Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)

Photograph taken on Sunday, April 03, 2022 by Henry
Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)

Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)

We walked in Meadowside Nature Center this afternoon and saw more bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) as seen in yesterday’s photo. We also saw quite a few mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) coming up. They come out of the ground as cones and then the leaves spread like an opening umbrella. Apparently plants with a single leaf will not flower but those with two will produce a flower stem from the leaf axil (where the two leaf stems branch). While the leaves and roots are poisonous, the fruit, when ripe, can be made into preserves and jellies. I never have, though.

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Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)

Photograph taken on Saturday, April 02, 2022 by Henry
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)

Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)

We went for a walk near Rock Creek today and enjoyed the spring flowers. The spring beauties (Claytonia virginica) which are in great profusion. We also saw a few bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) as seen here. The flower petals are the purest white with bright yellow stamens. Although they don’t last long, they are quite lovely for the little time they are blooming each spring. The roots have a red sap, which is where they get both their common name and their genus name. The leaves are palmate and deeply-scalloped and attractive in their own right.

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Steve, Maya, and Danna

Photograph taken on Saturday, March 26, 2022 by Henry
Steve, Maya, and Danna

Steve, Maya, and Danna

We got together for Tsai-Hong’s birthday this evening and as always I took pictures of the family. Usually I get a lot more of the kids than of the adults but I try to include everyone at least now and then. I think this one of Steve, Maya, and Danna turned out well so here you are. It’s been a hard few years with the restrictions, both official and self-imposed and I’m really glad we’re getting together in person again. I’m happy for the technology that lets us talk to and even see each over remotely but it’s not remotely the same.

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Deviled Eggs and Veggies

Photograph taken on Friday, March 25, 2022 by Henry
Deviled Eggs and Vegetables

Deviled Eggs and Vegetables

I was asked to take photos at the missions banquet at Fourth Pres. this evening. I took quite a few photos of people but they won’t be all that interesting to those who don’t know them and of course picking on out of so many that’s representative of the evening is nearly impossible. So, instead, I’ve decided to punt and post a photo of some of the food prepared for the evening. These trays have deviled eggs and vegetables and are, I think you’ll admit, quite festive looking. And who doesn’t like deviled eggs? Although I do wonder about the propriety of serving deviled eggs at a church dinner.

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Bald Eagle

Photograph taken on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 by Henry
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

It’s been a good year for bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sightings. A little under a month ago (see Sunday, February 27, 2022) I got a photo of one of the nesting eagles flying over the nest. Today one of them flew right over our heads and then landed in a tree on our side of Lake Frank. I wasn’t able to get an unimpeded view but I was able to get relatively close. I’d still be happy to have a longer lens but I think this is pretty nice. Of course we’d see these on a daily basis in Juneau, but around hear, this sort of sighting is still somewhat rare and exciting.

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Lenten Rose ‘Rose Quartz’

Photograph taken on Monday, March 21, 2022 by Henry
Lenten Rose ‘Rose Quartz’

Lenten Rose ‘Rose Quartz’

Mostly because I’ve stopped taking a photograph every day, I haven’t photographed our spring blooms as thoroughly as in the ten years when it was an easy way to get a photo for any day in the spring. Nevertheless, I took my camera out into the yard today and took a few photos of things blooming, including this Lenten rose called ‘Rose Quartz’. It was planted in the fall of 2014 and took a few years to get established, putting out just a few blooms in it’s early years. Now it’s doing really well and is absolutely covered with flowers and I really like it. Definitely worth the wait.

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Craftsman Radial Arm Saw

Photograph taken on Monday, March 21, 2022 by Henry
Craftsman Radial Arm Saw

Craftsman Radial Arm Saw

I bought this Craftsman radial arm saw yesterday off of Craig’s list. I already actually have the radial arm saw my dad bought in the 1960s but we had a small plumbing problem which caused rain to fall in our basement, soaking the saw. Unfortunately I didn’t tend to it in time and two parts of it seized up. One was the column which no longer lets me raise or lower the saw, which is pretty significant. The other is the motor itself, which is even more significant. So, I bought another. While my dad’s was a 10″ saw, this is a 12″, which is a nice upgrade. The downside is that it runs on 220 volts, so I need to have a little electrical work done, but I’m planning to put the kiln near this and they can run on the same circuit, although not at the same time. I’m looking forward to having it working.

