Jones Point Park

We haven’t been to Alexandria for a while. I’m

Not sure what the reason. It was almost a weekly affair. Typically we hang around old town and take a walk along the Potomac River waterfront, then circle back through the beautiful homes in town. We did follow that same path this time, but decided to keep heading along the river, past the new condo development and on in to the park. You can actually take the trail all the way to Mount Vernon, but we weren’t about to go that far. Just past the entrance from the “civilized” part was a path towards Jones Park. Apparently this was a huge shipbuilding spot during WWI - it opened around 1918. Today part of it sits beneath the freeway with signs about explaining the history of the area. One can only imagine how it must have looked - so different than the peaceful surroundings now. I suppose the boaters continue to enjoy the river. The views from the watercraft must be interesting. I don’t think we will walk along this way with any frequency since we prefer the charm of old town. So much has happened in this town. How things continue to change over the years. 

Model Ships

Our friend in the Midwest shared with us a photo of a ship in a bottle he just completed. It’s tiny, and took quite a while to make. And, having some allergy to wood, created a sniffling experience on top of it. Prior to that l, he made one that took thirty years to complete! When I received the image, it reminded me of the ships my dad made. A few of them were placed on the fire place mantle and my brother took them home with him after my mom passed away last year. I remember him and my dad building these ships. We even had a kayak made out of animal skin that my dad got in Greenland while serving in the Coast Guard, along with a couple of walrus teeth. My dad loved the water and his time traveling around the world on destroyer escorts and buoy tenders. He has a meticulous scrapbook of his twenty one year career in the military, including documentation of a serious event - bombing of their convoy - during WWII in the Mediterranean. My parents took many cruises after they retired. Anyway, our friend reminded me of my dad’s history and his love of the water. The funny thing is, I don’t care for the water. But I remember all the ships my dad took us on over the years, and he was always so excited about it.