Monday, June 10, 2019

Washington, DC: June 1-2

June 1

After a full week of tours, by the weekend we were ready to slow down a bit. At the top of my list of places to visit was the National Cathedral, so after a delicious brunch at a local restaurant, Afterwords, we hired a Lyft and headed off to the National Cathedral.

It was everything I had hoped for...and more!

The cathedral sustained some structural damage after an earthquake in 2011 and they are still working on repairs.
We spent a couple of extra dollars to get a self-guided audio tour, and it was worth every penny.

The windows are magnificent.





There are so many details wherever your eye rests. Over and over during our time in DC, I was struck by the fact that these buildings were built without today's technology, which makes  the architecture even more mind boggling.




I wish we could have heard the pipe organ...


There was a small group (string quartet plus clarinet) practicing on the stage. We found out they were practicing for a live PBS concert.
Anyway, we took the time to sit (in chairs that have held presidents!) and listen.
When the sound engineer asked if we wanted to listen through the headphones, we didn't hesitate for a second.

The music was so beautiful, but it was time to continue with the tour.
We ended up in what would probably be called the foyer, where state seals of all 50 states were in the floor. We found California and Minnesota, right next to each other.

Then we headed to the charming little cafe for a treat, and through the gardens.





 St.Albans School is next door.
It was at about this time I realized that I didn't have the little sack containing the pin and postcards I had purchased in the gift shop--I had set them down somewhere, but where? The cafe? Perhaps the bathroom? By now the gift shop was closed and I was reconciling myself to the fact that my collection would not have the pin from the place I was most looking forward to visiting. However...Mark said we would come back another day. I said it was ridiculous to hire a Lyft to take us back to the cathedral for a pin that had cost $3.95, but he insisted. I think he didn't want to hear me whine mention once or twice that I was missing the pin from the cathedral once we got back home. Wise man--he's a keeper.

One last look...
June 2
Sunday was a day I had been anxiously awaiting. "Phone friends," as I like to call them, Laurie (@laurie3.14) and Meg (@keepmaking) had arranged a little get together. Anjeanette (@anjeanetteklinder) had planned on coming also, but got sick and I was so disappointed I was not able to meet her as well. Laurie and her husband, Alan, picked us up and we drove to Meg's house in Hyattsville, Maryland. Meg and Dave's house is simply charming. It was such fun to meet their twin daughters, Ada and Frankie. They are 2, and I sure wish I could capture some of their energy.
We had a delicious lunch and it was great sitting around the table and visiting.
Meg has some beautiful quilts around the house (I love her style).


Laurie brought some quilts for show and tell--one of my favorites was her selvage quilt. No surprise there. :)
Meg gifted me with a mni quilt, and Laurie made a pincushion, which also included some vintage fabric from her grandmother. Precious treasures.
It was such a treat meeting Meg and Laurie--phone friends who are now friends in real life.

6 comments:

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Jacqui's Quilts said... #

Wow, looks like a wonderful trip! That cathedral is gorgeous! Reminds me of St. Anne de Beaupre where we have gone 5 years in a row with my husband's grade 11 class trip to Quebec City. So impressive how they built this beauty without today's technology! And, so lovely you could hear the music there. Would have been cool to hear the pipe organ with those acoustics! The grade 12 class in Jake's school goes to Washington DC for their class trip every year and were very impressed with the Museum of the Bible too! Might have to volunteer for Washington next year :-). Lovely to read about your adventures and to see the lovely pictures.

Robby said... #

How nice to get to meet some of those "phone friends" IRL. Some of your National Cathedral pictures surprised me in how much they looked like some of those iconic shots we see for a state funeral and other big occasions there. Ridiculous really, it's the same place, but it was like I expected it to look different for "everyday". Yes, my brain goes on some interesting detours sometimes. Ha-ha.

Anne / Springleaf Studios said... #

Gorgeous photos of the cathedral. It truly is amazing how they managed to build such beautiful structures so long ago without all the technology we have now. Glad you got in some quilty friend fun too.

Needled Mom said... #

That sounds like a fabulous trip. I’d love to visit there one of these days. It was also great to meet up with the phone friends. I’ll bet you all had fun.

OPQuilt said... #

I LOVE the National Cathedral. Your photos are wonderful and I loved all the colorful windows, too. And happy happy for meeting up with some quilters! What a lovely thing to do.

Keirs1011 said... #

Love reading about your new "real life" friends. I love how art brings people together!