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ITlvkmro-pk8vxbaFXl25BND1tlPXBCI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 201px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_209b_612_61dd_b18e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1C0KYklPrWY-D4uJmtaSLhWJz7Zuu1o5S" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 202px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9b2f_a4e3_ecda_61d2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1iZYZynx0aYvZuZNAx6ovrapkswJLKdXw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 199px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9cd6_b6b_a96a_823b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Z9fX5z3No-0VOxP2OH1uZWVDlIzGRA-Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 199px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_cc90_f558_bd33_4ffd" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1AALO923wXnjhk48IjVyabJmQxY5n1u1s" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 195px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_bdbe_662a_a4b9_4f7c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1gErPkHprWXszP8rPAB15q2ydOY8pf3Od" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 192px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_51ea_838_4c52_390c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1PnOTct2H5Hsavb9EnLjxbnXYugOK7IKV" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 192px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_624e_6bcc_1975_bfce" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1S5_1L8nSQkCAbqTNj3l41d4V9abqtp2l" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 192px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_dc1_68ef_8975_16e4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ZxvOBjrVrsnSIpZq1KoHT_Sp-2iZL6nm" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 195px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_4ad0_dcfa_5e01_2e7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/16mxs1In9StRGJznMzmrZy3X5shCmF_vD" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 195px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ac7b_a6dc_ad1b_6813" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ZJ2hLrzIN8gqm5H71X7-gycLzfOPbfcP" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 189px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7ed6_5d75_887d_4a43" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1-xkQaidD9tcA-sh5qUbOk1WrcYGP5rz1" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 186px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_940c_ab96_d2f1_e902" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Zp8sGpI8oAXWx34oUVsDB8YDOW7SDotn" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 181px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-53159079788060867932024-02-25T17:36:00.001+00:002024-02-25T17:36:07.984+00:00Takelot.com Selling My Books Without My PermissionI wrote and illustrated three children’s books and published them on Amazon. One was about a Tiny Fish, another was about Four Promises, and the last was about a Trip to DC. All of them were inspired by my two grandsons. Every once in a while I google the books to see what is what. I have found outlets selling my books without my consent - and have notified Amazon on several occasions by reporting copyright infringement. Sometimes the situation is resolved; sometimes it is not. I have also found a lot of my digital art being sold without permission and have contacted the specific websites. That usually goes nowhere. Last week I found all three of my books being sold on a site called Takealot.com. I sent them an email stating that I had not given them permission to sell my books and to take them down. They actually responded - and the end result was that two of the items were removed. The third item still remains. So I contacted them again with a photo of the book on their website again requesting that it be removed. So now I am waiting to hear. It’s not that I have made any money on any of these books. It’s just the principle of the thing. It took a lot of effort to go through the exercise of not only writing but also illustrating these books. It just doesn’t seem right that someone could collect a dime off of any sale!<div><br></div><div><img id="id_a439_841_d23c_80a1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1xqN_jjK2Wb3Hqbd8xenCd5aatSJj6tI7" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 155px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6239_7e97_a6a3_ddb3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1v_AsNeNUJ4ZIMAKe_MOrQ71BceJKDpvk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 158px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d9fd_4633_5421_4a35" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/179czcDjCfiTeqN39AswQgk_ciO1PDKsV" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 164px; height: auto;"><br><div><br></div><div><img id="id_625f_9f2c_4fb_349f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1rsAuJIYercJ8sPJnMhmIQNAyDEHEi2M1" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 167px; height: auto;"></div><div><br><img id="id_d7b1_dcd9_a27f_f380" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/13lLLQyj-UBD5jL5MR8JYa_7owup0lOEN" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 167px; height: auto;"></div><div><br><img id="id_4ddb_f1a7_322c_8559" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1PskT2Xct_oPRCEoC1AfsktFizPkUsDBA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 170px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-63986315487590937492024-02-24T17:56:00.001+00:002024-02-24T17:56:34.080+00:00Deserted DC Streets Last week I was on the hunt for photos that had something to do with “unexplored.” The idea was to see something that we had never visited. We started out at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum. Then the next day we went to River Farm in Alexandria. The next day we went to the Department of the Interior. And the last day we drove over to the. National Mall and walked to the Portrait Gallery that wasn’t yet open. There was an orchid show there but it was unlikely we would see it because we were on a timed meter and it would be too late by the time we could finally get in. So we meandered around the portrait gallery area and found that it was no longer the way we remembered it. There was hardly a soul in sight. The streets were empty, there weren’t a lot of pedestrians, and there wasn’t much traffic. Chinatown was deserted. We stumbled upon City Center - a place I have been wanting to see since we moved away from Capitol Hill five years ago. We watched it getting built - with all of the “fine shops” and condos galore. The pink and red lanterns strung about were nice enough, but the stores were empty and there was a security presence on every block. It actually was quite sad. Perhaps it gets busier in the evenings and weekends. I don’t think I care to visit again. