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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Bella Italia

4 hours ago
1 min

Bella Italia

Hayden and I have had the rare good fortune to visit many countries in our 50 years of marriage. To celebrate this year's special...

26 views0 comments

Out of the Office

Sep 8
1 min

Out of the Office

In an ongoing effort to keep my blog new and interesting, I will be on assignment in Rome, Southern Italy, and Portugal for a few weeks....

35 views2 comments

Bosses

Sep 2
5 min

Bosses

John Constance and Herb Angel, Deputy Archivist of the United States, August, 1971 I recently received a note from a young lady who...

101 views0 comments

Talkin' Baseball

Aug 27
10 min

Talkin' Baseball

(Brooks Robinson, by Norman Rockwell) What is it about baseball that has inspired poetry, song, art, storytelling, and writing like no...

138 views3 comments

Don't Mess With the Archivists

Aug 18
6 min

Don't Mess With the Archivists

(Movie Poster, National Treasure, Walt Disney Pictures) I couldn’t be prouder of my old ship, the National Archives. Events in recent...

603 views5 comments

Silver Bullet?

Aug 9
8 min

Silver Bullet?

(Capitol Reflections, photo by John Constance) Congress is broken. Politics is a vicious blood sport. There is no such thing as a...

212 views2 comments

The Power of a Knock

Jul 28
3 min

The Power of a Knock

My wife has been part of a group of women and men at our church who have been loyal volunteers for Meals on Wheels of Wake County for...

147 views2 comments

Are You Positive?

Jul 21
6 min

Are You Positive?

Funny word “positive.” It’s what we grow up being told to be. Our attitude should be positive, our outlook, positive. Our convictions,...

225 views2 comments

Eye of the Tiger

Jul 15
7 min

Eye of the Tiger

Among the first words I ever heard uttered by Congressman Tom Lantos of California were, “Mr. Constance, if you dare to take this action,...

125 views4 comments

Art Donovan, Master Storyteller

Jul 8
4 min

Art Donovan, Master Storyteller

In the early 1990’s a friend asked me to join him for a round of golf at an iconic Baltimore course where he was a member. Sparrows Point...

118 views3 comments

Catonsville Maryland Memories

Jun 30
2 min

Catonsville Maryland Memories

I must give full credit to a friend who after seeing my travelogue videos suggested maybe a walk down memory lane: Catonsville MD in the...

322 views4 comments

Balkans Cruise 2: On to Budapeszt

Jun 23
1 min

Balkans Cruise 2: On to Budapeszt

Magnificent skylines, rich history, heartbreaking memorials, delicious cuisine, skilled horsemen, proud young folk dancers; the memories...

159 views3 comments

Balkans Cruise 1 : Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia.

Jun 16
2 min

Balkans Cruise 1 : Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia.

The most frequent question you get from friends when you announce your intention to take a river cruise through Eastern Europe is “why?”...

170 views4 comments

Wales: Family Time 2022

Jun 9
2 min

Wales: Family Time 2022

One of the blessings of my life is to have family in Wales. Thanks to my father's sister, Aunt Jean, correspondence was faithfully...

192 views1 comment

Strom

May 20
3 min

Strom

Some figures in the world of entertainment only need one name, not two like mere mortals. Prince, Bono, Ringo, Madonna, Sting, and...

119 views2 comments

Last Ride

May 12
1 min

Last Ride

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

131 views0 comments

There's a Bear Under My House!

May 5
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...

160 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...

352 views0 comments

This Old House

Apr 20
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...

479 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...

383 views1 comment

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