The View from Squirrel Ridge

Along the North Fork near Riverton

2012-01-31T21:53:00.000-05:00

Rock cliffs can be seen across the North Fork of the Shenandoah from the Front Royal Golf Club. There is a boat landing and a new public trail, the William E. Carson Trail.

The area along the river is clearly flood plain. Note the debris around the bench, washed up into bushes during a recent flood. This was a fairly minor flood by Shenandoah standards. In 1996, a flood took out the clubhouse at the golf course.

Tall Railroad Cars

2012-01-30T22:05:00.001-05:00

This train has double-stack rail cars. It's crossing an overpass at the Front Royal Golf Club, which is near the Virginia Inland Port. There the containers are moved to tractor trailers, but of course they will not be double stacked any more. Trucks need to pass under bridges and such, after all.

We've driven past the Inland Port and I associated it with large trucks, but until I saw this train I didn't think about the port's role in train-to-truck transfer (and vice versa). I once lived near Potomac Yard in Alexandria which served the same function back then.

Read about the Inland Port on Wikipedia
Related Post: Historical Marker for Golf Course

About the photograph: The reflection is not a pond. I had just gotten out of our car when the train approached and I grabbed the shot. Then I took another one that doesn't show the sunroof but I actually like the "special effect."

Staunton's Gypsy Hill Park

2012-01-29T19:36:00.000-05:00

I took these pictures in November on a visit to Staunton. I didn't get around to posting them that month because I had dozens of other images to share at that time. (See my November blog posts.)

Gypsy Hill is a landscaped park dating back over a century. It features a duck pond and various sports facilities. It's a pleasant place to take a walk.

Link: Staunton - Gypsy Hill Park

Ducks and Swans

2012-01-28T23:52:00.000-05:00

We saw these handsome water birds at Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton. Visitors like to feed them so they are friendly.

Good News about GERD

2012-01-27T19:11:00.000-05:00

Heartburn, GERD, acid reflux... call it what you will. I've been battling it for some time. It used to be an occasional thing, and then it started causing me chest pain when I drank certain brands of coffee. But I didn't know what was causing the chest pain until the gastroenterologist told me. This was back in autumn 2010. He also informed me that a just-completed endoscopy showed that GERD had caused some erosion of the esophagus.

I was really surprised. Heartburn had only been an occasional problem and I avoided the foods that brought it on. However, I agreed to take the medications that the doctor suggested because I wanted my esophagus to heal.

At first the medicine seemed to be working. Then I started getting heartburn daily, even when I didn't eat spicy or greasy food. We tried several different types of PPIs (that's proton pump inhibitors) but they just didn't work. Now the problem was worse than it was before the endoscopy!

I worked with another doctor (for reasons given here), trying different approaches: dietary changes, enzymes, probiotics, other supplements. Nothing worked. I gave up coffee completely. That only helped a little.

Over a year after the diagnoses of GERD, I happened on a report about a combination of supplements that seemed to be very helpful against GERD. Further searching uncovered the most important ingredient appeared to be 6 mg. of melatonin every night. I started taking it about 6 weeks ago, along with a 5-htp capsule most days to help it along. Yay! I started getting better.

I can still get heartburn if I eat too much greasy food, but I no longer suffer from it every day. We can expect to hear more about melatonin as a treatment of heartburn in the months to come. Melatonin and 5-htp are available without a prescription here in the U.S. If you are in a situation similar to mine, show your doctor one of the PubMed reports on melatonin and reflux disease.

Fog in the Valley, Cloud on the Mountain

2012-01-26T23:27:00.000-05:00

A cloud is covering the valley and obscuring Great North Mountain. Or is that fog?

I went to Wikipedia to see what the difference is. "While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term 'fog' is typically distinguished from the more generic term 'cloud' in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated locally (such as from a nearby body of water, like a lake or the ocean, or from nearby moist ground or marshes.)" A footnote points out that "An observer on the mountain may say that he or she is in a fog, however, to outside observers a cloud is covering the mountain."

You might also like: Our Changing View

Flash "Barney" Beagle

2012-01-25T22:51:00.000-05:00

The Historic Manor in Glebe Harbor

2012-01-24T23:48:00.001-05:00

In Westmoreland County, VA

I believe this is "The Glebe" mentioned on a historical marker in Mt. Holly. The marker describes it as "the home of the rectors of Cople Parish, one of whom, Walter Jones, married Washington’s parents, March 6, 1781. Here lived Thomas Smith, rector of the parish, 1764–1799... He entertained Washington, May 25, 1771. The house is possibly the oldest in the Northern Neck."

Some years back this home was for sale. I regret that we didn't tour it at that time, but it was out of our price range. It is situated on the Lower Machodoc Creek not far from the property we own in Glebe Harbor.

In Colonial Times it was common for a church to own a large tract of property called a Glebe which existed to support the church through farming or leasing. Thus we run into the name "Glebe" throughout Virginia. The business of supporting a church by these lands ended in 1802 when the Virginia passed the Glebe Act which authorized officials in each county to seize and sell church farmland acquired prior to 1777.

A Tree in Winter

2012-01-23T22:49:00.000-05:00

Birds Outside the Window

2012-01-22T21:43:00.000-05:00

On this feeder the suet is accessible from the underside, so the bird holds on to the screen on the bottom and hangs upside down. I believe this fellow is a nuthatch.

I wonder if this is one of the wrens who hatched in our fuchsia plant.

It's National Squirrel Appreciation Day

2012-01-21T19:23:00.001-05:00

I had some squirrel photos to post today but since it snowed last night, I took some new pictures this morning. The squirrels were around the bird feeders again, of course, because they appreciate bird food. One of them has become adept at hanging on to the suet feeder.

