30th Anniversary
October 19, 2024
State of Maryland
City of Woolford
Old Trinity Church
Day One
After wrapping up our day of school and work, getting some of the boys settled while others continued their early evening activities, Jackson dropped us at the light rail in Lynnwood for our first ever LINK transportation to Seatac airport. What a smooth ride without the headache of traffic! While on the train, Julie found out where we were going -- Maryland! (She had guessed wrong all week based on projected weather forecasts that she had been given.) The redeye flight was smooth and uneventful; Julie even slept a little which was an unusual blessing. We got our rental car, Audi A6, and headed to the nearest Waffle House on our way to Antietam National Battlefield. Yummy waffle for Eric and grits with eggs for Julie! Our Agatha Christie Poirot mystery for this anniversary was Cards on the Table, and we dove in after breakfast. Setting off for the Civil War battlefield that turned the war, keeping the British from entering on the side of the Confederacy and giving Lincoln the victory needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, we were struck by the landscape and the number of men on both sides that fought and sacrificed on one day, over 22,000 casualties in the bloodiest single day in American history. The Antietam National Cemetery was beautiful with portions of the poem, Bivouac of the Dead by Theodore O’Hara, printed on plaques around the center, quite powerful.
On the way back to Baltimore, we stopped at the burial place of F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, whose full name was Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald after the man who penned our national anthem. More on that later. We stopped at a Roy Rogers for a quick lunch to bring back childhood memories for Eric as he munched on a roast beef sandwich. The Underground Railroad has a robust history in Maryland, and we walked a portion of it beginning at Woodlawn Manor. After a frustrating search near the NOAA headquarters for the coastline wave pool that mimics the wave formations at the coast, we arrived to witness that it was wasn’t running. We then popped over to University of Maryland for a quick photo op with Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson’s sculpture.
At Baltimore’s inner harbor, we checked into the Four Seasons Hotel where chocolates and prosecco awaited our anniversary celebration in the Lighthouse Suite overlooking the harbor. As the sun was setting, we decided to take the water taxi across the harbor to find some Maryland blue crab for dinner at L.P. Steamers. The waitress was very kind to teach us the most effective way to break open and enjoy the iconic blue crab. Because the water taxi was no longer running for the night, we rode back to the hotel with a friendly, chatty Uber driver after a very long day of travel and exploring.
Day Two
Friday was our day to explore Baltimore, and after a quick breakfast in our room, we headed off to Fort McHenry National Monument. One unexpected sight as we looked across the entrance to Baltimore harbor was the collapsed bridge that had been hit by a container ship earlier in 2024. It was another stunningly beautiful fall day as we arrived just before the daily flag-changing ceremony at the fort. The current stars-and-stripes fly through the night and are replaced each morning by the 1812 flag that symbolized the victory over the British. The education given by the park ranger about the poignancy of the event that gave our flag its story for the country to rally around and sing about was profound. Francis Scott Key’s Star Spangled Banner immediately brought Americans together around the story of the desperate yet decisive victory. Fun fact: the flag of 1812 is the only US flag version that sports 15 stripes for the states in the union at the time.
We then drove north to see a few sites that were a little too far to walk. Our first stop was the Baltimore Basilica. It was the first Roman Catholic church in America with the same architect as the US Capitol. While simple and pleasing to the eye, this basilica lacked the craftmanship and beauty of the European cathedrals.
Our next stop was the Walters Art Museum where we started with a snack to fuel us for all the art ahead. The artwork and artifacts were vast, varied, and very difficult to fathom that it all came from one individual’s collection. Julie found a new favorite, Judith Decapitating Holofernes, from 1640 by Trophime Bigot from Rome who clearly studied under Carravagio.
We were very excited to see the George Peabody Library but it was unfortunately closed for the day. Disappointment!
Off to the Greenmount Cemetery, our third cemetery of the trip so far, and the graves of John Wilkes Booth and J Gresham Machen. Interestingly, John Wilkes Booth was buried in his family’s plot with an unmarked stone. As you may know, his father’s name was Julius Brutus Booth. Anyone read your Shakespeare? Hmmm. Folks tend to leave pennies on the gravestone so show that Lincoln got the last word. Need a Machen book recommendation? Christianity and Liberalism.
