Funky Friday: Walt Whitman and the National Portrait Gallery

Major parts of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, is housed buildings built in the early 1800's. Part of it was a post office, and the part pictured above housed the Patent Office. At the end of this corridor is the delightful three story space with galleries that housed the library of patent models. 

In the early 1860's, the post office and patent office packed away into storage, and the space was converted to a hospital for soldiers and sailors injured in the US Civil War.  There were an estimated 1.5 million people injured or got sick during the War, with about half of those dying. Disease killed as many, or more, than wounds. Tens of thousands of men spent weeks, months or years requiring medical care. 

Walt Whitman, an American poet of the era, volunteered in this hospital.  He spent months at bedside talking with the patients, reading to them, and helping them write letters home. He wrote about it in his journals, many of the patients wrote or spoke of the experience. 

It is clear from the writings, that his affection for some of the patients went beyond that of a kindly old author. One of nature's batchelors made some special friends while helping them recover from the war.

When I walk those halls, I sometimes think of the compassion and passion of the past in that sacred space.    

 

The Thursday Ramble: Alexandria City Hall

This photo was taken a couple of years ago, of city hall in Alexandria. Market Square, home to my local Saturday Morning Farmers Market surrounds the fountain. There has been a market on that space for over 250 years, it claims to the be oldest continuously operated farmers market in the country.  Parts of city hall, predate the Civil War, the state government was temporarily housed in it, when Virginia rejoined the Union after the Civil War (Richmond had burned in the war.)

Built during a remodel about 50 years ago, there is a two story underground parking garage under market square.  One of the best garages in the area and it owned by the city so it has some of the best prices. 

City Hall, Market Square and the garage, are closing in January for a major remodel. The building is in need of major utility and structural updates, the cast concrete beams in the garage are cracking, and replacing those beams is essential to holding up the plaza on the square. Estimates are two to three years for the work. 

The Market will be moving across the street to the west, into a courtyard square. City offices will be moving into temporary spaces around the city.  The city owns another garage, under the Court House a block away.    

My World Of Wonders - December 17, 2025

Where have I been this week? Into the City for lunch with a dear friend and a nice cold walk across town, the grocery store, an Aldi run. The pool, the treadmill. The library, Safeway and CVS Drugstore. 

How has the weather been? Cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, a little snow, colder, and cold. 

What have I been up to in the kitchen? Beef and barley soup,  homemade chili with beans, roast pork tenderloin and a corn pudding, tortellini in broth - this is my spin on an Italian classic. I started by poaching a whole chicken, with onion, celery, carrots and spices. Then boned out the chicken and simmered the bones for two hours, strained the broth. I added back in some of the cooked chicken and a package of fresh (pre-made) tortellini to cook. I have about a liter of chicken stock and the two poached chicken breasts in the refrigerator to make something with later this week. 

What did I do that was unusual? I decided on Saturday I didn't want to do anything, and I did slightly less than that. 

Who have a talked to this week? My sweet bear. The gang at Water Aerobics, a board meeting from my old office, Erica, 

What is the exciting family news? My oldest nephew and his wife welcomed a baby boy to the family this week. I am now a great uncle times two. 

What is on the easel this week? I finished a self portrait, it is interesting, and I am nearly finished with a nighttime cityscape. 

What was the best thing I read this week? In a book titled "Think Like A Rocket Scientist",  a child asked to bricklayers what they were doing, the first one answered, "what a silly question, I am laying bricks one after another, after another." The second one responded, "I am building a magnificent cathedral that will bring awe and wonder for centuries." Frame your acts as a part of the big picture, be a part of something greater than the work at the moment. 

What is playing in the background? Michael Buble Christmas music on YouTube, in 8 days, I will be ready to change the channel for 11.5 months. 

Travel Tuesday: The Folger Shakespeare Library

Located behind the main building of the Library of Congress, is the Folger Shakespeare Library. In a nutshell, the Folger's were wealthy collectors, who started the collection and museum. It is independent, ie: not a part of the Smithsonian. I had never been there until a couple of weeks ago. Admission is free, a voluntary donation of $15 is encouraged. The reading room, is open for non-researchers on weekends,  I will be going back to see that.  

