DC 24--More Holocaust Museum

A railroad car that you could walk through showed the vehicles used to send victims to the concentration camps.

Sadly, later that same day, an Israeli couple was murdered at a different museum. We were already at our room in National Harbor when that happened and did not hear about it until the next day.

DC 23--Holocaust Museum

Students touring the Holocaust Museum in Washington, could not have said it better.

DC 23--Inside The Jefferson Memorial

Inside the Jefferson Memorial.

DC 22--The Jefferson Memorial

We hiked to the Jefferson Memorial, a must see on our trip.  It was a good distance from the other monuments.

Barers Of Maple Valley Turn 20

 Wow, 20 years ago, I made my first post on this blog.   Now, perhaps 10 years after most of my fellow bloggers have hung it up, we are going strong, sometimes getting well over 1000 hits in a day.  

When I started out, my cousins, who were accomplished writers, were writing incredible things as were their Mom. They have since gone on to bigger things.  In addition, my two brothers, as well as my dad, whom we lost in 2016, were turning out great material.

Somehow, I have yet to tire of it.  I found that if you share what's in your mind, whether it is interesting to most or not, someone will enjoy it.  

I found that with the many social media sights, it was easy to build an audience.  Reposting on related Facebook groups was an essential way to promote various articles, although administrators often grew weary on using their groups for self-promotion. 

This has been so much fun and there is no end in sight. 

Thank you so much!

DC--21--The Hope Diamond

The Hope Diamond can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. 

DC 20--In Front Of Murray's Office

Deb and I get our Congress gallery passes at Washington Senator Patty Murray's office.

DC 19--Watching Congress

No cameras or phones were allowed when watching the House and then the Senate in session from the Gallery of each chamber, so I post the pass to the Senate gallery.

DC 18--The Supreme Court

Due to time limitations, we were unable to tour The US Supreme Court, originally, part of the walking tour. 

When the president made a visit to the Capitol, the area had to be shut down.

DC 17--The Library Of Congress

We did a waking tour of the Library of Congress.

Observing Memorial Day

 

DC 16--Inside The Rotunda

On our tour of the Capitol, I took this video of inside the Rotunda. 

 

DC 15--National Harbor

National Harbor, Maryland, where we stayed is a vibrant suburb of Washington.  

These statues stand in their downtown.

DC 14--The Capitol

The  US Capitol is an impressive sight.

DC 13--The White House At Night

On the nighttime tour, a great shot of the White House.  As the tour was concluding, the guide was giving advice on how they can return to their hotels and homes

 

DC 12--St James Church

St James Episcopal Church is located near the White House. Since it was built in 1816, every sitting president since James Madison has attended at least once.

DC 11--Mr Lincoln

One thing we did that I had been really looking forward to, was visiting the Lincoln Monument.

Jewish Museum Shooting

 A tragedy happened Wednesday (May 1st, 2025), when two staff members of the Israeli Embassy were murdered. 

The shooting happened in front of the Jewish Museum in Washington.  That same day (hours earlier), we had visited the Holocaust Museum in DC (a separate place).

DC 10--The World War II Memorial

The World War II Memorial was indeed impressive. 

DC 9--Iwo Jima

The Marine Corp Memorial, one of the most iconic images.  Planting the flag at Iwo Jima.  

From the nighttime bus tour.

DC 8--Birdseye View

The view from atop the Washington Monument. The World War 2 Memorial.

DC7--Arriving At The Washington Monument

A little video I took upon arriving and waiting to go up on the Washington Monument, which pretty much affords a 360 view of the city

DC 6--The Whitehouse Outside

Deb snapped this great shot of the Whitehouse.

DC 5--Michelle Obama

I posed by this stunning picture of Michelle Obama at the Whitehouse.

DC 4--JFK

This painting speaks for itself.

DC 3--Obama

Pictures of past presidents hang in the Whitehouse.

DC 2--Line For Whitehouse Tour

Thank you to our Congresswomen Kim Schrier for passes to the Whitehouse.  Due to heavy security, the line to get in was very long.

Barers Of Maple Valley Goes To Washington

We flew to Washington DC last week. It was my first time in our nation's capital. 

This picture was taken from the plane as we  were landing. 

The Washington Monument stands tall and you can barely see the Capital in the background.

Longtime Friend--Tammy Dziak Running For Federal Way City Council

 We were happy to find out that Tammy Dziak, whom with her husband, Mike, has been our friend for over three decades, is running for Federal Way City Council.  

Tammy and my wife once worked together in a Renton nursing home and by coincidence, her  husband, Mike was a classmate of mine in the Communications department of WSU.

Baseball reinstates Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson, making them Hall...

Without any warning at all, history, while not changed, is being altered. 

Perhaps, the most polarizing baseball issue of all time is whether the ban could be lifted on Pete Rose, who is accused of betting on baseball including on games involving his own team.  

The other was the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, where members of the Chicago White Sox are accused of throwing the World Series for favor from gamblers.  

The Black Sox Scandal almost ruined baseball.  The accused received a permanent ban from baseball, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, an immensely talented, but seemingly naive player. 

Yesterday (Tuesday, May 13th, 2025), the ban on Rose and the accused in the Black Sox scandal, was rescinded by Commissioner Rob Manfred.  

Along The Lake Wilderness Trail

Near the take a book leave a book in the Arboretum.

Kaiya Buffelen Performs At Vintage Vino

 More great singing talent from Maple Valley.  Kaiya Buffelen, who has performed with Lucia Flores-Wiseman, a current performer on The Voice, appeared at Vintage Vino, one of our favorite local places on Saturday (May 10th, 2025).  

Kaiya, who had a number of schoolfriends in the audience, used her break to meet everyone in the place.

Happy Mother's Day

 

Mara & The Charm 2

 One more song from Mara & The Charm at Vino Bella.   The show was last night (Friday, May 9th, 2025).

Fun In Issaquah

We celebrated my friend Rick's birthday by going to Vino Bella in Issaquah.  We watched and danced to Mara & The Charm.  

Mariners Are Winning Lately

 Mariners took 2 games in the series against the A's, making it the teams 9 series win in a row. The team is currently 22-14.

The Mariners will begin a series with the Toronto Blue Jays, tonight (Friday, May 9th, 20025).

New Pope Elected

Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected pope and will be Pope Leo XIV.  He was born in Chicago.  Leo will be the first North America native to hold the position. 

Brandi Carlile Covers Crosby, Stills, & Nash’s “Helplessly Hoping” Live ...

Maple Valley's own Brandi Carlile on the Howard Stern Show with an anecdote about performing a Crosby, Stills, And Nash song, not realizing, until she performed, that Stephen Stills was in the audience.

In Memory Of Bob

Remembering my father-in-law Bob Hoagland, whom we lost one year ago, yesterday (May 6th).

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

 

CBS Mornings: Herb Alpert celebrates 90 years and a return to the stage ...

While growing up, Herb Albert's music was one of very few musicians in the 60s whose music could cross the age divide.  His music was lively, yet tame. 

His presence has a certain "cool".  

I'm glad to see he is still around and also performing. 

Man On Your Mind - Little River Band (Don Lane Show, 1982)

I just love this rendition of this Little River Band song. 

Come (Bo) - CHAVA MIREL & SHIMON SMITH

I've wanted to post this for a while, Chava Mirel, whom I know very well and Shimon Smith.  Though they are half a world away from each other, technology brings together wonderful duet.