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Just Hanging Out

Photograph taken on Sunday, March 20, 2022 by Henry
Thea, Elizabeth, and Grant

Thea, Elizabeth, and Grant

We stopped at Dorothy’s this evening and some of her housemates and other friends were just hanging out in the family room. I happened to have my camera with me, as I often do, and Elizabeth asked if I had taken any pictures today. I had not, so I got out my camera and flash and took a few of them lounging on the sofa. It’s not exactly a formal portrait but it’s a day in the life. After that, Dorothy, Lydia, Donna, Cathy, and I went to Bethesda to get some dinner.

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Raccoon

Photograph taken on Sunday, March 13, 2022 by Henry
Raccoon

Raccoon

We went to the C&O Canal today, walking southeast from Pennyfield Lock. We took a detour out to the river and saw quite a few different songbirds, enjoying them flitting about in the trees. Shortly after we returned to the towpath I spotted this raccoon at the top of a hollow tree. It went up the tree and into the hole and we didn’t expect to see it again. Then it popped its head back out and looked around before climbing around and generally putting on a nice show for us. I’ve seen raccoons before but this is the first I’ve seen on the canal. What fun.

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Late Snow

Photograph taken on Saturday, March 12, 2022 by Henry
Snow on Maple Flowers

Snow on Maple Flowers

March can be very spring like but can and usually does return to winter conditions again before it’s done. We’ve had some wonderful weather but then we just got a pretty decent snowfall and blustery conditions. Cathy and I went for a walk in the neighborhood and enjoyed the blowing snow and I took a few pictures, including this one of the snow on maple flowers around the corner from our house. It won’t do the tree any harm and it’s actually quite pretty. Within a few days the snow will very likely be gone and we’ll could be back into spring like temperatures.

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Dorothy and Cathy at Dumbarton Oaks

Photograph taken on Thursday, March 10, 2022 by Henry
Dorothy and Cathy at Dumbarton Oaks

Dorothy and Cathy at Dumbarton Oaks

We haven’t been to Dumbarton Oaks in a long time but we decided to take a trip now, before everything is out, to see how it looks out of season. It’s not nearly as spectacular this time of year, of course, but there were some things in bloom. It’s also really nice to see the bones on which the garden rests. I took quite a few photos and really like this one of Dorothy and Cathy siting on a bench. You have to make reservations and book a time but out of season it’s free. Even in season it’s only $7, which isn’t bad value.

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C&O Canal, near White’s Ford

Photograph taken on Sunday, March 06, 2022 by Henry
C&O Canal, near White's Ford

C&O Canal, near White’s Ford

We took an outing to a new stretch of the C&O Canal today. Not that it’s really new and we’ve actually been there before but it’s been a long time. White’s Ford is a little ways upstream from White’s Ferry. We found out way to the parking area and walked downstream on the tow path, stopping to enjoy the large, old maple tree growing at Lock 26. We also ran into a coworker (and her husband) that Cathy knows. We headed off of the towpath and down to the river shortly after passing the marker for White’s Ford. We saw two barred owls (Strix varia), one of whom flew from tree to tree and gave us a really nice view. This photo is the view of the C&O Canal looking upstream from the bridge near the parking area.

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Early Cherry Blossoms, McCrillis Garden

Photograph taken on Saturday, March 05, 2022 by Henry
Early Cherry Blossoms, McCrillis Garden

Early Cherry Blossoms, McCrillis Garden

We picked up Dorothy today and went to McCrillis Garden on Greentree Road this afternoon. It’s a wonderful little garden (five lots totaling about 4.8 acres) that’s especially lovely when the azaleas and rhododendrons are in bloom. But it’s worth a visit at other times of the year, as well, to see the sometimes less spectacular but still lovely plants. At the north end of the property there were a few cherry trees beginning to bloom. We also enjoyed seeing some of the ‘bones’ of the garden, including trees that have interesting shapes and structure even when they don’t have leaves. But seeing the blossoms was particularly nice.

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Red Tailed Hawk

Photograph taken on Thursday, March 03, 2022 by Henry
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

I went into the office today. We had planned to start coming back to the office originally last fall and then at the new year, but each time it got pushed back. Starting March 1, however, it actually happened. I came in on March 1 and again today. In the early afternoon I went outside for a short break, walking through the empty lot next to my office. I saw this red-tailed hawk (em>Buteo jamaicensis) and was quick enough to get a pretty nice photograph. I’ve been thinking for some time about getting a longer lens for this sort of thing, but so far, the longest I have is 100mm.

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Bald Eagle

Photograph taken on Sunday, February 27, 2022 by Henry
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Cathy and I took a walk to Lake Frank this afternoon. We walked along the shore of the lake towards the northeast end. We saw a belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), which was nice. Then we rounded the point and had a good look at the bald eagle’s nest, which you can see in the trees here. As we were looking, one of the adult bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flew off the nest and I was able to get a reasonable photo. We see these birds reasonably often and it’s good to be reminded of how big, majestic, and beautiful they are. We’re really privileged to have this pair nesting here year after year.

