Thanks Robin. :)
Now the TREE FROGS!!! I realize the brighter the colors the more poisonous they are...but you're automatically drawn to them!!!
I'll confess I can't remember any of the specifics of these gorgeous creatures, the colors had me oohing and awing. ^_^
Wow....my grandkids would love them!
Have to be honest....these blues ones reminded me of GUMMY FROGS! Hee Hee Hee!!!
Yes...they do look gummy!
1. Spotted Eagle Ray
2.Green Tree Snake
3. Albino Alligator
4. & 5. some kind of snake...didn't stick around long enough to find out. YUK!
Last ones of the aquarium, saved a good laugh for last. Ever heard the saying "Blonde is a state of mind, not a hair color", it's true.
I came upon this fish tank and the fish actually shimmered, iridescent like. I'm oohing and ahhing again and commenting on how pretty they are.
Brian reads the sign above the tank and he starts to laugh at me. IRIDESCENT PIRANHA'S
Great tour, thanks! and very educational!
Love the iridescent piranha....LOL
So you could see them & escape?
Thank you for all the pictures.
Thanks for the tour, pixie. I've never been to any of the places you visited, except for Shenandoah. Looking forward to more.
Love the photos. Esp seeing wildflowers in their natural habitat! :)
If anyone is in DC, I recommend visiting Dumbarton Oaks if you can. Formal and informal gardens tucked away in Georgetown.
http://www.doaks.org/gardens/virtual_tour/
Historic house is also cool. Lots of history there - IIRC, the owners were big on getting folks together to discuss starting the UN.
sorry been slacking off checking new threads again.. loved all the photos!!!
Thanks everyone, now i'll bore you with a few more. :)
Now for the Smithsonian , I only went to the Castle and the Natural History Museum.
1. The Castle
2. Urn of James Smithson founder of the Smithsonian Institution.
3. Info
4. Chair inside
5. Close Up ~ Some of the most beautiful, intricate work I have seen.
This message was edited May 1, 2012 6:31 AM
1. Round room in the castle
2. some of the displays
3. Outside Floral pot
4. Coming out of the castle looking to the right....Washington Monument
5. Some tulips planted around the Mall
Inside the Museum of Science and Natural History
1. Bob Cat
2. Arctic Fox
3. Seal
4. Orangutan
5. Fallow Deer
1. Carnivores
2. Leopard with his kill ~ One of my favorite displays, amazing they can carry it up so high.
3. Momma Fox & Baby
4. White Tail Doe & Fawn
5. Mamma Black Bear & cub
1. & 2. Lunch is served :)
3. Wolf ~ Cyrus's ancestor
4. Flying Monkey ~very tiny little fellow
5. Dik-Dik~ This one cracked me up!! This little guy has tiny little horns and FANGS!!
If your wondering just how small he is, notice in the background there is a zebra leg.... I left it in the picture for size comparison.
1. Veterans War Memorial
2. Eagles or Doves? Holding the wreath
3. Brian under the Maine Wreath
4. One of the inscriptions etched into the wall
1. & 2. The Wall of Gold Stars ~ This was being built last year when I came. It was done this year when I got there.
3. Info about the Wall of Gold Stars
4. Close Up
1. & 2. Vietnam Wall
3. Vietnam Memorial
4. Lincoln Memorial
5. Tulip display near the Potomac
1. Korean War Memorial
2. & 3. Korean Wall
4. & 5. Inscriptions on the wall
Some of you may remember the whole point to my trip was to see the cheery blossoms along the Potomac. Well Mother Natures sense of humor was lost on me this year when she made the Cherry Tree's bloom 10 days early!! Needless to say they were pretty much done blooming along the river, but not completely done!!
1. Did not travel all this way with out getting a glimpse of THE BUILDING!!
2. Reagan Building
3. Art work in a park...had to take the picture. This is the biggest LILY i've ever seen. ^_^
4. & 5. J. Maple outside my hotel in full bloom.
Outside of the Ronald Reagan building was this tree, it was a red-bud but.....this has to be an OLD RED BUD.....look at this!!! It looks like pink moss on the tree!!! I was in awe, must of stood there for 15 minutes admiring it.
That redbud is very cool celeste!
Thanks Bill, i've never seen anything like it!
that leopord display was one of the kids' favorites
I get teary every time I see the Vietnam Memorial even in pics
that is a really cool redbud
OK, enough of the trip , now on to the new house. This house will be my first and last completely new house....from scratch to finish.
It will be 2 - 3 years before we are finished and ready to move in. Why so long? Neither one of us want to take a loan out right now, not the way the economy is. Also, we both have very specific ideas of how we want things and it won't be cheap. For instance, the fieldstone fireplace will be built using some of our own rocks we've mined, such as pink & white quartz , schorl (black tourmaline), and amethyst. Because we are using some of our own rocks, we are getting a deal of $15K for the fireplace and we traded loam for landscaping work so that is saving $3 - 4K .
1. & 2. Most of you know what my back forty looks/looked like...a big a** field. ^_^
3. & 4. Not anymore.....things are changing.
5. The foundation is poured, they are coming back tomorrow to do the floors. :)
Well at least you have somewhere to live while having the house built, so I wouldn't take a loan out either. Love to see the progress...can't wait to see it in person ☺
1. & 2. Looking back towards the old house(on left) from the new foundation
3. One of the ponds being built on the right, this is the small pond that has a picnic table, surrounded by apple tree's.
Brian in front of pond, it will be approx. 5 feet at the deepest end.
Thanks for the tour! Natural History would be the 1st stop for me...it was in Chicago! And NY. How exciting...a new house! The fireplace sounds awesome.....do NOT let Bill near it!
Exactly Jen! We can take our time and not stress out over bills while living here and this house is paid off. ^_^
RU at my house.....gonna say Summer 2015. ^_^ ^_^ ^_^
1. Big rock being moved.
2. & 3. Placing it in front of the pond so I can put my picnic table on it.
4. Is looking from left to right of the area being worked on. On the left is the boat sitting on the pad for the garage, then foundation in the middle.
You can't see where the 2nd pond is going as it's in the front of the new house. We won't dig it until the end of this summer or next year.
5. Is looking to the right of the foundation to the picnic area and small pond.
LOL Robin, he can come after all the rocks are set ....we just won't leave him alone in the room with any tools. ^_^
And a pond! I would love a pond! Think of the water plants you can have!
Right...no sharp tools for Bill......
2 ponds! :)
Wow - whole lot going on that I missed. Thanks for the pictures - I've never been to Mt. Vernon. That is going to be one beauty of a fireplace! Unless things change between now and then, I am RSVP for the RU!
Nothing better change, im looking forward to having you come!
celeste that flat rock should be the picnic table!
Bill, they made me a bench out of 3 rocks, a flat one like that but not as big for the top and put it by my new flower bed. ^_^
Ditto to what AYC said. Will look forward to that event.
Am really liking the tour of the progress. So exciting!!!
