All in a year--

One Saturday morning we packed up the dog, stuffed some clothes in a suitcase, grabbed the camera, squeezed in the PT Cruiser, and we headed northwest for New York State.
A day later we were looking over Niagara's American Falls.

I made an inquiry concerning barrel rides over the falls, and was told that this concession was no longer in business. "Hit bottom when the economy hit the rocks?" I did quoth.
Although the Niagara River is only about 3 feet deep as the swift moving water approaches the falls, the volume of water is tremendous, and the falls make a thunderous noise!

CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE IMAGE

"A picture is worth a thousand words."

With that threadbare adage said, my blog will henceforth be more of a visual nature so as to assuage the TV generation.

Buddhist Monks hamming it up for the camera.


SUNRISE AT WASHINGTON'S MONUMENT

Recent repairs to monument's edge.

The Elevator

The ride up is fast and crowded, especially on weekends and Holidays.
They allow only as many people up as can fit into the confines of the elevator.
Inhaling, and holding our breath the whole way, so as to make us feel as much like sardines in a can as possible.

NOTE:
If you want to visit this monument you will have to arrive at the ticket kiosk before sunrise. The Park Service only hands out a limited number of timed-entry tickets (though they are free).

The Lincoln Memorial

Once at the top you immediately realize that this monolith sways in the wind.
Unnerving? Yawh, sure, ya'betcha!
It gave me the Starbucks, quad-espresso, screaming jitters.

Your activities are always monitored, and you can no longer walk the stairs up or down.
This view is looking up into the interior of the very top.

One of the four window portals.

Monument as sundial.

At ground level.

Cherry trees lining the Tidal Basin, and the Jefferson Memorial, the river is the Potomac.
When sponsored activities take place on the Potomac River the water is tested for pollutants. If the water is too contaminated, the event is postponed.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS
March 2010

Cherry trees at peak bloom with Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House, the Custiss-Lee Mansion (Robert E. Lee's pre-Civil War home) in the background.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS
TOURIST of the DAY CONTEST
>Vote for your favorite<

1.) Adorable Japanese girl in cherry blossom dress;

2.) Woman steadies camera on limb;

3.) Peak bloom;

4.) Grannies "Walk Like an Egyptian" foot race;

5.) Homeless man having a yard sale on the National Mall;

6.) Woman with bad posture;

7.) Woman admiring her latest cherry blossom photo with smirk of satisfaction;

8.) Woman with white gloves;

9.) Waiting for the bus;

10.) Boyfriend explains to passerby that his girlfriend snorted an olive, and he was administering mouth to nostril extrication (MNE).

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

11.) Jane Fonda is still thought of by Vietnam Vets (note the yellow, inverted patch on the man's vest to the left).

12.) Diminutive woman peers out from behind a larger woman with baby stroller;

13.) Hot day, cool dress;

13.) Sparrow on the prowl for crumbs;

AND THE WINNER IS?
This is your cue to vote by e-mail.

Our Nation's Capitol

Inside the Rotunda

Ceiling of Rotunda
(George Washington is painted in amongst this heavenly host. It was proposed that he be entombed -- re-entombed -- in a chamber below the Rotunda floor. However, upon the re-reading his will, Washington desired that his remains remain at Mount Vernon).

The massive dome's superstructure is constructed out of steel with painted cast iron ornamentation so as to appear to be made of marble.

The Capitol's Statuary Hall

Each State in these United States was asked to send at least two statues (bronze or white marble) of someone within their borders who made a notable contribution.

UTAH'S CHOICE
Brigham Young and Philo T. Farnsworth

When I first arrived at the Capitol my first question was: "Where's
Philo T. Farnsworth?"
Who is Farnsworth you ask?
He invented the way in which we watched analog television.

"Before Philo, it was just radio."

Statue atop of the Capitol.

Plaster cast of Capitol's final with aging model standing at stage right.

A PARTING OBSERVATION...

All Hell broke loose when a myopic employee of the city's road crew, attempted to place this monk in the middle of the street. He apparently mistook him for a traffic cone.

Copyright © 2010 Jonathan Aspensen All rights reserved. No part of this website, nor any of its contents, may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of
Jonathan Aspensen.

Washington, DC's 2009 Cherry Blossom Festival--

A WALK AMONG THE FLOWERING TREES

It only comes once a year to Washington D.C., and with good reason: the cherry trees only bloom once a year. However, this year what caught my attention was not the flowering trees—as beautiful as they were—but the people who came to see them. We made a mad march around the Tidal Basin of the Potomac, and as we pushed our way through the crush of tourists I snapped pictures. This, is that story.

