Two-Tone

Did you ever notice the Washington Monument is two different colors?

Construction began in 1848 and went until 1854 when donations for the monument ran out. Then the Civil War came up. Construction resumed in 1879, but the builders couldn't find the same color marble used in the earlier stage.

Flip Side

This is the south Truman Balcony side of the White House. It's the end I never see because my office is on the north.

I took this shot from the National Christmas Tree along the big, circular drive called The Ellipse. So I was out last night with my camera and small tripod resting on an elevated plaque at The Ellipse. Some guy saw my long zoom lens and asked me whether I could tell if Obama wore boxers or briefs. In the full size 12 megapixel version of this shot you can pick out individual ornaments on the Christmas trees in the windows. See it large.

This is the side of White House you usually see, I noticed this south view on TV several times last night without even trying, it's pretty iconic.

4, 3, 2, 1 ... Merry Christmas!

Earlier this week I glanced at a headline in the paper about the National Christmas Tree. I figured I'd go see it, as it's a few blocks away from my office. Unfortunately I didn't actually read the article, or else I would have learned the lighting was Thursday, rather than Wednesday as I walked through 30° F cold to see a dark tree.

Tonight was the actual lighting, so I gave it another try. Unfortunately you needed a ticket to get in; the entire park where the tree stands was blocked off by armed guards because the President was there.

So I watched the lighting from the road, listened to a couple songs, then went off to get some dinner and let the program end and the crowd dissipate.

Later I walked back the third time and finally I got to see the tree up close — it's beautiful.

Money Always Gets In The Way

Standing at the side of the Treasury Building you can look down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol.

Before the Treasury was built, you could apparently see directly to the Capitol from the White House — it was a straight shot down Penn Avenue.

Maybe the symbolism is fitting these days that the capital is now on the way to getting to the Capitol.

Treasure

Flag and columns from the east side of the Treasury building, Washington DC.

St. John's Church

I've shown pictures of its landscaping, but I guess not of the actual St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church, in Washington DC. I find it an unusual church building because of its striking color, but St. John's is also distinguished because of its POTUS parishioners. The plaque outside reads:

Every President of the United States since President James Madison has attended occasional services here. Many of them were communicants of the parish.

St. John's is along the north end of the White House bordering Lafayette Park, and it's a beautiful landmark along my path between work buildings when I'm walking to and from meetings.

Walk in Shadow

Pennsylvania Avenue near the end of the day, Washington, DC.

Steuben

As a former resident of Steuben County, New York I was interested to know about this statue I pass often in DC's Lafayette Park.

Baron von Steuben was a Prussian military officer that came to serve the American colonists as a general in the Revolutionary War alongside George Washington. He is called the "drillmaster of the American Revolution" for introducing military training and discipline to the Continental Army.

After his retirement, he had a summer home in Remsen, near Utica, NY, a couple hours west of us. He is buried there, at what is now the Steuben Memorial State Historic Site.

Southeast

A beautiful fall morning looking southeast from the middle of Lafayette Park in Washington, DC. The Treasury is in the distance behind the golden trees.

This would be a picture of the White House if I spun my camera a quarter turn to the right.

My Favorite Mistake

This was a mistake I made this summer at the edge of the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

I was using my tripod to take these really long exposures, like 20 and 30 seconds.

After one picture I went to zoom my lens to change views. What I didn't realize was my camera was still in the middle of taking the previous picture. And this is what I got.

Happy Veterans Day

I work for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. One of the nicer things about my agency is its clear-cut mission. I'll be sitting in meetings and someone will say, "What would be best for our veterans?" That little possessive word "our" says a lot. I love that dedication to our citizen audience. I can happily report this attitude is ever-present.

This photo is from the front of VA's headquarters, which is within sight of the White House. The quote on the lower plaque is from Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, delivered a month before the Civil War ended. Lincoln used the occasion to make a statement on the nation's next "course to be pursued," which included caring for veterans and their families.

Lincoln's speech does not mark the start of caring for military veterans and their families on the American continent — it is evidenced among the Plymouth colonists and earlier American civilizations. And it is a priority VA helps lead today, which I am glad to be a part of.

Dappled

Facade of the Hotel AKA across the street from my office in DC.

Autumn in White

Last Friday in Washington DC. I had a morning meeting a few blocks from my office so I took my camera along to sightsee on the walk back.

Their fall is a little behind ours in New York. The sun was still low and golden — it was brisk but otherwise sunny and beautiful. Just a great time to be out walking around.

