snow and thunder and ice... oh my!

It might seem that I have a preoccupation with snow and weather... and perhaps I do. But that is only because having grown up in the desert, I haven't had the opportunity to live in such extreme weather (really hot and humid in the summer followed by winter that is freezing cold with snow and ice) and I find it fascinating.

Our latest storm began yesterday afternoon with rain and sleet which then turned to snow.

The snowflakes were big  and fluffy- they covered everything with a beautiful layer of snow. When the outside lights came on at dusk, they bathed the courtyard in a warm glow as the snow glistened on the trees. I could have sipped hot cocoa and watched the snow fall through the window for hours... but minutes were all the time I had.

Snow continued falling through the night and we had some thunder... or as the newspaper called it, "a thundersnow!"

Morning dawned bright and clear with a thick layer of snow covering the courtyard. Although it looked quite cold, I was comfortable on the balcony in just a long-sleeved shirt- no coat. We could hear water dripping as the snow melted and saw big chunks of snow fall from the trees as soon as their hold was loosened.

Richard worked from home this morning but it didn't take much to convince him to take a quick walk around the lake before he left for work. Although the snow was powdery, it was really heavy and many of the tree branches were bending almost to the breaking point. In fact, I heard on the news later in the day that this storm caused more damage (primarily due to downed power lines) than Snowmageddon did last winter. Strange, huh?

As the layer of snow on the branches melted, the water dripped down and refroze making hundreds of baby "snowsicles" hanging from the tree branches. Oh so pretty!

Although the overwhelming majority of trees dropped their leaves months ago, a few branches still stubbornly cling to dry, brown leaves. This ice-backed leaf caught my eye- and I thought about things (habits, sin,...) that I stubbornly hold on to even though it's long past time to let them go.

We stopped for a hot drink at the lakeside cafe before heading home. The parking lot was enclosed by a wall as tall as Richard of plowed snow. Today it looks white and fluffy- unfortunately, in a few days it will look gray and dirty.

We heard the honks before we saw the flocks of geese flying around. They seemed to be wandering aimlessly, perhaps displaced by the snow, causing us to wonder if they wished they had flown farther south for the winter- it's in the 70's in Miami!

Once home, we both went to work- Richard drove to the office and I made a snowman... which was no easy task since, as I mentioned, the snow was fine and powdery. After trying several different techniques to make three "snowballs" of varying sizes, I finally discovered the only way to do it was to pack the snow tightly in my hands, adding a bit more snow as I patted  it in place. Stacking  them one on top of the other was the next challenge and after a few failed attempts, I finally got them placed. Since I forgot to pick up some twigs on our walk (and the top of the parking garage is devoid of plant-life), I gave him pretzel stick arms and used a baby carrot for his nose and M&M's for his eyes. As you can guess, he's a "little person" measuring only about 18-inches in height. Oh- and note to self: next time don't use M&M's- they melted!

staying warm

While we haven't had much snow this winter, the temperature has plummeted making this one of the coldest winters on record. It has been so cold, in fact, that it hurts to breathe outside- at least for us desert-dwellers! So what do you do when it's too cold to play outside? Pretty much the same things you do in Arizona when it's too hot outside- well, with the exception of swimming!

One thing we've been doing while its been so chilly out is visiting museums. I think the District of Columbia must be the "museum capital of the world"- there are 44 museums (according to the American Association of Museums) in just a hair over 60 square miles. To put it in perspective, Arizona has 41 museums in almost 114,000 square miles. Anyway, suffice it to say that there are a lot of museums to choose from just in the District of Columbia- and even more in Maryland and Virginia.

