Here comes the rain

I just spent this last week in D.C. for the Church Music Association's annual Musicae Sacrae colloquium. Also incredible was the electrical storm which was visible from Therese's apartment Sunday night:
This is the view from Therese's 11th floor apartment, overlooking Crystal City. The Pentagon is visible on the far right. What follows is a sequence.


In the last image, the rain is visible, coming down full force, blurring the lights and drenching the city. It was beautiful.

Brilliant burst of blue

I can see what makes me most excited--most times I've posted excitedly about an event, it has been an outdoor one (I can't wait to post photos from our Memorial Day weekend trip.) weekend, however, I was at home. It was very pleasant to be at home. I'm afraid I probably treated it as a holiday! One of the highlights was bike-riding with my mother. There is a network of the rails-to-trails projects around us, which make for ideal (if rather level and flat) bike-riding, bird-watching, and wild-flower finding. Without the traffic of cars, it is amazing how many other things find the peace in which to grow. Along one of the bike trails the other evening, as Mom says there usually are, there were indigo buntings everywhere. It was amazing to catch their bright song and even brighter blue *Flash!* along the sides of the bike trail or even across your path. So, I've included here a photo. You should also be able to find here a recording of the indigo bunting's song. (Half-way through you'll notice in the background the distinctive "drink your tea" of the Rufus-sided towhee. We also heard him on our ride--although the recording is not ours. )
I hope you are taking time to enjoy the summer!

Do pray for me

Charting a course is rather difficult, especially on little money and with diverse and multiple loves and desires . . . I seem to take rather longer at it than others I know have.