MAN WITH BLUE POPSICLEA man does jumping jacks while another man finds himself engaged in a complex debate on whether a two tone icy delight, with contrasting ingredients in its center, is kosher. His debate lasts for several seconds before the light changes, and he resigns himself to the possibility that this innocuous treat may have lured him to tresspass the myraid prohibitions his belief system promotes.

Woman dressed in red and black is oblivious to the man's deliberation over his consumption of a two-tone temptation, and walks on without giving his descision any thought.

HOW TO TAKE PICTURES OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS

Up...

down...

And over.
(Even George Took a Peek)

As we approached the steps of the massive Jefferson Monument we had to wind our way around a throng of yoga devotees. Their instructor’s voice cracked over the P.A. system calling out the various positions they were to reach for. After a pause her voice rang out again stating that the energy generated by this swath of stretching, multicolored leotard-clad disciples, “could change the direction of the wind.” Evidently, they must have been one tofu shy of full throttle, for the wind was not detoured in the least.

HIGH WIND

The wind was blowing hard and sending cherry petals aloft, so much so that at times it appeared to be snowing (One member of our party opened her mouth at the wrong time, and a petal blew down her throat). Women and men’s hair alike were spotted with the soft whitish/pink petals of the cherry tree. Some people took the time to rake the petals out, only to have another blast of wind dump more in. One fellow, whose hair was closely cropped to his scalp, was particularly bothered by the intruders, and repeatedly dragged a brush over his head to rid it of color. Gusts of wind scoured across the sidewalks, and people would instantly reach for the brim or bill of their hats. It was also impossible to get that perfect hair for that perfect picture on this imperfect day. If their hair was only a inch or two long it stood on end, if it was longer than that it was whipping behind them or lashing to the side. And if they wanted to frame a certain monument behind them, their hair was draped across their face.

PEOPLE ADRIFT IN THOUGHT
U.S. Grant strikes a pose

Striking a match is put on hold while woman in yellow walks by


OUT ON THE POTOMAC

On warm sunny days the Tidal Basin of the Potomac is active with families having fun.

Except for this family; the temptation to roll through pictures on his digital camera (no doubt recalling "funner" times), and the urge to stay in touch with family, friends or the pizza deliver guy, were far too great. Cagey children plan escape.

PEOPLE DOING WHAT PEOPLE DO

Walking Woman Applying Lipstick

Walking Fat Cat on Leash

Man Eating Sandwich in Napkin

Woman Eating Sandwich with Napkin On

Girl Running With Clinched Fists

Portrait of a Woman Taken on a Stump

Pudgy

The Angular Profile

That Perfect Picture with Hair in Place

Man of Interest Observed (T'weren't me)

Homeless Man Shamelessly Picking the Pockets of the Down Trodden

Lost in the Mist of Thought

The Crushing Mass Stops a Car

That Perfect Picture with Unruly Hair


WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?

"Hey, lady! Get the Hell out of my picture!"

A SURE SIGN OF GOOD EATS

As we neared a junk-food concession, I watched a middle-aged woman in a tight black sweater hesitate at the sight of her reflection. Her sweater was stretched over a downward progression of rolling indulgences, and when she saw that her bleached-blond, hay-rake bangs were askew, she swept them in place. She gave no attention to the lacquered crown of teased hair that stood guard behind them; they were impervious to the force of the wind. Her form fitting black capri pants tapered down passed her knees, terminating with a two-inch-long slit up the sides. Below the slight bell of fabric was an expanse of white skin tucked into a pair of white socks that were strapped into a pair of white deck shoes. The size of her shoes seemed hardly adequate for the disproportionate dimensions that loomed up top. “This must be a good place to eat,” I remarked. “Don’t you want to do Chinese today?” asked Daisy. “Oh yeah! Let’s do Chinese.”

LET'S DO CHINESE

Hung Po'k, Hung Chick'n, Hung Du'k, Hung Squid, Hung Chow to O'der

For the sake of good journalism, I, Alabaster Hickey, am always willing to adventure into the bowels of another culture’s cuisine. Pooh-poohing my cultural taboos, I, Alabaster the Indulgent, ordered and ate a steaming bowl of Soya Sauce Intestines. My meal also came with an added bonus; below the obvious rings of viscera were strips of a tough muscle meat that I recognized as being that of the rectum. You think that I am kidding? Well, I AIN’T! I have butchered numerous wild and domesticated animals and I know butt meat when I see butt meat.

Prior to my consumption of this pile of chewy gladness, I gave the edge of my bowl a series of light taps, “This symbolic bowl movement will be its last,” said I reverentially.

BOTTOMS UP!

Copyright © 2009 Jonathan Aspensen All rights reserved. No part of this website, nor any of its contents, may be
reproduced in any form without the express written permission of
Jonathan Aspensen.