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. 

52Frames Magnolia Photo Trending

Ever since a fellow 52Framer sent a message to say that my photo was trending on the 52Frames website a few weeks ago I have been checking the website every day since then. And I’m glad I have! Since she told me, my weekly photos have been highlighted sometime during the week. There are three photos on the website that are updated and rotated at least daily. So yesterday it was such a thrill to see my magnolia image highlighted. Our friend from the Midwest told me about 52Frames about three years ago. And it has become a big part of our lives. The weekly photo challenges “dictate” where we might go for our morning walk depending on the subject matter. Last week the subject was “shoot with a phone.” Since I always shoot with my phone it was actually harder to figure out what that would be because the subject is quite broad. So we went to Old Town Alexandria where I found a miniature magnolia. Using the magnolia as the backdrop the bubble technique was done. Taking a Pyrex container, filling it will water and oil and a few drops of dishwashing liquid the container was placed over the iPad with the photo showing from the photo stream. Then several images were taken with my phone as the bubbles moved across the flower. I’ve also learned a lot from this whole experience. It’s nice to have your image shown among the 2500 - 3000 submitted from around the world each week. I never knew about it and appreciate my fellow framer telling me. So when I see someone’s photo that I know trending I let them know too. 

The Black Snake

The last time we saw a snake was at Great Falls Park in the summer months. It was a copperhead and it was quite large and it was crossing our path. I never cared for snakes no matter what the size. When we were in the neighborhood park about a month ago a lady was staring at the ground in to the wooded section and said she just saw a black snake. She also said they are great to have in your garden and are friendly. We didn’t see it but took her word for what it was. Yesterday we were taking our morning walk in the neighborhood park when all of a sudden I noticed a black twig/branch on the sidewalk - but it wasn’t a twig at all because it was moving. My husband didn’t even see it. It was already half way to the other side so just the back end was showing. It was about two to three feet long and moving slow - but I didn’t care. I stayed just long enough to get the last of it going in to the wooded section. Yuck! I tried to read up on this black snake but wasn’t sure what it was exactly - but everything I read didn’t sound very friendly to me. Maybe that’s why the chipmunks were more active than usual today. I have a feeling the snake was and is looking for dinner. 

Woven Histories Textiles at the National Gallery of Art

We hadn’t been to the National Gallery of Art for a while, so we decided to stop in on one of our morning walks on the National Mall. There was a textile exhibit I wanted to check out. Before we got in the building there was a cleaning crew working from a two level scaffolding. They were washing down the huge sculpture that sits on front of the main entrance to the east gallery building. It was a sight to see! The textile exhibit was interesting in that two of the photos I took were eventually used for my 52Frames weekly photo challenge. Of course, that meant we visited the gallery twice in two weeks because you have to take the photo during the week of the challenge. The colors and the textures of the pieces were varied and really intricate. I rarely stop to read about the works of art - I mostly meander around and take photos of the things I find most appealing. Then I’ll use the photos for this blog and the photo challenges. It’s so great to have this opportunity to discover new exhibits and visit whenever we like. I much preferred the quietness during the pandemic to the a crowds and bustle and hassle of the tourists and visitors now. But as long as we are able to visit we will and this is one good reason to take a ride in to town. 

52Frames Shoot With a Phone Weekly Photo Challenge

The subject this week for the 52Frames weekly photo challenge was “shoot with a phone.” Well, that’s easy because it is the only camera I have and I shoot with my phone every week. The most difficult part was trying to figure out the actual subject. All I can say is that I really liked doing the bubble technique - filling a glass Pyrex container with water, adding dishwashing liquid drops and olive oil and placing it over my iPad’s photo stream. But this time I wanted to use photos of real objects rather than just colors and try to get the bubbles to stay in certain sections of the photo - or try a long exposure as the bubbles were moving across the scene. So I tried this technique with several photos that were taken last week - roses, magnolias, silver ragwort, sun star, poppies, deer, tile fish, window boxes and sunsets. Of course there are always two that we both end up liking and it’s really tough to figure out which one to use. The silver ragwort was really lovely - the bubbles looked like flowers on the stems. But we ended up using the magnolia because of the colors and where the bubbles fell. In any event I had a fun time experimenting with this project. I hope it gets noticed! 

Call From the Grandson

Our grandson is twenty years old. It’s rather hard to believe that he will be a senior in college this year. In the meantime he just finished his junior year and has for the last two summers worked at the Hudson River giving white water tours. He was there for the Memorial Day holiday doing the same thing, but had to cut it short because he starts his internship at a financial organization near us. Whenever he is on the road he usually calls to chat - and that happened yesterday as we were in the elevator heading to our condo. It’s always so nice to hear that he is doing well, is generally upbeat, seems to have everything in hand, and still remembers to call his grandparents. Ironically he will be living in a row house apartment on the lower level that is almost right across the street from his family’s rowhouse and our condo in our old Capitol Hill neighborhood. We are looking forward to seeing him here and there while he is in town. He will also have an opportunity to visit with people he knew when he grew up right down the street from us until he and his family moved to central Virginia. It’s always so good to hear from him and it’s amazing how fast time is flying. My husband used to babysit and pick him up from school. It’s been a wonderful experience watching him grow. He’s just a really nice kid. 

52Frames Detail Photo Trending

I belong to a weekly photo challenge called 52Frames. There are generally 2500 to 3000 entries. Although it is not a “contest,” there are ways for your photo to stand out from the rest. Obviously being selected as one of the top three is the best - and I don’t think that will ever happen since my camera is my phone and I am not a photographer - I just love to take photos. And I also love to create composite images using procreate. Another way is to have your photo highlighted on instagram. I know it’s happened at least two times - but I think maybe three - before I realized it was happening! Another way to be recognized is to have your photo selected in the top 52. I’ve been fortunate enough that it has happened five times in two and a half years. Then one week a fellow framer told me that my photo was “trending” on the 52Frames website. During the week there are three photos that are updated at certain intervals. I don’t know what the criteria is. But since she told me I have been looking at the website daily to see how it works, and also informing fellow framers when their photos are trending. And since she told me about this trending my photo(s) has been highlighted every week since! Perhaps they have been highlighted before that but I rarely looked at the website during the week. So this week my image was in the top three again for about a day. I contacted 52Frames to see what the criteria was, but nothing specific was given. All I care is that it is such fun to see when my photos are part of the rotation. I’d like to make it a habit!