Rainy Washington

As numerous people told me, I could not have picked a worse weekend to visit Washington. The weather was unbelievably bad -- the kind of weather that demands you stay home, in bed, under the covers. Rain, cold, raw winds, you name it.

Still, it was a good visit, mainly because of all the people I saw. I stayed with my friend Liz, an old pal from my Peace Corps days. I wandered around Washington on Saturday, despite the rain, with my blogging pal Reya, who always helps me see new things in a city I know like the back of my hand. And my friend Barbara and her husband David hosted a terrific dinner on Saturday for me, Liz, my high school friend Kevin and "Aileen" of Infinite Connections.

My main reason for visiting was to see all these folks, and the weather gods (as Reya would say) did not deter me.

Reya and I went to a wonderful exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of photos related to the production and use of oil. The photographer, Edward Burtynsky, followed the path of petroleum from drilling through refinement and use to its final stages as a waste product. It might sound very academic or preachy, but it wasn’t at all -- the images were beautiful, with incredible lines, colors, shadows and lighting. We’ve both been talking about our desires to expand our photographic skills in new directions, and this inspired us to consider seeing the possibilities in things we might otherwise consider ugly or unworthy of a photo.

As for the dinner party, well, there’s nothing like sitting around a table with a bunch of friends and sharing a great meal. I think the evening was especially meaningful to me, because friends from several different stages of my life were there. I only wish I’d had more time to spend with Kevin on this trip, and I wish Dave had been able to come. Everyone asked about him, and of course I missed him too.

Here are some more photos from D.C.:


Where am I again -- Times Square? Oh, no, I'm in Woodley Park, near the National Zoo.


From Starbucks near the Navy Memorial: “Hi, I’d like you to meet my sister, Spleonda.”


My street art finds will soon be posted on Flickr. Here’s one -- an angelic tribute to the late, great Keith Haring.

(Top photo: Leaves in a reflecting pond in Lafayette Park, across from the White House.)