Finding a Rainbow

We have had plenty of hot days that hosted a late day storm. Right after the storm passes, there's a pretty good chance of seeing a rainbow. The other day I needed something at the store and waited for the storm to end before I ventured out. The sun was shining again, and it was the right condition for a rainbow. I caught a glimpse of one to the east and pulled off to a place where I could get a clear view of it.

There was a convenient parking lot behind the fitness center, and I could position myself with the sun on my back. Typically that’s the way you see a rainbow: Sun behind you, moisture in front of you. Sometimes I created one while washing the car.

This is actually a double rainbow but I don’t know if you can see the outer arch.

House Finches in a Tree

 

Pilgrimage to Orkney Springs

Blog Post #8025

Tuesday Treasures / Mosaic

When we lived in Bryce Resort, I went to Orkney Springs often. I have over 80 blog posts tagged Orkney Springs. That small town was once a busy health spa, back in the days when people came to drink and bathe in mineral waters. Also, the cool mountain air was refreshing in the summer before buildings were air-conditioned.

I made a brief pilgrimage there the other day. I barely visited the outdoor cathedral when rain started to move in.

This little pond is brown because it is fed by an iron rich spring.

New Mural in Berryville

A mural is being painted on a building on Main Street in Berryville. The artist is Nancy Polo and the business is Homespun, her family’s farm-to-table restaurant.

Since the mural is in an alley, I could not get a good view of the whole thing. I took a panorama shot with my phone but it comes out looking curved when it flattens out.

Monday Murals / Blue Monday 

This is the first time I have seen a Certificate of Appropriateness. Apparently the town is trying to preserve the charm of its historic district.

Please excuse the reflections from the glass.

Church with Farm Views

Wakemans Grove

Shadow Shot Sunday 

When I saw this Brethren Church today, I did not know whether I had photographed it before. Now I see that I posted it in 2019. That time I approached it from the opposite direction, so it looked different.

The clouds were putting on a show this afternoon because a rain storm was coming but was not visible yet. The church is in farm country west of Edinburg.

The final shot is a barn that’s near there.

Visit Tom’s Barn Collective.

 

Shelter Kittens

Edinburg

The county animal shelter has a bunch of cute kittens. I added a filter on this one for the Caturday blog hop. I’m sending hugs to the woman who hosts that blog, with sympathy for the loss of her brother.

Look at the sweet little siblings behind bars! I would be tempted to adopt a cat except that my sister is allergic to them, which means I might be allergic to them also. Our father was.

Saturday Critters 

The black and white kitty was older than the others but still a kitten.What pretty eyes!

 The first kitten reappears, this time with a cute yawn but no filter.

The shelter only had four dogs. They all ran up to the bars, barking loudly. The chorus was deafening. The only one who did not bark and lunge for the entire time I was there was a white dog named Rory.

Summer, Woodstock Cafe

A Middletown Meadow

Some of the sky pictures in yesterday's post were taken at Cedar Creek Battlefield, specifically at the parking area on Claven Lane. It offers an open view over meadows that were formerly a farm. 

I have some pictures of the farm buildings before they were demolished in 2016. In the picture below, the tree on the far left was next to the farmhouse.

According to Siri, the plants include wild carrot (Queen Anne's Lace), clover, and teasel. I included a shot of grass trying to take over the parking lot, which amused me although I imagine the park maintenance folks would prefer that it not do this.

If you haven't tried the plant ID app on the iPad or iPhone, scroll down for an example.

Example (iPad): While viewing a picture in Photos, look for the info button, an "i" in an oval. Press that to get a drop-down box. If the artificial intelligence finds enough information to give you an ID, it will put something in the Look Up field, such as the word “Plant.” (This only works when you have an Internet connection.)

Now I've clicked the Look Up field and it's giving me an identification or perhaps several possibilities. You can click the summary to get a full article. I've found this pretty useful since I'm not an expert and also I sometimes have difficulty remembering a name that I used to know. Keep in mind that the answer is not guaranteed; regard it as experimental.

Passing Storm, East of Strasburg

 

Summer in Virginia means days and sudden thunder showers. after I left some donations at the thrift store this afternoon, the skies opened up. I drove to Cedar Creek Battlefield to watch the storm. It didn't last long, and then I went for groceries.

• Skywatch
• Little Things Thursday

Great Blue Heron from my Archives

Since the birds I photographed this week were the same house finches I showed last week, I went back into an old folder to finds something different. Fortunately, I have multiple poses of the great blue heron, so here are a couple I didn't post before.  While fishing, the heron concentrates on watching the water and pays little attention to me and my camera.

It looks like he caught one! Fish for lunch!

Wild Bird Wednesday / The Bird D’pot 

 

Garden and Farm Treasures

Round Hill, Virginia