One of the worlds largest collections of the original bound folios of the works of William Shakespeare 

A delightful Elizabethan Theater 

The restaurant and coffee shop, they now serve afternoon tea. 

 

Monday Mood: What made me smile last week

What is going on here, a fisheye specialty lens bending reality at Mt Vernon.

It is a good life, I have lived well, and hope to live until I don't. 

Something I read: A young child asked two bricklayers what they were doing. The first one responded, "what a silly question, I am laying bricks." The second one answered, "I am building a magnificent cathedral that will inspire people for ages."  Be like the second mason.  

I was exercising in the deep end of the pool one afternoon. I could see down the long hallway of the art gallery space.  Twice in the 35 minutes I was in the water (I time myself) people walking down the corridor, suddenly stopped, turned and examined one of the works of art hanging on the wall.  I struggle with how to describe it, but that is why we create art, that is why we curate or organize shows, that is why we do this. The show is huge, 52 works by 22 artists, putting it together was a lot of work, but if it touches people who are passing by, it is worth it. Building something bigger than the bricks. 

A friend posted on social media this week, that she is in a new relationship with someone very special. It made me smile that she has found love and happiness. When you know, you know. Something bigger than the bricks. 

The Sunday Five: Holiday Plans

1: Are you planning anything special for the end of the year holidays? 

2: Are you traveling anyplace for the end of the year holidays? 

3: Is your gift shopping finished? 

4: Who will be cooking for your end of the year holidays? 

5: Have you thought about your goals for 2026? 

My answers: 

1: Are you planning anything special for the end of the year holidays? Quiet time with my sweet bear, here in our comfy nest. 

2: Are you traveling anyplace for the end of the year holidays? Thankfully, no. For years, family obligations turned the holidays into travel days. It is relaxing to stay home.  If my siblings want to join us for the holidays, I will be glad to cook.  US Highway 1 runs in both directions, from near my brother's front door, and our front gate. 

3: Is your gift shopping finished? By the time this posts, Yes. 

4: Who will be cooking for your end of the year holidays? I will. The plan is roast beef and Yorkshires for Christmas, and probably ham for New Year's. 

5: Have you thought about your goals for 2026? I have a couple of ideas floating around, it is time for me to start putting things on the screen. Near the end of the year, my results from 2025 and goals for 2026 will be a post. 

Please share your answers in the comments. 

The Saturday Morning Post - 50 States in 52 Weeks - Wyoming

Wyoming is one of the very large, almost rectangular states, north of Colorado and Utah, touching on the southern border of Idaho, with Montana above it. 

In August of 2023, I drove north from Denver to Cheyenne, spent the night and drove west nearly all the way across the state, turning north to go to Idaho and complete my pilgrimage to visit all 50 states. In an ideal world Wyoming would have been the last state for me to visit, because alphabetically it is the last state, but the routing just didn't work out. Wyoming was an add on to a work trip, meetings in Denver that I needed to attend. 

The Interstate Highway runs east to west in a nearly straight line, with a gentle roll in the landscape for well over 200 miles.  Going west I got off the main roads and drove the back roads to the south, through more mountains, climbing to over 10,000 feet in elevation.  It was spectacular. 

In a very desolate way, this is a very pretty part of the world. 

Glad I have been there, though I would be happy to return, I very much doubt that I will ever return. 

And that is 50 states, but there are 52 weeks, onto a territory and district to round out the year. 
 

Friday Curmudgeon: Who Edits this "Newspaper"?

There was a news story in the local newspaper, a major paper owned by one of the world's richest men recently that made the curmudgeon in me come out. It was a story about a murder that happened in Prince George's County, Maryland. 

The text of the article read in part as follows: 

Nader said it appears that the shooter knew the deceased, chased him down and shot him in the food court.

My comments on reading this: 

• Shooting the deceased was a little excessive, if he was the deceased, he was by definition already dead. 
• How do you chase a person who is deceased?
• Is it murder to shoot a person who is deceased?*
• What part of the body is the food court? 
• Is it painful to be shot in the food court? (Well not if you are already deceased.)  

