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D.C. Chronicles Volume 29

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 29

Hello Everyone! I hope you’ve all had a nice week since last we met. The weather here in D.C. has been spectacular and I’ve enjoyed spending a lot of time outside this week. The fall colors aren’t great here, but the maples in particular have been pretty awesome. My folks and I have continued to try and celebrate life this week while keeping safe and close to home and I even got out for an overnight in my van which was awesome. October has seemed to go even faster than September did and I know that process will continue as the days get shorter. All told it’s been a pretty good week though.

I got a new phone this week, which is always exciting. My iPhone 5s has been slowly dying over the last year or so, and at the end the battery would only last about 20 minutes. I carried around an external battery for the last 6 months which is a pain, but also not a huge deal. I’m not all about the latest gadget, but that phone lasted a solid five years or so and hadn’t been new when I bought it. I’ve gone with the latest iPhone SE which has the newest chip in a reasonably priced phone. I was super happy with Apple’s new phone-to-phone transfer technology which basically migrated everything from my old phone to my new phone (down to the wallpaper) via WiFi. It was amazing and made set-up super easy. So far I’m enjoying the new features and the expanded capacity and capability of my new phone, and while there are a few things my old one could do which this one doesn’t seem to be able to, I’m sure I’ll get used to it.

The news this week is obviously pretty focused on the upcoming election, and I truly hate to see the divisiveness in the country right now. I know it’s been building for quite some time, but it seems too many people are fanning the flames and it’s heartbreaking. I think a lot of it comes from people not traveling enough and experiencing the different parts of the country and spending time with people who are Americans, but Americans different from themselves or their neighbors. I’ve spent almost my entire adult life doing just that, and I’ve found nothing but good people from coast to coast and lakes to gulf. I’ve always said that I think that sitting around a dinner table we’d have more in common than we did different, and with some open-minded conversation we could probably find compromise and common ground. But now more than ever we’re not having that face-to-face discussion, and it’s eating us like a cancer. I know the biggest divide right now seems to be between urban and rural communities and I’ve spent plenty of my life in both and both have enormous benefits and drawbacks. I think city people could use a bit of time in the country or in a small town and country people could use some real time in the city. Texans should go to Seattle and Alaskans should spend some time in L.A. and they all might find that the people there aren’t as unlike them as they think they are. I’ve spent time in my life in truly foreign environments having traveled across many countries all over the world and no matter where I’ve been I’ve met wonderful people working hard to provide for their families and spend a few minutes with their friends at the end of the day. When I personally can find a huge amount in common with a farmer in rural Cambodia, I know that people from different parts of the same country could find even more if they were focused on our common interests and ideals. We’ve got to stop demonizing each other and spend more time together and we’d all be surprised by what we find. I know that for a fact. Sermon over.

Mason and I continue our adventures around Glover Park and the nearby woods. He is really enjoying all the Halloween decorations, and again seems fearless since he has not been given a reason to be scared of the things we see (and certainly won’t get that from me). He waves to the Wolfman and says “Hi Doggie” and carried on a five minute conversation with a headless skeleton sitting in the bus stop. We’ve got a hill that we love to run down together, holding hands because sometimes he makes a misstep and at full speed that could end badly. He loves this hill and laughs so hard and heartily it warms my heart to no end. Remember when the joy of simply running down a hill could bring you that much happiness? It’s wonderful.

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 28

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 28

Hello Everyone. It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through October. It definitely feels like time is speeding up on me here. I have been enjoying the cooler weather, although it’s almost too cold some mornings when I get up for my walk. The extra hour of daylight will help with that in a couple of weeks though. A couple of months ago I told y’all that one of my photos was going to be featured on a wooden jigsaw puzzle, and my sample copy came in the mail last week. It is really beautiful and very exciting and I will definitely let you know when it’s available for purchase, but that was a nice boost since last week. I also got an email from someone who wants to use a photo in an upcoming book he is working on – it sounds like a small printing on a fairly niche subject, but I’m always excited to see my photos in print. I also got a message this week from someone interested in discussing some other photos, but unfortunately the email address they left was incomplete. I’ve tried to sleuth it out, but haven’t been able to figure it out – if you’re reading this, I’m not ignoring you, please give me another holler. It’s been a pretty good week from that perspective and it’s nice to feel like my work is reaching a wider audience again as it’s been a really quiet summer in that regard.

