Sunflowers

On Sunday I met up with Emily and Margie for a girls day out to see the sunflowers on River Road near Potomac, MD. While in the car Margie asked if I was sure they were in bloom and my heart stopped. I'd been so intent on sending them info,, directions and stuff that I hadn't even considered checking whether they were actually in bloom. that I had 'the middle of July' in my head but wondered if this information had come from when the lotus lilies bloom instead. I answered her that I sure hoped so and prayed for the sight of golden heads peeking over a hedge as we drove along. and soon enough we saw them, standing magnificently erect as though for our personal attention.
They were beautiful, in peak condition, and brought smiles to everyone's faces, although there were not that many folks out in the fields. A few serious photographers with all their equipment including one taking photos of a couple who had just got engaged. The day was very very hot and I was pretty sure that there wouldn't be any rain today. Every now and then a breeze brushed by but it was always fleeting and not that beneficial. We had to keep retreating to the shade for a few minutes in between shooting photos. The flowers buzzed with bees and other insects, none of whom would sit still for too long for a portrait shot, but constantly flitted from one bloom to another as though in heady excitement.

We visited about three of the fields and then had to call it a day, it was just far too hot, but we'd all managed to take a lot of photos. After those hours of shooting in the heat it was time for a late lunch and a beer. We drove to White's Ferry, grabbed a burger and fries, and sat outside under a huge shady maple tree, washing our lunch down with a beer and lazily watching the ferry travel slowly back and forth across the river.

The information for the sunflowers can be found here.

Evening Kayak in DC

Saturday afternoon I drove down to DC to meet up with a group to kayak on the Potomac late afternoon into the evening. You can rent or put in your own boat here but because I didn't know the boat yard and because the rental was so cheap I decided not to load up Big Red and opted for the easy option. I had to park about half mile away in a garage enforcing my notion that I'd chosen wisely. Since I had a walk to the boats and was early I climbed up the hill into town and got a wonderful cheese and veggie wrap from SweetGreen, the best and healthiest fast food eatery in Georgetown. I then strolled back down over the canal to where Bob, our leader, was waiting. A few others had got there early too so we sat on chairs and watched other boaters come and go.

 Apparently Jackie Kennedy used to come down here with her entourage and be rowed across to Roosevelt Island where she would picnic.About half a mile upstream from here are the Three Sister Islands, where, according to old lore, 3 catholic nuns drowned and were resurrected as islands. There is a point here that is 78ft deep, the deepest part of the river.

Soon it was our time to select a boat and get into the water. I'd had every intention of picking out the longest sleekest kayak I could find but ended up on the spur of the moment choosing an old yellow boat with blue pinstripes that looked as if it was from the 90's. But it was very comfortable and matched my PFD perefectly, which I had to wear today being a regulation on the Potomac.

One poor dog having to pull his owner and friend back to the dock because they'd run out of paddling power.

 Soon everyone was in the water and we were off.

 But Bob decided to order a pizza for delivery before we left, asking for it to be lowered from Key Bridge.

 The Kennedy Center looking resplendent in the sun. The weather was perfect. I've been crowing all week about my thorough soakings the past two weekends and saying of course I would not be surprised if it rained again this weekend since most things happen in threes, but the sky was clear and bright except for a few fluffy clouds,  a hot sun blazed down and a lovely breeze fanned us across the water. Perfick!

The Watergate Hotel and apartments, the Washington DC swathed in its protective scaffolding while it's being repaired after the earthquake and the Lincoln Memorial. This really is a great way to see the monuments. But we couldn't go too far downstream and weren't allowed past the Arlington Memorial Bridge since the Pentagon is down there. No boats are allowed past since 9/11.

Being in DC there wasn't a lot of wildlife but as we went around Roosevelt Island we saw a heron searching desperately for a fish, and a few ducks. That was it.

 Roslyn, and Georgetown in the distance.

 Looking back downriver.

Bobbing about just below the Three Sisters some of us were chatting and saying what a lovely leisurely paddle it had been.

We started slowly heading back to the dock when someone commented, "Hey, look, a rainbow!" I whipped out my camera to grab a shot and thought, aren't you supposed to have rain with a rainbow, just as I felt two large plops land on my face and arm. I barely had time to pack my camera away before the sky suddenly erupted into thunder and emptied a torrent of warm rain down upon us. I wasn't even surprised. There was no hope of getting out of my boat dry so I just laughed and sat back, accepting my third soaking in three weeks. We all clambered out dripping from our kayaks and after eating my dinner on a wet bench with the others it was off home to get a hot shower and dry off. This is becoming a routine...
If you have time for a read, here's the history of Jack's Boathouse, now known as Key Bridge Boathouse since the government took it over: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Potomac_River_Paddlers/message/490http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Potomac_River_Paddlers/message/490

A Tempestuous Trip to Blandy

On Sunday afternoon, I drove out to Blandy Experimental Farm, a really cool name which conjures up all kinds of images in one's imagination, but in reality is an arboretum owned by University of Virginia. I'd wanted to visit in the spring and hike around the grounds but that wasn't an option with a busted toe so having a few free hours I grabbed the car keys and set off.
Website is here.

My first impression was superb, a beautiful old building in front of me as I approached up the gravel drive and then plant beds with a couple of green houses and right by the parking lot a herb garden. But the best thing of all was there were hardly any visitors. As I stepped out of the car all I could hear was birdsong and within 2 minutes I'd seen mockingbirds and bluebirds a plenty

I started walking down a path but heard a loud continuous droning and looking up saw a huge bees nest. They were being very busy and oblivious to me thankfully, so after watching for a few minutes I decided to save that path for later and go the other way.

I walked about half a mile or so and came across the pine area. I'd noticed that the skies were a wonderfully ominous dark grey and for some reason with the coniferous trees it felt like the set of a Harry Potter movie. I kept walking hoping I'd find somewhere to hang out and shelter if it rained, I didn't want to turn back so I kept going. And my persistence did not pay off. I'd lost sight of the buildings and really didn't know how far I'd walked when the first large plops of rain started dropping, slowly at first but then hammering down and almost soaking me before I could head for cover under, yes, some large trees. The thunder and lightning kicked in so I carefully chose the shortest tree which had a large overhanging branch and snuggled in underneath with my back to the trunk trying to keep my camera and iPhone dry in my backbag.  But I still got wet, and knew I'd get even wetter if I tried to run for it. An SUV rolled by and I ran out from my cover but they didn't see me so I went back to my tree. After about 10 minutes the rain eased off a little and I decided to bolt through the trees and across a grassy field to where I hoped the car park was. I guessed right and arrived back to Stuart thoroughly drenched but thankfully my electronics were OK. I noticed that there were a few cars still parked and so I drove around the perimeter slowly wondering if anyone else might be in the same predicament as me. I didn't see a single soul.

I regretfully left the arboretum with the rain still thundering down but will return soon, it's a wonderful place.

I could barely see the road or vehicles on the drive home, the rain was torrential and I actually aquaplaned going up a hill which left my heart in my mouth. I was very relieved to get to Marshall where amazingly the storm hadn't yet hit. But as I got out of the car, feeling cold and damp, the heavens opened and gave me another warm soaking before I could get to the front door. After getting cleaned up and putting on nice warm dry clothes, Kota and I watched the storm while Rosie cowered under the bed from the thunder. She's gradually getting better with the storms but will be a while yet before she's as nonchalant as Kota.

When the storm had passed I went outside for a few minutes to get some photos. I was back indoors within half an hour. I'm sure hoping after getting soaked for the past two weekends that this coming weekend will be a dryer time. Fingers crossed!