I have never been to the National Cathedral, but have always wanted to see it. Since we were going to be in the Washington D.C. area during holy week, I checked out the cathedral’s schedule. There was a lot going on. I settled on buying tickets to see the Cathedral in Bloom.
Washington National Cathedral
The magnificent cathedral is lavishly decorated with flowers for Easter and they keep the bouquets fresh throughout the following week for people to enjoy, adding more beauty to the already impressive architecture.
Spectacular!
So once again, we took off with the grandchildren to go exploring.
Grandma & Grandpa with the kiddos.
Such beauty.
The Episcopal cathedral was chartered by congress in 1893 and established on Mount St. Alban (the highest point in the city). In 1907 the cornerstone was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt. The construction slowed during periods of economic hardship, so the building wasn’t completed until 1990.
The High Altar.
“Our” National Cathedral is for all people. “This Cathedral holds a unique place at the intersection of sacred and civic life. …we strive to serve God and our neighbors as agents of reconciliation; as a trusted voice of moral leadership; and as a sacred space where the country gathers during moments of national significance.”*
Looking up to the rose window on the outside.
Looking out the rose window from the inside.
“In a city of monuments and memorials, this Cathedral stands apart as a vibrant community of people called together to serve and renew the world around us. Our founders envisioned this Cathedral as a sacred space where the nation could gather in good times and in bad.”*
This amazing Easter Lily bouquet had a matching bouquet flanked on the other side of this entryway.
Stunning beauty.
We used a self-guided tour brochure to find our way around the massive building.
I enjoyed this space stained-glass window so I took a photo. I learned later that the small eye in the large red circle is a piece of moon rock brought back by the astronauts of Apollo 11 and given to the Cathedral by NASA
I enjoyed the gothic architecture, stained-glass windows and myriads of flowers.
The Pilgrim Observation Gallery on the 7th floor.
There was a striking observation gallery on the 7th floor, offering great views of the city.
The Children’s Chapel.
There were several smaller chapels throughout the cathedral.
Resurrection Chapel: the walls were floor to ceiling Mosaics depicting stories of Jesus.
I have noticed the choir section on television, when I’ve watched special events at the cathedral. Although there were no flowers on the choir seats, the dark, rich, carved wooden benches were stunning.
The Great Choir area.
This Cathedral took on much more meaning after seeing it and touring it. I want to think of it as our National Cathedral from now on.
On the High Altar.
A candelabra.
My enjoyment of flowers along with my enjoyment of exploring churches made this a special outing for me.
The Canterbury Pulpit is made from stone from Canterbury and was carved in England in 1929.
I had a hard time choosing which photos to include on this blog post.
Beauty invites you to enter under the arch.
Enjoy.
A baptismal fount.
Up close.
This lovely arrangement was tucked in the corner of a stairwell!
A very sweet piece on a window sill.
*Both quotes taken from the Washington National Cathedral brochure.
We took a second trip down to the Mall a few days later to complete the circle…to see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial, April 2025.
All were impressive. The last time Gary and I were in Washington D.C., in 2019, we saw the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jefferson memorials.
Side view of Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, April 2025.
I was happy to see them again. And, we were glad we could see the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial this time. We decided it was our favorite.
Among many wise, sensible, and profound FDR quotes etched into the granite (that I wish our current administration would read, believe, and act on) the monument itself was well designed with four series of waterfalls representing different periods of FDR’s life and presidency.
One of the falls created for the FDR Memorial, April 2025.
Apparently, water was a major part of FDR’s life…from his childhood upbringing on the Hudson River to using water as a therapy during his illnesses (polio). Franklin Delano Roosevelt was 32nd president of the US and served from 1933 to 1945. In 1921 he was paralyzed at 39 years old.
The bronze statues of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (in a wheelchair) and his dog, Fala. April 2025.
The first waterfall is a simple waterfall symbolizing the fresh energy FDR brought to the presidency. The second falls are a series of steps to represent the Tennessee Valley Authority project FDR founded. The TVA Act was part of Roosevelt’s broader “new Deal” initiative to address the Great Depression. The third falls has chaotic falls to represent the destruction from World War II. The fourth falls includes a still pool that symbolizes his death.
The bronze statue of Eleanor Roosevelt, April 2025.