I got my flu shot today, and I would definitely encourage you all to do the same. I try and get mine every year, but I’m definitely not messing around with it this year. I voted this week too, and I really hope that all of my American readers have a plan to make sure their votes are in and counted. I’ve always been cynical about voting since I know that, as a registered D.C. voter, my vote for president won’t change the outcome and we have no representation in congress so there’s no help there either. Beyond our city council and school board elections, which I probably should pay more attention to, there isn’t much need to vote here. But this year I want to contribute my voice to the popular vote count and hope that one day all our votes will count equally. I’ve always wondered and often commented as to why so many people in this country think their vote should be more important than mine. Personally I would like to see everyone be able to vote, and everyone’s vote to count. The whole thing should be about finding people who represent us well, not about gaming the system. Our entire election process in this country is broken from top to bottom and needs a reboot. That being said, I’m happy to have had the opportunity to vote in this election because this year it seems more important than ever before.

I’ve been keeping busy with 2 year-old Mason this week as well. We continued our adventures in the woods, expanding our territory as always and enjoying the changing of the leaves and the emergence of some new kinds of fall berries. We also got some rain this week, so there were some cool new mushrooms around as well. Mason continues to work on his letters and, as seems normal, associates new letters he learns with words he already knows. I think it’s pretty incredible to watch, and he’s quick to point out the letters he knows on my T-shirt and any signs we may encounter. While obviously I encourage this, it amuses me as well and I can’t help but think he’s calling out battle coordinates in code – “Uncle Mike – Lion, Elephant, Ohio, Apple”. It’s been great to see so many Halloween decorations go up around his neighborhood as well, and these provide us with a great deal of conversation fodder as we wander the streets every day. He tries to feed berries and acorns to the skeletons because apparently they look hungry (can’t argue with that), and carries on endless conversations with the witches, wolfmen, demons, ghosts, vampires and ghouls we encounter. He got his own pumpkins this week as well and is very proud of them and loves showing them to me and admiring the long stems they have. We’ve also started to name some of the places we visit on our walks for easy reference. From the Calvert Cliffs (a series of walls on Calvert Street he likes to walk on) to the Rock Water Bridge where we usually pause to throw acorns and rocks into the creek, we enjoy the variety of scenery the neighborhood and park provides. I think our favorite is the Counting Tree – a log where we sit every day and count rocks and sticks and leave them in cool patterns to see if they’ll still be there when we return. He seems to really look forward to it every day and we always find time for a rest there. We sure do have great adventures together.

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 27

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 27

Hello Everyone! We’re a week into October and the weather in Washington has been fabulous. The leaves are starting to change and while the days are getting noticeably shorter, they’re still long enough to enjoy some time outside in the evening. It’s probably just about my favorite time of year. It was nice to get away to New Hampshire last week and get away from the news for a while, but it’s almost like they were saving it up while we were gone because this week was a crazy one. When the president is sick, whether you like him or not, it’s hard not to keep checking the news. I certainly wish everyone who has contracted the virus, whether they are newsworthy or average Joes like me, a full and speedy recovery. Beyond that, it’s been a full week of getting back on schedule and trying to keep some of my projects moving forward while carving out some time for enjoying my friends and the weather.

It’s been a full week with my 2 year-old friend Mason who is really enjoying the leaves changing color and the Halloween decorations which have sprung up around the neighborhood. I think it’s fascinating that because he’s never really seen any of these things in the context of being scary, he looks at a dog skeleton as just a dog, hands coming from the ground as hands and giant spiders as, well, giant spiders which he likes (we saw our first daddy longlegs today in the woods and he thought it was hilarious). I guess he is demonstrating to me that fear is often a learned behavior, and this kid is pretty fearless. The weather has been so good we’ve been out almost all morning every morning which has been wonderful. We’ve been having some interesting discussions this week which I think are worth sharing here.

Since the acorns have been coming down, we’ve been picking up a pocket-full on the way to the creek so that we can throw them in when we get there. If I take two out of my pocket and hold them out to Mason, he will grab the first and throw it without looking while he’s already grabbing for the second one. I think many of us are guilty of this behavior in that we are always looking towards the next thing and are often unable to savor the experience that’s happening in the moment. If you enjoy throwing acorns in the water, focus on the acorn you have and the experience of throwing it and hearing the plunk in the stream and the ripples that come from it. Watch as it bobs in the current and makes its way downstream. Think about its course, watch it float away, listen to the leaves rustle overhead and feel the cool breeze of fall on your face. Then reach for the next acorn. If we’re just thinking about the next acorn and not the one we currently have in our hand, then what is the sense of bringing more than one?

