BOXING DAY - 12/26/24

 

Another short one today. I hope you all had a marvelous time with your families and friends or however you celebrated. It was a precious time for us. Here we are with one of son’s selfies. The snowman with those cute cardinals, one of my gifts from them, lit up and was like a lava lamp when turned on, all sparkly and much brighter than the photo shows.  My sweet babes know me well, I loved it.

I will go into more detail about the day later, but we had a whole lot of fun enjoying being together. 

Hugs from all of us and…

PHOTOS FROM GEORGETOWN LOOKING ACROSS THE POTOMAC RIVER.

 A few days ago, husband and son visited Georgetown in Washington DC. They took these photos.

They are looking across the Potomac at Rosslyn on the Virginia side. The Key Bridge disappears into the darkness on the right.

The next photo shows the Kennedy Center all lit up. To the left is the Watergate Complex. These are on the Washington DC side of the Potomac.

The same scene a little closer.

One last photo looking towards Rosslyn, with a plane making its way to Ronald Reagan Airport, which isn't very far away down the river.

We haven't been into DC for a long time and are way overdue. We have always enjoyed going to the Smithsonian Museums, walking around the city and along the Potomac. Years ago, when we were first married, we took our bikes into the city, leaving our car at the Pentagon parking lot. We drove across the Memorial Bridge and made our way alongside the Potomac many times, loving all the impressive sights along the way. We changed our routes, sometimes making our way passed the Lincoln Memorial, passed the Washington Monument and up to the Capitol Building. We haven't had bikes for several years now, but we still drive into the city to look around, although not for quite a while.  

One funny memory to me in our bike-riding days, and one I may have mentioned before as my memory is getting shorter and my blog is getting longer. We passed two young marines jogging along the Potomac and without us realizing, started reenacting the tortoise and the hare. We would pass them, and they would pass us in one direction, and then we would pass them again, and they would pass us in the other. Two very friendly and polite young marines who said hello each time, with a smile and a wave at the slowpokes who were by then running out of gas, figuratively speaking. It took us longer getting back to our starting-off point and by the end of our ride, were always very glad to get back to the car.  It was also usually hot and humid when we went out, something that I have never gotten used to even today.  

I am very thankful to my husband and son who took these photos, not only because I enjoyed each and every one of them, but because they brought back some lovely memories.

CONTINUING A SERIES OF BIRDS ON THE OUTER BANKS FROM MY SISTER-IN-LAW

I am very grateful to Gregg's sister for letting me share these.

~American Coot~

In the long grasses a White Ibis and a Tricolored Heron, and let's not forget the ducky bums.  

~Snowy Egrets~

Another Snowy Egret with Tundra Swans in the background, and an unidentified duck.

~Northern Shoveler~

Male and Female Northern Shovelers.

I have no idea what this delightful little duck is called.  It is on the tip of my tongue but an extensive search of dozens of photos online has not revealed what it is. You've been so generous letting me know the ID's of these birds, so I am hoping you will be able to let me know.  Thanks so much!

Additional note: with thanks to Eileen and Ginny, I have an ID for our bird.  It is a Pied-billed Grebe.  Thank you so much Ladies, I appreciate your help very much.

Every post for the rest of this week I will be sharing more photos taken by my sister-in-law, and I would like to thank her again for letting me do that.  It has been a great pleasure to look at the birds she has been sharing.  You can click on the names to take you to more information.