The FDR memorial is the largest memorial on the Mall. A couple more unique features include it’s the only memorial that includes a sculpture of a First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the only one to include a sculpture of a dog, FDR’s dog named Fala. Because of FDR’s disabilities, the memorial was intentionally designed to be accessible to people of all abilities.
The Washington Monument, April 2025.
Once again we walked back to the Metro station and past the Washington Monument, which I remember climbing steps to the top, as a kid, when I was in Washington D.C. with my parents.
This was another fun day with the grandkids, walking several miles everyday, for each of our adventures.
We visited the exciting city of Washington, D.C. where there is an unlimited number of interesting things to see. We saw a fraction of them, yet we saw a lot.
First, we were visiting our son and his wife and their two children. That was the best part, and the reason for our visit to the area. They moved in January for our son’s training to become a Foreign Service Officer. It was great to see all of them. The kids were on spring break from school so, while the parents went to work during the week, we took the kids exploring.
The U. S. Capitol, April 2025.
We took two days to walk around the National Mall; the area with the reflecting pool surrounded by the domed U.S. Capital, the Whitehouse and many monuments and Smithsonian museums. We missed the peak of the famous cherry blossoms which were in full bloom one week prior to our visit. However, there were a few lingering trees in bloom near our son’s apartment.
Cherry Blossoms, April 2025.
Our first day on the Mall we began our walk past the Whitehouse.
The Whitehouse, April 2025.
The reflecting pool and the Washington Monument, April 2025.
Next, we walked towards the reflecting pool and the World War II Memorial, and on to the Vietnam War memorial.
Walking towards the long black marble Vietnam War Memorial, April 2025.
The Vietnam War memorial is an impressive, black marble wall with the names carved into it of all who died in the war, or from causes directly related to the war.
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial, April 2025.
Next to this memorial was the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, created to commemorate the 265,000 women that served in the Vietnam War, many of whom worked as nurses. It was significant to see because I had just finished reading Kristin Hannah’s book, The Women, a story about three nurses who served in Vietnam (a recommended read).
The Lincoln Memorial, April 2025.
After a snack lunch, we walked up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial. This is a very impressive monument that brought tears to my eyes. We stood in awe at the looming sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, with some of his quotes carved in the marble walls that surrounded his figure. And though there were many people crowding the area, it was a very poignant moment.
The Korean War Memorial, April 2025.
We made a quick stop at the Korean War Memorial, but by now, we were tired and started our walk back to the metro station. We passed the Washington monument on our way, which we could see throughout the day, towering above us from every angle on the Mall.
These monuments and memorials are a tribute to great men and women who served in leadership positions and the United States military service. It was good to see them.
My mom was a collector and had two prominent collections. One was angels. When she passed away in 2009 I set up a table in the fellowship hall of the church where we had her funeral, and set out all her angels with a sign saying “take an angel to remember Ruby”. It was a hit…the angels were all gone by the end of the luncheon.
This is an angel I saved from my mother’s collection. It has a favorite scripture etched into it: Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
Her other significant collection was clowns. She had a pretty sophisticated clown collection, with many clowns by specific artists. We eventually sold most of them…but didn’t get their true value.
The clown I kept from my mother’s collection.
One favorite clown that I saved was a tall clown on a stand, with different masks hanging from its neck to interchange. When our sons were little, they‘d go to grandma and ask if they could change the masks…when she said yes, they very carefully took off one mask and replaced it with another. That clown sits on top of our bookshelf in our sunroom now. I saved a few smaller, whimsical clowns that are tucked in different places throughout the house.
A glass clown figure tucked into the corner of a curio cabinet.
For many years a clown picture, that my mom cross-stitched, hung in my laundry room. It had been in the guest room where the grandkids slept when they came to visit, but the picture scared them, so we moved it out. I agree, clowns can be kind of scary.
The cross-stitch picture my mother made.
The cross-stitch is large with bright colors. It is professionally framed in a blue frame with glass. Unfortunately, we have no place to display it in our new home, so I decided to sell it (after checking with other family members.) The gal who bought it is thrilled to have it, and that makes it easier to part with…it will be on display for others to enjoy, instead of in a box in the garage.
There was a variety of clowns in my mom’s collection.
Of course, to this day, whenever I see a clown I think of my mom. She had a fun and unique collection.