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Snapshots: Covered Bridges of S.W. New Hampshire

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Snapshots: Covered Bridges of S.W. New Hampshire

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of traveling around southwestern New Hampshire to photograph these wonderful covered bridges. I’ve always had a thing for covered bridges, and these were no exception. Much like the lighthouses and Mail Pouch Barns I’ve featured in the past on this blog, covered bridges are such a beloved and photogenic part of the American landscape. Autumn had just begun when I was out taking these pictures, and was in varying stages depending on which bridge I was looking at, but it certainly was a beautiful day to be out there. I hope you enjoy these beautiful and historic covered bridges from southwestern New Hampshire.

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This Week on the Road - September 23rd-30th

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This Week on the Road - September 23rd-30th

Hello Everyone! Wow, it has been six months since I last published This Week on the Road. I can’t describe how great it was just to type those words. I wish I had been able to leave this week and just keep going, but alas it was just for this week. My folks and I drove up to New Hampshire last Wednesday to visit my brother and his family. The fall colors are coming in beautifully in New England and we had a wonderful visit. We got out and did a lot, and I was very happy to be checking out new places and taking photos in unfamiliar surroundings. It was a wonderful week on the road in New Hampshire.

Our decision to go was not made lightly. We’ve been keeping close to home and keeping our interactions to a minimum, maintaining our distance and wearing our masks. My folks aren’t as young as they once were and with my diabetes we’re all at heightened risk, not to mention the fact that I’m spending my days with a child who I simply cannot get sick. While my brother and his girlfriend are doing what they’re supposed to do as well, seeing them would bring more people into our safety web. But with winter and a second wave coming, New Hampshire being a state with things relatively in control and the looming election we decided that if we wanted to see them this year, this was probably the time. The fall colors and the ability to take some photos of somewhere further from home helped to seal the deal. We packed a lunch and made it a direct journey in both directions, followed best practices while we were there and hopefully managed to keep everyone safe and healthy. I’m glad we went.

The trip did help me see how difficult it would be to continue my actual long-term journey at this point in time. Many things remain closed or on limited hours, and while people in New Hampshire seemed generally compliant with safety standards I know that’s not the case for much of the country. While this week definitely tugged at my heart strings and whispered go in my ear, many of the things I would want to see remain closed and the thought of getting really sick while on the road and far from home doesn’t seem like a great idea. So for now I will have to be content with my week away and settle in here in D.C. for the winter. The short days and cold nights of winter on the road are pretty brutal anyway, and without a warm safe pub to tuck into, it would probably be a bit much.

We left on Wednesday and made good time, arriving at my brother’s house at around 3:30 in the afternoon. He and his girlfriend, Errin, have a wonderful home on a windy back road with a nice chunk of land and some room to breathe. I know maintaining it takes a lot of hard work, but they’ve really made a nice home for themselves and their family. After the long ride, we were happy to just settle in, have a few cold beers and catch up a little bit. It feels like a long time since we were there in December, but it all seemed very familiar as well.

Thursday we went for a visit to Bedrock Gardens in Lee, New Hampshire. It is a beautiful 20 acre garden full of interesting sculptures and beautiful plants and flowers. It took quite a while to meander through the many paths that wound around the property. Bedrock Gardens was quite a unique and special place and is probably phenomenal in spring when all the flowers are starting to bloom. It was very cool.

On Friday, we loaded my brother’s boat onto the trailer and set off for Lake Winnipesaukee in the central part of the state. Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in New Hampshire and is just over an hour north of my brother’s house.

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 26

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 26

Hello Everyone, well this week officially marks the half-year point of being sheltered-in-place here in Washington D.C. This is definitely not what I had planned for my 2020, but it is what it is and I’m still grateful to be here all things considered. I have watched spring turn to summer, hung on through the long, humid summer days and now I am watching the temperatures drop and the leaves start to change. I’ve tried to keep myself and my folks active and busy the best I can and I’ve really enjoyed being able to read more, play some music, do some writing and learn more about the history of my hometown. I’ve made friends with a 2 year-old who shares my daytime adventures with me and traveled with my mom around the region to explore Civil War sites and local scenic byways and neighborhoods. I’ve tried hard to keep this blog going despite the fact that it’s supposed to be a travel blog which 2020 simply had other plans for. If you’re still reading and following along, I really appreciate you. Believe me when I say I hope that I can get back on the road sooner rather than later and continue my adventures around the country. There are a lot of unknowns in the future, even on the other side of this, but I’m excited and hopeful for what’s to come.

