Picking Up Sticks for Holiday Decor

When we lived in the Midwest we had an acre of land with several trees. They were trees that made great branches for filling window boxes and planters for the Christmas season. We also had dogwood bushes and other sticks in all colors that could be cut down for the same reason. We no longer have that luxury. We now live in a condo in northern Virginia and have a balcony. On the balcony we have three “window boxes” that are zip tied to the back of the furniture because you can’t hang anything from the balcony. It sounds weird, but our arrangement works. So this year we filled the planters with English ivy, liriope and pansies with the idea to add greenery to them for Christmas - especially since we aren’t going anywhere this year. So we got some greens from American plant, but I forgot to look for sticks. Yesterday on our morning walk I was reminded about that when we came across a nice branch that was in the street. I scooped it up and kept my eyes open for a few more sticks that could fill the planters and also the wall vase and plant container on the console table. You could say I was helping to clean up the neighborhood! Anyway, it worked out well. I didn’t dare pick things from the park, but the street seemed like an ok idea. Now I need to find out if stringing lights is not prohibited by the condo rules. 

A Capitol Hill Neighbor

What are the odds? After our morning walk in our neighborhood - this time in the streets rather than the park - we took an extended ride in to the city. We usually take a ride after a walk to “cool down” before going home. After driving the usual route on Independence Avenue - passing by the annual garden across from the Washington Monument and under the bridge where an Amtrak train was flying by - we drove to our old house. I thought I saw a woman we knew talking to someone as we pulled around the corner, so we went around the block again and she was still there. So we stopped the car and I called her name. In spite of us all wearing masks, she responded but didn’t know who we were until I said our names. She was our son’s next door neighbor and our neighbor as well since we lived just a few houses down the block. We saw her occasionally over the thirteen years we lived on Capitol Hill - mostly in her garden as we walked by, but also when she needed a bit of assistance when she had surgery. Anyway, it was nice to see a familiar face even with a mask. Just consider the odds of that happening. We have passed through the old neighborhood several times since we moved over a year ago and have seen a few familiar faces, but none that we really knew. So we chatted for a bit and caught up - she sending regards to our family - her old neighbors - and we telling her where we moved. Then we headed out towards eastern market, down Pennsylvania Avenue, and on to the freeway back home. For the first time in months there was a sign of life in the city. More cars were in the road and the tour buses have started up again - although they remain quite empty. There are things we miss about our old stomping grounds, but more that we don’t. We wanted to be within ten miles of town so we could still go in for library programs and walks. Things have changed and we can’t do most of the things we liked to do. So when we see a familiar face it makes all the difference. 

City Sights, Familiar Sights

Since we moved to Virginia two months ago we rather enjoy the city more. We go in when we want to, try to avoid rush hour, and are happy we are familiar with the surroundings. Of course we usually take the same route - GW Parkway to Memorial Bridge to Independence Avenue to Capitol Hill - our old neighborhood. Last week we attended a program at the Library of Congress where I worked for ten years and had a two block walking commute. The skies were threatening so we ended up arriving sooner than we needed to and parked just two blocks from the Library. Since we usually don’t have business for more than two hours the posted time limits aren’t a problem. So we took the opportunity to see a few exhibits, then attend the program, then we drove over near Eastern Market to get a bite to eat for dinner, then checked on our old homestead, then made our way back home to Virginia just ten miles away. Getting across the 12th Street bridge is always a hassle even on the quietest of days and this was no exception. Neither one of us can imagine being stuck in the horrible traffic for work every day. But every once in a while is tolerable. 

Gardens and Seating Options

When the temps get warmer, but not really hot and humid, we prefer to walk under the shady trees in the neighborhood rather than the concrete jungle of the National Mall. When it gets really hot, Union Station is the place to wander as it is air conditioned. Getting to and from can be grueling, but we always have a water bottle on hand. So today we walked all the way to H street and followed the shade all the way. The neighborhood is always changing and it’s fun to see what is new on the walkabout. Usually cats sit in the front windows, but a cute little pooch was perched on the window ledge inside the house and smiling back. One of the patio doors looked like something from inside the house with glass insets. There were several patio seating options to be found. Some of them were obviously much nicer than others. Unfortunately many of the garden spots have blue garbage containers nearby. That sort of ruins the ambiance and charm. The hydrangea plants were all different colors in full bloom. It is a very quirky and eclectic neighborhood which is why we like it. There is a lot to be said about all of these old places. On days like this we really like it. 

The Myrtles Are In Bloom!

It's that time of year again. One can't help but notice the beautiful myrtles all over town. They must be a southern tree flower, as I don't remember them in Wisconsin. But every year at this time I can't help but pay attention to the white, red, pink, purple, and various shades in between of myrtles in front of government buildings and all around the neighborhood. Some are tiny and just starting out, while others are clumped together in huge bunches. Others are evenly spread in front of a very long white structures. When we walked this morning we passed by the Library of Congress, the Senate Office Buildings, parks, and neighborhood homes big and small. The tress really look magnificent against the traditional Capitol Hill architecture. We once visited the Myrtles "haunted" plantation in Louisiana a long time ago. It gave me the creeps. So there remains some mystery behind the name - for me anyway! Nevertheless, with or without the ghosts the myrtles looked lovely on a day like today. I'm not sure how I would feel if we took this same walk at 3 AM. But who would?