Washington DC: The World is Yours

This cute little girl was learning to twirl in her dress in the most perfect backdrop that the World is Yours - yours to dance in wearing purple dresses!  

Washington DC: Scooting with a coconut

Scooting through Northeast DC with a coconut in hand—an unexpectedly tropical way to explore the H Street festival.

Washington DC: Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security, aka DHS, is headquartered in Washington, DC.  Below is one of their trucks at the H Street Festival in NE DC today.

Washington DC: Cool People of H Street

Some of the cool faces and people from the H Street festival in North East DC today.  The colorful clothes were very different than what I usually see in North West DC.  

Washington DC: Dog Pouch

This teeny tiny dog looked at home and comfortable in a pouch across his owner's chest as he enjoyed the H Street festival and some music in NE DC.  

Washington DC: H Street Festival

The H Street Festival transforms one of DC’s most eclectic neighborhoods into a lively, pedestrian-only street party. Stretching for more than a dozen blocks, the festival brings together live music, local food, artists, makers, and neighborhood businesses, with something happening around every corner. It’s crowded, energetic, and a little chaotic in the best way—a great way to experience the creative, diverse character of H Street.

Below are some photos of the stalls and streets of the festival. 

Washington DC: H Street Festival Musicians

The festival features an eclectic mix of live musicians, bands, DJs, and performers across multiple stages along H Street. Lots of local and emerging artists! 

Washington DC: Duke Ellington School of the Arts at H Street

Students from Washington, DC’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts brought their talent to the H Street Festival, showcasing the school’s renowned focus on music, dance, theater, and visual arts. Their performance added a vibrant display of young local talent to the festival’s lineup of musicians and performers.

Texas: Bobcat in South Texas

Bobcats are one of the most common wild cats in South Texas — you just rarely see them.

They’re perfectly adapted to the brush country: thick, tangled habitat that gives them cover to hunt and move without being spotted. In places like the Rio Grande Valley and coastal plains, they’re basically everywhere there’s enough prey and shelter.

Even though they’re widespread, most people only know they’re around from trail cameras, tracks, or the occasional quick flash of movement in the brush.  

This juvenile bobcat was quietly sitting in the brush besides a watering hole.  And when he heard us, as I got excited to snap photos, he disappeared and none of my friends were able to get a photo of him fast enough.  

Texas: Caracaras chilling on each other

Although the caracara is fairly aggressive and opportunistic when looking for food, they are also fairly tolerant of each other.  Below is one here resting on top of another caracara.

Texas: Quails mating dance

The male bobwhite turns into this tiny, frantic showman in spring—calling, puffing up, doing these stiff little half-circles around the female like he’s trying to convince her he’s both harmless and impressive at the same time. It’s not graceful.

Texas: Javelinas!

I was walking on a trail out to La Sal Del Ray and spotted a pig-like thing behind the trees.  I went on ChatGPT and described what I thought I saw - and it informed me it was not dangerous, but also not necessarily friendly either.  It advised me to act big and unafraid and it would probably leave me alone.  I was walking alone on the trail at mid-day so me acting big and unafraid looked somewhat ridiculous.  I think I said aloud, "I'm big and un-afraid!" on repeat.  Anyway, these are the javelinas.  

Texas: Caracara head-tipped back

In South Texas, seeing a caracara perched on a fence post with its head thrown back, looking almost like it’s laughing, is a very recognizable sight. They’re sometimes called “Mexican eagles,” but they’re actually falcons — just a very unusual, ground-loving, scavenging kind of falcon.  Here is a caracara about to start shouting as he tips his head back. 

Texas: Caracaras dancing through the air

Although they are kind of vicious, the caracara caught my eye as such striking birds.  They look as if they are dancing together as they fly and fight and act aggressive towards each other.