Rainy afternoon at the museum

We spent yesterday afternoon at the National Portrait Gallery, where we saw two exhibits:

1. Faces of the Frontier: Photographic Portraits from the American West, 1845–1924, where we were able to tag along with segments of a tour conducted by someone so knowledgeable and excited about the material that he must have been the curator. He pointed out, for example, that a handsome photo of Chief Joseph poses him next to papier mache rocks with bits of Spanish moss, and that he is holding blankets from an entirely different tribe, possibly in support of his efforts for Native Americans as a whole. We kept thinking that somewhere we would glimpse Great-great Uncle Albion in his early days in Reno.
2. Finalists in the second Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. We liked the top winners but also admired the ironically titled Miss Priss, which got our vote for the People's Choice award.

End of Summer

 
 



Yesterday morning was overcast, windy, and threatening rain, but the volunteer zinnia was still blooming. A lone monarch clung to it, feeding.

Butterflies and others

A lovely sunny day, and several butterflies--skippers, cabbage white, Painted Lady, and a Red-spotted Admiral. Also I startled a large preying mantis into flight.

Volunteer update

That volunteer zinnia is still blooming its head off:



We actually hired someone to mow the lawn, which is why it is looking so nice in the background!