Another passage read: 

Authorities said they think the attacker fled the scene with a car.**  

My Comments on reading this: 

• Did he steal a car?
• Was he carrying the car? 
• Pushing the car?
• Did he have a tow truck? 

Now I know my writing is not perfect. I also don't claim to be a professional journalist, I am not being paid by a billionaire to report the local news.  That being said, Yorkshire pudding would have edited this in about 30-seconds for clarity while retaining meaning. Hell, I could have edited this in about two minutes to mean what this person intended to say. A change of two or three words in these two sentences move this from being a bad joke, to a solid short news report. The article was only 250-300 words, it was not rocket science. Without editing it was compost. The only logical conclusion is that NO ONE is editing the newspaper. 

* Law students are torchered  tortured with that question every year. It is attempted murder if the shooter believed the person was alive when they shot them, even if the person was already deceased. 

** https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/12/03/shooting-mgm-national-harbor-hotel-casino-maryland/ 

The Thursday Ramble: Two Weeks before Christmas

Two weeks until Christmas, three weeks until the New Year, my how time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday I was seeing the early spring bloom. 

I often become very reflective at this time of the year, looking back at the year that has gone by, planning for the year ahead. 

2025 was a good year.  We lived well, and traveled comfortably.  I have done some good reading this year. I have become increasingly engaged in my community.  I have had some fun playing in the kitchen, exploring new arts and rediscovering arts from the very distant past. 

Highlights of the year? 

• Bermuda, Brugge, lunch with Duncan and Stephen, St. Andrews. Flying home first class. 
• Getting the top fixed on the little VW, and enjoying putting the roof down through the fall. 
• Getting to know the neighbors.  This one takes some effort.  A couple of years ago we started hosting a monthly LGBTQI+ gathering here at the condo.  We have made some dear friends through this. It does take some effort to remember to plan something, each month.  I have become very involved in the community Arts group, and through that have met more neighbors. 
• Lots and lots of long walks. Rediscovering the joy of going into the City and wandering a museum for an hour or two. 
• Getting back into the pool. This started with water aerobics, then some laps, and now deep water active movement.  I have even lost a little weight. 

Regrets for the year?

• I coulda, shouda, visited some family and friends. I intended to, and just didn't.  I have excuses. 
• Worrying about money, when I don't really didn't need to. Related to coulda, woulda, shouda.

Now to plan themes for the blog for 2026. 

• The Sunday Five has to continue by popular demand. It is a grind to keep coming up with questions.
• Monday Moods prompt me to do a check-up from the neck-up. 
• Tuesday Travels will continue
• My World of Wonders on Wednesdays
• I enjoy the Thursday Rambles, it gives me a place to write essays about whatever I am thinking about. 
• The freestyle Fridays will continue. 
• The Saturday Morning Post - looks like a series on creativity. The 50 states was fun, it is done, and in the end was probably the least popular theme day. Still I did it for me, to record the unimportant little things that shouldn't be forgotten. The challenge will be to sustain the creativity, but then that is one of the challenges of creativity.

My World of Wonders - Wednesday Ws - December 10, 2025

 Where have I been this week? Last Thursday I took the subway into the city for a long walk, including the Folger Shakespeare Library, and National Gallery of Art. Friday was spent installing an art gallery show, then in the evening bowling in the condo community center with our LGBT neighbors. Saturday morning was the monthly community coffee, and Saturday afternoon was the opening reception for the new art show. Sunday I went out to Mt Vernon for a walk in the cold. Tuesday evening we went into Old Town Alexandria to have dinner with an old friend. 

Who have I talked to this week? Wow, lots and lots of friends and neighbors.  

What have I been up to in the kitchen? Last Thursday I made Swiss Steak, Friday I made Pizza, Sunday beef stew and homemade bread. 

What have I been reading? Barbados the Island of the Yellow Bird by Ralfy Mitchell. I need to go to the library soon, very soon. 

Who did I reach out to? The daughter of one of my high school friends, I stumbled across a christmas photo of her from 28 years ago - scanned it an sent it to her.  She has had an eventful year, and sounds like she has found happiness.  

What else did I do? I mailed a dozen Christmas cards, the stack seems to get smaller each year. 

