East Coast Snowstorm - Satellite

East Coast snowstorm! Satellite image. Dec. 20, right before the Winter Solstice.

Image: DCist.com via the NASA Earth Observatory, created by Jesse Allen using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.

Blizzard 2009

Blizzard 2009 - great times at the end of the year. Drove over to the H's on a clear Friday night. Snowed-in in McLean for three days of contentment, cooking, mulling wine, movies, and fun with friends. Over a foot of snow - a record for D.C. area in December in the last 70 years.


Trapped indoors on Saturday, we cooked outside! A's famous chili - we cooked ground turkey, bacon, roasted corn, white beans, onions, tomato sauce and more for a full pot of chili to last us the day.

Little B running down the street.



A trying to get out of driveway.

Capitol Christmas Tree

I don't know why I am sooo into the Capitol Christmas tree this year, but I am...OK? This is my FIRST FULL year in D.C., January through December, and this ceremoniousness in December is hitting the spot.

Last week I hosted an Oregon Forestry Chief around the Hill, and well, of course we had to stop by the tree. Although the tree is from *Arizona* this year, she still appreciated it. Then, this week I was on the Hill a few days, visiting the Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota offices and I took my Western guests to see the tree, as well. If we're walking from the House to Senate and back - "Let's see the tree!"

Thursday the Senate held a hearing for the bill I work on, a nice way to wrap up this year's campaign on it. I celebrated the end of a long week with a visit to "The Tree" and a farmfresh burger and toasted marshmellow milkshake at Good Stuff Eatery. This last visit they turned on the lights right as we walked up - allowing the best photo of the week (see above), with a still blue sky at dusk and the lights on. Merry Christmas! A great YEAR in D.C. and on the Hill.

Blizzard photos coming soon! Been trapped and content at the Hoang's in McLean for 3 days :)


Note: The plaque by the tree said it had traveled "4,600 miles" on its way from Arizona to D.C. Given that Arizona is around 2,300 miles away, why did it travel this many miles?!

Photos below: from DCist and Flickr Nivad

Reindog Parade Champions!

Another reason my life in D.C. is so great is because I am friends with Champions. Indomitable, imperial rulers of McLean parades.


My blogging this year would not be complete without a tribute page to the McLean Reindog Parade. Congratulations again to the Hoang's, who scored *another* first place win, this year in the large dog competition. A family effort, with Beckham and their friend Pete's dog, Bella, marching as the main attraction.

Photo: the winners!

Photo: bulldog with wreath

Photo: present dog

Photo: Three wisemen dogs + another dog

Kramerbooks

I often receive the question "WHY did you move from COLORADO to D.C.?" Lately, I've been telling people that D.C. is like an amusement park catered to my career and life. I'm not going to list a bunch of examples right now, and you can picture for yourself the options of running along the Potomac and up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, watching Presidential debates in local bars, and looking out my office window onto the Pentagon, the Jefferson, the Washington.

Mainly, I will re-post this illuminative photo of Kramerbooks. Great shot from DCist today.

Glad My Brother Lives in Denver...

...so that I can snowmobile during Thanksgiving week.

Trail to the Continental Divide. Winter Park Ski Resort in view. Colorado