These people look like a group, but of what? Tourists? Constituents? Protesters? It's anyone's guess. They are 39 years older now. Yikes!
I think I heard thunder this morning. There are wet spots on the deck, so we had some rain. More rain is predicted for Wednesday and Thursday. Our heat wave is officially over.
Across from the US Capitol's east front, on the House side, stands the Thomas Jefferson Building, the oldest of the three main buildings that house the US Library of Congress. It's built in the Beaux Arts style of architecture. At the building's entrance is the Court of Neptune Fountain, completed in 1898. I didn't take any photos of the Adams or Madison buildings on this walk. However, they are equally impressive in their own architectural styles, Art Deco in the case of the Adams Building and a more contemporary 1970s style for the Madison.
By the way, most of the info about these buildings comes from the LOC's Wikipedia page.
It was chilly this morning. I wore jeans and a sweatshirt (!) on my walk with Tasha. Is there a hint of fall in the air?
When I worked in DC back in the mid-1980s, I was in the Cannon House Office Building on Independence Avenue and 1st Street, SE, a stone's throw from the House in the capitol. It's twin, the Russell Senate Office building, is located on Constitution Avenue and 1st Street, NE. The buildings are nearly identical and I can't tell from the photo which one this is. I think it's the Russell Building, but I wouldn't swear to it.
Our heat wave is showing signs of breaking. The mornings are getting cooler and the afternoon highs are getting lower. It's still hot, though.
Set the WABAC Machine to August 1986! Ken and I lived in Washington, DC, on Capitol Hill, just a short walk from the US Capitol. That month we were packing up and otherwise preparing for our big move to San Francisco. I had a roll of black and white film and decided to use it up, first for this stroll around the capitol and later during the first leg of our drive to California. I'm digitizing most of those photos now, to have if I somehow lose the originals. I'll share a few of them here.
This, as most people might recognize, is the US Capitol building. I worked in a nearby building in the office of a member of Congress (now deceased). I took a short walk around the buildings, kind of a good-bye after our four years in Washington. I know a lot has changed since we lived there, but it was fun while we were there. I've been back for fun and for work a few times in the decades since. Good memories.
Wild chicory is plentiful out in the margins of the vineyard parcels out back. I've featured it here many times. So here it is again, photographed as the sun rose, before their characteristically blue flowers opened for the day.
Today's a holiday: l'Assomption, the Assumption of Mary. There are two weeks left in the summer vacances scolaires; September 1 is back-to-school day for the French kids. Meanwhile, the heat goes on. Nothing new weather-wise.
... and the fig tree taketh away. Well, not really. But what it gives is harder than igneous rocks and inedible. By humans in any case. Insects and birds seem to enjoy it all.
Eyeglass Chronicles, part 78. I had an appointment to see the ophthalmologist yesterday, but when I got to the medical building, the lights were off and the place was locked up, more or less tight. Turns out that they made my appointment at their other offices, about 40 kilometers away. Why they would think I wanted that, I cannot say. The appointment was made for late in the day, after their phones went off line, so I couldn't even call them to let them know (no voice messaging available after hours -- that's helpful). So today I've got to ring them back* to let them know what happened. All they know at this point is that I was a no-show. Will this never end?
* Chose faite (done). No problems.
It's easy to see anthills in the vineyard road. The road is covered with gravel of different sorts and colors, most frequently white limestone. The soil beneath that gravel is red clay. The ants dig down into the clay and carry it out of their nest before dumping it around the entrance.
Our weather forecast predicts highs in the upper 30s through the week and morning lows above 21ºC (about 70ºF). That, after three days of the same, is officially une canicule (heat wave) in our part of France. Ugh. We won't be able to complain that we didn't have a summer this year. August has turned out to be a scorcher, even if it started out cold and rainy.