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_190b_eb51_935d_8d9e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Rp_gmsGl_G6CpGQE88MbUyS-NcQq_v_Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 175px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f4d6_fa35_7115_17e9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1MrdSa3_DrJRt5GvJvebWdUSPdQwujCQl" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 176px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3dc0_cf57_9e9d_f879" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1puSoNCF27p4JZqfLiQmXZyPHRumfdc8z" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 179px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f4f8_177f_e965_9a2b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1JfhzWC84lya-K9xi_NHkN6cXOk95U-kf" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 181px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6f_4a83_4405_96fc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1dMIfFiFVUcNESKk9TER8d8zYRKiP_OMV" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 178px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_28a_c767_bf21_627e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/17rEmzgjZcsgwPZFvGo2VugbY_315bBKH" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 180px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-55926462168726568292024-02-23T17:52:00.001+00:002024-02-23T17:52:14.704+00:00Bubbles Macro photography on Redbubble, Pixels, and TeePublic <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Since I started making custom digital art pet portraits over ten years ago using my iPad, many of the designs and portraits were also used to populate my storefront websites. Those websites include Redbubble, Pixels, and TeePublic. For the last three years or so I started to participate in the weekly 52Frames photo challenge. I have learned a lot since I am not really a photographer. I just love to take pictures. And each week the challenge is different. This week is complementary colors. Usually I just try to find objects or scenes that meet the requirement. But this time I thought I would try something different. I learned about taking macro photos of oil and water. But I would paint the complementary colors first on my iPad and use those designs as the backdrop to create the bubble images. And also photos that were taken that have those colors could also be used as backdrops. The end result was really interesting - to me. There are so many lovely abstract images that emerged - too many to even figure out which one I want to use this week for the challenge. And because I like them so much I am also starting to upload them on to the websites. You can create so many different products using these colors - red/green, purple/yellow, and orange/blue. It can be very time consuming but fun at the same time. I don’t expect a whole lot of response, but it makes me feel good to know that I learned something new and the outcome is pretty. </span> <div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_f458_efd6_3339_c1ce" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/14LiXuPOQJxk0Fpd4UCexlpvZqwuOAsN0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 169px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_bb83_ce0b_ff42_6e05" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1BgCFg9j95HbAdgQPXNB7fGiotXulGJQQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 174px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e5fc_3945_801b_9e87" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/11eFcc9xe-9Elj7W4_4ri-eNJJpZ-hGJh" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 177px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_bd41_6021_c4ea_c62a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1NzgW2I6n1zg4oXdcdNzCfRFj1b1f5F8p" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 175px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3fd2_a705_cb64_16a1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/11JVKKT4SjaLT8_qnuPX4ahdEPcPXLtKA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 183px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_60c0_ea7b_358f_d9b0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/19bi1S70J5J_7vueIGIZawUtc1SkSKg5O" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 183px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1c4d_4fd7_d1b6_95c6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Ua_TOS92ZhaoybsbbNiLGR6UvJXmMYis" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 177px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8f73_5697_acd5_4f5d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/10XynRN4VAUqmTsfSPDio0o0mYaauUYsr" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 189px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-87872748924369350562024-02-22T17:30:00.001+00:002024-02-22T17:30:15.020+00:00Daughters of the American Revolution Museum Visit We had been to the Daughters of the American Revolution theater twice. As a Library of Congress employee I got free lottery tickets to see Gershwin prize winners Willie Nelson and Billy Joel - they needed people to “fill the seats” and we were very happy to oblige. We have never been to the museum so we went last week to visit to get an image for the 52Frames photo challenge. We walked over from the Tidal Basin and the building is situated close to the White House. It was built in the early 1900’s. We were lucky to have a docent who was free to take my husband and I on a whirlwind tour. Unfortunately half of the building was under renovation, but we were happy with what we saw. That included the huge genealogy library, a lovely gallery space used for weddings, and several historical rooms. The views from the gallery were lovely - including one of the Washington Monument. There were dining rooms, bedrooms and sitting rooms - all decorated in period pieces designed by the represented states. I ended up creating a composite image of the mirror in the gallery and the wallpaper from an early 1800’s Virginia dining room. Afterwards we walked around the building on our way back to the car. It was nice to see the inside of the building we have walked by so many times. Maybe when the renovation is done we will visit again. