This week I have some shots looking out our back windows. This hummingbird has visited our feeder by the patio often this summer along with at least two others. Two weeks ago this one stayed at the feeder for a couple of minutes (usually they stay only for a few seconds and another one will chase it away). We believe they departed for their winter home down south last weekend.
And this is the view through my office window across our deck and the farm behind our house.
Last Tuesday Marianne and I spent the afternoon at the fair. The offers a wide variety of agricultural, home making, and commercial exhibits, as well as food and entertainment. We started with some delicious BBQ beef, and then wandered by the outside farm equipment exhibits (including a few old tractors and plows). Next were the large animals, starting with a birthing area where several new moms were tending their young. (See the 2-hour-old calf here). Beyond the little ones, were the dairy barns (Frederick County produces a lot of milk), sheep, goats and alpacas. 
The rides and games are always popular, though we don't do that much unless the grandkids are along. By then we had circled the fair grounds and stopped for a funnel cake and lemonade. 
Finally we visited some indoor exhibits of farm grown items and hand made jams, jellies, cookies, furniture, dresses, etc. There was also a large exhibit of photographs. And in the FFA exhibit more of the same made by the younger crowd, including several well-prepared exhibits of insects.
Marianne and I spent Tuesday afternoon at the Great Frederick Fair. One of the exhibits was a birthing center where several animal moms were caring for their young. This calf was only a little over 2 hours old. Marianne has more pictures of the fair on her blog.
West end (not the main entrance) of the Delaplaine Arts Center has colorful doors and a display window. The building is an old mill that was converted for the arts.
The entrance to one of the old mansions in Frederick,
Blue shutters, a tearoom, numaste massage and picture framing
On my way home from the farmer's market in Pennsylvania, I took a side road back toward Catoctin Mountain. Out in open farmland I found this brick church and a little history of Henry Harbaugh. The Harbaugh family immigrated to this area from Switzerland in 1736. Henry was born into a farming family, but took an interest in religion and literature. He was a pastor, writer and later a professor of theology at the Mercersburg seminary. 
The Maryland School for the Deaf was established in 1868, using two stone barracks that had housed captured Hessian soldiers during the Revolutionary War. The school has classes for pre-school through high school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Students live on campus during the school week. The school also assists families with hearing impaired members. The campus (next two images) is on the southern edge of the historical area of Frederick. A new elementary school and family education building (last image) was completed 2008. A second campus was opened in Columbia (near Baltimore) in 1973. It is not unusual to see groups of people around Frederick signing as they go about their daily lives.
Here are a three shots skyward I took last week in the Ballston section of Arlington County, Virginia.
On my visit to the Pentagon Memorial, I parked in Ballston and rode the Metro (subway) to the Pentagon. Ballston was my work world from 1996 until I retired in 2007. After Metro opened in 1976, development began around the stations and Ballston was no exception. During my years there, construction cranes could be seen to the south and east. Above is the view west of development during the 1980's and 90's. (Another view of the building beyond the Nature Conservatory is here. Below are old lower buildings with newer, taller behind. 
Newer and taller
Street vendor
Sidewalk food service
Today marks the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the failed attack that killed all on board United Airlines flight 93 in Pennsylvania. In 2006, the Pentagon Memorial was dedicated to honor the 184 people who lost their lives when American Airlines fight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. The memorial contains a stainless steel, cantilevered bench for each person. The person's name is engraved on the end of the bench. 
There is a pool of water and a light under each bench, making a striking effect at night. The benches are aligned with the flight path of flight 77 and grouped by age. The direction of each bench indicates whether the person honored was on the plane or in the Pentagon. Paper birch maple trees are planted throughout the memorial to provide shade. 
Bench and water with shadow of tree
View southeast across the Memorial
Memorial is near Flight 77 impact
View southwest towards Air Force Memorial
Taken the first Saturday of September, three shots of the sky over Carroll Creek and a sunset to end the day.