Check out the hiking squirrels on Marie's blog.

See all my posts tagged Squirrels.

Getting Ready for Squirrel Appreciation Day

2012-01-20T23:05:00.000-05:00

I read that January 21 is National Squirrel Appreciation Day. Fortunately, we have plenty of squirrels to photograph, so I have a few pictures to use. Here's one to get started.

Return to Carillon Pond

2012-01-19T22:42:00.000-05:00

On Monday afternoon we had lunch in New Market and then crossed the mountain to Luray. Since the weather was fairly nice, I suggested a walk around Carillon Pond. We'd been there in late 2009. This time there was a little ice on the pond and the ducks were not there. Later I spotted them on another pond by the caverns.

You might also like: Brief Video of Carillon Pond.

Our View Yesterday

2012-01-18T23:04:00.000-05:00

Can you spot the cardinal?

Crafters at Work

2012-01-17T23:49:00.001-05:00

Children's Program, Jan. 14, 2012
Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library

Mona Wolf led another children's program at our library on Saturday. A lovely group of kids spent a winter afternoon making snowman magnets and paper snowflakes, listening to stories, and enjoying refreshments.


Children worked hard on their crafts, with occasional help from parents. A few kids left early to go skiing at the slopes which are nearby. The library is at the airport in Bryce Resort.

You can click on a picture to see a larger version. See more images from this event below:

You can see pictures of the library's December program here.

See also: November program featuring K-9 dogs.

Snowflake Crafts

2012-01-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

Winter Crafts
Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library

Miss Mona had help from a staff person from the Massanutten Library in planning crafts for this January program. The foil snowflakes are cut from origami paper.

Upcoming programs are posted at the library and also on the Shenandoah County Library System website.

Listening to Winter Stories

2012-01-17T22:15:00.000-05:00

Basye Orkney Springs Library

At Saturday's program, Miss Mona read stories about snow to the children. The small kids were enthralled; the older ones listened politely.

Showing Off Snowman Crafts

2012-01-16T23:08:00.000-05:00

Children's Program, Jan. 14, 2012
Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library

Folks are Skiing

2012-01-15T18:15:00.000-05:00

We've had several very cold days so the ski slopes at Bryce Resort are covered with snow. Skiers and snowboarders are out there doing their thing.

When we walk the dogs in the evening, we can hear hollering and laughter coming from the slopes, which are maybe a half-mile away as the crow flies.

The resort is in western Shenandoah County, VA.

Historic Harrisonburg: The Quilt Museum

2012-01-14T22:16:00.000-05:00

The Virginia Quilt Museum is located in a house built in 1856 for Edward Warren and his bride Virginia Magruder. Warren was killed in the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864. Yet a ghost that has been reported standing at the top of the staircase is not thought to be Warren, but another Confederate soldier, Joseph Latimer, who was wounded at Gettysburg and died of gangrene in the house. See a history of the house on the Quilt Museum website

The building stands on Route 11 Northbound at Franklin Street. In front of the house is a Civil War Trails Marker entitled Warren-Sipe House — Home and Hospital.

Many other homes and buildings were used as impromptu hospitals during the Civil War. Just a block away stood the Confederate General Hospital in a building that once housed the Harrisonburg Female Academy. That building was demolished in 1879, but reminders of it's past stand in front of the municipal building that is now on the site: a cannon and a Civil War Trails marker about the hospital.

McNeill Marker in Harrisonburg

2012-01-13T23:47:00.001-05:00

I've been interested in McNeill's Rangers since learning their story on a field trip in 2010. The Rangers were very active in West Virginia but also ventured into Virginia and Maryland. In 1864, John "Hanse" McNeill was severely wounded in Mt. Jackson, and I've posted pictures of the McNeill's Last Charge Marker and related sites at Rude's Hill. Capt. McNeill was taken to Harrisonburg, where he died. When I saw on HMDB that there was a marker in Harrisonburg relating to that, I decided to photograph it on one of my trips there. (We drive to Harrisonburg almost weekly for shopping.)

The marker stands in front of the Massanutten Regional Library on Main Street (U.S. 11 Northbound). It mentions that the wounded McNeill was brought to Hill’s Hotel on the corner of Main and Water Streets. After he died there his son, Lt. Jesse C. McNeill, took command of the Rangers.

You can read the entire text of the marker on Historical Marker Database. Hill's Hotel is long gone, but I took a picture of the corner of Main and Water Streets as it appears today.

See all my McNeill's Rangers posts.

Hanging Around the Bird Feeder

2012-01-12T22:15:00.000-05:00


An Eastern Gray Squirrel

A Free Rose

2012-01-11T20:52:00.000-05:00

A check-out clerk handout me a free rose at Kroger. The leaves had wilted but the flower was still pretty.

I photographed it on our deck. All the greenery in the background comes from pine trees, which stay green all year round.

A Light Snow

2012-01-10T21:24:00.001-05:00

We had a light snow yesterday. This afternoon was warm so what little snow we had melted away.

We had a snowfall in October — unusually early for snow in Virginia. But since then the weather has been mild — unseasonably warm even for Virginia. We did see a little snow a month ago, but it was across our little valley and up on Great North Mountain. Like many weather systems, it came across West Virginia, which ends at the crest of the mountain. I like the way the snow outlined the trees. I took a picture of it from our deck. —>

Tabletop Games, 1860's-Style

2012-01-09T18:08:00.000-05:00

Inside the Bushong Farm house

"Christmas on the Farm" depicted life in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. Here we see girls and an older woman playing games like checkers and pick-up sticks. These gentle scenes remind me of Little Women, which was set during the Civil War.

See all Bushong Farm posts.
See Living History posts.
Visit the New Market Battlefield website.