The writing assignment was to write a joyful memory of night. Joyful is not the right word for my story, but it is an unforgettable night memory…
It was a dark and stormy night (in 2014)…
We had a delayed start to our day, as we headed north to our vacation destination: Zongoene Lodge, a beautiful resort on the Indian Ocean in Mozambique, Africa. The hired drivers of a 15-passenger van were late to arrive at our apartment.
Our 2 1/2 month old granddaughter, in 2014.
When the driver’s arrived, seven family members filed into the rented van, with everyone’s luggage. Our son, his wife and 2 1/2 month old daughter, and Gary and I, piled into our son’s car. Finally, we were on our way. We drove out of the city on a good four-lane highway. After a couple of hours, we turned off the highway and started driving down a muddy, dirt road that had been washed out by all the rain from the previous night.
Our resort was still 35 kilometers away (22 miles). As we drove further into the countryside, the road got muddier, the puddles got deeper, and the ride got bumpier. The road was rugged, full of ruts and major pot holes, with large standing mini-lakes and water flowing over the road. You couldn’t see the potholes through the mud puddles.
By now the sun was setting, and it had started to rain.
Looking out over a few flooded areas towards our resort and the Indian Ocean. (2014)
Tim and Gary were in the front seat of our son’s car, Baby Zoey was strapped in her car seat in back with Andrea and me. The van, with the two hired drivers, and seven others from our party were behind us. The road kept getting worse. At one point, about 14 km in, our car slid down a steep hill and almost toppled over, but we made it to the bottom and stopped along side the road. We waited for the van, and watched it slide down the hill. I was praying it would reach the bottom without tipping over.
Once the van stopped, the angry drivers got out and said they would go no further. One said he had not been told the road would be so undriveable. But how could we have known the rains would cause such a mess?
Now that we were all stopped, it was obvious nobody was going to go any farther without help. But how? We were in the middle of nowhere, at night, in Mozambique Africa – a dark sky, made darker with clouds, and no traffic or traffic lights or city lights within miles and miles of where we were stranded…with a 2 ½ month old baby! Hmmm…I said to Andrea…”it will be interesting to see how God gets us out of this mess.”
Well, unbelievably, Tim’s cell phone worked. He was able to call the lodge. The manager rounded up twofour-wheel drive vehicles (one belonged to a guest of the lodge) and they came to rescue us.
We waited over an hour when we finally saw headlights coming our way. The manager of the resort was in one of the vehicles. We transferred our luggage and rearranged the twelve of us into three vehicles. Once everyone and our luggage was out of the van, the van drivers stepped on the accelerator, spun their tires in the mud, turned the van around and sped away…madder than a hornet’s nest (after demanding more money.) They drove back up the hill (unbelievably they made it) and headed back to the city, while we headed to the resort, another ten miles down the dark, flooded, washed-out dirt road. We had all been dispersed into different vehicles with strangers, in the middle of nowhere, trusting we would all end up in the same place in a short while.
Grandma, Avó (Portuguese for grandma) and baby Zoey in 2014.
The resort owner drove Tim’s car, since he knew the road and could maneuver the dangerous spots. He led the way. Dan, Tim’s friend, was a good sport. He ended up in the bed of a pickup truck bouncing all the way back… in the rain! Finally, we all made it to the resort at midnight, after a very scary ride. We all let out a sigh of relief and a praise to God.
The staff had been waiting for us to arrive and had prepared a special drink to toast us as we walked into the lobby of Zongoene Lodge. A toast to our safe arrival, a toast to welcome us, and a toast to a night none of us would ever forget!
I went through another fun box while decluttering…my Barbie and Ken dolls …I have two original dolls from the 1950’s.
I can’t remember when I first got my Barbie and Ken dolls, but I do remember spending time playing with them. It was fun to change out the outfits and set up a house for them with cardboard furniture, back in the late 1950’s.
At that time, if you wanted Barbie to be a nurse you put on her nurse uniform and nurse cap. Back then, you had to change her outfit for a specific activity, these days you just buy a different Barbie!
In July I took out my old Barbie and Ken dolls, in the original black carrying case, with all their paraphernalia, and let our oldest granddaughter play with them. She found a cardboard box and cut out doors to make a house for Barbie and Ken, just like I used to do, and played quietly in the corner.
