Asheville

I recently took a road trip through Asheville NC, Vicksburg MS and New Orleans LA. I took over 400 photographs and I'm going through them, savoring the images and associated memories. It was a great vacation!!

Here are several shots in Asheville, North Carolina, a very artsy town.

Remember, you can click on any image to see a larger version.

Andrews Air Show 2009

The annual Joint Services Open House was May 16 and 17 at Andrews Air Force Base. This is the 4th year I've gone to this exciting free show. Here are some of the pictures I took.

Click on each picture to see a larger version of it.

Cherry Blossoms, part 2

I can't believe how lucky I was to be in DC right in the peak of the cherry blossom blooming this year.


A very windy day ... those specks in the picture below are blossoms flying past me during a 40 mile per hour wind gust.


These next three include the Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal Basin.





T.J. checking out the tourists.


Close-up ...


Blossoms going for a swim.





VERY windy!

Cherry Blossoms in DC

Finally, blue skies, a good camera and time all converged yesterday. I braved the wind and the crowds and took plenty of pictures of cherry blossoms in Washington DC.

Here are a few of the photos.











These trees add beauty to a boring government building ... almost.



The National Mall ... America's backyard.

Pre-Inauguration Photos 2

This is the 'blue line' that many of us heard about during traffic reports last week. The middle lane of Pennsylvania Avenue was closed while crews painted this line. The inaugural parade follows this line to the glass-enclosed presidential reviewing stand you see in the distance.


Here it is up close.



There will be plenty of security tomorrow.



and, of course, barricades.




And miles of portable restrooms.



Plus posted directions and opinions.

Pre-Inauguration Photos 1

There is a huge, multi-artist, FREE concert at the Lincoln Memorial this afternoon. I took this photo yesterday as Bruce Springsteen was rehearshing a song with a choir.


Bono, Beyonce, Garth Brooks, James Taylor and many others are scheduled to perform and HBO will play the concert back tonight.

On Tuesday, these seats will be full and both the outgoing and incoming Presidents will be on the platform.



That rectangular thing with the colorful vertical stripes is one of 20 giant screen TVs being set up on the Mall. Many (most?) of the estimated 2 million people coming to Washington for the inauguration will see Barack Obama take the Oath of Office on these screens.



The National Mall was relatively empty Saturday but it will be a sea of people on Tuesday.



The police have a monumental task ahead of them on Tuesday.

Church Tour in Middletown

I'm not particular religious, but I am fascinated by churches.



I recently had the opportunity to see the inside of this one in Middletown, Maryland. This shot is an interior view of part of the stained glass window in the photo above:



The view from the pulpit:



A side window:



A closeup of the crest on the altar.



Stand up and sing.



Visit my other photo site for more exterior and interior views.