The Smithsonian Museums are perhaps the most well-known museums in our nation's capital and we've visited several of them a couple of times when we've had out-of-town visitors. Two weekends ago we decided to try something different and went to the Newseum, a museum dedicated to... you guessed it... the news! One of my favorite exhibits is a display of actual newspapers dating from the 1600's to present-day. It's interesting to see how news reporting changed over the centuries and seems to follow a back-and-forth trend from "just the facts" to interpretation and even opinion as "news." Another interesting exhibit is the collection of all the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs. It is hard to look at some of them- photos of starving children in Ethiopia or people sitting on their rooftops as the flood waters of Katrina came up to the rafters. But all of them, happy or sad, represent a moment in history never to be forgotten.

This HUGE wall has the front page from September 12th, 2001 newspapers from all over the world. The Arizona Republic (not in view ☹) had the headline with the largest font size!

I found this toy in the museum gift shop... oy vey! 

Last weekend we went to the National Museum of Crime and Punishment where we enjoyed a brief history of criminals and their punishments or, in some cases, torture beginning with medieval times. I liked the pirate and gangster exhibits the best- there seemed to be some honor among thieves. However, the serial killer exhibit was... scary... and creepy. It made me acutely aware of the evil in this world- and how each of us, without the grace of God, has the potential for such violence.

The National Museum of Crime & Punishment covers two floors plus the basement which houses John Walsh's America's Most Wanted set- the tv show is actually taped at the museum.

CSI and tv shows like it have gained in popularity over the past few years. One fun interactive exhibit dealt with crime scene investigation- and how it's not like Hollywood. Richard and I discovered that working together, we are "very observant" and make a reliable witness!

We enjoyed both museums. They gave us a glimpse of the past, present and future as we roamed from exhibit to exhibit staying nice and warm. Oh- and we discovered they have "coat-check rooms" so we didn't have to carry our coats, scarves and gloves around with us- something we have never seen in Arizona museums!

Potomac Popsicle

The George Washington Parkway (GW Pkwy) connects the Washington Beltway to the District of Columbia (and a bit beyond). It is a beautiful drive on the weekend (less traffic!) with gorgeous views of tree-covered hills and ravines, Georgetown and the Potomac River as well as wildlife sightings. It is one of my favorite drives in all seasons. Last weekend we stopped at a "Scenic View" area on the Parkway to look at the Potomac River.

By Arizona standards, the Potomac River is HUGE; by East Coast standards it is "pretty big." It runs 383 miles through West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia with an average flow of 10,800 feet/second. We have crossed it many times and it never ceases to capture my attention. This time it made me take a second look because it looked frozen. Did I mention it's a pretty big river?

Theodore Roosevelt Walking Bridge connects the GW Pkwy with Theodore Roosevelt Island in the middle of the Potomac River.

The closer we got to the river, the more apparent it became that it was, indeed, frozen over. The shallower water near the banks was flowing- I guess the thinner ice had melted during the "warm" (37-40 degrees!) days we had last week. But the vast majority of the river was frozen with a thick layer of ice.

Grace & Beauty

We watched a pair of egrets "ice-fish" on the frozen Potomac. They poked their beaks down into a hole in the ice and then brought their head up straightening their neck as they swallowed- or so we surmise. In between snacks they chased off the seagulls. It was quite odd to watch these graceful birds WALK on the river. 

The middle portion of the river was frozen... enough to support the weight of a log. In fact, there was a lot of debris on the ice... rocks, branches, Fido's blue ball...

We walked across the bridge to the island. There are several paths and despite the frigidly cold wind, there were several groups out walking. We followed a short trail to the Theodore Roosevelt Pavilion.

The Theodore Roosevelt Pavilion features a statue of Roosevelt, some benches and a pond (that was drained for winter) with fountains- a gorgeous spot to sit and reflect on nature, one of Teddy Roosevelt's heartfelt priorities. He is remembered for promoting conservation.

Back on the bridge, the sun was dancing on the ice as it began its descent creating sparkly areas on the river. It was then that the swirl patterns in the ice became more evident. 

Pretty Potomac Popsicle!