Ladies in an 1860's Kitchen

2012-01-08T20:56:00.001-05:00

Bushong Farm, New Market Battlefield, VA

One of the highlights of "Christmas on the Farm" was the kitchen. The women who portrayed 1860's homemakers had prepared a holiday feast, most of which had been eaten by the time I toured the farm. They were colorfully attired, as one might have dressed for Christmas.

The kitchen itself was in a building separate from the house. This would have protected the house from any fire that might spread from the large fireplace used for cooking, and also would be an advantage in summer, since cooking produces a lot of heat. Under yet another roof there's an outdoor oven for baking.

Meanwhile, Back at the Farm...

2012-01-07T23:44:00.001-05:00

In late December, I posted a group of photos from Bushong Farm. I interrupted the series in order to share pictures of Marie's visit but I still had some pictures left from the Christmas at the Farm event. Here are a few.

Bushong Farm was the site of the most dramatic part of the Battle of New Market. You can see the farm from Interstate 81 in the Shenandoah Valley.

Lights-a-Whirl

2012-01-07T16:55:00.001-05:00

Instead of taking a snapshot of our Christmas tree I decided to play with whirling the lights. I quickly learned that the easiest way to turn the camera in a circular motion is to start with the wrist turned backwards before pressing the button. It feels natural to turn the wrist back to normal position and then just keep turning.

I altered the third image in Photoshop® to make it different. I cropped it vertically, made a duplicate layer and inverted the colors, then experimented with blending modes until I found a color combination that I liked.

You might also like a previous Christmas Tree.

Tikis

2012-01-06T18:44:00.000-05:00

Marie brought these carvings back from Polynesia.

See also:

Marie's reports on the Marquesas in (Polynesia)
Marquesa Islands on Wikipedia

The Most Accomplished Traveler I Know

2012-01-05T22:01:00.000-05:00

Marie has gone back to New Jersey, completing her 10-month world tour. We drove her to the Metro in Fairfax on New Year's Day. She spent the afternoon with friends and took the DC to NYC bus the next morning.

It was great having her here for a few days. She's my younger daughter and she still amazes me with her abilities and grit.

See her "No Hurry" blog. And check out the trip around the world that she made 10 years ago.

On the Ridge at 1750 Feet

2012-01-04T21:47:00.000-05:00

On December 30, Marie and I went to the Basye Post Office and then stopped by the ski slope for a look around. The uppermost trails were not ready yet due to unseasonably warm days, although I understand that they are open now, covered with snow.

See also: Busy Slopes in Basye

Ski Trails at Bryce Resort

Starting Point for Redeye, Bootlegger, and Revenuer's Run

Christmas Homes

2012-01-03T23:09:00.000-05:00

In Sundance near New Market, VA

On Readus Road near Woodstock, VA

Dinner at the Wayside Inn

2012-01-02T18:30:00.000-05:00

Middletown happens to be in the middle for Peggy and me, a midpoint where we can conveniently meet for dinner. The most historic restaurant there is the Wayside Inn, said to be the oldest continuously operating inn in the United States. It's in the northern part of the Shenandoah Valley and has been serving customers since 1797.

Bill, Peggy, Frank

Peggy, Marie, Linda

See also: Outside the Wayside Inn.

It's 2012!

2012-01-01T23:29:00.004-05:00

It's the first day of the year 2012, another reminder that time is passing quickly and our lives are fleeting in the grand scheme of things. Last month held a landmark birthday for me, marked by eligibility for benefits I used to associate with old age. Yikes! I am getting old!

Sometimes I feel my age, like when I wake up in the morning with my back stiff and my left arm aching. But most of the time I am unaware of aging and feel surprised when I look in the mirror and see changes in my face.

Now the holiday season is ending and Marie has left to return home to New Jersey. My favorite thing about Christmas time is spending time with family members. Here are some pictures from the last few days.


Lynn	Marie

Me, Marie, Peggy, Frank

I hope you had a chance to spend time with family or close friends. And enjoy the coming year!

Another Year of Blogging Winds Down

2011-12-31T23:57:00.001-05:00

	Here we are at the end of 2011 already. It went by quickly! I hope 2012 is a great year for you. We are spending a quiet evening at home except for the last half-hour of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. Marie was tired from traveling over numerous time zones (and crossing the date line several times) to get here from Tahiti, and I was tired from being on the road most of today to visit Lynn.
Lights in Timberville

My blog stopped showing the "Older Posts" links in the archives but I found a work-around on Blogger Help so I inserted a new gadget tonight. However, if you're looking for a particular post, the quickest way may be to use the Search box on the upper left.

Earlier this month, I posted a number of pictures of the children's holiday program at Bryce Resort. You can click that link to see all posts tagged Bryce Resort, or search the blog for "holiday program."

My favorite topics this month included Family, Living History, and Christmas. If you click on those tags, you'll see some overlap because some posts have two of those labels.

Marie is Back!

2011-12-31T19:06:00.000-05:00

	My younger daughter is back from a 10-month world tour. She blogged about it on Marie's World Tour. She also did a world tour in 2001. I picked her up on the 29th in Northern Virginia where she was enjoying a brief visit with her friend Marie Alice. See also Marie and Marie, in 2008.
Marie Ellen & Marie Alice

A Very Young Reenactor

2011-12-30T22:51:00.000-05:00

This cute little girl participated in "Christmas on the Farm" at the New Market Battlefield earlier in December.

I love seeing the children dressed up in old-fashioned outfits. They were representing the children who lived on Bushong Farm during the Civil War.

