Ahhh, Spring!

Get the kids out of the room. I'm going to swear.

It is Springtime in Washington. Naturally, you've seen some pictures. And now, you're about to see mine.

I actually took that photo myself. The sky is blue; the flowers are pink; everything is in proper focus and framing. You're shocked, aren't you? The famous cherry blossoms of Washington are so stunning that even my poor photography skills cannot dim their beauty.

It's lovely, isn't it? Flowers and flowering trees are on every corner...

...and in front of even the most humble rowhouse. This is what it looked like for the first week of April. But then there's this other angle...

This is the windshield of my car. Do you see all that crud covering the windshield? That's one day's worth of POLLEN.

(Right here, I want you to know, I have NO known allergies, but if you pour rocks in my eyes, yes, it will bug.)

So what is this next shot, you might ask?

That is the front hood of my small BLACK car. Well, somewhere under all that pale green gunk, right? You can see where the nasty little pollen-carrying meteors struck down and the residual muck left behind. Do you know anyone whose eyeballs can withstand an onslaught of this level of pollen, stamen, floral debris flying by on every breeze? I think not.

I hate to gripe, but our city's streets are not "paved with gold." They are clogged with pollen, seeds, and assorted other green and eyeball-gravel-inducing agonies. Little microscopic things that nature intended to grab onto things; born to attach by use of hooks, burrs and the equivalent of organic Velcro, carried on breezes to sanctuary in any passing human's ocular or nasal orifices.

My eyes turn red, just looking at the six kinds of organic clutter in that gutter. The sad thing is, our city's most nicest residents end up playing in these streets.

This is Jordan and her brother Henry; that's their very generous mother standing by to allow me to photograph them. They were on a bit of an inner city nature hike. 4-year old Jordan has just discovered the wonder of STICKS. (Forgive the photo; Jordan is quite beautiful and Henry is a man after my own heart. In other words, he has a pulse and is wonderfully polite and charming.)

There is no escaping this annual air-borne misery because every homeowner in the area wants to have something, no matter how small, flowering in their front yard.

All of which leads me to one inescapable conclusion and agonizing statement:

Darn you, Costco!

Snow Cabin Fever? Not. Yet.

There's a big storm hovering over the Mid-Atlantic states. You may have heard about it. It includes Washington, DC where I live. We've been sorta cowering in our orthopedic shoes (It's town full of wonks and you thought Louboutins?) for the past 4 or 5 days. Let me show you a little of what that looks like.

A very little... at least to start.

This is the view as I was driving by at 2pm Friday on the 14th Street bridge. This particular bridge is the main entrance into the city's downtown, and if you've ever come for a visit, it's is very likely that this how you got into the city.

See the trucks? You're thinking "Marti, didn't we just get you to stop texting and driving?" Well, yes, but I was actually sitting in traffic. Nothing freaks out Washingtonians like snow, and nothing is more synonymous with "freak out" here more than stalled traffic. I was going nowhere fast.

More trucks. You might think they actually were preparing for the snow. You could almost get the idea they knew how to handle a weather event. But, as we all know, you'd be wrong.

On the way in to the city, please notice our beautiful memorials and monuments. This is the Jefferson Memorial.

That snow a-top the roof? That's from the last go-round of winter a week or so ago. That spot doesn't get much sun. But doesn't it sorta say something about what we're headed for?

This is a poor, dead soldier, body left in the street to fall to dust. Gave his all for me and my fellow travelers. Reminds me of some people I know.

I got a little worried and went into the office a couple of hours after taking these pictures on Friday afternoon. The snow was piled rather deep by the time I got up for work at 6 o'clock this morning. It's not expected to stop until 8 or 9pm tonight.

So I'm making the most of it. I've picked up a few extra shifts in the next couple of days. A friend has loaned me four of the latest Blockbuster Rentals and his mini-DVD player.

And of course, I've got everything I need for a heckuva a snowman. Snow sculptures. Snowforts. Snow angels. Snow ice cream. Snowy picture postcards. Snowballs. Snow boulders. And probably even for an excessively annoying life as a snow-bound shut-in.