After a stop at Popeye’s Fried Chicken for a quick snack, we walked to the Church Home & Hospital where Edgar Allen Poe died. We had visited some of his other stomping grounds on previous anniversaries in Rhode Island and South Carolina. Following on from there it only made sense to go to Edgar Allen Poe’s grave. Driving back to the hotel, we tried to find the First Public Gas Streetlight but missed it as it wasn’t in the best neighborhood.
Getting back to the hotel, we rushed to see the USS Constellation before the last boarding of the day. Boy, we are glad we did! This sloop displayed skilled craftsmanship on all four decks with ample room for 300 men to work and live on the vessel. We were stunned by both the working and the living spaces and by the obvious skill of sailing that was required. This was an unexpected highlight for both of us.
We had a cocktail at Maximon, outside overlooking Baltimore’s sunny inner harbor before changing for dinner and heading up to the 28th floor and The Bygone. The sunset painted a swath of rich orange under deep blue as it brushed behind the city skyline of Baltimore out the floor-to-ceiling windows in the restaurant. An anniversary card of congratulations met us at our table. We enjoyed a lovely steak dinner with an amazing view, memories, and conversation.
Day Three
We learned that much of downtown around the Inner Harbor was going to be closed for the running of the Baltimore marathon today, so we headed out of town early.
We got to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which connects the eastern shore and hold the title of the third longest bridge in the world. It was another sunny, warm day. Listening to Poirot as we went, viewing the vibrant fall color out the window, and drinking our Starbuck’s coffee as a taste of home, we ventured to the Annie Oakley House and witnessed the cutout in the roof that she and her husband used to keep their aim sharp with a gun. What a story she had! The house is in a simple water-front neighborhood which did not match the wild-west persona that we all know.
From there we drove to the Old Trinity Episcopal Church. This is the oldest American church to have continual worshipping services since its establishment in 1692. Surrounded by a graveyard that rests generations from the 1700s to present day and nestled beside the quietly flowing Church Creek, we renewed covenant with one another in celebration of our 30 years together. As you have heard many say about a rich, long marriage: it seems like we just met yesterday in some ways, and in other ways it seems as if we have been together forever. What a blessing from the Lord, this gift of marriage!
https://atlasobscura.com/places/old-trinity-church
We then drove to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park and learned the amazing story of Harriet Tubman’s life. We also stopped at the location of the farm where Harriet was enslaved. Having heard the stories, it was quite impactful to stand there, knowing her story played out here with the pain and the fortitude that God used to rescue many from slavery.
On the way to lunch we stopped at the Mason Dixon Line marker right at the corner of Delaware. Julie was surprised that the current farmland was split by the line which would seem to make property taxes and legal logistics a bit confusing for that family. Hmmm.
As we meandered by towards Baltimore, lunch was at Millie’s Road House in a tiny town along the way. We then stopped by the Lyon Rum Distillery in St. Michaels where they bring in sugar cane from Louisiana with hand-picked and local ingredients to craft their own flavors of rum. The tastings were unique and enjoyable. We came back with a few items to share back at home.
The remnants of the marathon had disappeared as we arrived back to the hotel, and then we decided we needed some ice cream on this lovely warm fall evening as the sun began to set. The walk began. Passing by the Vote Against Prohibition Sign painted on a building, we wondered if it was naturally or intentionally faded as it was super hard to see. We walked by the The Horse You Came In On Saloon where Edgar Allen Poe had his last drink. After many more steps, we finally made it to BMore Licks for ice cream!! Astoundingly, they offer over 100 flavors of soft-serve and scoop ice cream in addition to creative concoctions like ice cream taco sundays. Julie had pina colada soft-serve, and Eric ordered apple pie scoop ice cream. Worth the walk, so delicious! Having eaten our dessert first, we were compelled to at least eat a light dinner, so we landed at the James Joyce Irish Pub. Eric had a Scotch egg (of course). We finished our last night enjoying the nightlights around the inner harbor from our balcony view. Refreshing!