Winter Wonderland

One of the many things I have enjoyed while living in Maryland is walking around Lake Kittamuqundi witnessing nature glorify God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything in them. This morning I put on THREE layers of clothes, donned wool sox and snow boots, grabbed my camera and braved the 27 degree temperature (real-feel of 15 degrees!) to walk in the beautiful winter wonderland before me.

I have walked this path many times before but today I was mindful of the icy patches beginning to form- and thankful for the traction on my snow boots!

As I walked along the trail by the lake the snow-blower and traffic noises faded. I could hear the crunching sound of the snow under my boots, the sweet song of the birds in the trees and the whooshing of the gentle wind. The snow was pure white and very delicate-looking and seemed to be inviting me to continue on along the way. It reminded me of a passage I had just read in Isaiah describing the "Way of Holiness" that the redeemed will walk on as they enter Zion with singing (Isaiah 35:8-10).

A baby icicle... about an inch long!

This tiny, fragile icicle caught my eye as I looked out over the pier. It started out as just a single drop of water that froze to the railing. And then another drop. And another. And finally an icicle was born. It amazes me that something so delicate, so fragile can exist in the harshness of winter.

Which way to go?

I've been told that the lake does freeze over- sometimes deep enough for ice-skating. Today the ice is covered with a blanket of snow making it difficult to tell where the solid ground ends and the lake begins. Just beyond the fence railing is the pier and beyond that, the lake where I noticed some "foot" prints. I wasn't able to get close enough to determine what made them (perhaps a cat?) but I was intrigued by the pattern. The path on the left starts out going straight across but then meanders over to the right, perhaps to check out that "bump" in the snow, before returning to its original line and the other side. This reminded me of times I've been distracted in my walk with the Lord. The path on the right starts out straight across, then abruptly turns back and returns, never getting to the other side. This one reminded me of people who think about walking with the Lord but then decide not to and end up right where they started.

pristine beauty... quiet serenity... thoughtful reflection

I continued my trek past the pier, past the amphitheater to the courtyard of restaurants. Usually passing quite a few walkers on the trail, I was surprised that this morning I saw no one. The pristine beauty, the quiet serenity and the thoughtful reflection were gifts to me from the Creator.

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Although "founding father" can refer to all political leaders and statesmen as well as ordinary citizens who participated in establishing American independence, most historians recognize seven men as "The Founding Fathers": Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. I doubt a more diverse group of men could have been found- yet they came together for a common cause. Passionate about their beliefs and opinions, yet they could compromise and work together. This past weekend we visited Thomas Jefferson's cherished home, Monticello.

Thomas Jefferson much preferred his home, Monticello, to any other including the White House.

Thomas Jefferson inherited several thousand acres of land in Charlottetown, Virginia from his father and acquired several thousand more through marriage. He and his wife, Martha Wayles Skelton, lived on the grounds in a very small, one-room house for several years while Monticello was built. Jefferson designed the house using French and Italian architecture and work began in 1768. It was a work-in-progress as he continually remodeled and renovated the house. 

In addition to Thomas and Martha Jefferson, their children and later their families also lived at Monticello. At times as many as twenty family members lived in the house with over 200 slaves living and working on the estate. It was, in every sense, a community.

Top- back of Monticello showing the dome

Bottom- inside the "Dome Room", the only room inside the house where photography is allowed

Jefferson, an eccentric, later added a dome to his home just because he could and to satisfy his love for Italian and French architecture. The dome room was really never used; he just liked the way it looked from the outside. Other additions were much more practical like "alcove beds" which took up less space and didn't intrude into the room.

The south side "dependency" housed the smoke room, the kitchen (with all the "most modern" French "appliances"!), the cook's quarters, and a privy.

Jefferson designed Monticello with two long L-shaped wings off the house. These wings were called dependencies because they housed the services that the house depended upon. The north dependency housed the ice house, laundry and bath area, stables and a privy. With this arrangement, the running of the household never disturbed Jefferson, his family or his guests.