I'm used to seeing red flowers around the waterfall on the north lawn of the White House, so this was a little surprise I loved finding.

Spires Afire

One of the scenes from my trip last Friday on my way home from a week in DC — the Washington DC Temple.

What's amazing about this shot is it's a total grab taken at 65+ mph on the Beltway from the back of a bouncing shuttle through tinted windows. Despite the odds, when I saw the spires emerging the flaming trees I had to give it a try.

I want to kiss whoever invented camera vibration reduction right on the mouth.

Details, Details

Nighttime details of the incredible glass mosaics as seen from the outside of St. Stephen Martyr Church, in the Foggy Bottom area of Washington, DC.

St. Stephen Martyr

I carried my tripod to DC with me this week, and it stayed in my suitcase all week. I was going to drag it out and use it before I left, and that was that.

Last night I went photographing in front of St. Stephen Martyr Catholic Church in Foggy Bottom, almost next to my hotel. I had walked past this church on Pennsylvania Avenue many times on my way to Georgetown to go shopping or walk around, and always admired the mosaic of glass across the entire front of the church.

Around 9:00 a priest wearing a collar found me shooting on the street and I talked with him for a few minutes about how beautiful I found the front of the church. He explained it's not actually stained glass, but chunks of glass set in concrete done in 1961. (I told him the Mormon Temple in DC used the same technique in the stairwells.)

The priest said I should really see it from the inside sometime during the day. So this morning I got up early and went inside when it was open to the public.

I took my camera but promised myself I wouldn't take a picture if there were others there — I could imagine the clacking of my shutter echoing in the sanctuary being a little distracting to others trying to meditate.

When I got inside, there was only one woman in the corner of the large chapel doing some recitation to herself. So I pulled out my phone and read scriptures too, hoping I could wait her out. Eventually she got up — yes! But then she didn't leave, she went up to the front of the church and turned on a light, as if she worked there.

I decided she was done meditating, plus she was far away from me in the back of the church. I made careful settings on the camera, checked everything twice, squeezed off one shot, then got the heck out.

As you can see, it is spectacular.

World War II Memorial

The National World War II Memorial is not as stark and daring as other memorials I'm used to seeing in Washington. It's slung low and spread out. It's certainly not as soaring or iconic. I've been there 3-4 times and if you asked me to draw a picture of it, I'd have a hard time identifying distinguishing characteristics.

Perhaps the lack of a striking feature is an element of the design. Service men and women came from all walks of life to enter WWII — this is a tribute to doing your duty, rising to the task, pulling together as part in a group effort. This memorial does not recognize a singular hero rising above all others. It's instead about the concerted effort of many.

Alignment

Deep telephoto view from the World War II Memorial, looking eastward to the Washington Monument, and the Capitol, two miles away.

Seeing Stars

Onlookers at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. Each star represents 100 Americans who died in the war — there are 4,048.

Oh. That's Awkward

The other day in my Albany office I pulled out my Park Service map of DC, knowing I'd be in town this week. I saw a little dot under the White House and Treasury buildings for a Boy Scout Memorial. "Wow," says I, never saw that there before. So I decided to check it out last night.

Walking around DC and not yet bumping into it, I asked a police officer if he knew where it was. He told me to go another block down and look for the really tall naked guy.

OK, thanks.

Uh, what?

I approached from behind (no mistaking that) and sure enough there's a scantily clad man and woman following a young Boy Scout around on a hike. It's the weirdest thing I think I've ever seen. From the NPS catalog:

The Boy Scout, aware of his fellowship with Scouts around the world, and symbolic of all Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers striding into the future, represents their hope that all that is fine in our nation’s past will continue to live in future generations.

The male figure symbolizes love of country, citizenship, patriotism, loyalty, honor, integrity, courage, clean living, and physical development.

The female figure symbolizes the spiritual qualities of good citizenship: enlightenment with the light of faith, love of god, high ideals, liberty, freedom, democracy, love of humanity, lighting the way.

I get it — DC has a lot of statues of classical figures in the buff. But even in 1964 this one's an anachronistic mix with the Greeks alongside a Scout in uniform.

A couple weeks ago I watched a mandatory video for all adult Scout leaders on protecting youth from sexual abuse. Certainly the sight of a big naked man following a Boy Scout around was not what I was expecting as the statue.

Is this a soaring tribute that I'm just too base to appreciate?