May is New York's spring. By contrast, April does better in Washington DC than it does with May, which is when early bloom petals are dropping, or have dropped, creating a messy carpet of brown on the ground. The rest of DC flowering plants cry for rain which is always promised but problematic in delivery. Still 70 degrees and relatively low humidity is a gift, as is the green-greener hue to trees and plants that make DC officially 'The City of Trees."
Whatever and whenever, it is an annual blessing to be able to watch the renewal of life (and cringe at the accompanying onslaught of pollen), to have the illusion of country in a traffic-bound city. All of which makes the place come to life, literally and figuratively: the final living opening of theater productions before summer's lull. And to recognize resources that are available year-round, such as the main public library that seems to have turned itself into an urban oasis in every way. Scheduled free events (mostly), in competition with the museums on the nearby Mall.
Praise be to all before summer kicks in with relentless heat and hungry mosquitoes.....
Except that 'residents' of our fabled Congressional Cemetery no longer can witness the changes, since they are all sleeping soundly (one presumes) in the ground. Unlike what its name suggests, the historic35-acre landscape in far Southeast DC has nothing to do with Congress - merely a honorary title linked to some of its early often fabled inhabitants. It began as a temporary receiving space (as an official brochure describes it) for presidents and cabinet members in a day when methods of preserving bodies has not yet been perfected. It is now a permanent home for dozens of individuals of varying degrees of fame and even notoriety. And it offers solace to many living people who have bought plots in advance of their demise, and who might now proudly sport a tee shirt with the words 'future resident' of the CC.
Many years ago, the so-called green burial plots were novel and the cemetery didn't miss a beat in selling wee plots for just such people who didn't want to leave the world engulfed in chemicals and solid noncompostable containers. Hence, the name that promises quick removal to the ground in a wicker basket along with the privilege of saying goodbye with a program or reception in and around the modest chapel on the grounds. Welcome to a sample spot below, marked by simple stones, overseen in the photo by a friend of the still living owner. There are some notable neighbors - not far away is the very grand final resting place of the founder of the Marine Band, John Philip Sousa born on Capitol Hill on November 1806. An elaborate ceremony commemorating the man on that date every year includes includes a panoply of talented Marine Band members.
Neighbors and strangers are invited to enjoy the grounds of this outdoor sanctuary on various occasions. The latest such public event is a half-mile self-guided 'Tree Walk Through History among species that have witnessed much of the past life in American history. Called the 'Arboretum Walking Tour' the project intends to be an educational experience and what the non-profit calls "an evolving biodiverse community of trees.' Some 25 trees are being marked with both common and scientific names open for viewing year-round.