The Monticello estate extends far beyond the garden. During Jefferson's time, it included three mountains with Monticello sitting atop the middle one.

There are many gardens and flower beds at Monticello. None were flowering since we visited in January but it was easy to visualize them full of color and contrast. Jefferson, a self-taught landscape architect, laid out the gardens and beds himself often experimenting with varieties and keeping careful records.

I would like to hear this debate!

Thomas Jefferson could be described as a Renaissance Man- he spoke six languages, was an inventor, botanist, architect, scientist and philosopher. Although influenced by the Age of Enlightenment, he was an independent thinker. And although I know he and I would disagree on some issues, he would still be one of the twenty people past and present I would invite to a dinner party!

The Big Apple...

Frank Sinatra called New York City the "city that never sleeps." If you've ever been there you understand why he would say that- people, lights and traffic exist 24/7.  I've visited the "steel jungle" (another nickname I understand just by looking around the city) several times and have often wondered how it came to be known as "The Big Apple."

Many New Yorkers have their own story as to the origin of the nickname but the most popular ones came from very different backgrounds. First, in the early 1920's, there were many important horse racing courses in and around NYC. "Apple" referred to the prizes (like an apple for a horse) awarded at these races. A journalist, John Fitzgerald, got the term from New Orleans jockeys and trainers who yearned to race in the "Big Apple"-in other words, the tracks in NYC. Secondly, around 1930, jazz musicians in NYC began referring to the city as "the Big Apple" since it was THE place to perform. This referred back to an old show business saying- "There are many apples on the tree, but only one Big Apple." Then, in 1971, a tourism campaign adopted "The Big Apple" as an officially recognized reference to NYC, hoping that the rosy red apples would serve as a "bright and cheery image of the city" countering the dark and dangerous perception many people had. The slogan finally applied to all of New York City and was embraced by the city, state, nation and world as tourism soared.

We spent New Year's Day exploring "The Big Apple" pedestrian-style. The first thing we learned was traffic lights and "Don't Walk" signals are merely suggestions. If there is no traffic, GO! Strolling 3.8 miles over the course of the day, we shopped, saw a show and people-watched.

Our first stop was Macy's at Herald Square near where the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ends. From the outside, it looks pretty much like any other Macy's store. The window displays depict the "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" story with hordes of people crowded around to watch the animated figures. The inside of the store... sparkles... and glitters... with decor... with smiling sales people... with lots of stuff! The store is nine stories tall plus a "lower level" and a "cellar"- all with merchandise. The floors are not unusually small but seem rather average size. The sign outside says this is the "largest store in the world!" and I would believe it! The escalators to the top three floors are ancient, wooden ones about 2/3 the width of more modern ones. They are rickety, swaying back and forth,  and quite noisy- almost an "E-ticket" ride!

From the revolving front doors to the architectural details and wooden escalators, this Macy's is a visit to yesteryear.

Ringing in the New Year at Times Square was something I've wanted to do for a long time; seeing a Broadway play in the "Big Apple" was another. Our next stop was the Nederlander Theater  in Times Square's Theater District to see the fabulous play Million Dollar Quartet- the true story of the only time Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins played together (it was an impromptu jam session at the recording studio). Nothing was "pre-recorded", the actors played their instruments and sang. How many people can play the piano upside down while lying across the top of the piano like Jerry Lee Lewis? I bet that casting call was pretty short! The play was an entertaining trip down memory lane- definitely two-thumbs up! The theater, originally named National Theater,  was built in 1921. Crown molding, wood banisters, velvet draperies tied back with thick gold cords and old-style box seats on the side are characteristic of the time and delightful to look at. The only downside is the seating area itself- I've had more legroom on a capacity-filled US Airways flight!

A trip to "The Big Apple" just wouldn't be complete without standing on the sidewalk eating a hotdog from a street vendor. Street vendors aren't hard to find- if you miss the bright red cart, just follow your nose! My hotdog had mustard, onions and sauerkraut while Richard prefers mustard and relish. No matter how you dress it, they were de-lish!

