Fort McHenry

view of the Chesapeake Bay where the British navy attacked

Over the weekend Ben and I unleashed our inner touristy history-buff selves (well my inner self, Ben's normal self) and went to the other side of the harbor to visit Fort McHenry, (now a national monument) where the Americans successfully defended the city against the British warships during the Battle of Baltimore in 1814.  Francis Scott Key was a prisoner on a ship in the bay and was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner after his experiences on that night.

It is impossible not to have the national anthem stuck in your head as you wander around this place! (which gets kind of annoying if you personally had to play it 59384 times in high school marching band)

The fort is star-shaped and has multiple levels, all made of brick and grass embankments with random arched doorways leading down into the ammunition storage rooms and other technically-termed places; it kind of feels like a labyrinth when you walk around.  You can definitely envision the uniformed soldiers marching through their drills.

It was definitely a fun mini-trip for a sunny afternoon. I recommend stopping by if you're in the city!

basking like a kitty

I am so excited to be in Baltimore right now; I didn't realize how sun deprived I'd been until I was reintroduced to blue skies here.  It is 60 degrees and cloudless, which seriously feels like summer.  It's not shorts and tank top weather yet, but oh my gosh it feels so good to re-introduce my skin to some vitamin D!  Being able to run by the harbor, eat lunch on sunny seafood cafe patios, and wake up to actual sunlight streaming through the blinds is pretty much amazing.  It's funny how you take things like sunlight for granted until you live in a cloudy place for a while, and then nice weather makes your life 1000% better. 

I have turned Ben's sunny room into my office for the week, and plan to knock off as much work as I can muster while he's at school.  In addition to basking in the nice weather and playing in the kitchen. 

I love spring break!

hello sunshine

I took these pictures 2 months ago but haven't had a sunny day to post them, until now!

I love how the blue sky is reflected.

Even though it is still chilly and windy outside, it gives me a little rush to see sky and sun.

I got to campus as the sun was rising orange and gold through the mountains

and left when it was setting in a pink and purple cloudshow.  Aaaa I love the colors.

Yes, I pull lonnng days!! But I'm so excited that it is still light out at 5:30 pm.

I'm even more excited to chase the sun down to Baltimore this weekend, where it is supposed to be warm!!