In the News at Bushong Farm

2011-12-29T21:47:00.000-05:00

Bushong Farm, New Market, VA

After I wandered through "Christmas on the Farm" at Bushong Farm, I spotted a young man who looked familiar. I've seen him on TV news out of Harrisonburg. A volunteer suggested that he use me as an interviewee for a segment he was doing on the event. So I answered a few questions on camera, feeling a bit awkward but glad to share my interest in the event. I did not see the newscast, but you can read the print version on the WHSV website.

Children Playing 1864-Style, Bushong Farm

2011-12-28T23:42:00.000-05:00

These children seem to be enjoying their roles as living history participants. In most cases they come with their parents who are reenactors or museum volunteers. In this case, they are performing in Christmas on the Farm, New Market, Virginia.

Women at Bushong Farm

2011-12-27T23:57:00.000-05:00

New Market, VA 12/3/2011

Christmas on the Farm 1864
Living History Event

Bushong Farm has been preserved on the New Market Battlefield. Although it is within sight of Interstate 81, it is a fine place to imagine what life was like during the Civil War.

The woman in the first photo sits next to a "Soldiers Christmas Box." It would have been packed with small gifts, including highly practical items like a sewing kit.

Related Posts:

Musicians at New Market Battlefield

2011-12-26T23:54:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month I saw these musicians at the winter encampment at New Market Battlefield here in the Shenandoah Valley. They are from the Valley Pike Fife and Drum Corps.

The battlefield park is home to the Virginia Museum of the Civil War.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T23:59:00.000-05:00

Dave and Allison visited us last night and this morning. Lynn showed up this afternoon and stayed for dinner.

Marie could not be with us because she was still in the South Pacific. I miss her but she'll be arriving late in a few days.

Hope you had a nice Christmas!

Christmas 1998

2011-12-24T22:53:00.000-05:00

Suiters, Fallons, Javinses, Statlers

This is from a JPEG scanned at the time of processing back when digital images were nowhere near as fine as they are now. It's on my oldest Year in Photos CD. I have some older digital files but they are on floppy disks, and I don't even have the drive to read them anymore.

Suncatchers

2011-12-23T21:27:00.000-05:00

Seen in the Skyland Gift Shop

Carriage Rides at Bryce Resort

2011-12-22T00:16:00.001-05:00

The carriage rides on Saturday were a highlight of the children's holiday program. Even Santa took a ride!

Below we have a short video to share a ride with you. The ride starts at the Old Pro Shop, passes part of the resort's golf course and goes along Stony Creek. Across the bridge is the community library and the little airport.

Contact Info for Horse-Drawn Carriages (from their truck)

More photos of the holiday program are below or (if you arrived here through a link to this post) see:

Photos from Saturday's Holiday Program

2011-12-21T00:20:00.003-05:00

Entering the Old Pro Shop (at the foot of Straton Way, Basye)

Mona Wolf organized a holiday program for children at Bryce Resort. Mona is a library volunteer and the event was sponsored by our library with support from the resort.

Mona's programs feature story time, crafts, refreshments, and some special attraction. This time she not only arranged for a visit from Santa, she also scheduled rides in a horse-drawn carriage. Parents rode with their children — see my other posts for more photos.

Click on a photo to see a larger version. And parents, if your child is in a picture, feel free to download a copy for personal use.

You might also like: K-9 Program at the Library and Llama at the Library

Sing Along With Santa

2011-12-20T22:42:00.000-05:00

More Photos from the Holiday Program

Santa and Miss Mona led the singing.

Miss Maggie helped out.

The children enjoyed singing about Frosty and Rudolph to the accompaniment of their tambourines.

Copies of songs were provided by the Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library.

Horse-drawn Carriage

2011-12-19T20:36:00.001-05:00

The carriage rides were a big hit on Saturday! The fine horses were from Breckenridge Farm in Orange, VA.

The children and parents enjoyed their rides.

Sculpture at Library, Harrisonburg

2011-12-18T22:33:00.000-05:00

This figure of two readers stands outside the Massanutten Regional Library in downtown Harrisonburg, VA.

A Park in Edinburg, VA

2011-12-17T22:25:00.000-05:00

I took these pictures at Edinburg's Madison District Park. It's on Town Hall Avenue in Edinburg behind the old middle school.

The mountain is part of the Massanutten Range.

See all my Edinburg posts.

Great-Grandfather's Christmas, 1863

2011-12-16T23:41:00.001-05:00

James P. Suiter

Yesterday's Illinois Times featured an article on A Soldier's Christmas in the Civil War. It quotes my great-grandfather James P. Suiter who wrote in his diary on Christmas 1863 that they "Dined on bean soup, pork and ‘Hard Crackers’ at noon." This was not a cheerful Christmas for him, for it followed a difficult campaign in Tennessee, with Union losses at Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain.

My aunt Clarice told me that she had donated his Civil War diaries to a library. They now reside in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois. I've seen the diaries quoted before by searching books.google.com (a wonderful resource, by the way). Suiter was quoted several times in Illinois in the Civil War by Victor Hicken (link goes to Amazon listing).

In The Union Soldier in Battle, my great-grandfather says of the horrors of Chickamauga, "I shall not attempt to describe what I saw, of dead wounded and suffering."

I see that in 1960, the Journal of Illinois State Historical Society acknowledged the gift of the diaries: "Among other out-of-state donors are the grandchildren of James P. Suiter of the Eighty-fourth Illinois Infantry. They have given Suiter's letters and diaries to the Library. These papers include descriptions of the Siege of Atlanta..." That snippet is from Google books, and it indicates that the writings were donated jointly by his grandchildren, that is, my aunt and my dad. As noted in my post on Lawrence County Suiters, James only had one son, my grandfather.

A Rose is a Rose

2011-12-15T23:44:00.000-05:00

...but this one is silk.

I was experimenting with my camera when I took this and it came out overexposed. I did some correcting in Photoshop and then played with "filters."

