Ms. Rowles Goes to Washington

Last weekend Bryn and I visited Nama. Saturday morning we took the Metro -- and no stroller -- to the National Museum of Natural History. The gemstone exhibit, which included spectacular jewels and crowns, was a big hit, and one of the most interesting things in the exhibit was a huge lodestone that had become magnetized after it was struck by lightning. Paper clips placed on the rock stood up on end.
Next we went to the insect zoo where we saw a tarantula feeding, and in the butterfly house, several butterflies landed on the visitors! On Sunday we went to the recently restored Glen Echo Park and saw the most fabulous puppet show. The marionettes, most of which were made of a kind of paper mache, were works of art, and the puppetry was captivating. The show, which depicted different circus acts, included a clown that blew up a balloon -- don't ask me how -- and was carried away as the balloon got bigger and bigger as well as a trapeze artist who hung by her ankles and did backward and forward flips. Bryn may have still been a little too young to appreciate the artistry as she gave the performance a "thumbs sideways," but I'd be interested in going again sometime. We rode the 1920s carousel, and checked out the small playground.


We had a great time, and already I'm thinking that next time we'll try the Air and Space Museum, and hopefully Luke will be big enough to come, too -- preferably without a stroller.