Blue Skies and Yellow Fields

CONSTANCELY HOPING

(Ride to the Sunshine)

Dear Readers,

Welcome to a weekly trip through my memories, mementoes, and musings. I collected some great experiences over 4 decades in Washington DC and through my good fortune of being associated with two great institutions, The National Archives and the Legal Services Corporation. I hope to introduce you to some wonderful people and to make you smile.

Note: Blogs are organized by categories so that you may go directly to those that might be of most interest to you.

Now ride with me toward the sunshine. There is something good about today. We just must be open to its signals.

Best,

John Constance

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Last Ride

May 12
1 min

Last Ride

Charles Borcherding, Sr. (highlighted) with General Eisenhower, grandchildren David and Susan Eisenhower, and Governor McKeldin....

113 views0 comments

There's a Bear Under My House!

May 6
6 min

There's a Bear Under My House!

When we begin an evening at a fine French restaurant, we don’t expect it to end standing in a hot shower with all our clothes on. Late...

140 views1 comment

Ye Olde Guarde

Apr 28
6 min

Ye Olde Guarde

An ocean of old faces. A National Septuagenarian Portrait Gallery. I didn’t recognize anyone. As I would draw closer, there were familiar...

266 views0 comments

This Old House

Apr 21
8 min

This Old House

When we hear those three words, most people today would think they refer to the home improvement TV show premiered in 1979 and now a...

459 views1 comment

Splash, Boom

Apr 16
3 min

Splash, Boom

Allen David Carli, Jr. was a legend. A fraternity brother and friend of 55 years, Dave (Carli, Carlos, Los, etc, etc) was a successful...

370 views1 comment

The Cruelness of Hope, Snatched Away

Apr 13
2 min

The Cruelness of Hope, Snatched Away

In Wasteland T.S. Elliott tells us that April is the cruelest month. He clearly didn’t grow up in North Carolina. Here, February is the...

83 views1 comment

Another Supreme Moment

Apr 9
3 min

Another Supreme Moment

When I was Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs (GRPA or GrrrrPaw...lovely acronym, eh?) at the Legal Services Corporation...

106 views0 comments

Raleigh Spring

Apr 5
1 min

Raleigh Spring

Oh, what to do with the library of photos on my phone? Maybe some movie shorts to add to the blogs. Here is one that either on phone,...

82 views1 comment

Nino

Apr 2
3 min

Nino

The late Justice Antonin Scalia, nicknamed "Nino" by his colleagues on the Court, is a perfect example of someone I disliked from afar,...

132 views1 comment

San-Man

Mar 26
4 min

San-Man

I miss Sanford. We met in 1968 and were friends and fraternity brothers for 49 years. Here from the Richmond Times Dispatch, “Mr. John...

114 views0 comments

Mr. Capra Goes to Washington

Mar 19
3 min

Mr. Capra Goes to Washington

John Houseman, Frank Capra, Pare Lorenz I often associate my intersection with famous people as limited to my days as Director of Public...

72 views3 comments

St. Lucia Adventure 2022

Mar 14
1 min

St. Lucia Adventure 2022

Now for something completely different. Hit the arrow and take a trip with me to the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. Hayden and...

167 views0 comments

Tapping Into History

Mar 4
7 min

Tapping Into History

If the idea is good, sometimes plans effortlessly fall into place. Such was the case one magical night in the rotunda of the National...

113 views2 comments

The Famous Little Portraitist

Feb 26
4 min

The Famous Little Portraitist

One Friday afternoon early in the tenure of Governor John Carlin as Archivist of the United States, I heard a voice in the outer office...

98 views1 comment

Feb 19
11 min

Bert, Chapter 2 (of a two chapter profile)

Local Preacher and Student With the Welsh Revival chapel attendance dramatically increased. There were many opportunities for local...

94 views5 comments

Bert, Chapter 1

Feb 12
8 min

Bert, Chapter 1

Minutes of the Baltimore Preacher’s Meeting re the Death of Bert Constance “The news of the unexpected death of the Reverend Bert...

105 views0 comments

This Land is Your Land

Feb 5
7 min

This Land is Your Land

There were two reasons that John Carlin, Archivist of the United States, and I were travelling to the FDR Library and Museum in Hyde...

118 views0 comments

I Believe in Science - Political Science

Jan 29
10 min

I Believe in Science - Political Science

Senator Charles (Mac) Mathias (R-MD) Governor Theodore R. McKeldin (R-MD) Ok folks, the topics today are political patronage and...

131 views1 comment

Church with 41

Jan 22
6 min

Church with 41

During my tenure at the National Archives, I got into the habit of attending St. John’s Lafayette Square each year on Good Friday. As an...

180 views3 comments

The Boy from Troy

Jan 15
2 min

The Boy from Troy

I think the first time that I met Congressman John Lewis was at the opening of the Eyewitness exhibit at the National Archives in June...

108 views2 comments

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