Gent's Barber Shop

2011-12-14T20:41:00.000-05:00

Strasburg, VA

Winter Encampment

2011-12-13T22:17:00.000-05:00

Reenactors, Hupp's Hill

Several Civil War sites here in Virginia featured "Civil War Christmas" events such as this one on Hupp's Hill near Strasburg. It was modest as reenactments go but the site has only existed for a short time in it's current form as part of Cedar Creek Battlefield.

The inclusion of women in camp life is realistic because wives often visited when an army stayed in one place for a while.

Link: Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation

Keyhole Cave near Strasburg

2011-12-12T20:00:00.000-05:00

On Hupp's Hill

Across from the museum and visitors center at Hupp's Hill you'll find a trail that deals with both the Civil War history of the site and the karst geology that underlies it. Limestone is porous and so this area, like much of the Shenandoah Valley, has water-formed caves underneath.

Keyhole Cave is a "wild" cave as opposed to nearby Crystal Caverns (currently closed) and Shenandoah Caverns. Keyhole Cave is marked "No Trespassing." A sign shows the network of caves and sinkholes on the hill and also tells us that bats are not currently living here.

Earlier Post: Along the Trail at Hupp's Hill

Evening Event, Edinburg

2011-12-11T23:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we went on the Victorian Christmas Candlelight Parlor Tour in Edinburg. We bought tickets at the mill and made the rounds. The sites included a church and a B&B as well as a number of charming homes. The holiday decorations helped me get in the mood for the Christmas season.

I saw last year's tour described on the Shenandoah Valley Flowers blog. The event is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce in Edinburg, VA.

Red Sky at Night

2011-12-11T21:15:00.000-05:00

When I'm going out for more than a half hour or so, I usually carry a camera with me. Here's a sunset that prompted me to pull into a parking lot to take a picture.

The red clouds are said to caused by the setting sun sending light through a high concentration of dust particles.

Link: Red Sky at Night, Sailor's Delight.

Watching Grass Grow

2011-12-10T22:50:00.000-05:00

We own some vacant land next to our rental property at Shenandoah River Lakes and a few months ago Frank hired someone to cut down some brush on it and plant grass. Since then we've stopped by several times to see how the grass is coming along, and now it's doing pretty well (just in time to be slowed down by winter).

The lots have a nice view on the lake with the north end of Massanutten Mountain in the distance. These pictures are from a month ago when there was still some fall color left.

See more photos of Signal Knob.

Frank in a Labyrinth

2011-12-09T17:14:00.000-05:00

We went to Harrisonburg the other day to shop. Since temperatures were mild, I wanted to take a walk outdoors. We went to the Carrier Arboretum and made a short but steep stroll up to the labyrinth. The sign to it was missing but I recalled that it was up the hill from the education center's parking area.

The labyrinth is not a maze, but rather a circle of pathways that you follow as a meditative exercise.

See also Labyrinth at Shrine Mont

Blog Post #3200

2011-12-08T23:44:00.001-05:00

Not a Fashionista

Sometimes on anniversary posts I write a little something about myself, so today I will admit something that I am not: I am not fashionable. It's not that I don't care about clothing, it's more that I don't bother with trends. I care more that clothing is comfortable and practical.

Yeah, I've seen the stereotype of a little old lady in tennis shoes. I don't quite fit that profile, at least not yet. You're more likely to see me in shoes from Europe than tennis shoes, but that's for practical reasons too. European shoes have more toe-room than American shoes, and I've found some that are more versatile than tennis shoes. I've purchased Arcopedico shoes over and over, not the knit ones you see in airplane magazines but leather slip-ons or, in the summer, stretch fabric ones when I can find them, which is online (and on sale).

There are other items that I buy over and over, like nice knit pants, but not sweat pants or anything that's clingy. They need to be cotton or a blend so they don't gather static, and preferably with texture. Cords or crinkle cloth are my favorites because they don't cling. (Only thin people should wear tight pants, and I haven't been thin since I was 12!) When I find a style that fits and launders well, I usually buy more, in all the neutral colors I can find. I like pants to be neutral so that they go with whatever shirt suits my mood.

Speaking of shirts, they must not require ironing. Again, cotton knits fill the bill, although lately I've avoided pullover shirts because I have a sore bicep which hurts when I try to wrestle a shirt over my head.

Since I like to wash shirts after every wearing, I look for fabrics that come through the wash really well. This means no acrylic which tends to pill and attracts static. Fabric softener is not an option for me because my skin is sensitive to chemicals and my nose is sensitive to odors, so I choose low-static fabrics like cotton and rayon. Besides, static is bad for computers.

For underthings, I like Decent Exposures for their sew-to-order service. They'll do latex-free and if something doesn't fit, they'll fix it. For socks, the most comfy for me are elastic-free and cotton, like old fashioned Buster Browns. They are still sold online (at Shop National, for instance).

My coats tend to look conservative because if they are not, my husband makes his favorite put-down remark: "You're not going out in THAT, are you?"

A Walk in the Park: Woodstock

2011-12-07T19:04:00.000-05:00

When I take Ben to the vet, I like to reward him with a nice walk afterward. Here we are in Woodstock at W.O. Riley Park. The sign on the right credits the Blue Ridge Chapter of Safari Club International with development of the arboretum at the park.

The view from the gazebo shows Park Avenue with the Massanutten Range in the background. It looks like we are out in the country here but actually we are just across the tracks from downtown Woodstock and not far from the fairgrounds and I-81.

Related View: Edinburg Gap

Ornamental Grass

2011-12-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

We've tried to grow pampas grass but it didn't grow tall for us. This lush example is in Woodstock, Virginia, at W. O. Riley Park.