Day Four
We checked out of our hotel early Sunday morning and headed a few blocks away for breakfast at Miss Shirley’s Cafe in downtown Baltimore. Boasting truly hometown, delicious breakfast food, Miss Shirley served Eric bourbon-bacon pancakes and served Julie a breakfast bowl concoction that suited her fresh tastes perfectly. We waddled out and drove to Annapolis for church.
We worshipped at Church at Christ Reformed Evangelical Church (CREC Annapolis) where we saw old friends the Halversons, Tuckers, and Travatos. We were welcomed with an invitation to tour the Annapolis Harbor on the Tucker’s boat. On the way to meet the Tuckers, we stopped to see The Hall of Presidents Before Washington which is a display at the Westin Hotel of each US President who led our country before good-old George. Then, we grabbed some food to take with us on the boating excursion. It was a stunningly sunny and warm October fall day. The town was full of visitors because of an event at the Naval Academy, so the lively bustle felt like a summer waterfront vacation spot. The scene from the boat was refreshing, and the conversation with Rob and Laura was non-stop wonderful as we spun through the topics and people we have in common. What delightful people!
They dropped us off in time for our appointment at the Naval Academy where we took a walking tour, learning about the history of the academy and the current cadet experience. One of the interesting, required elements of the current program is the escalated swim test that begins with a reasonable swim distance in the first year without encumbrances and extends to an impressive swim distance after dropping from a high dive in full uniform. We did see the monument that is ‘scaled’ by each graduating class where we know personally a member of the class who still holds the yet-unbeaten record. The only bummer was that the chapel and crypt were closed for an upcoming event.
John Paul Jones Crypt
We squeezed every minute left and walked around Annapolis, then sat outside and had one final snack in the beautiful autumn weather before heading back to the airport.
We finished our Poirot mystery, sitting and waiting for the plane to board. After a peaceful flight back to Seattle, Jackson picked us up and drove us back home. We thoroughly enjoyed one another and our time in the beautiful state of Maryland!
October 19, 2024
State of Maryland
City of Woolford
Old Trinity Church
Day One
After wrapping up our day of school and work, getting some of the boys settled while others continued their early evening activities, Jackson dropped us at the light rail in Lynnwood for our first ever LINK transportation to Seatac airport. What a smooth ride without the headache of traffic! While on the train, Julie found out where we were going -- Maryland! (She had guessed wrong all week based on projected weather forecasts that she had been given.) The redeye flight was smooth and uneventful; Julie even slept a little which was an unusual blessing. We got our rental car, Audi A6, and headed to the nearest Waffle House on our way to Antietam National Battlefield. Yummy waffle for Eric and grits with eggs for Julie! Our Agatha Christie Poirot mystery for this anniversary was Cards on the Table, and we dove in after breakfast. Setting off for the Civil War battlefield that turned the war, keeping the British from entering on the side of the Confederacy and giving Lincoln the victory needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, we were struck by the landscape and the number of men on both sides that fought and sacrificed on one day, over 22,000 casualties in the bloodiest single day in American history. The Antietam National Cemetery was beautiful with portions of the poem, Bivouac of the Dead by Theodore O’Hara, printed on plaques around the center, quite powerful.
On the way back to Baltimore, we stopped at the burial place of F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, whose full name was Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald after the man who penned our national anthem. More on that later. We stopped at a Roy Rogers for a quick lunch to bring back childhood memories for Eric as he munched on a roast beef sandwich. The Underground Railroad has a robust history in Maryland, and we walked a portion of it beginning at Woodlawn Manor. After a frustrating search near the NOAA headquarters for the coastline wave pool that mimics the wave formations at the coast, we arrived to witness that it was wasn’t running. We then popped over to University of Maryland for a quick photo op with Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson’s sculpture.