This week has been pretty quiet. There is definitely a chill in the air and nighttime temperatures have dipped near freezing. Mason and I continue our exploration of the woods near his house and have found several new-to-me trails to wander down. Now that it’s cooler I can’t have him splashing around in the water, so we spend more time walking and exploring and less time throwing things in the creek. He seems to learn and grow every day and we both continue to learn from each other. He definitely wears me out, and when he takes an afternoon nap, I take one too.

I’ve finished The Pirate Hunters book and enjoyed it so much I’m staying on that vein for a while as I picked up a book I had started many years ago called …and a Bottle of Rum. It’s a fun look at the history of rum from its origins in the Caribbean through to more modern times. I bought it when I worked as a kayak guide on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands to have something to teach my adult participants, which was fun but I never got through to the end of it. I’ve got another book on pirates lined up for after this one as well before I shift gears to something else.

On Friday, we did our weekly basement party with a theme of Blues, Brews and Barbecues. We tapped into our home-brewed IPA which is finally ready to drink and we really enjoyed it…

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 25

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 25

Hello Everyone, another week has come and gone as I continue to wait patiently for an end to the pandemic. We’re already halfway through September which is really hard for me to believe. Next week will be week 26 in this series, marking half a year since I turned my headlights towards home and chose to wait this pandemic out here in D.C. Some of that time has passed really slowly, and yet it doesn’t feel like I’ve been here for six months at all. I’m still just trying to make the best of it. As always, I’m very grateful to my folks for having me and giving me a safe harbor through this storm. It’s not how I would have chosen to spend my 2020, but as the saying goes: life is what happens when you’re making other plans.

I’ve spent a lot of time this week with young Mason as we set out on our daily adventures into the neighborhood together. This week we’ve crossed mighty rivers (or maybe just meandering streams), faced off against fierce (decorative stone) lions and ventured deep into the heart of darkness (aka Glover Archbold Park). He’s added some letters to his knowledge base – “E” (for elephant) and “O” (for Ohio) and is getting closer to understanding how many three is. It’s truly special and remarkable to watch him grow and learn and discover and I think every day he learns something from me, and I learn something from him. It’s great when he sees a bumblebee or a butterfly and the way he points it out to me is like it’s the single most remarkable thing that’s ever existed. When he’s really enjoying something, he just coos which is one of the best sounds on earth. He loves big trucks and busses, and it’s fun for us when the bus drivers honk their horns and wave back to us. We continue to have a really good time together and every day is a new adventure.

Last Friday my folks and I once again retired to the basement for our weekly Forget-About-It Friday festivities. We started out this week with a brewing session as we had to get our Oktoberfest brewed if we want it ready to drink by October (which is fast approaching). Then we relaxed into a Renaissance Night in Sherwood Forrest with beer, roast turkey legs, breads, meats and cheeses. We listened to some great old music, played a fun game of Gluckhouse, and generally had a merry old time. It was another successful night.

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In Focus: Bryce Canyon National Park

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In Focus: Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most striking and beautiful places in all of North America, and I’ve seen a lot of beautiful places on this continent in my 14 years as a cross-country tour guide. My very first visit to Bryce was back in May of 2000 and I had truly never seen anything like it in my life. It felt like I had arrived on some alien landscape. Unlike Grand Canyon, it seemed as though I could take in Bryce in one sweeping view, but yet my mind couldn’t comprehend how such a beautiful and fragile landscape could exist at all. It was truly striking. The awe I felt at that first breathtaking view out over the canyon has only grown with each subsequent visit, and there have been many in the intervening years although not as many recently as I would have liked. To hike among the Hoodoos, as the colorful spires are called, is the best way to experience the park and gain a better understanding of the scale of the formations. While beautiful at any time of day, the colors are most vivid at sunrise which is definitely the best time to visit the park. Be sure to bring your jacket though because at 8,000’ above sea level, Bryce is cold even in the middle of summer. In winter it can be downright brutal, but the snow makes an incredible contrast to the pink and orange spires. Bryce Canyon is one of my very favorite National Parks and is worth the drive to get there. You can get a good feel for the park with one full day to spend there, but I would definitely recommend an overnight stay so you can be there for sunrise. To find out more about Bryce Canyon National Park, visit the park’s website here. I hope you enjoy these photos I’ve taken over the years on my many trips to the park.