A Nice Looking Squirrel

2011-12-05T23:19:00.000-05:00

Glass Kangaroo

2011-12-04T21:28:00.000-05:00

Marie sent me this glass kangaroo as part of her grab-bag souvenir program. If you want to order a souvenir, better hurry because she's heading home in late December.

This kangaroo is just over 2 inches tall. In order to make it look bigger, I created a setting and got really close with the camera. The "pond" is a dollar-store mirror with some moss covering the edges.

Ferocious Oven Mitt

2011-12-03T22:40:00.000-05:00

My daughter Marie sent me this Tasmanian Devil oven mitt. She has now left Tasmania and is on Easter Island.

The Tasmanian devil is the largest carnivorous marsupial in Australia. It is known for it's strong jaws and teeth.

See Maries World Tour.

New Listing: 4 Bedroom Rambler

2011-12-02T23:58:00.000-05:00

Frank just listed a home for sale in section 10 of the resort. It's on the corner of Cottonwood Drive and he priced it to sell. He says the interior is very nice with upgrades (hardwood floor, gas fireplace, etc.

See it on Realtor.com.

Dogs At Ease

2011-12-01T19:10:00.000-05:00

Whew! Another Blog Book Done!

2011-11-30T23:50:00.004-05:00

I just ordered another Blog2Print book. This one was for all blog entries for 2007. Previously I had purchased blog books for 2005 and 2006 plus one of all posts tagged "Family" and another of posts for the 2009 holiday season. That last one was actually the first book I ordered so I kept it short because it was experimental. These books can be expensive, after all. Each book has been a learning experience.

Here are my notes for next time:

Use Firefox or IE. Their site does not play well with Safari or Opera. (I actually had to download Firefox and start over. Then I deleted Safari because it has had problems for the last couple of months anyway.)
Edit your blog before starting. Scan all the posts that you plan to publish. You can mark some as Draft if you want them to disappear and not be included. Pictures that are missing should be replaced or edited out.
Turn off the copyright notice temporarily. I forgot to do this again, and it takes up space because it gets printed under every post.
Allow more time than you think you'll need or so you can edit carefully.
After the initial creation of the book, delete the table of contents to save space (unless you really need it). Pages cost money.
Have some full-size photos ready for the covers.
Use discounts when available from their Facebook feeds or emails.
If you start over, give the book a different title so you don't confuse the versions later.

I spent hours on this book. My blog had over 500 posts so this is a large book. It still has a few errors. But it's basically a photo album for my personal collection, so it doesn't have to be perfect. And it beats mounting hundreds of photos in an old-fashioned photo album, plus it has a narrative and the pictures won't fall out.

P.S. I discovered that my Older Posts link is not showing up in the Firefox browser (on Mac), making it hard to page through the archives. Also, the Blog2Print application for selecting certain posts to leave out of the book is not working in Firefox. There must be a simpler way to do this!

The Beagle has Landed

2011-11-29T21:48:00.002-05:00

A little while ago I was sitting on the sofa browsing the web from my laptop when suddenly Whoomp! A beagle landed on my shoulder! He hunkered down and made himself comfortable.

What could I do? I opened PhotoBooth and used the Macbook's built-in camera to take some pictures.

This dog can jump high and dash around quickly. That's why Lynn named him Flash.

More...

A New Visitor to Our Deck

2011-11-28T23:55:00.000-05:00

A young squirrel showed up on our deck, smaller than the one who usually visits. He seemed timid and unsure of what to do. When Flash barked at him, he sat frozen in place, afraid to move.

You might also like Squirrel on a Rail
or see all posts tagged Squirrels.

Dinner at the Hot Plates Café

2011-11-27T23:31:00.000-05:00

Peggy, Bill, Lynn and Frank

Icicles, Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-11-26T19:02:00.000-05:00

Piglet

2011-11-25T22:59:00.000-05:00

Turkeys Showing Off

2011-11-25T00:43:00.000-05:00

In October there was a petting zoo in conjunction with the Harvest Festival in Mount Jackson. These turkeys were pretty tame. The children enjoyed getting a close look at them.

Have a Great Turkey Day!

2011-11-23T23:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Lynn

2011-11-23T00:18:00.000-05:00

It's my older daughter's birthday. These pictures are from a couple of decades ago. It's hard to believe she's been grown up for so long!

Yeah, goofy-looking pictures are a tradition in my family. It helps to keep us humble. But anything published should be funny, not humiliating. I think these fill the bill.

A View from Conicville

2011-11-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

For this picture I was standing in a church parking lot which is along Senedo Road (VA 42) in Shenandoah County. In the far distance is Great North Mountain.

Nearby:

Time to Start Christmas Shopping

2011-11-21T21:44:00.000-05:00

I don't do a lot of advertising on this blog but I do link to Amazon. If you buy something through my link I get a small credit to put toward my next purchase there. And since I buy a lot of things through Amazon, every little bit helps. I even buy vitamins and special food items there.

Autumn Along Orkney Springs Road

2011-11-20T21:10:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I noticed that the trees across from the recycling center in Orkney Springs were very colorful. Since I had my camera in the car, I walked across the road and took this photograph.

On the Passing of Bill Aramony

2011-11-20T01:04:00.001-05:00

Frank mentioned that he saw it online: the disgraced former head of United Way of America had died. William Aramony was 84 and had been out of jail since 2002.

Aramony with President Reagan

When I knew Bill Aramony, he was the "big boss" at United Way of America. He was respected for his incredible ability to convince business leaders to make large contributions to our organization or to local United Ways. (For those that don't know, United Way of America is like an association for local organizations, providing training and support in exchange for dues. Your local contributions go to local charities, not generally to the national association.)