At Baltimore’s inner harbor, we checked into the Four Seasons Hotel where chocolates and prosecco awaited our anniversary celebration in the Lighthouse Suite overlooking the harbor. As the sun was setting, we decided to take the water taxi across the harbor to find some Maryland blue crab for dinner at L.P. Steamers. The waitress was very kind to teach us the most effective way to break open and enjoy the iconic blue crab. Because the water taxi was no longer running for the night, we rode back to the hotel with a friendly, chatty Uber driver after a very long day of travel and exploring.
Day Two
Friday was our day to explore Baltimore, and after a quick breakfast in our room, we headed off to Fort McHenry National Monument. One unexpected sight as we looked across the entrance to Baltimore harbor was the collapsed bridge that had been hit by a container ship earlier in 2024. It was another stunningly beautiful fall day as we arrived just before the daily flag-changing ceremony at the fort. The current stars-and-stripes fly through the night and are replaced each morning by the 1812 flag that symbolized the victory over the British. The education given by the park ranger about the poignancy of the event that gave our flag its story for the country to rally around and sing about was profound. Francis Scott Key’s Star Spangled Banner immediately brought Americans together around the story of the desperate yet decisive victory. Fun fact: the flag of 1812 is the only US flag version that sports 15 stripes for the states in the union at the time.
We then drove north to see a few sites that were a little too far to walk. Our first stop was the Baltimore Basilica. It was the first Roman Catholic church in America with the same architect as the US Capitol. While simple and pleasing to the eye, this basilica lacked the craftmanship and beauty of the European cathedrals.
Our next stop was the Walters Art Museum where we started with a snack to fuel us for all the art ahead. The artwork and artifacts were vast, varied, and very difficult to fathom that it all came from one individual’s collection. Julie found a new favorite, Judith Decapitating Holofernes, from 1640 by Trophime Bigot from Rome who clearly studied under Carravagio.
We were very excited to see the George Peabody Library but it was unfortunately closed for the day. Disappointment!
Off to the Greenmount Cemetery, our third cemetery of the trip so far, and the graves of John Wilkes Booth and J Gresham Machen. Interestingly, John Wilkes Booth was buried in his family’s plot with an unmarked stone. As you may know, his father’s name was Julius Brutus Booth. Anyone read your Shakespeare? Hmmm. Folks tend to leave pennies on the gravestone so show that Lincoln got the last word. Need a Machen book recommendation? Christianity and Liberalism.
After a stop at Popeye’s Fried Chicken for a quick snack, we walked to the Church Home & Hospital where Edgar Allen Poe died. We had visited some of his other stomping grounds on previous anniversaries in Rhode Island and South Carolina. Following on from there it only made sense to go to Edgar Allen Poe’s grave. Driving back to the hotel, we tried to find the First Public Gas Streetlight but missed it as it wasn’t in the best neighborhood.
Getting back to the hotel, we rushed to see the USS Constellation before the last boarding of the day. Boy, we are glad we did! This sloop displayed skilled craftsmanship on all four decks with ample room for 300 men to work and live on the vessel. We were stunned by both the working and the living spaces and by the obvious skill of sailing that was required. This was an unexpected highlight for both of us.
We had a cocktail at Maximon, outside overlooking Baltimore’s sunny inner harbor before changing for dinner and heading up to the 28th floor and The Bygone. The sunset painted a swath of rich orange under deep blue as it brushed behind the city skyline of Baltimore out the floor-to-ceiling windows in the restaurant. An anniversary card of congratulations met us at our table. We enjoyed a lovely steak dinner with an amazing view, memories, and conversation.
Day Three
We learned that much of downtown around the Inner Harbor was going to be closed for the running of the Baltimore marathon today, so we headed out of town early.
We got to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which connects the eastern shore and hold the title of the third longest bridge in the world. It was another sunny, warm day. Listening to Poirot as we went, viewing the vibrant fall color out the window, and drinking our Starbuck’s coffee as a taste of home, we ventured to the Annie Oakley House and witnessed the cutout in the roof that she and her husband used to keep their aim sharp with a gun. What a story she had! The house is in a simple water-front neighborhood which did not match the wild-west persona that we all know.
