FDR Memorial and Fala

In an attempt to get a photo for the 52Frames photography challenge this week, we drove over to the tidal basin to one of my favorite places - the FDR Memorial. The location is simply lovely nestled in the forested area. It’s even more spectacular in cherry blossom time with the fountains running, but in winter they are not. We had the place completely to ourselves; however, the presence of helicopters and police was sort of unnerving. But I was on a mission to take a photo of Fala, the Scottish terrier standing beside the President for the “get low” challenge. Along the way we walked through the entire exhibit including Eleanor and the Great Depression line. In order to get the image from Fala’s perspective I needed to crawl in to the memorial and literally lie on my back. My husband was taking photos of me doing this all along the way. After all, the idea was to get down to the level of the dog and make Fala look as big as her owner. In the end I liked one photo more and my husband liked another one. I usually post the image he prefers, even if it’s against my “artistic” judgment. It was an interesting way to spend the morning - all for the sake of a photo challenge! 

The FDR Memorial

I read a lot of biographies growing up. I like history and prefer real accounts of real people to fiction. Living in DC affords a lot of opportunities to visit places where a lot of historical events occurred. Heaven knows who walked through our block or even stopped by to call on someone in our building. Lately we have been taking a lot of walks in the evening. The summer heat of the day changes the weekend afternoon schedule. We found ourselves at the FDR Memorial. We have been there before and it is one of my favorites. Maybe because it is tucked behind the typical bustling streets near the mall, or it was built near the Tidal Basin. In the evening it is very serene with the lamp lights flickering, less pedestrian traffic, and a lot of water features. Each "room" presents a moment in time from FDR's terms as president. And of course Eleanor and Fala have a presence. The shiny spots on the hands and ears show where people touched the figures to somehow connect. It's a great spot to meander around and to view the notable monuments well known to the Capitol city. Usually we walk to most if these places. But this was a car ride worth taking.