Author Archives: JohnMatel

Walked past the Mosaic District today on the way to the farmers’ market. There was evidently some sort of sporting event on the big screen that drew the attention of a large number of people.

Silphium compositum – Kidneyleaf Rosinweed Pycnanthemum tenuifolium These are some of the wild flowers from around the farm. I suspect I know what some of them are, but I am not sure and would request “hive memory” help. Went down … Continue reading →

I didn’t recognize the place. We lived in around here when we were studying Norwegian. It was not very nice. There were a few restaurants, but the area was seedy – vaguely troubling during the day and dangerous after dark. … Continue reading →

Thought I would visit some of the monuments and think about our democracy on a beautiful, low humidity Washington day. I have mixed feelings about monuments to flawed humans. We revere and remember great individual because of one or a … Continue reading →

When we moved here, the “Mosaic District” was a big parking lot from a defunct drive in movie theater. There were a few businesses, including a tailor shop in a shack. It sits at about the same place today, but … Continue reading →

Went to pick up my Brazilian visa in anticipation of my upcoming São Paulo adventure. Looking forward to it. The weather was good enough (a little humid, but only a light and intermittent rain) to ride the bike to Washington. … Continue reading →

Why anybody avoids jury duty is beyond me. We finished out case today & it was a great and uplifting experience. It might have been worse with a more difficult case or a less happy outcome, but I think most … Continue reading →

One of the best pieces of legislation ever enacted was the Morrill Act of 1862 that created the land grant colleges. As with most successful developments, this was both a continuation and a break with tradition. Universities had been elite … Continue reading →