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 24

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 24

Hello Everyone, well, September is getting into full swing and I’m certainly enjoying the cooler temperatures here in Washington D.C. Summertime flowers are starting to disappear and I know that the leaves aren’t too far from starting to turn. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for it.

It’s been another quiet week here on the home front. Mason and I continue our adventures together in the woods, throwing rocks in the creek and talking about the leaves and the trees. Shadow Catcher is all fixed and ready to get back out there when the time is right. Many thanks to Flower Hill Automotive in Gaithersburg for doing an amazing job with the brakes and the seals – I would definitely recommend them to anyone in the D.C. metropolitan area. In my spare time I’ve been sitting outside and enjoying the transition weather – cool enough to be out there and warm enough to be enjoying it. I’ve been reading Pirate Hunters by Robert Kurson and really enjoying that as well. It’s the story of the search for the Golden Fleece, the ship of the legendary pirate Joseph Bannister. Kurson wrote one of my favorite books of all time, Shadow Divers, and this is a wonderful follow-up to that story of the quest to identify a sunken World War II German U-Boat they found off the coast of New Jersey. If you’re a diver or a boat or pirate person, I definitely would recommend these books. I miss scuba diving and will definitely be hitting a beach and some reef as soon as all of this is over. Other than that I’ve been keeping up with my walks and trying to make the best of things as usual.

Over the weekend I found out that one of the tour brands I’ve worked for for many years, Trek America, has decided to fold entirely. This is a shame because it’s a company that’s been around since before I was born and I had thought it would be there long after I’m gone. Catering to young, independent travelers, I always enjoyed running Trek trips and will miss not having the opportunity to do so in the future. I really don’t know what my corner of the travel industry will look like on the other side of all of this, but this is one more nail in the coffin of my guiding career. I know I’ll find a job, but it’s a shame it won’t be with the same people and same clientele I’ve been with in the past. C’est la vie, I guess. I saw the writing on the wall, but it was still sad to hear the news. I was interviewed about the closure for Frommers, and you can see the story I was quoted in HERE if you’re interested.

Friday we had another great weekend kickoff party in the basement. This week took us back to the islands for another pirate party (pirates and the islands have been on my mind lately). I went out to grab some delicious bake and shark, a traditional Trinidadian meal, from a nice little Caribbean spot called the Crown Bakery on Georgia Avenue not far from home. It didn’t sit well with my mom, but I enjoyed it. We also had some rum and Ting (grapefruit soda), listened to some Bob Marley music and played a few games of Threes. It was a fun night and a great way to kick off the weekend.

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 23

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 23

Hello Everyone, September is upon us which means fall is right around the corner here in Washington D.C. We’ve gotten some rain here this week which has brought the temperatures down quite a bit, and cooler temperatures is more than welcome in my opinion. I’m not used to being here in the summer and the heat and humidity is a bit much to take, especially without the normal joys of summer like concerts, festivals and fairs. I spent my days this last week with my 2 year old buddy Mason and we’ve continued to hang out in the park, throw the ball around, play with his trucks, look at insects and flowers and have a good time. We laugh a lot and it’s really amazing to see him changing and growing day by day. He’s an absolute joy to spend time with and it’s been a treat to do just that. He’s been keeping me busy, but I’ve gotten out to do a few things this week which has been great as well.

Last Wednesday we celebrated my step-father’s birthday with some delicious steaks, cakes, champaign and a viewing of the classic film American Graffiti. It was a wonderful night and I’m happy to be home with him to celebrate it.

Thursday night I had a Zoom session with some of my friends from college which was also really great. They’re all good guys and it’s nice that we’re still in touch 20 years + down the road. We still spend a lot of time laughing which is important. There were a lot of Zoom sessions going on when all of this started, but the summer has put an end to many of them as my friends have been trying to have safe and distanced vacations and keep their kids learning and growing without summer camps and programs. Hopefully we will get some of them going again as school gets back in session and the cooler weather arrives. I really miss seeing people in person, but Zoom is better than nothing.

