Moral lessons permeated many of those wonderful childhood readers years past. In fact, my collection of about 30 ancient books, including the Dick and Jane Readers, are reserved for a collector or library. Do you recall Mason L. Weem's mythical moral lesson about little George Washington taking a hatchet and cutting down a cherry tree? Grandmother King had one peach tree; Grandmother Blevins had one fig tree. I couldn't imagine anyone, except one with outlaw tendencies, who would cut down either tree much less a CHERRY tree. Since I did not see a cherry tree until of voting age, this must have been a very special tree! Alas, the myth is gone: good!

Thousands of blooming cherry trees evoked "oohs" and "aahs" from the 70 visitors with Dr. and Mrs. Wayne Barnes, Zachary Travel, when we strolled among them on their peak day in our Capitol City. The demand accelerated until a second bus was added. Calco busses are new and grand and come with safe and experienced drivers, whom we acclaim the best. The busses remained 30 minutes apart so that rest and meal stops weren't
overwhelming.

Our three nights in Washington area were in Alexandria, VA at Hawthorne Suites. Varying in size, my suite was the size of a home with a new, com­plete kitchen. Some of us joined Dr. Barnes to a grocery for him to replenish the water, soft drinks, and candy on both buses, a tradition for him. Breakfast rolls, strawberries, grapefruit, frozen dishes and milk went back to those beautiful kitchens.

Those thousands of cherry trees around the tidal basin were beaten and burnished by the strong, cold wind, as we first toured the Jefferson Memorial and walked through the pink maze to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial. Occupying seven acres, the open air icons of his record-setting tenure as President was decidedly different from impressive, elevated monuments. Even his beloved Scotty, Fala, had its place as it did in real life. A warning sign, "$500 fine for picking a blossom" was for our group and the 50,000 students among us on Easter break.

When we crossed the Virginia state line, we were ushered to Alexandria by pink-blush cherry trees and snow-wrapped Bradford pears. Can you imagine being enveloped in this glory for four days?

There was much more on the itinerary. Williamsburg was visited our first morning in Virginia, like a planned chronology of the history of our government. Three guides divided our group, and away we trotted over to the Governor's Palace. A time warp zooms one back to 1760 or 1770 re­plete with a dark-wood-lined foyer holding on every square inch a fine gun or sword. A dining room continuing original colors and furnishings; even the simulated sumptuous dinner was tempting. A ballroom for dancing and entertainment -- yes, everyone was expected to entertain nix our current technology. The kitchen looked tempting, again with all the simulated dishes, where a young girl continued raising her hand. Finally being recognized, she blurted out, "I'm hungry!" Admiring the compact cottages within the historic district of 88+ restored buildings, here we were on Duke of Gloucester Street, one of the top ten streets in America. At last, King's Arms Tavern was a welcomed sanctuary for rest and lunch.

More in the historic Triangle was the new Jamestown Museum and a drive-through of Yorktown where the last battle of the Revolutionary War in 1781 brought peace and independence to the 13 colonies and the monumental challenge of writing the Constitution "to form a more perfect government." This area of Virginia is heavily impacted, noted in the hundreds of homes and apartments springing up in the adjacent woods, by retirees moving down from the Northeast.

Congress was recessed, so we tromped with a guide to the rotunda, rooms formerly holding those great tonsorial deliveries, such as Sen. Huey P. Long's marathon plea-and-look! There was his famous bust among two dozen others making their mark in history.

Arlington Cemetery is a sacred, quiet repose meticulously cared for as an honor to those who so valiantly served our country. Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown is not to be missed. Nor should one miss the impressive war memorials: WWII representing all branches of service and significant combat areas in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific. Even Kilroy is here! Vietnam and Korea memorials, too. Those teenagers and young soldiers achieved the impossible!

This was my first visit to the Washington National Cathedral, near Georgetown. After 83 years it is now completed, and the Episcopal church operates it on donations. Second in size after St. Patrick in New York City, it is Gothic style, 14th C, so similar to the Cathedrals in England and Europe. It is simply elegant with 225 different stained glass windows, "Great height --great light." A special window commemorates the moon flight, 1969, the 40th anniversary we just celebrated. Neal Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were selected for the flight, and one of the moon rocks they brought back is imbedded in this special window. Of note is that Michael Collins was a student in the school operated here.

Traffic played havoc with our tight schedule, and its impact included time in the Smithsonian Institution. It would take a lifetime, with only one minute at each exhibit, to tour the entire collection. On our own, Ottrice and I toured the First Ladies inaugural gowns, which is the most visited exhibit; then we saw "The Star Spangled Banner,” the original flag of 1812, 30x34 feet now carefully restored. In private hands for decades, some edges were snipped off as souvenirs to visitors.

George Washington's stately, beautiful home Mount Vernon on the Potomac River was visited as we left for return home. Washington's father had settled in the area as a large land-owner, and eventually this son owned and was infatuated with -- "No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated than this." His guiding hand can be seen from the beautification, preservation, to income-producing businesses. Mount Vernon Ladies Association who saved the deteriorating mansion in 1858 suggests that you can have unhurried time to savor all of the place if you visit in the fall or winter.

Much of Washington is left unsaid, but we will remember the aura of millions of cherry blossoms!