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Adjustable Bed

Photograph taken on Saturday, February 26, 2022 by Henry
Cathy in Our New Adjustable Bed

Cathy in Our New Adjustable Bed

We had a really nice windfall this week. A friend of ours helps people get rid of things from their homes and yards. He called me the other day and said he had been asked to take this adjustable bed from a home after the person it was bought for passed away. It’s brand new and was never actually used. We moved it into our garage but between then and when I’m writing this (in April) it has been moved into Margaret’s room and it makes it much easier for her to sit up in bed for eating, reading, or watching TV.

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Amaryllis ‘Lemon Star’

Photograph taken on Friday, February 25, 2022 by Henry

Amaryllis ‘Lemon Star’

Amaryllis ‘Lemon Star’

Amaryllis ‘Lemon Star’

We’re in our second flush of flowers from our ‘amaryllis forest’ and I have to say, while we’ve always had either red or red and white blooms before, I’m really happy with this white and green one. It’s called ‘Lemon Star’ and it’s a real show stopper. I’ve moved them from our dining room table onto a table by the window. This allowed me to use the leaves of the fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) to provide support to the long stems and keep them from tipping over. A few of them were noticeably shorter, which is a real benefit, but for the tall stems, some external support is needed.

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Korean BBQ

Photograph taken on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 by Henry
Dorothy, Nadia, Lexi, and Cathy

Dorothy, Nadia, Lexi, and Cathy

We met Dorothy, Nadia, and Lexi for Korean BBQ this evening at 9292 Korean BBQ in Annandale. It was a lot of fun and the food was terrific. With my diet being so protein heavy and carb light, it was a good meal for me. At the same time, even as it is, I need to control my portion, especially now as I’ve lost 50 pounds. So, it’s not like I could eat here with impunity. But once in a while it’s nice to have a real treat and the food was really good. I was surprised by the pork neck, which I’ve never had before. Very good flavor. Recommended (but not cheap).

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Ram

Photograph taken on Sunday, February 20, 2022 by Henry
Ram

Ram

We were out at Rocklands today and walked over to see the ram. He was just chillin’ in the sun. We also visited the chickens and a little later Dorothy came and we went in to see the kittens. They leave this week for their new home, so it was our last chance for a while. It’s good to get outside, even in the winter when it’s cold. We’ve found it especially important the last two years, as we don’t commute to work. For me, in particular, with my office in the basement, I need to get out once in a while and see the sun and the sky.

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Dot’s Birthday

Photograph taken on Saturday, February 19, 2022 by Henry
Dot's Birthday

Dot’s Birthday

We got together for mom’s (Dot’s) birthday this evening. We weren’t able to last year, with all the restrictions. That is to say, we probably could have but we didn’t. It’s great to be able to do this again. The funniest thing is that mom made and brought her own birthday cake. She also brought presents (quilts that she had made but not yet delivered). Regardless, it was a really nice family dinner and we need to do this more, again. And thanks to Tsai-Hong for ordering and picking up the food.

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Cathy at Lake Needwood

Photograph taken on Saturday, February 19, 2022 by Henry
Cathy at Lake Needwood

Cathy at Lake Needwood

We went for a walk at Lake Needwood this morning, starting at Needwood Mansion and walking around the south end of the lake as far as the boat house. It was a chilly day and mostly overcast, but nice to be outdoors. This bear is near the boat house and I think I’ve posted a photo of Cathy with it once before (quick check, yep, see Sunday, December 02, 2018). But that’s okay, I’m allowed to repeat. And the pictures are different, in any case. The only constant is change.

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One of Two Kittens

Photograph taken on Saturday, February 12, 2022 by Henry
Kitten

Kitten

Dorothy had two kittens for a couple weeks. They were named Stevie and Brian, although I’m not sure which this is. They are not identical and if they are next to each other I can tell them apart but they’re similar enough that it’s not simple when they are separate. They live in the ‘red house’ at the farm, or at least they did when I took this photo. They’ve been placed in a permanent home and have move on by the time I’m writing this. But Dorothy should be able to visit them from time to time. Personally, I’m not a cat person, although I don’t really mind them. Except for the mild allergy, that is.

