I See Beauty All Around, by Rob Paine

Looking Back on the Holidays… One Last Time

web clifton rob paine holiday lights New Year’s week is an exciting time, full of new beginnings and exciting possibilities. The weekend after New Year’s day is customarily the time when the festive lights and decorations of the holiday season are taken down. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had holiday lights all year? (see more photos and text below)

web rob paine botanical dc

I figure today is probably my last chance to share some of my favorite holiday scenes that I have not had the chance to post yet. I chose photos from one of the biggest displays in the area I photographed, The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree (bottom photo) and from one of the smallest towns I visited that was decked out for the holidays,(shown at top of post) the small town of Clifton, Va., population of 282 at the time of the 2010 Census. I also included a photo taken of a model of the U.S. Capitol take at the popular U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, a model made entirely of natural plant materials.

Still need to see even more holiday lights? Please check out my post on the light show at Meadowlark Gardens in Vienna, Va.

rob paine christmas clifton

The photo above is of a life-size nutcracker outside a shop in Clifton.

rob paine web capitol building

I hope your holidays were everything you wanted them to be and that the brightness and cheer from the season will stay with you for the entire year.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, Rob.

I hope you will enjoy some of the other Weekly Photo Challenge post than have run on WordPress this week that can be reached using the links below:

  1. My.Vivid.Visions | Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning of Lotus
  2. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Rooktopia
  3. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Flickr Comments
  4. Beginning (Weekly Photo Challenge) | Icezine
  5. Weekly Photo Challenge – Beginning | Chittle Chattle
  6. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Ese’ s Voice
  7. Weekly Photo Challenge: beginning | MyBlog – solaner
  8. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Uncle Spike’s Adventures
  9. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | The Ambitious Drifter
  10. WPC: Beginning | Books, Music, Photography & Movies : my best friends
  11. Weekly Photo Challenge – Beginning | Just Snaps
  12. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | The Eclectic Eccentric Shopaholic
  13. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning – Joy and Woe
  14. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | A mom’s blog
  15. Photoworld 3-1-14 | ~~~ nur ein “Klick” ~~~ ein Kompendium
  16. In the Beginning There is Love….(WP weekly photo challenge) | Daily Observations
  17. Fear of Pontius Pilate Insults My Intelligence | Bumblepuppies
  18. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Hope* the happy hugger
  19. Weekly Photo Challenge – Beginning | Joe’s Musings
  20. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | scillagrace
  21. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Stephen Chapman

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Comments

21 responses to “Looking Back on the Holidays… One Last Time”

  1. Beginning #photography #newyear #nature | Moondustwriter's Blog

    […] Looking Back on the Holidays… One Last Time | I see beauty all around by rob paine […]

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  2. vastlycurious.com Avatar
    vastlycurious.com

    WOW Rob! The Capital and tree made me teary. I love our Country. Yes I wish we kept lights all year round.

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    1. iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine Avatar
      iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

      I do too. there was some report on the radio yesterday that the monday after the New Year’s weekend is one of the saddest days of the year. I think if we just kept the lights on for another month or two, people would be in a better mood.

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      1. vastlycurious.com Avatar
        vastlycurious.com

        Mine are still on and my home is still decorated : ))

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        1. iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine Avatar
          iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

          good deal!

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          1. vastlycurious.com Avatar
            vastlycurious.com

            I think so , thanks Rob!

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  3. acuriousgal Avatar
    acuriousgal

    Oh, I would so love to go to DC at Christmastime!! Such excellent shots! I just love watching, A White House Christmas on TV too. I think it’s on HGTV…not sure though

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    1. iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine Avatar
      iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

      I think it is on HGTV too barb. This season was especially nice because it never got that cold.the day I photographed the Capitol Tree is was 70 degrees! (something I like to think about as the temperature takes a nose dive tonight- we are not used to the frigid weather like you have up in Minnesota)

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      1. acuriousgal Avatar
        acuriousgal

        70 degrees??? No fair! What a perfect Christmas in DC, that would have made a great trip for my family. Maybe next year. I’m telling ya, we’ve taken our kids to DC a few times…best trip ever!!

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        1. iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine Avatar
          iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

          its a great place to be for the holidays, but the weather this year was extra nice!

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  4. Garden Walk Garden Talk Avatar
    Garden Walk Garden Talk

    Oh so colorful and festive. Looks like such a great place to spend the holidays. Lovely photos.

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    1. iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine Avatar
      iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

      it is, lots to do all over the area between Thanksgiving and New years

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  5. Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Stefan Praetorius Naurin

    […] Looking Back on the Holidays… One Last Time | I see beauty all around by rob paine […]

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  6. Joe Owens Avatar
    Joe Owens

    These are gorgeous pictures. I wondered where Clifton was. I am on the opposite end of the state, near the Tennessee and North Carolina lines. I went to school at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee State University with a girl from Vienna.

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    1. iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine Avatar
      iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

      Hi Joe, sure, Clifton is in Fairfax County, probably about half hour or so from Vienna. Thanks for the nice comment, Rob

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      1. Joe Owens Avatar
        Joe Owens

        Up until last year I had a cousin working for the VA that lived in Arlington. We went up to visit in 2010 and visited many of the monuments, the National Zoo, Arlington and some of the Smithsonian Museums. I love the area.

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        1. iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine Avatar
          iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

          its a fun place to be, you never run out of things to do or places to take photos

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          1. Joe Owens Avatar
            Joe Owens

            I really want to go back when the Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom.

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          2. iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine Avatar
            iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

            It is a blast. I shot sunrise at the cherry blossoms for the first time this past spring. 530AM and there must have been at least 100 photographers. It was quite a scene.
            Lots of room to get some great shots, I think I had to get up at like 430 am or something but it was well worth it.

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  7. northumbrianlight Avatar
    northumbrianlight

    A very colourful reminder, thanks for sharing. Having spent the good part of Saturday storing all the decorations, I can’t help but agree with your idea 🙂

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  8. leecleland Avatar
    leecleland

    Lovely reminder of the festive season and the image of the Capitol and Christmas tree is wonderful.

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Please feel free to leave a reply. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughtful feedback, Rob