Spring Shows Itself

Took a walk today to Whole Foods for lunch.

Spotted these skunk cabbage leaves sprouting from the wetlands along the trail.

The floor of the woods is greening and the wild daffodils or maybe escapees are blooming under the bare trees.

Some of the trees along this pathway are tagged with numbers. They are likely ash trees that are marked for removal because of the emerald ash borer which has afflicted all the ash trees in the area.

No sun today nor rain, just a cloud cover with mild temperatures.

I'm heading to Arizona on Monday to enjoy some warmer weather.  I have some posts in the queue for while I'm gone.

Hope your keeping up on Pete Buttigieg.

Here's a great article in the New Republic about Mayor Pete.

Here's another in the SF Chronicle

A finally a speech he gave in Columbia, SC

Return to US Botanic Gardens

Every couple of months we like to take Dan's mother on an outing.  Last time it was to Gunston Hall. This time to the Botanic Gardens in Washington, DC.

We knew parking and walking a long distance would be problematic for her so we took along her handicapped parking pass that Dan's brother usually has when he takes their mom somewhere. We got there early enough to get a space right in front of the entrance.

There are some really interesting plants and trees in this collection with several different climates represented.

Plantains below.

Chocolate or cocoa

At first I thought there were birds but it was piped in bird songs.

Many orchids.

Dan walked up to the viewing platform shown below along the sides.  The elevator was not in service  so he was the only one to venture up there.  The humidity was higher up there he said.

For lunch we went to a favorite barbecue restaurant in Alexandria.

It was a nice trip for everyone.

Continuing to Spread the Word

If you haven't heard of Peter Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana who is running for President you need to check him out.

Pete talks about freedom in South Carolina. Watch it here.

He's got a very long and very interesting interview on BuzzFeed.

See it here.

from NBC News.  Read the rest of the article here.

From the Files - 5

This is an occasional posting to savor the moments from past travels.

Walking the Cotswolds 2014:

Ruins -  a stop required to learn more.

The More I Hear the More I'm Impressed

So Pete Buttigieg, Democratic candidate for President has made the 65,000 threshold to be on the stage at the debates. You may have already read that if you were one of his donors as I was.

He was on MSNBC today and I just listened to the interview on uTube. 

He is really impressing me more each time I hear him answer.

Take a listen here and here.

Postscript:

Read these comments on the 1A website that Nan directed me to in her comment below.

nancy • a month ago

I live in South Bend. Mayor Pete has positively changed our city for the better by refusing to let us be defined by our past and including our voices in our joint vision of the future. We had empty storefronts where signs were posted asking us to suggest what we would like to see. Citizen input, hand in hand with his government, has shaped our focus on utilizing our massive park system as a draw to the community. He made himself available regularly to talk and especially, to listen. He has vision, intelligence and guts.

littlepigeon  Terrapin • a month ago

He is an excellent mayor and, although I support his presidential bid, I am also very sad to see him leave South Bend, my hometown. But I think we have always known that Peter is too good to keep to ourselves...

From the Files - 4

This is an occasional posting to savor the moments from past travels.

Walking in Cotswolds in 2014.

Pubs for lunch were our routine.

I know you see Dan in the photo above, but can you see me?

Whirlwind visits

Granddaughter has been with us since Friday morning. 

At 20 months she knows where all the toys and books are kept.

She's learned how to open our door handles so closing off rooms to her doesn't work any more.

Thankfully she sleeps 10 hours at night and we almost do the same.  We do nap when she does, to gather our strength.

She's a doll.

Sorry no direct front views at her mom's request.

Update on Pete Buttigieg

In order for Mayor Pete to get on the stage at the Democratic debates he needs 65,000 donors. 

I really think he needs to be heard on the national stage.  

Would you consider donating $3 to his Exploratory Committee so he will get there?  His last tweet said he was 85% there.  I just donated $3!

Here's the link

It's early in the campaign I know, but such a well reasoned voice needs to be heard by more people.

2020 Campaign

It's early and there are lots of candidates but this one's message and forward thinking has caught my attention.

You may want to check him out too.

Here's his website.

CNN has lots of clips from a recent town hall meeting.

Finally Jennifer Rubin in the Washington Post wrote this column about him. Read it here.

From the Files - 3

This is an occasional posting to savor the moments from past travels.

Two weeks in Scotland in 2017.  Some favorite vistas.

Loch Ness

Fields.

Framed 

Distant monument to a hero.

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

On Friday Dan and I drove to Washington to visit Cedar Hill, the home of Frederick Douglass from 1877 until his death in 1895.  The home was preserved by his 2nd wife Anna and in 1962 became a National Historic Site.

The house sits on a hill and has views in all directions.

Douglass was the 2nd owner of the house and added to it extensively.

If you are not familiar with Frederick Douglass you should read his first autobiography: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.  Dan recently did and I had read it years ago.  He was an amazing man, who with no formal education became an accomplished author, statesman, orator, and outspoken defender of abolition and women's rights.

Our visit started at the information center.

We joined a kindergarten class to watch the informative video about Douglass' life, then signed up for the tour joining a group from North Carolina.

While we waited we explored the exhibits there.

Douglass was a tall man as can be seen by this life sized statue.  Dan is 6'3".

He came to Washington because of his appointment as US Marshall.

We walked up the hill to the house for the tour.

These first graders are headed back to their bus.

The front porch with the views.

Stepping inside the front hall the stairs to the 2nd floor is in front of you and two parlors on either side.

The family parlor was to the right with the dining room beyond it.

The formal parlor was to the left with Douglass' study beyond that.

I could capture this portrait only by taken the photo through the mirror.

Upstairs on the 2nd floor were 5 bedrooms.  There was also a third floor with more rooms that we didn't see.

In Douglass' time lights were kerosene and heat was from burning coal in fireplaces and stoves.

There was no running water and plumbing was never added.

Most of the furnishings are original to the house since it was never occupied by any other families.

Quite a lovely home and worth the visit to learn about Douglass'.