Hope in a Stormy Sky

A while ago I was waiting in a Starbucks to meet up with Mariko. It had been raining for a while and the sky was masked with clouds. The unsettled atmosphere seemed to match my mood. Just after I had arrived the rain had begun to let up and light burst from the setting sun. I looked up from my notes and was able to get this shot.

About seven minutes later I looked up again took this photograph.

I was amazed at how beautiful the heavens had become after such a nasty downpour. The textured wash of serene colors behind the trees reminded be that any storm can be weathered and that the best days are worth the fight. 

Mariko came in and sat down next to me. We began working on our project. The clouds blurred away as the night took over the sky. I could already feel my luck start to change. 

Lace and Light

A while ago I stopped at Dandelion Tea for a bite to eat. As I was finishing my meal I happened to glance up at the window.

I was taken by the shifting colors on the glass lanterns in front of a window covered in lace. There was plenty of light coming through, but the lace gave the spring afternoon just the right ambiance. 

So I sat in Dandelion, finishing my tea. Someone sitting across the room from me is reading his paper. The wood floor creaks as some people shuffle to the counter to place their orders. I'm perfectly content with my spot in the sun. 

More Adventures in Virginia

I was lucky enough to be able to visit my best friend Laura and her husband before they moved back down to Florida. These are a collection of some of the photos from my travels.

This is the school where Laura's father is employed. The Science Center has a beautiful glass window that overlooks a field stretching to the Rappahannock River. 

After a failed attempt at kayaking due to a closed park, Laura and I found another wooded path with access to the river. Once we got to the water I took this photo of some twisted vines sprawling out in the sunlight. 

I came across some butterflies who were so consumed with what they were doing that they didn't seem to mind me looming over them. I was able to get so close that I didn't need to use the zoom on my camera.

The Jefferson Memorial through the trees.

Light blazing through the Prism Window at the Smithsonian American Indian Museum.

At the Natural History Museum they had recreated a cave wall and simulated some Neolithic Art. There was a enormous section of the wall devoted to cave hand painting. As I studied the wall I found these two overlapping hands. Simplistic and surprisingly tender; this touching image hints at two people who once shared a powerful bond.

This was a facial reconstruction of a colonial settler who's remains were found near the D.C. area. It never ceases to amaze me how they can breathe so much life into someone who has been gone for so long. It makes history feel so close. 

Walking back across the street I happened to look down and see my little friend again. 

The Washington Monument framed by a tree.

Walking around near Laura's apartment in Fredericksburg I saw the statue of a saint carefully tucked between two buildings. 

George Washington's house at Mount Vernon.

A monument to George Washington's slaves who are buried on the property.

I think most people get a slight bit anxious before their plan takes off. I happened to glance out my window and see this young air traffic controller. She had her arms cross and looked visibly bored while she waited for us to take off. I laughed to myself and took her photo. A strangely reassuring sign that everything was under control.

The woman sitting across the isle from me. Arms folded around her water bottle and bathed in the light from the setting sun. 

The sun setting on my return flight home. I will never grow tired of having the window seat.