Capitol Christmas Tree

We’ve walked by it a couple of times already this year. But we could never get close enough to it. So today, the blockades were finally removed and we could get within several feet of the Capitol Christmas tree. There is a rope around it, so getting really close just isn’t an option. The inauguration platform is still being built behind it. That platform gets put up and taken down every four years. This year’s tree came from Colorado. We would oftentimes see it rolling in on the truck and get installed in the west front lawn when we lived in the neighborhood. I think I liked the Colorado license plate ornament the best. The Capitol police guarding the spot was quite talkative - looking forward to retirement next year. The police are usually not so friendly nor chatty. We still need to come by in the evening to see the tree lit at night. That, and the Eisenhower memorial should be spectacular if we ever get back before the end of the year. That’s the one thing I miss about living on Capitol Hill. It was so much easier just walking from our condo two blocks away. Now it takes a drive, finding parking, and hoping you don’t need the bathroom - especially since everything is still closed. 

Capitol Christmas Tree

We used to watch it as it rolled in on the big truck. But since we moved to northern Virginia from Capitol Hill several months ago, the Capitol Christmas tree arrived last week and we weren’t there to greet it. I remember the first year we moved to DC in 2006 we walked over after work to see the tree lighting ceremony with our grandson, and then checked out the botanical garden to watch the outdoor train display. But we still live close enough to drive in to the old neighborhood for a morning walk and made the tree our destination. It’s not really ready yet as the dedication ceremony is usually scheduled for early December, and the ornaments are not quite up. And this year the inauguration platform is being built behind it at the same time. Everything around the Capitol building is fenced off, but there was one gate left open so we could get in a bit closer - but hardly. The Capitol grounds grass never looked so good. The tree this year is from Colorado. The whole city is still weirdly quiet. There aren’t any visitors as everything is still closed down. When we continued our walk towards the mall we saw a falcon chewing on something, and the streets were empty. Heading back to the car was a difficult climb back up the hill - yes, there really is a hill! We will need to come back and visit in the evening y to  see the lit tree as well as the Eisenhower memorial that is supposed to have magnificent background lighting. We try to have a morning walk in town once a week. It’s a great change in scenery and we still feel connected to our old neighborhood. 

Rocky Mountains Colorado

There are so many variations in the landscape I think I took a million photos. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado are breathtaking and spooky at the same time. I'm glad we drove through them and we will most likely never do it again. It's a long way from Washington DC. Everything looks so very different here. And not one bear, cougar, or moose crossed our path!

Congratulations R and A! A Wedding Gift Idea

I love to paint using my iPad. It's easier to use than pastels and watercolor, and achieves the same result - in a different format. The nice thing about it is the digital image can be used over and over and in many different ways. So for a couple getting married it made sense to work on a portrait and send the "gift" to them via email as an attachment. It's a personal kind of gift and I'd like to think unique. So I sent an image of the process - which my husband thinks is more interesting than the final product - examples of how it can be used, and how it might look as a painting on a wall. I'm hoping they will like it. Even if they don't I really enjoyed creating it.