Summer Slope

Meadows and grassy roadsides share some of the same flowers. Dandelions, mallows, clover and chicory are considered intrusions on suburban lawns. They add a welcome bit of color to less domesticated  swaths of greenery. That special green light is what really gets to me. It is almost as if the grass is glowing from within, throwing the light of its life force back up onto the trunk and the branches of the trees. What a fine time to be a tree and to be able to stand knee deep in green lushness (if trees had knees...)

Bubble Kids

At the county fair a long line of small children waited to be zipped into large plastic bubbles which were then inflated and rolled out into a swimming pool.  The kids scrabbled and bounced, rolled and flopped, trying to stand up or to move the ball across the water. They laughed and laughed and so did we. This low-tech variation on a hamster ball elicited more genuine fun than all the rest of the rides whirling, twirling and flashing around us.

Strolling Tourists

Washington DC is known for its grand marble monuments but it is also a very green town with sheltering trees and almost-secret little parks. On a muggy morning, I watched a family wander along Pennsylvania Avenue with three kids in tow. Were they were headed towards the National Gallery or planning on hiking all the way to the Capitol? When they stepped out of the shade into the sunlight I just had to stop and snap this photo. They will never know about their role in creating this moment of sudden beauty, but I do hope they had a very good time that day.

Shadow Stripes

Unlike the first generation of high rise housing that rose around the region's Metro stations, some of the newer buildings boast features that add personality and more of a human scale to otherwise bland, uninviting structures. I stopped and admired the morning sun slanting across the pergola in front of this building, creating an overabundance of stripes. Standing under it, I took in the dynamic mix of blue sky, white wood, and shadows. No one sat on the benches that anchor each column but I hope that the residents do come out on fine, sunny days to enjoy the play of light and shadow.