Traditional Old Town Halloween Decor

We love to visit Old Town Alexandria. Not just for morning walks, but to see the decorations for every season. We have been visiting Old Town long before we moved to Capitol Hill from the Midwest seventeen years ago. Now that we live in northern Virginia we still visit. It’s about twenty five minutes away and usually a lovely drive down the GW Parkway. So at this time of year the fall decorations appear. Obviously for Halloween there are many ghouls and goblins and skeletons. But there are also more traditional Halloween decorations that remain well in to Thanksgiving. In particular the front entryways of the lovely townhomes and row houses are delightful as are the window boxes. There are so many assortments of pumpkins and gourds. We usually park at the waterfront and walk through the downtown area, then meander up  and down the streets. It’s one of the friendliest place to walk. And, it’s a great alternative to the National mall and the DC area. So wherever you happen to live, we hope you have a happy Halloween! 

52Frames Use a Tripod Weekly Photo Challenge

The subject for the 52Frames photo challenge this week was “use a tripod.” So I spent the first half of the week trying a few options inside of the house. A certain tiny vase with wonderful colors was placed in the sunlight and the results were intriguing. Then we drove to the Tidal Basin in search of something outside. I could use the rail around the basin for a place to rest my phone on and hope for the best. I ended up submitting the Jefferson Memorial  because my husband liked that photo the best. I did have to edit the airplane and bird over to get it more in the frame, and eliminate some unsightly twigs and buildings. The reflection in the still water was lovely. I also liked the waterfall at the Franklin Roosevelt Memorial, the lone brilliant tree along the Tidal Basin park, and some leaves. At the end of the week we took a ride to Old Town Alexandria for a morning walk and also to see if there were any other options. I liked the dappled light window box that was filled with seasonal plants and pumpkins - it looked like something I would have done when we lived in our Midwest home. Last week my image was selected in the top 52 out of close to 3000 entries. I don’t think it will happen this week or next. I haven’t done my signature composite image for a while and miss putting my personal touch on the submissions. The weekly activity keeps my creative juices flowing, but sometimes the subject matter just isn’t all that interesting. 

Old Town Alexandria Spooky Halloween

We love Old Town Alexandria. As the seasons change the neighborhood always dresses itself up - and that’s especially obvious around Halloween. There is the more traditional look - lovely front entrances with seasonal flowers and pumpkins; and then there is the more spooky look - with skeletons and spirits and bones. The decorating starts early on in the month with the traditional flare lasting in to Thanksgiving. I’m sure it’s even more interesting at night when the real ghosts and goblins are out and about - especially in this very old place with a lot of haunted spaces. When we took a morning walk a couple of weeks back we passed through one of the most decorated streets - where the werewolves and the skeletons abound. But it seemed more subdued this year. The wicked witch of the west was missing. Perhaps the owner moved or just didn’t have the time. And the number of skeletons was less and there were fewer decorations overall. It’s still a cool place to visit - and the cobblestone street reminds you of a place in time. It hardly matters when we visit Alexandria. Its always a happy place. 

Korcci Microwaveable Silicone Popcorn Maker

I rediscovered my love for popcorn about a month ago. Even though it caused my horrible TMJ problem and eventual surgery, I still love it. But I don’t love it with all the salt, butter, and additives in the microwave bags. So I started using the old stove top method with olive oil. It was good, but I didn’t like the cleanup. Then I found a lo salt microwave bag type option, but it was still too salty. So I looked around on Amazon to see if there was anything new in the popcorn popping business. And there it was - the Korcci silicone microwaveable popcorn popper! It was only ten dollars and came in all different colors. So I ordered a turquoise popper and anxiously awaited for it to arrive. The idea is to microwave it without any oil or anything else - so it’s basically air popped. What’s nice is that the container also folds down to a small size for storage and has a top that keeps the kernels in place while popping. So I added three tablespoons of Orville - and am going to try a white kernel brand soon - set the timer to four minutes, and waited for the popping to slow down at around three minutes. The end result is exactly what I wanted and the cleanup is basically rinsing out the container and leave it to dry. This is the perfect solution to my popcorn addiction - and it doesn’t involve any calories. It’s the perfect snack! I just need to be very careful eating it. 

Getting an Echocardiogram

We went to the brand new Virginia Hospital Outpatient Center to have my blood work drawn prior to cataract surgery in August and September. Unfortunately, our doctor office didn’t have the staff to do it there - so it was a bit inconvenient. But as outpatient centers go, this one was extremely convenient to access, and the process was simple. We should know - my husband is a retired surgeon and I am a retired nurse administrator. So when my husband needed to schedule an outpatient echocardiogram we would get to try the system again this week. The parking structure is specific for outpatients, away from the inpatient hullabaloo. You simply walk in to the building and there are so many way finders - people and signage - it makes it even easier to get where you need to be. This time however, when we tried to sign in using the cardiac center kiosk, it didn’t recognize the appointment so we needed to check in with the receptionist. We had already completed the registration on line before arriving so it was not complicated. I accompanied my husband to the exam room. It was huge - things are quite different from the days I used to work in the cath lab all those years ago - and all for the better. We didn’t know what the results would be, but they arrived on line via the patient portal within two hours. We will get to visit the center again on Monday to see the cardiologist. Hopefully everything will be well. So far, so good. 

My 52Frames Photo Selected in the 52Picks Album This Week!

Sometimes when you think you have a winning photo it isn’t. But sometimes when you think you have a winning photo it is. I’m so happy that the photo that was submitted this week to the 52Frames photo challenge “fashion” was selected to the 52Picks Album this week! I got an email from 52Frames this morning saying “the photo resonated among the thousands and I should be proud of my submission!” I have to thank our friend from the Midwest who introduced me to the weekly photo challenge during the pandemic. And this makes for my fourth recognized entry. What makes it even more special is that I use my iPhone for all of my work - I’m not really a photographer but I love to take photos. And my digital art experience helps to edit and enhance the images too. This week we were at the Capitol Reflecting Pool when an out of town visitor was strutting by. I did a twenty burst capture so the exact pose could be used, then got rid of the drain cover and unsightly grass, and enhanced her accessories - especially the hat, and high keyed the background. This is an international experience and it’s fun to meet and chat with photographers from all over the place, giving and getting feedback on the weekly submissions. It’s also a great hobby and one that my husband participates in - especially to help me select which photo should be submitted. He overruled the one I preferred and it’s a good thing he did. So, thank you 52Frames for selecting my photo this week. I really appreciate it!