Re: [gardeners] national naval medical hospital
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Tue, 26 Jun 2001 13:31:47 -0500
I found the Southern Maryland summers to be just as bad as the Texas/Louisiana
coast summers, a little less rain but just as much heat, humidity, and skeeters.
Winters were different. I was 18 when I was assigned to Patuxent River Naval Air
Station. Got there in January 1958 and it snowed while I was checking in. Got
chastised by a senior officer for playing in the snow instead of doing my job.
He finally asked me where I was from and I told him SE Texas and I had never
seen snow before. He told me to go on about my business and play after I got off
duty. Spent the afternoon cardboard sledding down a small rise along with the
rest of the southern boys. We had a blast and then we learned to dislike the
snow, ice, and other bad things about a winter in the NE. I hitchhiked from
Newport, RI to Southern MD in December 1959 in a flipping blizzard just to ask
Miz Anne to marry me. Made the trip really worthwhile when she said yes. A year
later we were married and have a good life since. Good things do come out of
YankeeLand if you pick carefully. <VBG>
George
"c.l. avery" wrote:
>
> Dear George,
> Yes, it's that same Bethesda that has the Naval hospital and NIH across
> the street. My garden (and thus, home) is near enough to the Naval Base to
> hear taps each evening at sunset. It's changed quite a bit since you were
> there in '59 though the tall tower still stands, it is empty and unused.
> The Navy built a new, low, mall-like hospital in l980 and the old
> Depression-era buildings fell into disuse. The military built a medical
> school on 9 of the Admiral's l8 holes and evenutally all the other 9 holes
> got used up for buildings as well. This area is booming, construction-wise,
> and has been ever since l980 when the Metro went in.
>
> We've had a relatively (this is DC after all) cool spring and early summer
> but the typical three H's (heat, humidity and haze) are supposed to move in
> this week. I've only needed my AC to be on 2 days so far! That's really
> something.
>
> I admire your father in law for getting much to grow in the red clay soils
> of MD. It is everywhere and really the only way I think that folks get
> things to grow around here in to replace and/or seriously amend their soil
> in their garden spots.
>
> I cannot imagine living permanently in LA!!! I've visited a couple of
> times (winters both times) and just cannot imagine living through a summer
> down there. Of course, my New England relatives say the same about me,
> living here in DC!
>
> Carolyn
> Bethesda
> Zone 7a
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