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D.C.'s Oldest Homes - Octagon House

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D.C.'s Oldest Homes - Octagon House

On a strangely angled corner lot just a couple of blocks from the White House, at the corner of New York Avenue and 18th Street, sits the beautifully designed Octagon House, one of the city’s oldest and most architecturally celebrated homes. The house was designed and built as the winter home for Colonel John Tayloe III, one of Virginia’s wealthiest plantation owners, and for a few months in 1814 served as the Presidential Mansion after the burning of the White House.

John Tayloe III was born on his family estate, Mount Airy, in 1770, the only boy in a family of 11 children. John’s father died when he was just 9 years old and after receiving an education in London he became the soul heir to the estate. In 1792, John married Ann Ogle whose father, Benjamin, had served as the 9th Governor of Maryland. The two would have 15 children of their own. The Tayloe fortune was made primarily through farming, shipbuilding and ironworks, but they were also some of the country’s earliest racehorse breeders. Tayloe was a fine horseman himself and served in the Dragoons under the commands of George Washington and Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee during the Whiskey Rebellion in Western Pennsylvania. Later he served as a commander of the Cavalry of the District of Columbia. Just before the turn of the century, Tayloe was looking to build a winter residence in the city and had his sights set on cosmopolitan Philadelphia. His friend George Washington convinced him to build in the new Capital City instead. And so it was that John Tayloe III purchased Lot 8 in Square 170 to build his winter home within view of the White House.

There is some debate as to who designed Octagon House with the credit generally given to William Thornton who drew up the original designs for the U.S. Capitol. It is possible that the house was designed instead by our old friend William Lovering who designed several of the other houses in this series and many in early Washington. Regardless, it was Lovering who oversaw the construction of the home, thought to be a high point of the Federal Style of architecture. Needing to fit into a sloped, angled lot the house would be designed with amazing simplicity incorporating a circle, two rectangles and a triangle into the plan.The house was completed in 1801 and it is interesting that the Tayloe family chose to call it “Octagon House” since it only really has six sides. In addition to Mount Airy in Virginia, the Tayloe family also owned a 205 acre farm a few miles north of Octagon House called Petworth (from which today’s neighborhood in that area gets its name). Much to my delight Tayloe also built a racetrack just behind Lafayette Square and a stone’s throw from the White House.

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 22

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D.C. Chronicles Volume 22

Hi Everyone, well the last week of August has certainly snuck up on us. Summer is usually such a busy time for me, and this year it just wasn’t so it seems to have flown by. This week brought some very good news from the local side of Washington D.C: a new baby panda was born at the National Zoo. The pandas are very near and dear to our heart here in Washington and have been since Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing first arrived in 1972. I grew up alongside those two, and the city mourned their loss when they died. The two never had any babies which survived more than a few weeks. Thankfully we were able to bring two young pandas to Washington after they passed, and Tian Tian and Mei Xiang have had five babies, two of which lived to adulthood and have gone back to China. This new baby, as yet unnamed, is a bit of a surprise at their age, but we welcome it with open arms and pray for its survival. The next few weeks will be critical, so we’re keeping it in our prayers and in our hearts.

I’ve been spending more time with my two year old buddy, Mason, and we’ve been having a lot of fun together. His dad has pointed me to one of their favorite spots in Glover Archibald Park where we can sit by the stream and throw rocks in the water. It’s a peaceful place where we can hang out outside but in the cool creekside shade and listen to the cicadas. On the way there and the way back we look at all the different colored flowers in peoples’ yards and keep an eye out for bumblebees and butterflies – two of his, and my, favorites. Sometimes he rides his bike while I run alongside. Our days are full of singing and laughter and it’s been really wonderful to hang out with him. He’s been keeping me busy though and wears me out, so I haven’t been up to too much else this week (which is just fine with me).

Last Friday night we paid tribute to another lost rite of summer: the county fair. We gathered outside for some fried cheese and corn on the cob and shared a six pack of assorted beers with fair-like themes (many from Clown Shoes Brewing Company). Then we moved inside where we had a dime-toss, played some dice games, enjoyed some grilled sausages and chocolate eclairs and had a couple more beers. It definitely wasn’t as much fun as the real thing, and we missed the lights and sounds of the carnival rides and games, the animals, crafts and produce, but we had a pretty good time all things considered.

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