Hairdresser on Halloween

Joker in Walmart

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday / Mitch’s Memes

Trailblazers Mural

Culpeper, VA

This painting by Layton Scarbrough is on E. Davis St., basically across from the Culpeper railroad depot.  The town’s website tells us that this honors trailblazing African-American citizens. There is a quote from James Baldwin: "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced."

Monday Murals / Mosaic

The Civil War soldier represents 120 African-American men who left this small Southern town to join the Union army and fight for freedom. Both armies passed through the town, and several battles were fought nearby.

Speaking of freedom, one of our cherished freedoms is the right to vote. Tomorrow is the official election day in the United States. It’s an important one, and I’ve made a collage incorporating two flag photos and some computer images that I’ve made over the past weeks reminding my online friends to vote.

See My AI image Blog.

Shrine Mont and Edmund Lee Woodward

The outdoor cathedral at Shrine Mont is a special place. This is in the mountain town of Orkney Springs, a short distance from Bryce Resort. 

Plaque at Shrine Mont Honors the Woodwards

Recently, I learned of a connection between this stone shrine and the church in The Plains where I enjoy an annual art show. Upstairs at the church was a small collection of prints, including some of Shrine Mont. A booklet explained that collection was handed down from Rev. Dr. Edmond Lee Woodward, who spearheaded the construction of Grace Church of The Plains in 1918. After he served as rector of Grace Church, he went on to create Shrine Mont in Shenandoah County. 

Although both churches are built of locally dug stone, Grace Church was designed in 13th century English Gothic style, and Shrine Mont’s cathedral is so rustic it almost appears to have sprung out of the mountain. 

Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains

I was rather startled by the connection because these churches are over 70 miles apart, and it would’ve been quite a journey 100 years ago. Today I read that Rev. Woodward’s wife, Frances Gibson, was the daughter of the Episcopal Bishop of Virginia, who owned a cottage in Orkney Springs and held services in the town. The Shrine is still owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.

It’s an almost magical place, a peaceful setting among the trees.

Charlie’s Resort Report

Hi! I'm going to tell you about going to Bryce Resort, which Mom mentioned yesterday. But first, here are a couple of pictures of me. Mom takes a lot of pictures and sometimes she plays with them on her iPad. She did stuff with the second picture and I think it looks weird.

The dog park at the resort is a good place to go. I met a couple of dogs to play with.

I don’t really like riding in the car, but it’s fun when we get there.

Mom drove around to Lake Laura. She took a bunch of pictures again. I was ready to go home so I don’t know why she kept doing that.

By the way, some people rang our doorbell on Halloween night, and I wasn’t scared once I saw that they were kids. Oh, and here’s something in our town that looks kind of like a big dog.

Sky Bryce

Basye, VA

The Sky Bryce Airport isn’t much bigger than a landing strip. It is next to the library and dog park at Bryce Resort.

When we lived at Bryce Resort, I volunteered at the library. It’s a beautiful area. Occasionally, I take Charlie to the dog park there. We were getting ready to leave the park when I heard a plane starting up. I took a few pictures with my phone.

The runway is for small planes only. They motor up to the end and turn around and take off.

In 2008, I had the fun of flying from there with a friend who was a pilot. Coincidentally, I posted pictures from that flight on November 1st, same date as today.

Making Bread Outdoors

Fort Valley, VA

B&W / Theme Day: Cooking

This young lady was rolling out dough for whole wheat bread. She was making it from scratch, and not even from store-bought flour. The flour had actually been freshly ground there at the Craft and Heritage Festival. You can see the woodstove for baking it on the left.

I did ask permission before taking her picture because some Mennonite churches discourage photography while others don’t mind it. 

The festival was outdoors, so I took Charlie and he behaved himself. It is sponsored by the Fort Valley Museum.

Fort Valley is a charming rural region of Shenandoah County. I decided to do the post in black-and-white in keeping with the old-fashioned theme of the festival.

Return of the Pumpkinheads

Woodstock, VA

“Keep Calm and Eat Cookies”

Lineman

 

This must be Dorothy and Toto.

I happened to see these park rangers putting the bee veil on the beekeeping bear. They were kind enough to pose for me.

Passage Creek and a Duck Pond

On Saturday, I went to Fort Valley and drove through the Elizabeth Furnace area. I enjoy driving through there in the autumn when the foliage is colorful. 

Passage Creek winds its way through a cleft in the Massanutten Mountain Range. 

I exited the forest at Waterlick and decided to check on the lake at the entrance to Shenandoah River Lakes. I don’t know the name of the lake, even though we used to live next to it. Some people call it the duck pond. I miss seeing the water birds that I used to see every day.

A diverse group of ducks greeted me. They are probably descended from farm ducks, but now live as free birds at the lake. 

Trick or Treat in Strasburg

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

A Mural at Natural Chimneys Campground

Augusta County, VA

Earlier this month, I shared photos of Natural Chimneys Park. On that same outing, I took mural pictures, plus a few photos of the North River. 

As you can see, the top part of the mural was in deep shade. I lightened it in my Photos app, but the detail shows up better in the close-up shots of the cute characters. I’m including the base of the tree because that’s where students of Stuarts Draft High School signed the mural.

Mosaic Monday / Murals 

Elkwallow to Thornton Gap

Shenandoah National Park

This post is a continuation of yesterday‘s account of my autumnal journey on Skyline Drive. I took way too many photos for one post, even after winnowing them down to my favorites. 

I stopped at the store at Elkwallow Wayside and then drove through the picnic area. There are no elk here, although they have been re-introduced into Virginia in a far corner of the state. 

I stopped at a few more overlooks.

By the time I reached Pass Mountain Overlook, I was ready to stretch my legs, and there’s a short trail that is not strenuous. 

From there, it’s a short drive to the exit to Route 211. I’m glad I went when I did. The colorful foliage does not last very long and I avoided the weekend crowds.