Saturday, August 23, 2025

Lover come back

I couldn't not take a picture of this.

Lover, Pennsylvania. Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

Curiously, there wasn't a line at the exit.

Friday, August 22, 2025

Curious sights along the way

I'm guessing this is a water tower, but it's unlike any I'd seen before. Maybe it's a leftover ship from the War of the Worlds, although that happened in New Jersey and, if I read Wikipedia right, the site of the original novel's invasion was in Surrey, England. But, I digress.

I can't read the road sign, so I don't know where this is. Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

Our mornings feel quite autumnal at the moment. And the sun comes up later and later. Let's cross our fingers for a little more summer weather before pumpkin weather moves in.

UPDATE: I found it! Google Maps helped me to find this location. It's Chapel Road at I-470 in Wheeling, West Virginia. Cool!

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Mountain Mama

Our route took us through Wheeling in northern West Virginia, not far from Pittsburgh, PA. Ken drove for a while while I snapped photos out the window.

Wild and wonderful. Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

I've decided to continue with these photos in sepia tones. The black and white versions feel a little cold to me. I like the warmer sepia.

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

On the road again

We left Washington early one morning after having packed up the Subaru, including a car-top carrier that we got for the move. If memory serves, we drove out to the Beltway then up to I-270 toward I-70. Then it was onward to our first destination: Champaign, Illinois. Ken went to grad school at U of I Champaign and had friends in the area.

My 1982 Subaru three-door hatchback with a car-top carrier and a bug net on the front grille. It was a good little car.
At a rest stop, somewhere on I-70, going west. Digitized B/W print, August 1986. 

Yes, that's my faithful 1982 Subaru hatchback. I bought it, used, in DC (I still remember the name of the woman who sold it to me) and it served me well through the mid-1980s on multiple trips to upstate New York and my home town. Now it was taking us to San Francisco! I remember replacing the in-dash radio with a new radio/cassette player and speakers (in the back). I did the install myself, in the street in front of our apartment. I wouldn't know how to start doing that these days. Although you probably can't buy a car now without internet and digital music software built in. LOL

Same photo, with sepia treatment. Closer to the actual color of the car.

 

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Gathering under the dome

These people look like a group, but of what? Tourists? Constituents? Protesters? It's anyone's guess. They are 39 years older now. Yikes!

Going to see their representative or to attend a committee hearing, who can say?
Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

I think I heard thunder this morning. There are wet spots on the deck, so we had some rain. More rain is predicted for Wednesday and Thursday. Our heat wave is officially over. 

Monday, August 18, 2025

Library of Congress

Across from the US Capitol's east front, on the House side, stands the Thomas Jefferson Building, the oldest of the three main buildings that house the US Library of Congress. It's built in the Beaux Arts style of architecture. At the building's entrance is the Court of Neptune Fountain, completed in 1898. I didn't take any photos of the Adams or Madison buildings on this walk. However, they are equally impressive in their own architectural styles, Art Deco in the case of the Adams Building and a more contemporary 1970s style for the Madison.

The western façade of the Jefferson LOC Building. Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

By the way, most of the info about these buildings comes from the LOC's Wikipedia page. 

It was chilly this morning. I wore jeans and a sweatshirt (!) on my walk with Tasha. Is there a hint of fall in the air?

Sunday, August 17, 2025

Cannon or Russell?

When I worked in DC back in the mid-1980s, I was in the Cannon House Office Building on Independence Avenue and 1st Street, SE, a stone's throw from the House in the capitol. It's twin, the Russell Senate Office building, is located on Constitution Avenue and 1st Street, NE. The buildings are nearly identical and I can't tell from the photo which one this is. I think it's the Russell Building, but I wouldn't swear to it.

The Russell SOB is almost identical to the Cannon HOB. This is the former; I worked in the latter. Get a load of that station wagon!
Digitized BW print, August 1986.

Our heat wave is showing signs of breaking. The mornings are getting cooler and the afternoon highs are getting lower. It's still hot, though.