The box full of Barbie and Ken’s paraphernalia.
In decluttering our grandchildren’s play area, I gathered up the box and the carrying case and decided to organize it, to get Barbie and Ken ready to move. I had fun going through the many dresses and outfits I had for Barbie (not so many for Ken, but a few).
The accessories are amazing too…I had three pairs of shoes for Ken, and four pairs for Barbie, plus a pair of slippers! Not bad having matching pairs after all these years.
There were knitted sweaters with matching hats, undies(!), sun glasses, swimsuits, purses, luggage, and cardboard furniture.
I love the knitted coat and sweater, with matching hats. I wonder who knit them? I’d love these for myself!
I remember having more cardboard furniture, but I’m not surprised there are only a few pieces left.
After thoroughly enjoying examining each outfit, I dressed Barbie and Ken and strapped them into their carrying case. I hung the clothes on the rack in the carrying case, using all the cute, miniature hangers I had. I tucked the rest of the clothes into the case, adding the cardboard furniture, then latched the box.
I enjoyed my playtime with Barbie. She and Ken are all ready to move again, tagging along with me as they have over the past 60-plus years.
My granddaughter, age 7, found a fun book at the library, Fancy Nancy Ooh La La! It’s Beauty Day, and checked it out. She wanted to create a spa from the descriptions in the book, so I helped her out.
Grandpa was busy cutting down a vine from our son’s garage. I thought, the vine might be fun to use to create a soothing, nature themed spa, located in the outdoor space tucked in to their play set. It worked well to drape the vines.
My granddaughter set up a table and supplied it with the suggested items in the book: nail polish, nail clippers, q-tips, hair brush, towels, lotion, books (instead of fashion magazines). She brought out a bowl of warm water, for the foot-bath.
A page from the book.
I made the sign for A & L Spa and pinned it to the entrance.
We brought out a stool, for the client, and a chair for the assistant…her younger brother. Our granddaughter was the director. We cut hydrangea flowers to scatter on the floor, and I used my cell phone to play relaxing music.
Photo taken before hydrangea petals.
Voila! A & L Spa was ready for business, and I was the first client.
My fingernails were the first item on the agenda (my toes already had polish). I chose purple nail polish, from three different color options. I liked it!
Next, my granddaughter brushed my hair as my feet soaked in the warm foot-bath. Then her assistant, our grandson, rubbed lotion on my feet…all the while enjoying the music and each other.
It was the best spa experience ever.
After Mom arrived home, she was also treated to a very special spa date too.
The month of July was a very unusual, emotional month for us – dramatic negatives interspersed with unique positives…
A Negative: A family member has been very sick. A Positive: My second cousin and his wife from Norway stayed with us for five days and we enjoyed our time together. A Positive: Our youngest son and his wife and two children, Zoey & Ezra, came for a three-week visit. A Negative: I tested positive for COVID, and needed to curtail some activities. Thankfully I didn’t get very sick, it didn’t linger, and no one else caught it.
The camping cabin.
A stand-out activity with our two grandchildren from North Carolina, was a camping trip. We made plans to go camping with Zoey and Ezra when we knew they would be visiting us in Minnesota. Their parents had planned a getaway by themselves to celebrate special birthdays, so we made reservations for a camping cabin in a state park, about an hour away.
We enjoyed two campfires.
Camping never disappoints to create unforgettable memories. And we created memories. The biggest problem we encountered were the mosquitos, of course, and it also rained a couple of times. But we were able to do all we wanted to. We ate well (and outside)…blueberry pancakes, roasted hot dogs, s’mores, hobo meals… and we sat around the campfire, relaxed and read in the screen porch, had ice cream for lunch…we had fun.
We made hobo meals to cook over the open fire.
One of my favorite activities with Zoey and Ezra was writing and creating a book about our camping experience after we returned home. Zoey took notes as we all sat together and made suggestions as to what to write about our two-night camping trip and all the mishaps…much like The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Vacation. Both Ezra and Zoey got into this activity and we spent several hours on it. And I must say, it turned out well.
Busy at work, creating our book.
Ezra dictated as Zoey typed it up in a Word document. Then I edited the six chapters, and it “went to press”. We printed copies to present to the parents when they arrived home from their mini-get away.
The end product.
The book, The Very Crazy Camping Trip, became an instant success!
