Excursion

We usually make it downtown to see the National Christmas tree each year, but hadn't gotten around to it in the weeks leading up to the holiday.  On the spur of the moment this afternoon, we decided to head down to see it.   We knew it would be interesting because the tree that had been there for years (a photo of it is the front page of the blog right now) was toppled by some heavy winds this spring and it was replaced by a smaller (26ft) tree this summer.  Its really small compared to the old one--about half the size.  But the lighting design is new and it looked pretty.

One of my personal favorites  is the Yule Log. Its totally bizarre.  A big concrete pit surrounded by chain link fencing with giant tree trunks burning in it.  It gives off alot of heat, but its totally random and odd.  There used to be a very out of place wooden Olde English style sign announcing it but now there's nothing, just a burning hole in the earth.  Kind of down-market for the front lawn of the White House, I think.   Here we are--you can see the glow of the fire to the right of the boys.  And what design genius decided it was a good idea to paint the top rail of the fence with some red-orange spray?

Before Christmas, there is a big line waiting to go into Santa's Workshop.  Today, this sign pretty much says it all.

Here's the best shot we could get--it was really crowded and crazy and I couldn't find anyone who spoke english to take the picture.    A nice japanese man took this after he adjusted all the settings on my Nikon. (I am not kidding.)  Bob looks a little like tetanus is setting in.  Sorry, hon.

And finally, I can't leave this one out.  I took it in the car on the way home.  Now that's the magic of the holiday season right there in one shot, isn't it?