What is on the easel? A self Portrait, it is coming along and looks somewhat like me.  

What made me smile? I was exercising in the pool this afternoon, and there is a great view of the community Gallery from there. Two people walking down the hall, stopped suddenly to examine art on the wall. Mission accomplished if someone noticed. 

Travel Tuesday: Adventures in My Neighborhood

A Clever Sheep at Mt Vernon 

The old Main Drive at Mt Vernon 

Ms. Fox at Mt Vernon 

Aladdin the Camel is spending Christmas at Mt Vernon.  His keeper, replaced all of the doors in my condo shortly after I bought it. 

Stay Away!

Good to see the youngins are playing safe.

A Stream through a nearby park.

Nice Bike Racks at a local park 

Behind the Building, updated steps. 

 

Monday Moods: December 8th - Becoming Less of a Capitalist

I agree with you, I have grown to hate the advertisements on my blog. It has been a noble experiment. When I started them, I had no idea how much revenue they would produce, and Google makes money on our content, so why shouldn't I get a little slice of that? And I have, a tiny-tiny slice, like less than $100 a year. If you have a super popular blog with a thousand or more followers, and 1,000,000 views a month, you can probably earn that much per month, but for me, it has been a tiny amount of money.  

I can remember when $100 was a lot of money.  When I was growing up, mom and dad had envelopes for each of the kids to keep their savings in. Despite being the youngest of the four, I was the first one to accumulate $100.  Once a tightwad, always a tightwad. My ex and I saw the musical South Pacific, and I acquired a new nickname that night, "Stingy Bastard!" 

As much as we all hate the advertising, I have a strange request that will speed up the ads going away. 

Please click on the advertising and look at the offerings.  You don't have to buy anything, but if you do that might speed things up even more. (The adds pays a tiny amount for every ad placed, quite a bit more for a click, and some of the adds pay a bonus for a purchase.) 

Let me explain this strange request.  The account account only pays when it has accumulated to a threshold amount, at the current rate I am a couple of months away from reaching the next payout level. The more adds that are clicked on, the more credits to the account. When I reach the next payout level, I will shut off the adds. I am so close, I don't want to walk away from months and months of accumulating credits, but once it reaches the next payout, I can take that final payment and turn off the adds. 

Another nail in the coffin for my working career.  Letting others earn the profit without going after my tiny share. A little less entrepreneurial spirit of capitalism. 

A great relief for all of us at being able to read my content, unencumbered. 

The Sunday Five: Footwear

1: Describe the shoes you wear most days? 

2: Do you wear shoes in your home? 

3: How often do you replace your shoes? 

4: Do you have "hiking" boots? 

5: Do you have shoes for special occasions? 

My Answers: 

1: Describe the shoes you wear most days? I wear running shoes, mostly Asics Cumulus, almost all of the time. 

2: Do you wear shoes in your home? No, I prefer to be barefoot at home. 

3: How often do you replace your shoes?  I wear running shoes because of the way they support and cushion my feet, they need to be replaced a couple of times a year. 

4: Do you have "hiking" boots? A couple of pairs, including one nearly waterproof pair. 

5: Do you have shoes for special occasions? I have two or three pairs of really nice leather dress shoes that I wear a few times a year, for relatively short times.  

Please share your answers in the comments. 

The Saturday Morning Post: 50 States in 52 Weeks - Wisconsin

Wisconsin is on the western shore of Lake Michigan, north of Illinois and south of Minnesota. I have been there only once. It was strange I had been to all of the states around it, and not Wisconsin for a long time. So a few years ago when we were in Chicago for a few days, I scheduled a day-trip. We took the train from Chicago to Milwaukee, had lunch, wandered around the spectacular art museum on the shore of Lake Michigan (image above) and took the train back to Chicago in time for dinner.  We wandered through a great market near the train station and had lunch in a working class local bar. 

Much of the state is farmland and woodlands. It has a rust belt post industrial vibe. The southeast of the state is close enough to Chicago for commuters. Someday I will see the interior of the state. 

