As we do every year, we went to see the azaleas and dogwoods at the National Arboretum, located in northeast Washington, D.C., about a 15-minute drive from our house. It was packed as the weather was spectacular, and because of the bizarre "spring" we've had, there weren’t as many azaleas in bloom as this time last year, but still, a good time was had by all, including Sahraa.

US Capitol columns at the arboretum, posted earlier