Supreme Court North Garden

I'm not sure what the construction was all about but it seems to be coming to a close, after at least two years or more. The high fences surrounding the Supreme Court on the north side have been replaced with chain linked fences. So now we can see what is actually going on. The garden on the south side is for the most part complete (see previous blog) and it looks as though more green space, rather than garden, is planned for the north side, where there is more traffic along Constitution Avenue. The sidewalks surrounding the whole building have recently been replaced as well as updating and cleaning the front facade. It will be nice to have the sidewalk returned to us so we no longer have to walk in the street. It still amazes me that we pass by these majestic buildings routinely as they are a part of our neighborhood. In Milwaukee it was primarily a very suburban neighborhood, and if we were adventurous, we had Grant Park by Lake Michigan to explore. We rarely had to deal with construction, but probably didn't need to impress anyone either.  

Folger Shakespeare Library and Theater

We've passed by it many times on walks around the neighborhood and finally decided to go in and see what was inside. The Folger Shakespeare Library is right next to the Library of Congress Adams Building near the rear side of the Supreme Court. Neither I nor my husband are Shakespeare fans, though we both really liked Kenneth Branagh's Henry V movie. And we stopped going to plays many years ago, but had season tickets to the Milwaukee Rep for at least ten years. There is an exhibit about four centuries of staging Shakespeare, and there is also a very small fifty person theater for shows and productions, set to look like Shakespeare times back in the day. But I'm told the major focus is that it serves as a library for Shakespearean scholars to take delight in the materials that are available here. Outside is a garden, that obviously looks very English. For those who like these sorts of things, it's so close at hand if you live in this neighborhood. And we may consider taking our out of town guests here, if they or we think of it. 

Montpelier - James Madison's Home

We had not taken a day trip for awhile, so decided it might be a good time to go back to Montpelier since it was renovated to it's original state. James Madison's home is located in between Culpeper and Monticello and is about a two hour drive from Washington DC. We visited there when we first moved to DC, but at the time the house was being renovated from the pink DuPont monstrosity back to the original state, so there was not much to see. Even though it was dreary outside today, the trip was fun because our dear friend came along with us. And that always makes it more entertaining. Along the way we saw a tree full of turkey vultures, and on the way back they were feasting on a deer carcass. After all, Montpelier is out in the sticks, surrounded by a retired thoroughbred horse farm established by the last owners, the DuPonts. But our journey was to learn more about the behind the scenes man who seemed to be out shined by his more verbose, vivacious, and likable wife Dolly. And, I work at the Library of Congress where there is a Montpelier Room, and is also home to the Madison papers. There is even a statue of him in Madison Hall in the Madison Building. You do come away with an even greater respect for the guy, but for some reason, he seems to be lost among the more prominent kinsmen of the time.  It makes you wonder how one moved about when all this important stuff was being discussed. And once you arrived you stayed for awhile. At least now it only takes two hours rather then three days. Some things have changed, but his thoughtful contributions to our American history have not. 

Tidal Basin Fall

I like Fall, and my husband likes Spring. That makes for great photo opportunities in Washington - especially around the Tidal Basin. Spring by far is the busiest season here. But there is something serene and peaceful about a beautiful autumn day. So before all the leaves fall from the tress, we took a ride around the Tidal Basin to see how things fared. The geese were loving it... They covered the fields grazing on the grass. The water was really still and the monuments reflected nicely. The white marble and granite popped out against the orange and yellow foliage. Depending on the sun's angle, varying textures and tones emerged. It was a simply beautiful scene as we headed down Independence Avenue to home. Although not a part of the Tidal Basin, the American Indian Museum fits the season with it's unusual architectural appeal. It's a great time to be in DC. 

The Gettysburg Address at The Library of Congress

On my afternoon walk at the Library of Congress I thought it was finally time to see the Gettysburg Address. Usually I walk the halls of the Madison Building where I work. But I instead made my way though the underground tunnel to the Jefferson Building where the Nicolay copy of the document would be on display in the Great Hall until the end of the month. Then it would move to the Civil War Exhibit elsewhere in the building. It was surrounded by a group of visitors and I was surprised that photos could be taken. Apparently the Library owns two of five versions of the address written by Abraham Lincoln. This one belonged to Nicolay, Lincoln's secretary and likely was the one used during the speech. I've heard the words many times, but to see them is inspiring. Not that it happens every day, but the Library is a great place to see and view pieces of our history - and all I have to do is take a short walk on an afternoon break.