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_df8f_2b43_f8f4_9fc1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1SJyy2jKR2b4U7rDMWF13NVBbP0-mo0tc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 188px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2639_643e_5f7d_341f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1jGqIm8Zb6q-jR6224JAHXV-PT5_aDmP5" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 190px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e1bb_dbd9_aae7_a30a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1VnAypva-17_y7bzCv3uleLNUxB1oMW0s" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 193px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ab31_6a90_29b8_74b5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1WfLFMAILAieoWThC8jk9-P5vZan4PTp2" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 200px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5660_3bf_94be_6994" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1sns7tfBfh__HJApc115lp8dFiVCf0EfW" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 199px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d0fb_b9cb_c7db_742e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1GC8xgbM4-ervgjGhw1Qz4ZfJ6vzYBd6U" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 205px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_53dd_b9ab_205d_1a94" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1LhIwMw7MX459hAVL_jKAMcaBKqBfp-VT" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 212px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_315f_b661_28bb_962a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1UP8jduAVqNjKZSYjHXujZih_K6Mg-QGH" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 211px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5016_b623_b6e6_f485" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1q7PrlfjWXrtf70FMYxUPpKzxl89ncp83" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 213px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9101_b3f9_9167_d541" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ysiSM8tj9EKO6SUEiIpkpFLNnOYc59b9" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 216px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_8fae_a23e_67e6_4e61" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Uchm-NXFf6hTOBO029UFt1N0l1T4b9bj" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_4c26_74be_6f74_5bf9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1nWhUC2tU-UznfCE3LS7hsyqhXc0fsLgD" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7439_368e_7911_7875" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1O6eFoUr9fIH5PXJBedYdFT44BmEytzzf" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 215px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9a93_43b1_4596_9399" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1tR_H8S3krIYCf3CtcoyvU4957GhJKmoG" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 219px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_bafe_4a81_fef6_97c0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1QYzw4ZZQFa307bPC8j_F-FKk6oCBiYeR" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 224px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7f30_1ced_a9f_d8f8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/15kwcOqZes2tZBgYC0RqADJr-kkicvv-6" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 228px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1089_3306_593_fa28" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1Jp8t-ek7EYgAeeiKnVuIaVBk1rHJuhwu" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 233px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-61354168583147932282024-02-20T17:44:00.001+00:002024-02-20T17:44:05.799+00:00River Farm in Alexandria Last week the 52Frames weekly photo challenge subject was “unexplored.” So we tried to come up with some ideas of places we had never been to visit. And one of those places was River Farm on the Potomac River. February probably isn’t the best time to visit a farm or gardens, but it was worth the try. It is located right next to Mount Vernon and the land was once owned by George Washington. The original house still stands but has been enlarged and renovated several times. It is now a wedding venue and an artist by the name of Dhamin Jassim has works on display for purchase. We were almost the only people there. We parked next to the house and did a walkabout. The white rocking chairs on the porch overlooking the Potomac River would be a great spot to sit in the summer. The gardens were still in winter hibernation. There were hints of spring with a few crocus popping out along the paths. There wasn’t much to look at inside the house - although this is the national horticulture headquarters and this place does have quite a history. In the back was a dilapidated shack. We walked around the circular drive and path a couple of times before leaving. It is unlikely that we would ever visit again, but I am glad we checked it out. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_f753_9567_4777_31c4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1jtqgmn7wXiIFyY56wJeIHAxYOIYnl0pm" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 136px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_31bb_8d4a_efd3_92a7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ZrlCVcuT8tsTCdOcDVmKc4Arwfm2SRfp" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 139px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_426_a997_d034_cbf0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/15fKlfRFpaINrnSPyhyD99lU9sfjR_pYX" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 140px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7946_e201_f47e_60c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1ke4BzJB1OXqq8qqv0FQ-3KvkHiDIr9-D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 145px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_4cbc_b31f_6411_3a36" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1-l7fcRAKHwMO598e3sUM1YZjZz1RrnOb" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 143px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_b825_28f9_b4c7_b5e4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1NHLEfj1MlN99Jk7BEWKG3gdPg9i-DRMU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 146px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e1fc_e3e_e884_e254" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1xdJc4UV2mvz6VeX42hzzF0GlYXcXwtKH" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 151px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d30d_accc_2f83_8529" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1L6SQ2ndQnTI9_NNA-bFyuvhcVAZER4s7" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 150px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_da3a_3ed7_f3aa_d68a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1h43WMGXtr6m6BI8DGBnoy9hQ81XAwUhT" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 154px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_fe6_9384_cfaa_2bc8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1pRUs08i9L4xztbOTpcrQqm5E_TDmpLcc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 