Category: america

Monticello 53rd annual

nickel porch
FOB Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor of Virginia, addressed the crowd gathered for the 53rd annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello.


pipeline protest
Court was called into session, petitioners at Monticello took the oath of citizenship. McAuliffe posed for photos with the new citizens. I am fairly sure the Governor did not pause, on his way up to Monticello, for photos with these petitioners. The “Macster” is a deal maker. Energy companies are granted audience, common citizens can hold their breath.


new citizens
The naturalization ceremony provides a happier meditation on the strengths of our country.

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”-Oath of Citizenship

birthday party


Fourth of July celebration and naturalization ceremony at Monticello earlier today.
The years I’ve attended the candidates for naturalization stand on the stairs of the nickel porch,
a grand stage from which to step into citizenship.


The only problem, the angle of the July sun during the ceremony challenges attendees.

spectators shield themselves
Looking down is easier than looking into the sun.

hat people
They make these clever things called hats.

dog with sunglasses
The event at Monticello is beautiful, it is rich with memory and promise. It is free. It is highly recommended.
Monticello, Saturday July 4, 2015?
Note to self, hat & sunglasses.

day of rest

woolen mills sunday school picnic
Victoria Dunham and I are doing a presentation of the Woolen Mills Village and WM Neighborhood this afternoon. Arg. Some technology involved. HDMI, UDF, MP4, codecs. Crazy modern stuff.
I went for a walk in the brilliant morning light, in the graveyard. I know a lot of people in graveyards. In the memory business. In the learning business. Learning from the lives of others, learning from our own, it is important, joyful and simultaneously very very sad.
Talk is at Cville Coffee, 1500hrs.