laurushka.org/blog

Ah, Spring. As someone with year-round allergies, you’d think I’d be used to the symptoms, but Spring Pollen and grass is at the top of my list. Aaachooo.

I have been facing my nemesis and heading outdoors anyway. Here are a few pictures from a walk to the playground today:

Pretty flowers in someone’s yard:

This didn’t turn out like I thought, but I wanted to document that today is election day. I thought the church was making a statement, supporting both candidates (the Clinton sign doesn’t show up that great), but really, the church was a polling place. That open wrought iron fence is, I believe, a Samuel Yellin piece.

Lilia still loves swings!

And one for good measure– Grampop visited last Friday. Look at these hams!

Our little yard has had daffodils and tulips in it since before we moved here. Last fall, Joe planted a huge amount of crocus and tulip bulbs, and I was anticipating a yard FULL of flowers.

But I forgot about the squirrels.  They must have dug up at least half the bulbs immediately. And they keep watch for newly bloomed flowers– and decapitate them!

I did manage to capture a picture of Lilia and a freshly bloomed tulip today. It may be gone tomorrow. The squirrels are particularly mad at us because we just got a fancy anti-squirrel bird-feeder.

A weekend update on a Wednesday. I’ve been busy trying to get some homework done for my big class this weekend.

Somewhat spontaneously, the family drove to DC to see the Smithsonian Kite Festival. Of course, a visit to the DC area includes a visit with Aunt Maria– this was Lilia’s first trip down there, unless you count when she was in mah belly. And a visit with Aunt Maria includes a trip to see Pandas! We had a great time, even though we forgot to use sunscreen (I hope Lilia isn’t cursing me in 50 years for that!).

This post requires PICTURES, and here they are:

Aunt Maria teaching Lilia all about pandas:

I think this is Tai Shan:

A quick family portrait in front of the White House (taken by Aunt Maria):

Lilia completely shocked at the amount of kites in the air (again, Aunt Maria’s picture):

I liked this Cat Kite, but never saw it in the air:

This homemade kited looked really heavy, but it sailed right up when the breeze was there.

This serious kite handle belongs to a kite by Olivier Reymond:

Watch out for Kite-Eating Trees!

Best in Show… it’s an Unidentified Flying Mao!

An Old Cherry Tree:

Joe took a dozen pictures until he could get the leaves blurry and the Jefferson Memorial in focus:

And one final picture… my brand new camera (Canon PowerShot SD850 IS) has given me “unidentified images” a few times. I wonder what the deal is? Here is an example…

We had a great time at the kite festival, and Aunt Maria has given us her old kite. More on that when we get outside and get it in the air!