DC Through The Lens
- Lynne Krizik
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
Clarence gazed up at the stars from the festering, mud-filled trenches and took a shuddering breath. He had long lost track of how long he and his brothers-in-arms had been there, and even less how much had passed since the Civil War began. But even in the pit of darkness, there were reprieves. A rare moment in which the sound of gunfire was scarce finally arrived, though it wasn't without consequence. The squelching of boots trudging through thick mud, the moans of an injured solider and the low tones of the soldiers wafted through the night air and penetrated his senses. He leaned back against the earthen wall and allowed a brief moment to himself. He kept his eyes on the stars, drinking in the merciful sight of beauty in this godforsaken land, and thought of many things. He thought of the war, of his family, his friends...he thought of the many lives that this moment in history could affect. He thought of his beautiful home back east, the one he had spent his boyhood in, and said a silent prayer that he would see it again someday. Then he thought of the terrifying, wild frontier that lay to the west. His thoughts strayed to the native peoples and their penchant for bravery and ferocity. He'd heard stories about the many tribes that lived in the forbidding plains, in the endless landscape known as the Llano Estacado and wondered if he would ever see the kind of things he'd heard told from the grizzled veterans in camp. Such fantastical stories seemed like a thing far away as he clutched his weapon and rued the hour in which he'd have to go into battle with it again. He had no way of knowing that everything west of Missouri was closer than he could have imagined, and that the chapter in which he was currently living would prove to be one of many in the nation's long, adventurous, violent and tumultuous history.
When visiting Washington DC you'll want to manage your usually all too short visit by avoiding the congestion of everyday traffic in their cars and taxis. We highly recommend this "Cool Number" if you'd like smooth transportation from location to destination and also save some time. ...You'll need to be very well connected to reserve this guy.
While you're cruising at low altitude around DC, you may see another Press Conference in the making. Who knows what will be announced to us American citizens today.
Please, no script ... just facts that we can process as an intelligent nation.
If you're fortunate enough to stay on Capital Hill, the main components of DC will be within walking distance. One evening, I decided to grab my camera and tripod (no one told me I needed to apply for a tripod permit six months before my visit) and walked over to the Capital to try and grab a few images. Mind you, it's 11:00 pm and the streets were mostly empty! I tried to be tactful and decided to wear a suit and silk blouse in an effort to look official.
Sure enough, as I was setting up my tripod a group of 3 security guards began to walk straight toward me. I stayed calm and connected my cable in the hope of reducing shake during my capture.
When they reached my location they said "How are you doing, Ma'am?" I said "Fine, thank you." They then told me that they would remain nearby, should I need anything.
I thanked them and they proceeded on their way. Whew! All that and I ended up preferring the day images, as there wasn't enough light or distance to include the Capital mirrored in the reflecting pond as seen below. Different location and different time of day netted a more dimensional take.
During your trip to DC be sure to take some time to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, then grab a taxi and head to Arlington National Cemetery and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The changing of the 24/7 guard is especially moving and should not be missed. This is our history and what it took to win and maintain our Freedom.
Thanks so much for giving us a few minutes to share more stories with you. Much love and see you next time. God bless America!