From there we drove to the Old Trinity Episcopal Church. This is the oldest American church to have continual worshipping services since its establishment in 1692. Surrounded by a graveyard that rests generations from the 1700s to present day and nestled beside the quietly flowing Church Creek, we renewed covenant with one another in celebration of our 30 years together. As you have heard many say about a rich, long marriage: it seems like we just met yesterday in some ways, and in other ways it seems as if we have been together forever. What a blessing from the Lord, this gift of marriage!
https://atlasobscura.com/places/old-trinity-church
We then drove to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park and learned the amazing story of Harriet Tubman’s life. We also stopped at the location of the farm where Harriet was enslaved. Having heard the stories, it was quite impactful to stand there, knowing her story played out here with the pain and the fortitude that God used to rescue many from slavery.
On the way to lunch we stopped at the Mason Dixon Line marker right at the corner of Delaware. Julie was surprised that the current farmland was split by the line which would seem to make property taxes and legal logistics a bit confusing for that family. Hmmm.
As we meandered by towards Baltimore, lunch was at Millie’s Road House in a tiny town along the way. We then stopped by the Lyon Rum Distillery in St. Michaels where they bring in sugar cane from Louisiana with hand-picked and local ingredients to craft their own flavors of rum. The tastings were unique and enjoyable. We came back with a few items to share back at home.
The remnants of the marathon had disappeared as we arrived back to the hotel, and then we decided we needed some ice cream on this lovely warm fall evening as the sun began to set. The walk began. Passing by the Vote Against Prohibition Sign painted on a building, we wondered if it was naturally or intentionally faded as it was super hard to see. We walked by the The Horse You Came In On Saloon where Edgar Allen Poe had his last drink. After many more steps, we finally made it to BMore Licks for ice cream!! Astoundingly, they offer over 100 flavors of soft-serve and scoop ice cream in addition to creative concoctions like ice cream taco sundays. Julie had pina colada soft-serve, and Eric ordered apple pie scoop ice cream. Worth the walk, so delicious! Having eaten our dessert first, we were compelled to at least eat a light dinner, so we landed at the James Joyce Irish Pub. Eric had a Scotch egg (of course). We finished our last night enjoying the nightlights around the inner harbor from our balcony view. Refreshing!
Day Four
We checked out of our hotel early Sunday morning and headed a few blocks away for breakfast at Miss Shirley’s Cafe in downtown Baltimore. Boasting truly hometown, delicious breakfast food, Miss Shirley served Eric bourbon-bacon pancakes and served Julie a breakfast bowl concoction that suited her fresh tastes perfectly. We waddled out and drove to Annapolis for church.
We worshipped at Church at Christ Reformed Evangelical Church (CREC Annapolis) where we saw old friends the Halversons, Tuckers, and Travatos. We were welcomed with an invitation to tour the Annapolis Harbor on the Tucker’s boat. On the way to meet the Tuckers, we stopped to see The Hall of Presidents Before Washington which is a display at the Westin Hotel of each US President who led our country before good-old George. Then, we grabbed some food to take with us on the boating excursion. It was a stunningly sunny and warm October fall day. The town was full of visitors because of an event at the Naval Academy, so the lively bustle felt like a summer waterfront vacation spot. The scene from the boat was refreshing, and the conversation with Rob and Laura was non-stop wonderful as we spun through the topics and people we have in common. What delightful people!
They dropped us off in time for our appointment at the Naval Academy where we took a walking tour, learning about the history of the academy and the current cadet experience. One of the interesting, required elements of the current program is the escalated swim test that begins with a reasonable swim distance in the first year without encumbrances and extends to an impressive swim distance after dropping from a high dive in full uniform. We did see the monument that is ‘scaled’ by each graduating class where we know personally a member of the class who still holds the yet-unbeaten record. The only bummer was that the chapel and crypt were closed for an upcoming event.
John Paul Jones Crypt
We squeezed every minute left and walked around Annapolis, then sat outside and had one final snack in the beautiful autumn weather before heading back to the airport.
We finished our Poirot mystery, sitting and waiting for the plane to board. After a peaceful flight back to Seattle, Jackson picked us up and drove us back home. We thoroughly enjoyed one another and our time in the beautiful state of Maryland!