Washington in April

We had to travel to Washington, DC this week for a regional meeting. It was an easy driving trip on which I discovered that spring begins and ends at the Mason-Dixon line. As soon as we passed into Maryland the trees were covered with new leaves, bushes were flowering in pinks and purples and flowers were everywhere. On the way back it changed in reverse. Full spring in Pennsylvania seems to still be a week or so away. And yet, being away for only three days brought big differences in our own yard as everything is just a little bit more along. I can actually see beautiful little dime-sized pink blossoms on the tree outside my window.

Here are a few pictures, the first from a Denny's (in diner style) that we stopped at along the road. The rest are from The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (its official name) that is right down the street from our meeting place. It has a niche or altar for every devotional name and place for the Blessed Mother that you can imagine--in addition to numerous other saints, Popes, etc. Despite all that I find it quite beautiful. A little bit of the European cathedral style right here.

I haven't plugged the creativity of Google Doodles lately, so if you haven't looked for awhile--enjoy! Here's one of my 2013 favorites.