from planes to trains (d.c. part i)

I'm home from Washington, D.C.! It was marvelous, the weather was nice despite everything, I got to see my family, etc. etc. Just a warning, though: I took 244 pictures. So, this may take a while.

day one.

We landed in Baltimore and then took the Amtrack into the city. From there we took the Metro and did some walking, two things we got quite accustomed to this week. We got settled in our hotel -- I shared a room with my aunt & cousin, for the sake of space.

My whole family went out for dinner at an Italian place. Traveling with 16 people is definitely an adventure. It's always interesting to watch waiters raise their eyebrows after they hear the number of seats needed. I think it was definitely good for their businesses, though. ;)

Walking around town at night.

day two.

Sunday morning, we went to the Eastern Market, this outdoor...well, market. I almost bought some sunglasses, because it was super sunny and like the smart person I am, I left mine at home. But again, like the smart person I am, I also left my money at home...so that didn't happen.

They had beautiful strawberries. 

From there, we took the Metro to the National Mall. Now, in all the pictures I've ever seen of it, it looks all green and happy with people picnicking in the grass and stuff. In reality, it looked like Texas. Which is to say, very sad. But the Washington Monument was still an impressive figure.

We took some time for walking around and found these ducks. Quack! 

Then the majority of the afternoon was spent in the Holocaust Museum. It was very hallowing; I've read many books about this subject, but this put everything in a new light, per se. Even my cousin, who's been to several Holocaust museums, said she enjoyed it. 

That night we went to a deeelicious Indian restaurant (thank you Clarissa for finally teaching me how to spell that word! Hah) but I forgot my camera. It was just as well, because by the end of the week I was so tired of lugging that thing around. I even had a bruise from where it would hit me repeatedly as I walked. #dedication

metro motion blur

More to come!

It's so nice to be back blogging. I can't remember the last time I didn't blog for a week. That's sad. Anyway, thank you so much to my guest posters! You should check out their posts if you haven't already. :) Have an awesome day!

-Kendall 

blackberrying {a guest post by Libby}

 To me, blackberrying is the the end of many things, and the beginning of even more. The first opportunity to harvest these juicy fruits usually arises the last week of the summer holiday, but we've been waiting for them to ripen since late July. We spot these berries, rotund and deep purple, and we know. We know that our fridge will soon be filled with containers of easy jam--the kind that doesn't required setting and jelling, but is more like a preserve. We know that in a few weeks, school will have started and the halcyon days will have passed. And we know, that on cold November mornings, a bit of blackberry jam on toast will be an instant reminder of summer.

Even though I often come home with bramble-induced cuts on my arms, as I am invariably inappropriately dressed, blackberrying is one of my favourite things. It is just me, my parents, and our dog. Sallydog loves blackberries. She loves sticking her nose deeper and lower into the bushes than we dare go, and sourcing as many berries as possible. Whilst that crazy dog is occupying herself, we gathered handfuls of blackberries. Of course, only the ripest will do. They must be so ripe they burst slightly when you pull them off the bush, leaving some purple stains on the tips of your fingers. The purple en grains itself on my hands, a tattoo and reminder of the nearing of autumn.

{those brownish clusters? they're unripe berries}

Right now, I'm waiting for those stains, waiting for ripeness and Sundays spent making blackberry-based treats in the kitchen and a lasting reminder of lazy summer days. Our blackberrying expeditions are the best memories of summer days, moments where I am just in a field, picking berries and not doing anything else. We are lucky enough to live in a small village, surrounding by three different farms where we can walk the dog and pick blackberries to our heart's content. It's so much more open than visiting a fruit farm where you can pick your own, because this is real--and I'm a big believer in real. These are the bushes that line the farms that produce the wheat. This is finding my home. This is living

 Is there anything in particular that feels like those last few precious days of summer to you?
xx
Libby

I'm Libby, England, thirteen.I weave many words, take lots of pictures, and dance in lovely dresses. I blog about the beauty in the everyday, and chart my days as I try and be a more positive girl. Oh, and I like blackberries.

Summery Goodness (a guest post by Olivia)

Summer is full of good food.  You can't deny it people.  Fresh, juicy fruit, farm stands, and sun-ripened vegetables.  It's the best...

My family grows a decent sized garden, which means that lately, the kitchen counters have been filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and others things.  A person can only eat so many cucumbers...so here's a few ideas to get creative with those yummy summer foods.

Cucmbers - - - - - -  cut them up and toss them into your salad, if you're into that kind of thing.

Tomatoes - - - - - - I'm not a huge fan of these red fruit/vegetable, but my mom likes to put a slice of tomato, a hunk of mozzarella cheese and a leaf of basil onto a toothpick and eat it.

Squash and Zucchini - - - - - - There are lots of ways to eat this, and it's my favorite.  You can grill it with seasoning salt, saute it with seasoning salt, or just eat the seasoning salt.  Just kidding.  Kind of. 

Green Beans - - - - - - My mom cans these, and I get to cut them up.  Let me tell you, it's not a fun job. So, I take pictures of them instead.

There are many ways for you to enjoy these summer veggies...and fruits.  What are some of your favorites?  

Sometimes, though, you just gotta forget about eating healthy.  That's what summer is for right?  So go ahead, take a bit out of these...

but don't forget to eat your fruits and vegetables!

Me?  Well first off, I'm Olivia.  I'm a dreamer, photography junkie, and a when-I-feel-like-it writer.  Homeschooled, soccer player, and oldest sister of seven.  Everyday, I try to live my life for the Lord.  He has blessed me more than words could ever tell.  Chocolate, English accents, and vintage cameras make me happy.  Check out my blog!