Halloween 2007

Halloween remains a popular event in our neighborhood. Thomas the Tank Engine, a holdover from Twin Day at Atholton High School, was the popular costume.

People of the GSFC Village

With their customary élan, the people of the ASD enthusiastically support the Director's new initiative to make GSFC a village.

Atholton Homecoming 2007

Atholton High School lost its homecoming football game to Marriotts Ridge 12 to 7 even though our star running back K. Odocha ran for 204 yards on 27 carries and was featured in a nice article in the Washington Post two days later. My daughter was more interested in the parties associated with her first homecoming. They started with a pizza dinner at a friend's house, which began with a photo opportunity in which the party goers played the parts of celebrities and the parents played the paparazzi. The homecoming dance followed, and then there was a post-dance party in our basement for a few dozen teenagers. Since the girls had an early soccer game in Virginia the next day, the party was over around 1 am.

Daytime Iridium Flare

Eleven denizens of GSFC's Building 2 gathered after work on September 27, 2007, to watch a flare from an Iridium satellite. The flares are caused by reflected sunlight, are predictable (using, for example, the web site Heavens Above), and for a few seconds are the brightest thing in the night sky except the Moon. Conditions were nearly ideal for a daytime flare -- a clear sky, a bright flare (-8 magnitude), and an elevation of 64°. Unfortunately, we discovered the flares are not as nearly impressive in daylight, even when the Sun is only 1° above the horizon. Only about half of the observers saw anything, and it was not very exciting for those of us who did.

Engagement Party

I spent the weekend of September 8th, 2007, in Asheville to meet my brother's fiancee. He popped the question at a delightful dinner party at his home (above photo). Unfortunately his fiancee was not familiar with certain customs involving cakes and weddings, but she should get another chance. It was also an opportunity to look through his collection of family momentos including a black-and-white picture of me from 1954. There was also an extensive Marshall family tree going back to the 1700s that I had never seen. It included an uncle, who is still alive, that neither my brother or I had ever heard of. Ironically, he had been excluded from our part of the family because he married a foreigner.

Tulip Tree in Dorsey Search

This tulip tree (more details about liriodendron tulipifera) in the Village of Dorsey Search must be one of the largest trees in Columbia, Maryland. Its circumference is 20 feet, and its height is about 175 feet. It is located just off the bicycle path about 150 feet NW of the intersection of Columbia Rd. and Ram's Horn Row. The insert in the lower right corner shows a typical leaf. Does anyone know of a bigger tree in Columbia?

AHS Girls Soccer Team Selection

The final selection for the Atholton High School 2007 girls soccer team was posted at the entrance to the school at 8:30 pm, Friday, August 17th. A total of 40 girls were chosen out of about 70 who tried out. My daughter, who trained all summer to make the goal of 7:15 for the mile run, was extremely happy to make the cut. There was a lot of screaming, hugging, and cell phoning for the girls who made the team (above photo).