I was an executive secretary and before that an administrative coordinator at UWA. There were nice things about working there but pay was not great for support staff and eventually I realized there was no upward career path for me unless I wanted to work in Aramony's office, which I could not imagine doing because of his temper and his reputation for shameless womanizing. He was one of those people who felt his success entitled him to pretty much whatever he wanted. And that was his downfall.

It happened long after I had left UWA for a more promising job. He was convicted of stealing from the organization and brought great embarrassment to the United Way movement. It was sad because he was talented and brilliant in some ways. Yet he ruined much of what he had accomplished and brought other people down with him.

Read John Glaser's book, The United Way Scandal if you want the inside story. For a thoughtful blog viewpoint, see William Aramony and the Fallen Hero Dilemma.

About the photo: I took the picture when Ronald Reagan visited United Way of America to support the "Second Century Initiative" circa 1987.

Lynn Javins is Back on the Web

2011-11-19T19:52:00.000-05:00

Lynn with Flash, 3/2009

Lynn has started a blog and has resurrected her homepage. I hope she'll post regularly. She has interesting things to say.

Meanwhile, my other daughter is in Tasmania, sharing her travels on her "Maries World Tour" site.

New Trail in Front Royal

2011-11-18T21:59:00.000-05:00

There aren't too many nice days left before winter so I try to get outside while I still can. Last week we went to Warren County so I convinced Frank to go for a walk in Eastham Park, which I had discovered in September next to a boat landing in Front Royal.

There's a brand new trail which had just been paved. It runs along the South Fork of the Shenandoah behind Skyline High School. Across the river is the community of Rivermont.

Link: Birding and Wildlife Trail, Eastham Park

Sheetz Station at Sunset

2011-11-17T18:03:00.000-05:00

Mt. Jackson, VA

See Also: Sunset Seen from the Car

K-9 Program at the Library

2011-11-16T13:08:00.000-05:00

Saturday (November 12) was a busy day in Basye. There was a flea market/ gift sale at the rescue squad, a homeowners meeting in the ski lodge, and a children's program at the library.

The kid's program featured search and rescue dogs, followed by a craft session and Miss Mona reading dog stories. The search dogs were brought from Harrisonburg by Miss Laurel of All-Phase K-9. Everyone enjoyed seeing the talented dogs demonstrate their skills.

These are just a few photos of the event. For more, click here for a series I posted on Facebook.

View of Great North Mountain in November

2011-11-15T21:30:00.000-05:00

From Supinlick Ridge, Basye, VA

Here we are looking northwest from Shenandoah County Route 611. For a summer view taken close to this spot, see this photo of low-hanging clouds.

October in West Virginia

2011-11-14T22:35:00.000-05:00

When I think of West Virginia, I think of mountains. Of course, the state has valleys too. And then more mountains!

Near Cabins, WV

Along the North Fork in West Virginia

2011-11-13T23:58:00.000-05:00

The river names in eastern West Virginia are confusing to me. Back home in Virginia, the North Fork and South Fork refer to headwaters of the Shenandoah, but over the mountains to the west, the headwaters of the Potomac have similar names. As far as I can tell, the river that runs through the town of Cabins is the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac.

River at Cabins, WV

See also: Fox and Ox Rocks (2009)

Seneca Rocks Discovery Center

2011-11-12T23:55:00.001-05:00

Monongahela National Forest, WV

On October 20 we made one of several autumn drives to West Virginia . The weather was not as nice as the forecast had predicted, but I was glad we went even though it was cloudy. The visitors center at Seneca Rocks was closing for the season in a few days.

It's near the intersection of WV 55/28 and US 33. There are exhibits but the main attraction is the view of Seneca Rocks. As you might notice in the vertical photo, access to the patio was closed for repair work.

The dramatic rock formation is the best known of a number of razorback ridges made of Tuscarora quartzite. Another example is nearby Champe Rocks.

Next to the visitors center, remains of a Native American village were found. Some findings from archaeological investigations are incorporated in an exhibit. There I learned that the post holes from dwellings were found to be uniformly spaced by the length of a forearm plus hand. The investigative team named this unit of measurement a "yokum." (My guess is that they were paying homage to Yokum's Vacationland where some of them were staying.)

Of course, this has nothing to do with the picture of Smokey. He's modeling a souvenir shirt and I thought he was cute.

Link: Seneca Rocks Discovery Center

Seneca Rocks, Autumn, Cloudy Day

2011-11-12T17:41:00.000-05:00

Seen from the Parking Lot,
Seneca Rocks Visitors Center, WV

Battle of Riverton, WV

2011-11-11T19:43:00.001-05:00

In October we drove into West Virginia via the Brock's Gap route (described here) for some foliage viewing. My destination was Germany Valley. We had lunch in Moorefield and stopped to view Seneca Rocks. By the time we reached Germany Valley, rain was moving in so the only photos I took were at this site, the location of a Civil War skirmish near the small town of Riverton.

The "Battle" of Riverton
First Union Raid into Pendleton County
At this site on March 2nd, 1862, Union forces numbering forty were attacked by local Confederate infantry and two units of cavalry. In the skirmish that resulted, Union troops rallied forcing the Confederates from the field. Two local men, Perry Bland and Thomas Powers were killed in the battle.

This little video is simply to show the location of the site, which is on the road to Seneca Caverns.

Happy Anniversary to Massanutten Resort

2011-11-11T00:10:00.000-05:00

I picked up a copy of The Villager newspaper in Harrisonburg. An article celebrates the 40th anniversary of the creation of Massanutten Resort. It tells that the inspiration of that resort was Bryce Resort. Well, that explains similarities between the two places. Both are four-season resorts in the mountains of Virginia with skiing and golf.

