Wheels Up

Wheels up

Nothing too special today. Just a shot of a flight taking off from Washington National Airport one bright morning.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Skywatch

MPD Dispatch Tower reaches for the sky

Out walking yesterday, I realized again just how fond I've grown of the Metropolitan Police Department's dispatch tower on Georgia Avenue. It can be seen in upper Northwest Washington from as far away as the U.S. Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. It's a point of reference in this part of D.C. and, combined with yesterday's blue skies and gauzy clouds, it makes a perfect subject for Skywatch Friday.

To view more than 300 submissions to this growing, global phenomenon, go here.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 10/08

For Those in Peril on the Sea

The Navy and Merchant Marine Memorial on the banks of the Potomac River

This beautiful memorial, located in Lady Bird Johnson Park off of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, is dedicated to the men of the Navy and Merchant Marine who perished at sea during World War I. Called the Navy-Marine Memorial, it features seven seagulls--symbolizing the seven seas--in flight over cresting waves.

The monument was designed by Harvey Corbett in 1922 and sculpted by Ernesto del Piatta. It was dedicated in 1934. Originally, the "Waves and Gulls", as it is nicknamed, rested on a concrete slab. The slab was replaced with granite in 1940. An inscription on the memorial reads, "To the strong souls and ready valor of those men of the United States who, in the Navy, Merchant Marine, and other paths of activity upon the waters of the world, have given life or still offer it in the performance of heroic deeds this monument is dedicated by a grateful people."

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Sticking the Landing

Sticking the Landing : Washington National Airport

August has been uncharacteristically pleasant this year--moderate temperatures most days, low humidity, blue skies. It's almost weird. But I'm not complaining. Normally at this time of the year, we're all melting into the pavement with temperatures in the 90s and humidity at 90% or more. Hazy, hot, and humid is usually the standard descriptor, but not this year!

Landing in blue

In recognition of the great weather, I went out for a few hours yesterday evening and again tonight. I decided to head over to Gravelly Point north of Washington National Airport and try my hand at timed exposures of planes landing. These are a couple of the 35 landings I captured.

Summer sunset : Gravelly Point : Arlington, Virginia

The evening also featured a beautiful sunset. Note that beautiful blue sky and pink-tinged clouds. Normally, sunsets in August are sort of a yellowish color because of the humidity. I think I like this better!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 08/08

Benched

Benches for resting and enjoying a view of the Potomac on the
George Washington Memorial Parkway--a popular running, walking, and biking path.

Yesterday, my dad come over from the States to help me with my landscaping project. It's a damn good thing he did, too. Otherwise, I'd be nowhere near where we are this morning. We worked our tails off! So much so that this picture of these benches on the George Washington Memorial Parkway look quite comfortable. This popular running, walking, and biking path lies parallel to the Parkway and runs from just above Washington all the way to Mt. Vernon--14 miles from the capital city to the plantation of America's most beloved leader and first president, George Washington.

But, no rest for the wicked, as they say. It's 6:00 AM as I post this. Dad is on his way over again. We're going to work together until around 8:30 and then I have to bug out for a few hours. I have tickets to President Lincoln's summer cottage on the grounds of the Old Soldier's Home over near Rock Creek Cemetery. After that, it's off to the States and Tyson's Corner in Virginia where I'm attending a pen show at the Sheraton. Then it's back home to pick up where I'll be leaving off and helping Dad some more.

I'll be bringing you pictures from the cottage, the pen show, my landscaping project, and the Montgomery County Fair, as well as a new venture I'm undertaking in portrait photography, all next week!

Whew! What are you doing this weekend?

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

In the Leafy Tree Tops...

Squirrel munching nut in tree limbs

As I've been out and about, I've tried to pay attention to things going on in the trees above me and making an effort to get better at taking pictures of critters and the like. Here are just a few of my valiant efforts over the last few weeks.

Bumblebee buzzing away from the bush in which it was bumbling about.