I'll post those pictures in a bit.

A White Washington Christmas...

As anyone who knows me can tell you, I don't like snow. So imagine my surprise when I had to go move the car today and found myself playing in the white stuff on the way back. These are some pictures I took... until the snow did something bad to the camera. It almost seemed that...

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...
Snow really does cover a multitude of the sins that Washingtonians heap upon their historic city. The snow started falling early Saturday and covered right over all the grey prospects, bleak attitudes and dark worries that we all seem to have this year very nicely. Very nicely, indeed!

Just like the ones I used to know.
So very much snow. This is the next street that runs perpendicular to the one where I live. That's my little black car, buried under a foot of snow on the right. I dug it out. I can't underestimate the value of good leather mittens, particularly now that I've returned to the east coast and multiple seasons. *Sigh.

Where the tree tops glisten...
It's true that if you smile and fake it, you might start to feel it. In this weather, you might also get chappy lips! This weekend, walking around in the snow, it didn't feel so cold. I started to run and play a little. Someone passing by said, "You better watch it! Get that childlike enthusiasm under control this instant!" And I had to admit to myself, I was having fun.

And children listen...
There were lots of kids out with their parents. The neighborhood where I live, is very "up and coming," with a mix of races and ages that I find appealing. However, the camera went down. So if you'd like to see pictures of children in snow, check here, as the Washington Post's current crop of photography recruits seem to prefer children and dogs. (Someone call and remind them that CREATIVITY is actually what WashPo subscribers prefer.)

To hear sleighbells in the snow.
No bells where I live. I woke to a remarkable silence both Saturday and Sunday. Snow inspires quiet and it's a cherished benefit.

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...

This man is shoveling the walk in front of his neighbor's sidewalk. Now that is holiday spirit!
With every Christmas card I write.
You wanted to see this picture, didn't you? I didn't take the Capitol picture. I didn't get this far from home and besides, the camera died. It's little holiday gifty for you (and me!) from the cyber-world.

May your days be merry and bright...

It is beautiful, isn't it? It is so beautiful and yes, I was standing in the middle of the street. But so was everyone else. Otherwise, you were clomping around in 15-20 inch deep snow. Everywhere.

And may all your Christmases be white.

Wow, look at that! It almost looks like I'm singing. Aren't you relieved to know I'm NOT!

The Road Not Taken

This is the road not taken. Well, not by me anyway.

I was driving past this street when I glanced up. Seeing saw all the colors of the leaves, lining both sides up and down, and being only a couple of blocks away from home, I pulled over and snapped a couple of shots. It may very well be the road not taken, but isn't it beautiful?

It seems my beloved friends in California and Utah think I am missing out by being on th East Coast. But my friends in Washington and I would like you to know that, in fact, you may be missing out. And I thought I would show you a little of what this season brings in the District of Columbia.

This time of year, the number of tourists in Washington is on the way down. Oh, we still have plenty of stragglers in town.

This was a gaggle coming out of the Jefferson Memorial this morning. There are not as many as when those cursed Cherry Blossoms bring out the walker and wheelchair set in the springtime every year.

I'm guessing this is the asthma and allergy sufferers group, getting out to enjoy the clear autumn days.

They still manage to stack up buses around the monuments, waiting for the eager riders to return from their meanderings.

And why shouldn't they be here? Fall is one of the best, prettiest times in Washington, which is one of the most beautiful cities in the World.

Just look what you are missing: October rains seem to clear our air and brighten everything around them. They make the world look richer, cleaner, and more colorful.

And look what a simple break in the clouds accomplishes in this little wooded area. Yes, there is indeed a bit of seasonal bloom everywhere you look.

What might be just another tree at any other time of the year suddenly becomes quite a stunner!

And there's still enough warmth (minus the city's legendary summer humidity) to make an afternoon game of rugby take on historic importance.

So if you're in the area, please come this direction. You never know what you'll see just around the next turn.

