Constitution Gardens Pond

Yesterday we took a ride in to town. The best place to park is at the Tidal Basin - no one seems to know about it and you can walk in any direction from there. My husband loves the Constitution Gardens Park. No one seems to know about that either. It site is right past the WWII Memorial and along Constitution Avenue. People tend to walk by the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pond instead. A few weeks back the park service removed most of the plants from the pond which took away the favorite spot of the heron that visits regularly. Something is growing back, but it’s no where near what it used to be. But as soon as we saw the “island” in the middle of the pond our friend the heron was sitting near it where no one could get at him. It’s also a great view of the Washington Monument from there. To break up the blue and green scenery there were a few golden day lilies blooming in the beautiful sunny weather. It’s always a rather leisurely walk in the middle of the concrete jungle. And every season has its own charm. 

D-Day and the WWII Memorial

We hadn’t been in to town for the whole week so we decided to go this morning. One thing we know is that aside from cherry blossom season the best and easiest place to park is by the Tidal Basin. Once there you can walk in any direction - to the National Mall, around the Tidal Basin, to the Lincoln Memorial or to downtown and the White House. My husband loves the Constitution Pond area just past the WWII Memorial so that’s where we headed. Before we got to the pond we stopped at the WWII Memorial where it was more active than usual. There were DDay remembrance wreaths placed in the center. Although my parents were not in D-Day they were both in WWII and they are registered on the WWII Memorial site. My dad served twenty one years and was on a destroyer escort doing convoy duty in the engine room across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; my mom was in the Navy and did varied duties including post office work. They kept meticulous scrapbooks of their experiences. They survived the Great Depression and WWII. Now there are signs that say it’s okay to sit by the pool and put your feet in the water, but it’s disrespectful to walk in it. It is a rather hallowed place after all. And it seemed like most people were following directions. Because it was a bit warmer there were many peddlers selling water and Gatorade. It’s always a pleasant place to meander - and think - from the Lincoln Memorial you can see the WWII Memorial from a different vantage point. We are glad we took this direction today. 

Agriculture and Farm Equipment on the National Mall

It was the last thing we expected to see. When we drove in to town on Monday in search of photos for the 52Frames weekly challenge, the National mall was very congested. Only when we found a parking spot by the Capitol and walked over to where all the hubbub was did we realize what was going on. Apparently it was “ag on the mall” week where the latest farm equipment and agricultural innovation was being touted. It was meant for both the public and policymakers - specifically for the farm bill. I don’t know much  about it, and it’s almost a sad statement. Walking through the event just brings to life the types of things that make a farm work. The equipment is unbelievable! The combines were so huge I don’t know how they even made their way to the National mall. The photos just don’t do it justice. The tires on these things are taller than anyone who passed by. The funniest thing was to see a police dog being scared of a fake cow. Unfortunately I don’t think the event was held over the weekend - just three workdays. It was a very interesting morning walk that not o it took is there, b it also to the Hirshhorn museum and back to the botanic garden. You never know what you are going to run in to in town. This was a very interesting sight to see. 

American History Museum Morning Walk

It 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.