PHOTO ESSAY

Arlington National Cemetery was closed (like everything else) but I knew if I could hike through the snow to the fence line I could get some great shots. The snow was so high I could look over the chain link fence. Right as I went to shoot the wind began to howl.

I never cease to feel the sacredness of this place.

I am sure many of those who are buried here were in wars with snows like this.

Looking at this scene reminded me of one of my favorite hymns (written by Rudyard Kipling): God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far flung battle line,
Beneath whose awful hand we hold–Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

We don’t have Colorado-sized trucks here in Washington, so these little guys just plug away getting the snow removed one-partial-blade-width at a time.

The Potomac and Tidal Basin are mostly frozen. This spot is not far from where Air Florida Flight 90 went down (into the icy Potomac) on January 13, 1982. Remember when Lenny Skutnik jumped in and saved that woman’s life?

Okay, our Washington is not as cold as Mt. Washington in New Hampshire (they sustained a 71-hour stretch once where the wind chill never got about -50 degrees Fahrenheit)—but it does feel very cold here when the winds whip off the Tidal Basin.

Because most of the sidewalks are not cleared, people have taken to the streets, sometimes surpassing the number of cars.

The Lincoln Memorial is currently closed for hazardous conditions. We’ve never seen it quite like this.

Usually The National Mall is teeming with people—not so today.

Now that is a scene to remember! I love it.