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Amaryllis Forest

Photograph taken on Thursday, February 10, 2022 by Henry
Amaryllis Forest

Amaryllis Forest

Even after giving a few away, we had a bunch of amaryllises this year. They really have put on a show and right now are just about as good as they are going to get. And they vary quite a bit in terms of color, too. I particularly like the white one in the back with a little green in the center. Of course the pure red blooms are pretty awesome, too, as well as the red and white in the upper left. Heck, they’re all really nice. Together they’re spectacular. Many of them have second blooming stems starting, so we’ll get even more flowers in a little while.

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BWI Airport

Photograph taken on Monday, February 07, 2022 by Henry
Arrivals and Departures

Arrivals and Departures

Dorothy flew home from New Orleans this evening and I picked her up at the airport. Whenever I pick someone up at the airport, I generally try to get there a little early so I’m waiting for them rather than them waiting for me. Unfortunately, although I got there about 20 minutes early, so did Dorothy’s flight. So, she texted me as I was parking and I didn’t notice and then I went in to wait for her. But she assumed I’d pick her up at the curb and we waited for each other. We figured it out eventually.

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Ice

Photograph taken on Saturday, February 05, 2022 by Henry
Ice

Ice

We went to the Ag. History Farm Park today and took a walk by the creek. On the way to the creek I took this picture of ice, which I think is pretty cool. I didn’t take a lot of pictures, otherwise, just a few of a deer skull and a few of the old farm house. It was really nice out, with the sky a deep blue that we only get around here in the winter time.

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Music Pavilion, at the Rio

Photograph taken on Friday, February 04, 2022 by Henry
Music Pavilion, at the Rio

Music Pavilion, at the Rio

Cathy and I went for burgers at the Rio this evening. It was cold and damp, with a light drizzle coming down, so it’s not too surprising that there were not a lot of folks walking alongside the pond. Nevertheless, we did and enjoyed the brisk and fresh air. The bandstand was, again, unsurprisingly, deserted. It’s a nice design, I think, with good lines. We’ve been a few times when bands were playing, children dancing, and everyone enjoying the show. Tonight, the show was solitude. Not everyones’ favorite performer, but worth seeing once in a while.

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Frederick, Maryland

Photograph taken on Sunday, January 30, 2022 by Henry
FCB Bank building near the corner of Market and Patrick streets, Frederick, Maryland

FCB Bank building near the corner of Market and Patrick streets, Frederick, Maryland

We drove up to Frederick today for a couple things. First, just for something a little different. After parking we walked around a bit and went into a few shops. This photo is the upper stories of a part of the Beaux-Arts style FCB Bank building, which occupies this and the building to the left, at the corner of Patrick and Market Streets in downtown Frederick. Second, there is an store specializing in houseplants and we thought it would be nice to see what’s available. It was, too. Finally, we went to the Frederick branch of Wonder Book. The Gaithersburg location is one of our two local used book shops and we frequent it fairly regularly. But it’s nice to see what this other location has from time to time. As usual, we left with a bag full of books.

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Footprints

Photograph taken on Saturday, January 29, 2022 by Henry
Footprints

Footprints

Last night we had a little wet snow. I went out to push a shovel through it so that it wouldn’t be too icy this morning because I knew we’d have someone coming to the house early today. There was a little ice at the bottom, under the snow, so I wasn’t able to get it all up. I went out this morning to put some salt down to melt what was left and make it a bit safer for anyone coming to the house and I saw these footprints in the ice. I’m trying to figure out what sort of creature would leave prints of this sort. Any ideas?

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Snow and Holly

Photograph taken on Monday, January 17, 2022 by Henry
Holly in Snow

Holly in Snow

We have the day off for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day today, for only the second time. It’s nice to have something after New Year’s Day, although we still have a fairly long gap before our next holiday, Memorial Day near the end of May. Still, we’ll take what we can get. There was a little snow on the ground today but the sky was clear and it was sunny and nice. We took a walk in the neighborhood and enjoyed being outdoors. I also finished reading Evenor, a collection of three short stories, by George MacDonald and started reading Piers the Ploughman, written sometime around 1370 by William Langland. So, a nice day, overall.

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Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Robert’ (Witchhazel)

Photograph taken on Saturday, January 15, 2022 by Henry
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Robert’ (Witchhazel)

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Robert’ (Witchhazel)

We decided to go to Brookside Gardens today. It’s one of the county’s nicest places. They have two, connected conservatories, the first of which has mostly permanent plantings while the second changes more often and more extensively with the seasons. In addition to spending time in amongst the green, we walked in the grounds. It certainly wasn’t crowded on this fairly cold day but it was worth if to see the witchhazel starting to bloom. If you’re looking for a small, flowering tree that will give you joy in late January or early February, you could do a lot worse. This is Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Robert’.

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