We will visit next summer, Cousin Ray, who produces the podcast Life Between the Vines lives about 90 miles north of Chicago O'Hare, in Wisconsin horse country. I have promised him we will visit next summer when we are in Chicago for ABA Meetings. 

A nice place to visit in the summer. A chilly place to visit in the winter.  

 

Fabulous Friday: Music

I enjoy a wide array of music. There is almost always music playing in the background of my life. Classican, jazz, rock from the last half of the last century, a little country and western, folk music, solo piano, harpsichord, or cello. I prefer a singer that I can understand.

I dislike and avoid music that is angry, or vulgar. I also avoid classical Opera, the one's where it sounds like the vocalist is being tortured. Some modern Opera in English and in a register within the spectrum of normal human communication is enjoyable. 

Music adds a rhythm to my life. It can make me laugh. It can bring me to tears. It can quiet the noise in my brain. 

Music is fabulous.  

Thursday Ramble: Three Years Ago

I had to double check the embedded data on the photo to verify the date. It seems hard to believe. Three years ago, we were in Spain.  An overnight flight as I recall from New York, I remember finding an empty middle row in the back section of the plane, putting up the armrests and stretching out and sleeping for a few hours - one of the best transAtlantic flights I have had.  We spent a few nights in Madrid, then about a week in Malaga, then back to Madrid to fly home. 

It seems longer ago than that, but it feels like just yesterday that we took that trip.  My resounding memory of Spain, is that by and large the people were happy. Not in a fake, I get paid to smile way, but in a genuine life is good way.   There seemed to be a focus on living comfortably, making the most of what is at hand, and taking time to just be you. 

The markets were spectacular, and the restaurant food reflected that. Fresh, local, seasonal in a relatively warm and sunny climate results in wonderful food that is savored. 

It is nice traveling to places where you don't have to live with the bureaucracy, or politics.  It is easy to avoid the politics when your language skills peak at ordering lunch. 

My photo archive is approaching 110,000 images. Many of them remind me of places I have been, things I have experienced. Digital memories of a life well lived. 

Where to next? San Antonio, Bermuda, the Azores, Carthenia, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Vienna, and Paris are on the agenda for 2026. More adventures, that I will look back on in three years and wonder how it can be so long, seems like just yesterday. 

Where were you three years ago?   

My World of Wonders - The Wednesday Ws - December 3, 2025

Where have I been this week? Mt Vernon for a nice walk last Wednesday, then home for the most part.  On Saturday we took the subway to Crystal City and met a long time friend for a leisurely lunch at a nice French Restaurant. I have been walking on the treadmill as the weather turned cold on Thanksgiving. Monday evening in the Underground at the Community Center for the annual year end arts party. 

Who have I talked with this week? We had a nice long talk with Kent over lunch on Saturday, he is a retired professor, living in New York, he has a lifetime of tales and a dry sense of humor. I talked with my middle brother briefly on Thanksgiving day, he was at Cousin Lysle's house in the midst of a bunch of rocket ranching bikers.  It was a loud crowd and his phone was on speaker so we didn't get to talk much.  Susan stopped to talk as I was walking back from the gym, they are about 3/4 of the way through a kitchen remodel. Monday evening at the Arts gathering, dozens of people.  

What real mail did I send this week?  I mailed a birthday card to my middle brother, whose birthday is sometime this week. And I mailed a Christmas card to a blogger who lives in Wales. When I saw the card, it was perfect for him. 

What have I been up to in the kitchen? For Thanksgiving I roasted a 12.5 pound turkey (a little over a little under 6 kilos.) I baked bread and made dressing (stuffing cooked outside of the bird.) And green beans.  Friday we grazed on left overs. Saturday we went out to lunch. Sunday I made Turkey Vegetable soup. I made french toast for breakfast and a Croque Monsieur for lunch.  Steak and Baked Potato. 

What is on the easel? I am finishing up a nighttime city landscape, and I have started a new canvas that will be an attempt at self-portraiture. 

Who deserves a big THANK YOU this week? Austrian Airways sent me an email with a change of schedule on a reservation for next spring, it was a ten minute change, so I clicked on Yes Thank You. Then later I noticed that the departure airport had changed.  Oh my, then I looked at the two airports.  The flight had been changed from a regional airport that was 30 miles out of town (with a train connection) to the older city airport, on the edge of the city, a 15 minute subway ride from the city center. The change will save us at least 30 minutes of travel time going to the airport. Yes thank you very much. 