I caught me a squirrel and a cardinal. Oh, and a bee in a bush. I love watching the squirrels scurry around the house and neighborhood! The other morning, I watched four of them chasing each other across the telephone wires. The frontrunner took a flying leap and made the tree perpendicular to the wire. The second squirrel made it, too. The third little fellow jump a little too soon and barely made the tree. The fourth one stopped, chattered, turned around and went back the way they'd all come!

A cardinal in the tree behind my house

Cardinals defy adequate adjectival description. They are simply stunning in color and playfulness. The day I caught this little guy, there were three of them--two males and a female. I tried to get all three in one photo, but they wouldn't sit still for very long. I was lucky to get this decent picture! But, boy, they are beautiful.

Enjoy!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 6/08

Study in Blue

Gentleman in Blue on a Bench :
Laurel Avenue : Takoma Park, Maryland

Again, random photos with no particular meaning except these are a variation on a theme of blue! Hope you've enjoyed yesterday's and today's entries. One of tomorrow's entries will feature things yellow and orange. How droll, no?

River Visual : Roosevelt Island : Washington, D.C.

Blue Bead Bento Box : S&A Beads : Takoma Park, Maryland

Ethereal Dusk :
Washington DC Mormon Temple : Kensington, Maryland

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 6/08

Just For Fun

Random, macro flower shot :
Seventh-Day Adventist Church : Takoma Park, Maryland

These photos don't really have a purpose or any special information. They're just random objects I shot while I was out shooting other, more specific things over the last week or so. Enjoy!

Bridge No. DC 1133 :
George Washington Memorial Parkway : Arlington County, Virginia

Accidental shutter release captures reflection in my car :
Outside My House : Washington, D.C.

Flattened fork as litter :
Corner of 8th and Van Buren : Washington, D.C.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 6/08

Two Things Challenge: Parallel / Perpendicular

Parallel: Train tracks frame a beautiful, clear blue sky.

This week's 2 Things Challenge was Parallel / Perpendicular. Here are my interpretations. The first photo was taken as I was walking home from Takoma Park, Maryland. This is the divided bridge for Metro (our subway transit system) and CSX and MARC (a commerce carrier and the Maryland long-distance commuter rail, respectively.) I thought this was a good example of Parallel.

Perpendicular was a little harder than I expected. I thought about cheating and posting an archived picture of Cape Hatteras (NC) Lighthouse or Point Arena (CA) Lighthouse, but that didn't seem fair. Then I thought about posting another picture of the Georgia Avenue MPD Dispatch Tower, but I've posted several pictures of that already. Or the Washington Monument, but that seemed to easy and obvious. (And apparently overdone. I didn't realize I'd posted this many pictures of the WaMo.) Plus, I used that memorial for last week's challenge. So, I got off my lazy duff, took a walk, and here's the result: street lamps!

Perpendicular: Street lamp on the George Washington Memorial Parkway

I had several street lamps I photographed, but I liked this one best because it had perpendicular going on several times. Or am I stretching beyond belief?

Parallel columns on a perpendicular plain: Perfect!

Then I took this photo last Sunday, which I was going to include in my entry about the National Gallery of Art, but I already had enough pictures going on there. This is a fountain of Mercury, the Messenger God, on the main floor of the West Building of the NGA. I thought this captured both Parallel and Perpendicular perfectly!

If you'd like to participate in a fun, weekly challenge, check out 2 Things Challenge.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 6/08

The Netherlands Carillon

The Netherlands Carillon:
A symbol of empowering the voiceless.

The Netherlands Carillon, a gift from the people of the Netherlands to the people of the United States, commemorates the liberation of the Dutch by U.S.-led Allied Forces in World War II. It rises on ground adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery and is a short walk from the Marine Corps Memorial.

One of two lions sculpted by Paul Koning
that guard the entrance to the carillon plaza.

In 1954, the carillon of 49 bells made its first temporary home in West Potomac Park and formally accepted by the United States that same year. In 1960, the present tower was built and the bells moved to its present site on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. In 1995, the Netherlands gave the U.S. a 50th bell to commemorate 50 years of post-war friendship and diplomacy. The carillon chimes daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Line of sight:
A view of Washington from the plaza of the Netherlands Carillon
(Click on image to enlarge.)

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 6/08