Massanutten Resort is east of Harrisonburg at the southern end of the Massanutten Range. Bryce Resort is an hour northwest of there in the foothills of the Alleghenies. We happen to live in Bryce and we enjoy the combination of beautiful mountain scenery and the civilized amenities of a resort.

Lake Laura in Bryce Resort

A Squirrel Ridge Logo

2011-11-09T23:58:00.000-05:00

Made in Photoshop

Byway 55

2011-11-08T21:29:00.000-05:00

Virginia Route 55 Near Strasburg

That's Massanutten Mountain rising like a colorful wall in the background. What you can't see here is the North Fork of the Shenandoah (behind the trees and down the hill on the right) and the end of the mountain (off-screen on the left). Both the river and the road wind around the end of the mountain and continue on to Front Royal.

Link: Virginia's Scenic Byways

The View from Strasburg High School

2011-11-07T22:47:00.000-05:00

Looking Southeast Toward Massanutten Mtn.

We went to a Founders Day event in Strasburg, Virginia. The town is now 250 years old. A concert was held at the high school, which is south of the historic hotel on Holliday Street.

In these photographs we are looking toward Signal Knob. The high school's sports teams are called the Rams.

Strasburg High School

Red Leaves

2011-11-06T16:50:00.000-05:00

The maples have put on quite a show this fall. They started changing color a month ago here in the mountains and are still bright in the lowlands.

You might also like: Maple by Mill Creek

Lake in the Afternoon

2011-11-05T20:21:00.000-04:00

At Shenandoah River Lakes

Near Waterlick, VA

You might also like:

Winchester's Handley Library

2011-11-04T22:58:00.000-04:00

This fine library in Winchester, Virginia was opened in 1913. It was built with funds left to the city by John Handley of Scranton, who did not live in Virginia but had visited the area. Handley also provided funds for a school, now Handley High School.

About the Handley Regional Library
Legacy of John Handley (Adobe Acrobat PDF)

Union Headquarters in Winchester

2011-11-04T00:06:00.000-04:00

135 N. Braddock, Winchester, VA

This mansion was used as headquarters by Union General Milroy in 1863 and later by Gen. Phil Sheridan in 1864. It's now a retail store called Kimberly's. It was from here that Sheridan began his famous ride to Cedar Creek.

Links:

Winchester Civil War Sites

World's Largest Apple

My Will Is Absolute Law -Book about General Milroy

Trees Along Crooked Run Road

2011-11-03T00:27:00.001-04:00

Shenandoah County Route 720

I love driving along country roads in the autumn! Pretty scenery becomes gorgeous when the leaves are colorful and glittering like jewels.

The colors are fading now but I got a fair number of photographs while they were bright. I won't post them all. You probably don't want to see that many pictures of trees! And if you like seeing country roads in the fall, take a look at some older posts:

Autumn at the Lake

2011-11-02T00:07:00.000-04:00

I took these photos at Shenandoah River Lakes in Warren County. The peak in the distance is Signal Knob at the north end of the Massanutten Range.

You Might Also Like: Evening Near Waterlick

The View from Squirrel Ridge

Along the North Fork near Riverton

Tall Railroad Cars

Staunton's Gypsy Hill Park

Ducks and Swans

Good News about GERD

Fog in the Valley, Cloud on the Mountain

Flash "Barney" Beagle

The Historic Manor in Glebe Harbor

In Westmoreland County, VA

A Tree in Winter

Birds Outside the Window

It's National Squirrel Appreciation Day

Getting Ready for Squirrel Appreciation Day

Return to Carillon Pond

Our View Yesterday

Crafters at Work

Children's Program, Jan. 14, 2012Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library

Snowflake Crafts

Winter Crafts Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library

Listening to Winter Stories

Basye Orkney Springs Library

Showing Off Snowman Crafts

Children's Program, Jan. 14, 2012Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library

Folks are Skiing

Historic Harrisonburg: The Quilt Museum

McNeill Marker in Harrisonburg

Hanging Around the Bird Feeder

A Free Rose

A Light Snow

Tabletop Games, 1860's-Style

Inside the Bushong Farm house

Ladies in an 1860's Kitchen

Bushong Farm, New Market Battlefield, VA

Meanwhile, Back at the Farm...

Lights-a-Whirl

Tikis

The Most Accomplished Traveler I Know

On the Ridge at 1750 Feet

Christmas Homes

Dinner at the Wayside Inn

It's 2012!

Another Year of Blogging Winds Down

Marie is Back!

A Very Young Reenactor

In the News at Bushong Farm

Children Playing 1864-Style, Bushong Farm

Women at Bushong Farm

New Market, VA 12/3/2011

Musicians at New Market Battlefield

Christmas 2011

Christmas 1998

Suncatchers

Carriage Rides at Bryce Resort

Photos from Saturday's Holiday Program

Sing Along With Santa

More Photos from the Holiday Program

Horse-drawn Carriage

Sculpture at Library, Harrisonburg

A Park in Edinburg, VA

Great-Grandfather's Christmas, 1863

A Rose is a Rose

Gent's Barber Shop

Winter Encampment

Keyhole Cave near Strasburg

On Hupp's Hill

Evening Event, Edinburg

Red Sky at Night

Watching Grass Grow

Frank in a Labyrinth

Blog Post #3200

Not a Fashionista

A Walk in the Park: Woodstock

Ornamental Grass

A Nice Looking Squirrel

Glass Kangaroo

Ferocious Oven Mitt

New Listing: 4 Bedroom Rambler

Dogs At Ease

Whew! Another Blog Book Done!

Children's Program, Jan. 14, 2012
Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library

Winter Crafts
Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library

Children's Program, Jan. 14, 2012
Basye - Orkney Springs Community Library