What is coming up?  Wednesday afternoon we install a new Showcase exhibit, Friday morning we install a new Gallery Show, Saturday afternoon is the opening reception for the new Gallery Art Show. 

What reminded me that I live in a world capital? In a quiet moment at the arts festival I was talking with a dear neighbor as we watched and commented on the people in the room. She commented, "it feels like being a spy." I said, "in this town you never know who is or was." Her response was "I wanted to be, but they didn't hire me." Yes it is that kind of a town.  I love it here. 

Why is Gieves up on the sofa? We are breaking in a new robot vacuum cleaner. 

Travel Tuesday: Oxon Hill Farm

 Just across the Potomac River from us in Maryland, and then hidden down a narrow side road, is Oxon Hill Farm. During the War of 1812, the farmers here witnessed the British making their way up the River stopping at Alexandria before retreating. From here they felt Fort Washington being blown up (by the Colonial Army to prevent it's powder reserves from falling in the hands of the British.) After the Civil War the US Government created St Elizabeths Hospital to care for veterans experiencing mental health challenges.  Oxon Hill Farm was part of St Elizabeths for nearly 100 years, proving food and also a peaceful place for patients to tend the farm and heal. It is now run by the National Parks Service. 

Alexandria across the River, we live just to the left of this on top of the next ridge to the south. 

 

Monday Mood: 15 Days A Year

 If you spend an hour a day on something, that adds up to just over 15 days a year (24 hour days.) An offhand remark I heard recently asked, "why do you give Zuckerberg 15 days a year in your head?" 

That is a very good question.  The handful of posts on Facebook from family and friends would probably only take about 3 minutes a day to see, the rest of it is addiction, based on an algorithm designed to keep you scrolling, the more you scroll the more advertising you see, the more money a man who will never have enough earns.  It is a hard addiction to quit, but we can be stronger than the pull. 

What could I spend that hour a day, 15 days a year doing? 

Blogging, and reading blogs takes about an hour a day. I enjoy it, I get to select what content I see.  Posting allows me to exercise my creative abilities. 

I walk an hour a day.  Walking is physical, and mental time. If I am walking outside, I do it in silence, only following the internal conversation. 

I read at least an hour a day. I am on the way to finishing about 80 books this year. Add an hour a day to that, and I would easily go over 100 books a year. 

I enjoy painting, and keep promising to sketch. I should claim that nearly an hour a day, and dedicate it to art. An hour a day would make a real difference. 

I miss old fashioned cards and letters. I send a few, I should send more, I should use some of that hour a day, to write to people. 

I should spend more time listening. 

As we get closer to the end of the year, I start to seriously think about what I want to do in the coming year. Realizing that one hour a day, is 15 days a year, leaves me this Monday reexamining what I spend my hour a day on. 

What hour a day, could you move from what you are doing, to what you would like to do? 

 

The Sunday Five: Out To Lunch

 1: When you are or were working, did you take lunch with you, or go out most of the time? 

2: Where did you eat your lunch when working? 

3: Was there anyone you regularly met for lunch? 

4: Are you more likely to go out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner? 

5: Is there a restaurant that triggers memories for you? 

My Answers: 

1: When you are or were working, did you take lunch with you, or go out most of the time? I almost always went out, often picking up lunch to take back to the office. 

2: Where did you eat your lunch when working? At my desk, a habit formed in my builder days when I really didn't take a lunch break, I was always available. 

3: Was there anyone you regularly met for lunch? Most of the last 15 years I worked, I was friends with an government insider. We would meet for lunch about once a month, and talk about events. He was my mole, I was his outside source. 

4: Are you more likely to go out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Lunch by far, I love going out to breakfast, but usually only do that when traveling alone. 

5: Is there a restaurant that triggers memories for you?  East Street Cafe is on the upper level of Union Station in DC, I was surprised to see it was still in business. Oh the conversations that have taken place there.  

Please share your answers in the comments.