The Capitol Reflecting Duck Pool

When we lived on Capitol Hill for thirteen years I always liked observing the ducks in all the pools and fountains. Today was a bit overcast and cool. So rather than walk in the park or our neighborhood today in northern Virginia, we drove down to our old neighborhood and walked our morning walk in our old footsteps. We parked in our Capitol Hill neighborhood and were careful not to park in a resident only space. We landed in front of our son’s rowhouse that still looks simply lovely. Then we headed out to the Capitol and the reflecting pond. Because there is hardly anyone out and about, the ducks hardly moved when they saw us coming. Usually they are interested in food and I don’t think they’ve been getting the attention that they are used to. They were lined up in larger numbers than I remember. The duck ramp was not being used but sits at the corner of the pool. Every so many bird a pigeon found itself in good company. Maybe it was the time of the day but I have a feeling all day feels like nap time these days. After several rides in to town over the last six months, this was the first walk we have had in a long time. It felt good, but nothing like it used to be. 

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Fall at the US Botanic Garden

The US Botanic Garden is one of our favorite places. We walk through the First Ladies garden and Bartholdi Park and fountain almost every morning. Every once in awhile we actually walk through the enclosed garden inside the building. It is usually to see how the gardens are arranged for special occasions or for seasonal updates. We last visited inside to see the stinky plants and we always go to see the trains at Christmas. Now with autumn upon us, we figured there must be some sort of fall display in the main entry room. And there were pumpkins and gourds and mums all around the beautiful pond that stretches from one end to the other. We also decided to walk through the rest of the space to revisit the regular items that are typically on display. There were several guided tours clogging up the paths, but in general, it was relatively easy to move about. There were a few dinosaurs and alligators in the tropical section, and a lot of prickly treats in the dessert area. It's always a beautiful walk through this place as there is always something interesting to note. It is never a disappointing walk inside. Maybe we should do it more frequently. 

Winterthur Gardens, Galleries, and Vintage Cars

This weekend we drove to Wilmington Delaware to visit the costumes of Downton Abbey that are on exhibit at Winterthur, the home of the Dupont family. The previous blog has photos of all the finery. But there is also a lot more to be seen here starting with the beautiful informal as well as formal gardens. Right after we got our tickets for the exhibit at the visitor center, we boarded a tram that took us on a thirty minute narrated tour through the gorgeous gardens surrounding the house. The azaleas were in bloom and the natural displays were delightful. Because we had timed tickets for the exhibit, we spent a few minutes in the gallery where furniture, silver, and textiles were on display. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to actually see the DuPont home... which is an eight story structure, with three underground. The formal gardens had the perfect set up for a wedding. On the way back we decided to walk and ran in to another display - this one was vintage automobiles. Because of the Downton Abbey theme and time period, the exhibit included a few Rolls Royce's and Pierce's. I wouldn't know the difference, but the cars were very well preserved and /or updated.  The inside of the vehicles looked more like amusement park rides. It would have been fun to take a ride in one, just to get a taste of the time. One car had a rumble seat - something my mother was familiar with. Living in DC really affords us the opportunity to see a variety of places that are not too far away. The main attraction was Chicago when we lived in Milwaukee. It's a great city, but a real pain in the neck to drive through it to get anywhere else.