After waiting in a line around the side of the building, we finally made our way into the two-story M&M World along with thousands of other tourists. Dispensers of M&M's of every color and type imaginable lined several walls and for only $13 per pound you could fill a bag with your favorite mix. We didn't stay long since it was more claustrophobic-feeling than Times Square had been the night before.

We strolled along the sidewalk watching people. Couples walking arm in arm. Families laughing together, pointing out the Empire State Building. New York's "men in blue"... lots of them... some on horses. College students out for night of clubbing. After walking several blocks, we found ourselves at Rockefeller Center where we happened upon a gorgeous sculpture of red Christmas ornaments in a fountain.

The ornaments together with the white-lighted trees in the area were very festive, indeed!

After stopping for pizza at a coal-fired pizzeria, we walked back to our hotel. We enjoyed our time in "The Big Apple"... it is a lovely place to visit and I can't wait to go back!

Ringing in the New Year!

It has been, for quite some time, a desire of mine to watch the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve. Although Richard did not share the same enthusiasm for this as me, he did arrange our trip and this afternoon we were at Times Square! People started gathering by early afternoon- and we watched them from the window of our hotel (Marriott New York Marquis) which is on Times Square.

The view from our hotel room is spectacular but does not face where the ball drops- those rooms were $1750 per night! 

We ventured down about 4:00 and immediately realized we should have gone out earlier. After being directed from one street to a farther street to an even farther street, we finally decided to head back to the hotel and see if we could find a back way or, failing that, go watch it on tv in our room. God was directing our footsteps, however, and we ended up in line for a "pen" made of crowd control barricades right outside our hotel. As you can imagine, there was a very strong police presence- the ones with "Counter Terrorism" on their backs were more than a little disconcerting. Security was very tight- streets were blocked off with concrete barriers, police were directing pedestrians, I was wanded twice and our bags were checked several times. 

Yes, those are BIG guns! As part of their security plan, the hotels on Times Square issued special New Year's Eve keycards- which we had to show to go down the street by the hotel as well as to get in the hotel anytime after 4pm.

By 5:30 we were situated in the "pen" area and began the long wait. Once in, you can't leave and come back... and there are no bathrooms. Although we took some snacks and water bottles, we realized we needed to ration them sparingly. We listened to (and sometimes could see) the bands playing on the stages... Rick Springfield, Backstreet Boys (who are now men!), New Kids on the Block, Kesha  to name a few. 

Finally, at 6:00 the ball, which is 12 feet in diameter, is raised up amid fireworks!

We passed the time chatting with people around us- ALL of them considerably younger. One young man said that he gave us a lot of credit for doing this... ouch =) 

I asked a police officer how many people they expected and he said probably more than a million! Most of the people were considerate and pleasant. A few people thought they could push their way to the barricade (and have a chance of being on tv) at 11:00 but they backed off when no one made room for them. The crowd got bigger and bigger but no one was out of control. 

This is not the place for people who are claustrophobic or have personal space issues!

Confetti began falling at 8:00. Every hour on the hour they did another fireworks show around the ball. And, of course, the announcers revved the crowd up. This was a street party of gigantic proportion!

We heard them say that over 2000 pounds of confetti were released throughout the night. It was absolutely beautiful to watch floating down!

At long last, it was time for the final countdown. The crowd roared. Balloons were waving in the air. Everyone was making sure their honey was nearby to kiss. TEN! ... NINE! ...

EIGHT!...

SEVEN!... (the crowd roars louder!)... SIX! ... FIVE! ... FOUR! ...

THREE! ...

TWO!... ONE! ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

It was an experience not to be missed. God blessed us in many ways. We met some nice people. The weather was fabulous. We ended up in an outstanding location through no effort of our own. Would we do it again? Perhaps...