So, last week I returned from Washington, DC, where I attended the Golden Crown Literary Society’s annual conference. I was going to do a round-up or summary, but how in the hell am I supposed to top Andi Marquette’s roundup from last week?!

I can’t. So I’ll just share some photos.

Here’s the White House, as seen from across the street (the closest I could get).Here’s the Lincoln Memorial, which was awe-inspiring.The Washington Monument made for some spectacular art shots.Here are some very moving sculptures and memorials from various wars:

WWII

Korean War

Vietnam WarWomen in Vietnam Memorial

The Smithsonian Castle was like something out of a fairy tale (I apologize to those people trying to take their own pictures).

Here’s my tapas dinner at Bilbo Baggins in Old Town, Alexandria, VA. (That’s Andi’s arms right there.)

A delicious, if stuck-together, plate of tagliatelle at Virtue Feed & Grain, where the Ylva pack had a group dinner.

And here’s a shot of me, Andi, and Jove.And in the in-between-moments, when I wasn’t on a panel/reading, or watching someone else on a panel/reading, or trekking around in the heat, trying to get in as many sites as I could in the little time I had, I took a few quiet moments to sit in peaceful spots to recharge. Fortunately, there was such a spot on the hotel grounds, a little gazebo, right behind the vendors’ room, where there was a constantly fuming fountain. Late, on our last night there, I was hanging out with Andi in the gazebo and amidst the fireflies and chirping cicadas, and we heard, then spotted, a bullfrog.

And there you have it. That was my trip to Washington, DC, in a nutshell. See you next time.