No Kings in Woodstock

There were thousands of local demonstrations yesterday for “No Kings” Day. The emphasis this year was on encouraging people to vote.

Americans, of course, are well aware that we do not have a king. Here they are using the term to mean dictator or tyrant.

Let’s look back to our Constitutional Convention and the discussions that went on and on as a constitution was hammered out.

“Americans are like other men in similar situations… posterity will find that great power connected with ambition, luxury, and flattery, will as readily produce a Caesar, Caligula, Nero, and Domitian in America, as the same causes did in the Roman empire.” – Cato, 1787. Cato was a pen name of a writer arguing against a Federalist approach to the constitution. He is often assumed to be New York Governor George Clinton.

“History will teach us…those men who have overturned the liberties of republics the greatest number have begun their career, by paying an obsequious court to the people, commencing Demagogues and ending Tyrants.” – Alexander Hamilton, 1787.

October Days with Charlie

Hi, it’s Charlie! One day it rained and I was bored.

 Mom took me to a big store where dogs are allowed. Uh-oh! The scary things are back.

We got away and went to the back of the store.

On another day the weather was nice. We went to Shenandoah National Park because Mom wanted to see if the trees had changed color. Some of them have. 

We saw some deer, but they left in a hurry.

Yesterday we went to a pumpkin patch so I could help find a good pumpkin. 

We got a big orange one and some little ones and some flowers. 

Today the weather got cold so I’m glad I have a warm place to stay.

Ghostly Storefront

Winchester, VA

Halloween seems to get bigger each year. People start decorating early and elaborately. 

These ghosts look pretty friendly.

Skywatch, Cedar Creek Battlefield

Middletown, VA

This is one of the first sections of Cedar Creek Battlefield that was preserved, and the core area where the annual reenactment will take place this weekend. The Heater House is on the far right. 

Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s…

Prelude to Autumn’s Symphony

We're seeing traces of autumn colors here in Virginia, but we haven’t had a frost yet and flowers are still blooming.

Yesterday I stopped at a farm stand and noticed how pretty the scenery looked.

Today I ran errands and couldn’t resist checking out the color in Shenandoah National Park. Leaves are starting to change, but it’s not enough to get excited about. I’ve heard that it’s a different story in West Virginia, where autumn foliage is at its peak in the high mountains. 

A Community Mural in Harrisonburg

On Hill Street

Although this is not the format that I usually associate with a mural, the people who created it call it a community mural. It has two sides and is framed like a sign. 

A year ago, members of the Northeast Harrisonburg community were invited to participate in creating the mural. The swimming scene is a reminder that the predominantly Black community had a segregated pool back before public facilities were integrated in Virginia.

Monday Murals

On the other side we see references to neighborhood history. I looked up the Ebony Players, and found that they were a musical group in the mid-20th century. Their individual names were not mentioned in articles that have been found so far, so that must be why the faces are left blank.  

The mural is located next to the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project building. 

In Honor of America’s Indigenous People

Indigenous Peoples Day was created in response to the Columbus Day Holiday, partly in protest against the European treatment of Native Americans, and also in recognition of the history and cultures of those tribes that were here long before 1492.

Today’s photos are from old posts, starting with an event called The Gathering in Berryville. 

Growing up in Virginia, I heard a lot about the native people who lived here long before colonial settlements. My community was named Tauxemont after a Doeg village on John Smith’s 1608 map. He spelled it Tauxenent. 

Many descendants of these first Americans still live in Virginia, some on reservations, but most are fully integrated into American life. My daughters have Native American blood through their father’s great-grandmother. 

The next picture is from living history at Jamestown, and the collage below it is from a Monacan exhibit at Natural Bridge.

Mosaic Monday

Charlie’s Ordinary Week

Hi, it's Charlie! I don't have any big news this week, But still, I had a pretty good time.

Here I am at Edinburg Town Park. They have lots of tall trees to sniff. Here’s an artsy picture of me.

(Asked ChatGPT to do this.)

We saw some sheep outside of town. 

There were cows too.

There was a bug on my window, but it went away.

Today I visited Sadie. We had a good time, but I got tired.

Nap time!

Not Wind Chimes

 I’m not sure what this thing is, but I’ve seen it at a couple of gas stations.

It occurred to me that I could ask Google Lens. It responded with this nonsense: “Black metal cylindrical wind chimes with deep resonant tubes.” 

My guess is that it’s some kind of pressure release system for the underground tanks. Judges?

I took that picture on the way to Harrisonburg for a medical appointment. As I mentioned the other day, I had nerve conduction testing. The doctor told me the results would be posted on “My Chart,” their online portal. I checked several times, but I was looking at the “Test Results” tab. Finally, I found a report under “Notes.”  It’s technical, but apparently I have peripheral neuropathy, at least on the right leg. I’ll talk to my doctor about it next week. 

I don’t have the tingling that I associate with neuropathy. My main symptoms are balance problems and occasional dizziness. The step tracker on my phone keeps telling me that my walking steadiness is low. Since I know my doctor is going to ask again if I am using a cane, I practiced using it today. It feels awkward to me, but I know she will remind me that I need to minimize the danger of falling.

The second photo is from the reception area in a medical office. There are glass windows separating  patients from the receptionists. This has become standard since the Covid pandemic. Windows and mountains are reflected on the glass.

Speaking of Covid, I got the latest vaccine yesterday. My shoulder is sore from it, but that’s okay.