Wind, Weeds, and a Trip Down South (Lots of Photos)

I spent most of my mornings last week waiting for things to warm up before going outdoors to work. The mornings were frosty cold. But after the sun was up for an hour or two, the days were pleasant and it was a pleasure to be out in the sunshine doing productive things. While waiting to go out on those mornings, I spent my time doing more family history research.

Once it was warm enough to go outside, I spent most of the day weeding. I must have pulled up a hundred dandelions from the flower beds. And I can’t count the number of chickweed and speedwell plants I dug up. I find weeding to be both therapeutic and frustrating. A weeding session makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. I have a pile of evidence in front of me when I’m done. But knowing that it will all grow back, that it is a Sisyphean task, frustrates me more than a little. I wish the plants I planted grew as rambunctiously as the weeds do.

A patch of muscari.

A patch of narcissus.

On Monday afternoon we finished the high tunnel. Stacey, Miriam, and Hannah, and I put the cover on and secured it. As soon as we were done we went inside the tunnel and were amazed at how warm it was. But our amazement was cut short. Tuesday was a very windy day and when I went out to the big garden in the morning, the cover to the high tunnel was flapping violently in the wind. The supports we used were not strong enough to hold it down. The frame stood firm, but the cover was too loose. So we took it off again until we can figure out a way to secure it better.

The finished high tunnel before had to take the cover off again.

Wednesday morning there was no frost, but that was because it was raining. Rain is a frustrating blessing. It blesses my garden, yet hinders me from working in it. I used Wednesday’s rain as an excuse to sit indoors and read. I’m re-reading Frank Herbert’s Dune books (it’s been at least 25 years since I last read them) and that day I finished book three, Children of Dune, and started on book four, God Emperor of Dune. After this one, there is just one more. They are complicated and engrossing science fiction masterpieces and I’m enjoying reading them again.

Thursday morning it was cold, 22°, and frosty. I contemplated taking a walk before sunrise, but chickened out as soon as I stepped onto the front porch. We were busy that morning preparing for another quick trip south. This time we were headed to Maryland for a Shillig family gathering on Saturday. We decided to go a little early and have an adventure. We left shortly after noon on Thursday and headed down state. As we drove through Duncannon we felt sad that we were not stopping, as we usually did, to say hello to Aunt Esther, who passed away last November. We drove on to Bethesda, Maryland, and arrived at our hotel at 7:00 p.m. Kurt and Julie, who left last Monday to visit friends in Virginia, were already at the hotel. Kurt and Julie used some of their travel points to get us a room at the Hyatt, which was very nice.

Our room at the Hyatt was on the tenth floor.

Riding on the Metro.

Friday was our big adventure day. The four of us rode the Metro from Bethesda into Washington D.C. Stacey and Miriam had plans to spend the day at the National Archives doing family history research, so that was our first stop. Stacey had reserved a time slot for us to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It was awesome to see such important documents, especially the Constitution. I wish our nation was truly being governed according to it’s principles. As I looked at the Constitution, scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants came to my mind – 

Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood. (D&C 101:79-80)

And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me. Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land; And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil. I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free. Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn. (D&C 98:5-9)

Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the nations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever. (D&C 109:54)

In front of the National Archives.

At the Archives.

Miriam at the Archives.

Stacey and Miriam stayed at the National Archives and Hannah and I went out to explore the Mall. I’d only been there twice before and then only briefly. I wanted to get a closer look at the monuments and visit the Smithsonian. Over the next several hours, we traversed the entire Mall. We walked around the Washington Monument and then we went to the Lincoln Memorial. From there we walked along the Potomac River and the Tidal Pool to the Jefferson Memorial. Then we went back up to the Smithsonian and spent some time in the Museum of Natural History. From there we walked up to the Capitol building. We were too late to take a full tour, but got to take the short tour of the Rotunda. It was late in the afternoon by then and we were really hungry. We made it to the Capitol Café just as it was closing and had a very expensive slice of mediocre pizza. Then Stacey and Miriam sent us a message to tell us they were done with their research and were headed back to the Metro station, so we walked down and met them there and rode the train back to our hotel in Bethesda. Hannah and I were pretty worn out from all the walking. We figured we walked about eight miles. We ordered a much better pizza and Kurt and Julie joined us in our room for dinner.

At the Washington Monument.

The Lincoln Memorial.

At the Lincoln Memorial.

The Jefferson Memorial.

In the Natural History Museum.

The Hope Diamond.

The Capitol.

The Capitol Rotunda.

Our expensive pizza.

Azaleas at the Capitol Mall.

The longest escalator I've ever been on in the Metro station.

Yesterday, Saturday, was a great day. We drove to the Washington D.C. Temple where we met up with lots of family for our niece Kailie and her husband Ian and their baby Theo’s sealing. Stacey’s oldest brother, Kailie’s parents, Bill and his wife Lark were there. Five of Bill and Lark’s ten children with some spouses were there – Aaron, Jake and his wife Caroline, Luke, Audrey and her husband Trevor and their baby, and, of course Kailie and Ian and Theo. Kurt and Julie were there and some member’s of the Murray’s ward. It was a wonderful experience. I love to be in the temple with my family. Some of these people I hadn’t seen in years and years and some I met for the first time. And the Washington Temple is so beautiful. Afterward we took some photos in front of the temple. It was raining a little, but that didn’t dampen our spirits.

The fountain at the temple.

At the temple.

Bill and Lark with Kailie, Ian, and Theo.

The Murrays on their sealing day.

All the family at the temple.

We left from the temple to drive home. The rest of the family went to the Murray’s house to have lunch. The drive home was long. We arrived home at 8:00 as it was getting dark. I went down right away to collect three days worth of eggs – 74 of them! Our weekend trip was very quick with a lot of time spent in the car, but it was so great to see so much family. I was amazed as we drove south to see how advanced spring was. We saw crab apple, redbud, and pink and white dogwood trees in bloom. There were gorgeous azalea bushes in the gardens and yards. We saw flowerbeds filled with tulips and other flowers. The trees were well leafed out and green. Then as we drove north again, retreating back into our mountains, spring moved in reverse as redbud and dogwood gave way to Juneberry and  trees that have barely broken into leaf. Even so, spring is moving forward here, just a little slower.

We’re home from church now. It’s a lovely warm day. I took a quick walk around the yard when we got home, noting the things I will work on this week, mostly pulling weeds and mowing. The weather is supposed to be warm, in the 70's all week and no frost predicted at night. That makes me happy. I feel pretty worn out from the weekend’s travels and plan on a nap after lunch and before chore time to help me recover. Sabbath naps seem to have some special rejuvenating quality to them. And then away we’ll go into the last days of April.