151px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_53e7_fc5d_a4a4_126c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1x1obmWkcx6uGl_W2yArHXYHYAyTwX5Fj" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 153px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d3c0_9786_8cee_2507" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1w4e6Br2kuBC1zQMjHAtJvno4UQ_f0bWN" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 155px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-40388230959963127252024-02-19T17:30:00.001+00:002024-02-19T17:30:13.798+00:0052Frames Unexplored Weekly Photo Challenge The subject this week for the 52Frames photo challenge was “unexplored.” That topic took us to four places that we had never been before. The first was the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum. We had our own personal docent who took us from one historical room to the next. I ended up creating a composite image of a very old mirror with a cool reflection and placing it on the wallpaper from an early 1800’s Virginia dining room. The next day we went to River Farm along the Potomac. The land was once owned by George Washington and is right next to Mount Vernon. The only good photo was some flowers with the house in the background. The next stop was the Department of the Interior. What I thought would be a decent museum was almost nothing to see. But the security to get in was more stringent than in any other place we have visited in DC. The intended last stop was the Portrait Gallery, but it didn’t open until 11:30. So we walked the streets around Chinatown and the new City Center. The whole vibe was very sad. It was literally dead except for a couple of coffee shops. I can see why the arena wants to move to Alexandria. The crime has put a big dent on a once vibrant community. The number of empty buildings is overwhelming. So it was a busy week for checking out places we hadn’t been to before. It was all very interesting, but for some reason I prefer the old familiar places. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_999b_eb37_b8bc_a577" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/10fF3eZ9zlKGa0NzsHBoJ9GFssiaG_3q4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 183px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8452_dfd_cb26_6874" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/18v-8AXcAZ713pQZwZD6Lt-ms_nvEbfyS" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 183px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2f8f_c36b_47fe_cece" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1JVsd5yn6QNumoEua2abaqa9Z3Zf1av2u" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 184px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ecce_f5f0_5684_e7e2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1LvxaoIxuEu3EfgoaxXxPGfXukGZMR17c" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 185px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_a7d7_95b5_c4c6_b3c1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1vFreP6bS0d6xV6dOjzIDTqFzljhj3mPk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 183px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f8ba_e9a7_da0a_faf7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1d0aD934tnbBzPNJytP42GBNpd520Ws-D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 182px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_dcff_7178_5438_129a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1VWHV4e3J3ZzTcxzeCLCFCHf7Gp1KmkIv" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 188px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7f5c_7ea0_240c_f7f0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1b3_YQ4cRAhOR1iftdRdaEXyspfaTvQOG" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 194px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_3786_9296_2e51_b8bb" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1LxRdmxPIQLV9X89NutDbUCaT1dizx8lP" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 192px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_a4d4_a0d_974e_b14" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1wADWKXgCMjAeCIxcAAZhWfM9NcVdnwMK" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 192px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-697713149940265635.post-34956158533737027272024-02-18T17:41:00.001+00:002024-02-18T17:41:18.943+00:00Last Minute Dinner Date It’s been five years since we moved to northern Virginia from Capitol Hill. Right after that the pandemic came and the opportunity to meet neighbors was very limited. Then last year we finally met our next door neighbors who moved in almost two years ago. During the summer months we would see each other on our balconies. Over time we saw them at condo events like outdoor barbecues and Christmas parties. Now we have had an opportunity to visit with them at their house and they at ours. We are happy to keep an eye on Mister when Mrs goes away for the weekend or on a trip. We haven’t been in contact since Christmas for a variety of reasons and Mrs recently went on a ten day trip and returned last week. I texted her to see how she was doing and she replied by asking if we would like to join them for dinner at a local restaurant. But we had just ordered pick up from Moby Dick - our go to Persian place - for later in the day. So I asked her if they could stop in here instead, since we would already have dinner prepared. She said yes and would bring the wine and a treat. So we ordered a couple more items to cover dinner for four. When we brought the dinner home we simply set up all of the containers on the island and texted them when we were ready. It was such a nice evening to spend time with people again. It’s not easy making friends in a new place. This is a great start. <div><br></div><div><img id="id_f47f_88a6_a568_d276" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1f4oI29sZviLR9c3VxMaHhqijDgJS-hZu" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 187px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e264_6402_ab0e_873a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1wfBp3JLKrflUC-LACUjm4N-zLuZhgyPl" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 188px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8012_adda_d3cc_55a3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1l_8evdkC_K4_MsHcwgyx9Mw8lTw8_dsO" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 186px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_868b_bab7_5c04_7c7e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d/1wj2RcOs5MwDQZypB6nEHcc9eIK8fF_qo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 174px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>LIThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00928707657065055686noreply@blogger.com0