The reality and my message is, that wherever you are is wonderful. Some people complain about the rain, but to my thinking, it turns the outdoors into a jeweled wonderland. The sound of it falling is nature's own heartbeat.

Yes, it's a change from the summer heat. And still different from the snows ahead. It's a moment in time to relish the last days of warmth, store up memories and prepare for long months of cold ahead.

Or at the very least, get out the skis and enjoy an afternoon of polishing them in the carport with the rain running by alongside.

Do I Lead A More Exciting Life than You?

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, yes! Life in the District of Columbia is sometimes a bit dull, but never without its quirky little "Capital of the Free World" mini-dramas.

"Today in the United States Capital, we are enjoying cloudy skies, high humidity, reasonable temps (for July) and a weird little warning."

I noticed the first reference to it on a listserv that I signed up for years back, and kept with through my time in Los Angeles. Now that I'm back on the East Coast, it's full of all manner of "for sale" and "help wanted" stuff.

But today, a message said:

*Security Information Alert

**From: Wilson, Kelly (MPD)

Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 9:34 AM

Subject: Flash Mob at DC Locations on Friday

Importance: High

We have seen violence with Flash Mobs in New York and Pennsylvania. One flash mob in Philadelphia pulled drivers out of their cars and assaulted pedestrians and
severely beat a cyclist. ** **

**Implication for DC: Flash mobs could potentially disrupt traffic, entry/exit from train stations, and businesses. A flash mob is an electronically-organized event that creates the appearance of a seemingly random gathering of people. Participants gather and perform an unusual action for a brief moment, then quickly disperse. ** **

**Flash mob locations and times for July 17:

Union Station: 8:30 a.m.Freedom Plaza: 10:30 a.m.

Lincoln Memorial: 12:30 p.m.

Dupont Circle: 1:30 p.m.

Embassy of Pakistan, Iranian Interests Section 3:30 p.m.*

I spotted another notice when I logged into a government email account that was recently opened for me at a part-time government media job. (See! I can tell you that without having to kill you. So now you know I don't work for the CIA.)

I am telling you this just to remind you that I do, in fact, lead a much more exciting life than you. Yup, full of opportunities to be beaten senseless while cycling, fattened by french fry gifts, and lugging around a 3 year old who thinks she is Princess of the Universe.

On a more serious note, it's an interesting little view into the Beltway Universe, isn't it? Yes, I do know lots and lots of very important people. I probably can expect to meet lots more in the future, too. But I also sit in Beltway traffic, swelter in the humidity, avoid metro stops where terrorists have organized and assigned mini-meltdowns among would might have appeared to be passersby, and probably see emails between South Carolina's Governor Mark Sander and his Argentinian mistress a few minutes before you do.

Aren't I the lucky one?

(Inside ballgame note: isn't it fascinating that the first concern listed under "implication" is that traffic, transit and business could be disrupted?)

The End of the Innocence

A Maryland scientist who worked on a vaccine against anthrax has committed suicide. Prosecutors say 62-year old Bruce Ivins was about to be indicted in connection with the 2001 anthrax scares in Washington DC. The government's top lawyers were considering whether to seek the death penalty in the case when Ivins apparently killed himself.

For those of us who lived in Washington during the weeks and months after September 11, 2001, this is somewhat of a relief. A former colleague and I were discussing our "day of" stories earlier this week, and it all came flooding back: the shock and numbness of that horrible day; the regular sight of troops in the Nation's Capitol thereafter, and watching our countrymen turn from a happy, relatively naive status to victims of terrorism.

Then came the anthrax attacks. The government investigator's working theory is that Ivins wanted to highlight our vulnerability. His "highlights" killed five people and further terrorized the nation. It was a lesson that cost too much.

I don't know if Bruce Ivins was responsible, but I'm sorry for his loss. I'm also sorry for the loss of innocence in a nation that quickly joined the rest of the world in its understanding of terrorism. Things that hadn't been seen on our shores suddenly became real and have never been far from our thoughts since. Ivins' death won't restore that loss or bring back those good feelings.