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4A – Daily News – Saturday, August 7, 2010 Visiting the nation’s capital Agriculture & farm I was in Washington D.C. two weeks ago, when they said 45,000 Boy Scouts were attending their Jam- boree. I believe the figures because there were Boy Scouts at Arlington Cemetery, Mt Vernon, on the Nation- al Mall and everywhere you looked. We couldn’t ride the trolley to Smith- sonian locations because the street was blocked so they could march down Constitution Avenue. It was hot and miserable as USA Jean Barton Today wrote in the July 26 issue : “Scouts ambushed by heat, storm” By Oren Dorell, Washington. “Scorching heat Sunday challenged the Boy Scouts’ motto to ‘be pre- pared’ as dozens collapsed during a parade to celebrate 100 years of Scouting, an event that took place during one of the hottest weeks in the nation’s capital. A cold front that battered the region Sunday evening with rain and winds may bring relief from near 100 degree tem- peratures and humidity that made it feel even hotter.” Daughters Linda, Kendra and I would have liked to have owned stock in the water sold that week at $2 or more a 20- ounce bottle. We were constantly hearing “be sure to drink water” or “stay hydrated.” On the previous day, Saturday it was 105 degrees in Richmond, Va., breaking a record of 99 set in 1995. Normal summer temperatures were about 90 degrees, but it was 100 degrees with heat index of 110 when we were there. There were crowds on the Mall on Sunday as we started viewing the monuments, including Washington, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memori- al. We tried to stay in the shade as we walked from monu- ment to monument. Our teenagers, Rochelle, Shay and Jenny were asked by a group of Boy Scouts if they could have their picture taken with the girls at one of the monuments. They looked like California girls with their golden tans, large dark glasses, hair piled on top of head, dangling earrings, halter tops and shorts trying to keep cool. We visited Arlington National Cemetery and after view- ing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns, different Boy Scout troops placed their wreath on the Tomb, to be removed and another troop would march forward, Taps played by the bugler, and repeated again. I was in the shade but the others said one Scout was very wobbly, from Courtesy photo Shay, Jenny and Kendra McCluskey were very wet at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery following the thunder shower. the heat and sun, as he helped place the wreath. I was waiting for the shuttle, while the others were exploring the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial across the street to the west when a family from Nebraska commented on the rapidly darkening clouds coming from the west. “At home it might be a tornado.” A wind suddenly came up breaking a few branches on the trees, knocking over some barriers, and it was cooler. Then a few sprinkles and before the girls could come across the street it was pouring rain. We dashed up to the shelter of the pillars on the build- ing, but already it was too late. We were wet from the skin out. The thunderstorm had trees falling and thousands were without power Sunday evening and Monday in the area, but we were lucky to not lose power at the hotel. The rain water rushed down the streets and collected in low spots. It was warm water from the accumulated heat of the street and buildings. The first day we had toured Mt. Vernon, and the heat with humidity was my downfall. I was always looking for shade or preferably air conditioning because I didn’t like the feeling of weakness, even though I was drinking my share of water. We got a time ticket for touring George Washing- ton’s mansion, and the docents were excellent in each room, especially in the dining room where she pointed out the agri- culture motifs in the moldings, since Washington was a farmer. The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Cen- ter is wonderful. We learned about Washington in 23 gal- leries and theaters through interactive displays, short videos and collections. We also enjoyed the Ford Orientation Cen- ter with a 25-minute video about Washington and the French-Indian War. Both were excellent, and the mansion was anticlimactic, after standing in the long lines in the heat. We were back east to attend the wedding of my sister Marilyn’s oldest grand-daughter. The day of the wedding was hot, so we shopped at Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, instead of going out in the heat. The teenagers enjoyed the 220-plus outlet stores while I enjoyed the air conditioning. The wedding was at 5 p.m. and it was warm. The men were in dark suits with red ties, and the six attendants were in deep rose dresses carrying white calla lilies tinged in pink. Very pretty. Of course the bride was beautiful in her white gown with long train. Reception was at a country club and that, too, was warm. Buffet dinner included beef, and instead of a wedding cake there was a pyramid of cup cakes in different flavors with a square cake on top to be cut by the bride and groom. Each table had a bouquet of pink and white lilies. Dancing to a DJ for the younger generation while the grandparent generation retired to the bar area for quiet visiting. Instead of rice or bird seed, sparklers were lit as the newly weds left the reception. My family toured the Capitol on Monday, while I Crepe Myrtles Great color for all front yards LIC #808524 Call For Free Information Toll-Free (800) 464-1403 or (530) 365-1403 6183 MEISTER WAY ANDERSON, CA 96007 (530) 365-1403 (800) 464-1403 Garden Center Red Bluff 766 Antelope Blvd. (Next to the Fairground) 527-0886 enjoyed the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport with Marilyn and Bob in cool air conditioning. The public can see 80 percent of the Smithsonian’s collection that is not displayed on the National Mall. We saw a Con- corde and I was surprised how narrow it was, the space shut- tle Enterprise, Enola Gay, etc. in a huge hanger with planes, helicopters, flying machines suspended in the air on two lev- els, plus the ground. When we first arrived we went up six stories to the mock control tower where we heard the pilots talking to Dulles Airport, and watched a constant flow of planes on the left and right of us as they landed. The huge planes looked so slow and the little commuter planes looked so fast, but my brother-in-law Bob said they were each coming in at the same speed. He was a captain for American Airlines until retirement. Then we watched an IMAX presentation “Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag.” It follows a young pilot as he makes his way through the real life combat exercise, Red Flag. My nephew Jim participated in Red Flag before Desert Storm, I was reminded by Marilyn and Bob. Enjoyed the Air and Space Museum more than I expected. Kendra, Shay and Jenny spent six more days sightseeing and visiting cousins in Washington DC and Virginia, while Linda and Rochelle returned home, and I flew to Denver for the American National CattleWomen meeting. Will tell you about the Washington DC slugs next week. ranch