Today’s photo was sent to me by Heather Kalinowski, an animal lover who is owned by two dogs – a Spaniel mix named Jackson and an Italian Greyhound named Ava. While she has traveled all over the country, she has settled in Seattle, where she is the internet journalist at Trupanion, a pet insurance company.

The National Mall is an enormous open space in the middle of Washington, D.C., stretching from the U.S. Capitol at one end to the Lincoln Memorial at the other and passing, along the way, most of the Smithsonian Museum, the Washington Monument, the Tidal Basin, the Reflecting Pool, and a clutch of war memorials, including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial designed by Maya Lin. It is, in effect, America’s front lawn — a vast playground, picnic area, promenade, and gathering point. A particularly beautiful time to visit is in last March/early April, when the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin bloom. In the summer, Washington, D.C. is blisteringly hot, and also humid, so be sure to take Heather’s advice: Walk slowly and carry lots of water.

Heather and family at the west end of the Reflecting Pool. Unfortunately, the Washington Monument, seen over Heather's right shoulder, does not allow pet dogs inside.

Here’s what Heather said about the afternoon: “When we reached the Lincoln Memorial, we sat on the steps to rest for a while. The sun was starting to set and the view was amazing. The dogs seemed to sense the history of that place as much as I did and stood looking around for a few minutes. My husband re-stocked up on water and I sat there for a long moment with my two fur-kids, just soaking it all in.”

I’d love to see how you and your dog spent time together this week — please post your pictures on Dog Jaunt’s Facebook page, so we can all see them!