A Busy Beagle Week

A Report from Charlie

My week started out rainy. We need the rain, but I don’t like getting wet. On Sunday, we went to Seven Bends State Park when the rain went away for a little while. We did not stay long because the rain was coming back again.

On Monday, we went outside and I saw my friend Tripod. 

Late that afternoon, my Aunt Peggy came to visit! The next day, we went to the National Forest for a walk, and then we went to the mountains. 

I got to walk on the Appalachian Trail! 

I could smell some animals. We saw deer along Skyline Drive.

That reminds me, Mom wants me to show critters for Eileen’s blog hop. Here’s a bug on a leaf.

Aunt Peggy left on Friday. I miss her because we had good times. 

Today Mom took me to the dog park in Mount Jackson. We saw cows along a back road.

There were no other dogs playing. I did meet a white dog when we first got out of the car, but he was leaving to go home, so we had to say goodbye. 

So long!

Boat Landing with Bicycle

 Front Royal

This is next to Eastham Park on the South Fork of the Shenandoah. 

New Market Picnic and Silver Lake Mill

Today Peggy and I met Lynn for a picnic lunch. There’s a sign about the Civil War Battle of New Market because this was the place where Confederate General Breckinridge launched the first attack of the battle.

After a leisurely lunch and conversation, I drove Peggy to Silver Lake in Dayton.

The Virginia Quilt Museum is there, and I wanted to see the exhibit, "250 Quilts Commemorating the Commonwealth of Virginia." These are contemporary quilts, and they are fabulous!

Taking Peggy to the Mountains

My sister said she misses the mountains, so of course we went to Shenandoah National Park. 

Here she is at Dickey Ridge. I liked the pose so much I switched to “Portrait mode” and stepped closer.

We went in the Visitor Center so she could buy a postcard and were lucky enough to catch a screening of a film about the CCC. Then we looked at the exhibits, plus we caught part of a ranger talk.

Models of birds include a ruffed grouse, a screech owl, and a falcon.

I did not get pictures of real birds except for one flying in the distance. I think it was a crow.

I was delighted to see a monarch butterfly.

As usual, I took too many pictures for one post, so I’ll close with a trio of wildflowers. 

Sharing with Mosaic and Bird Linkups

With Peggy in the National Forest

My sister arrived for a visit yesterday. This morning we took Charlie to the Lion's Tale Trail.

Sharing with Wordless / Travel Tuesday

Journey to Freedom Mural

Leesburg, VA 

This mural is on the side of the Loudoun Museum. It honors unsung African American heroes of Loudoun County.

The adjacent sign starts out: "The Journey to Freedom mural vividly dramatizes the self-emancipation of enslaved individuals and the bravery of those who risked everything to help them. It highlights the courage and compassion of those involved in the Underground Railroad, transcending history to represent broader humanitarian themes of freedom, justice and allyship. While Harriet Tubman remains the iconic face of the Underground Railroad and and Freedom Seekers Movement, this masterful mural of remembrance highlights local Leesburg heroes like Bazil Newman and rev. Leonard Grimes, who played key roles in aiding the escape of African Americans from slavery in Loudoun County. This mural also commemorates the daring 1855 Christmas Eve escape of Frank Wanzer and five other enslaved individuals who escaped slavery from neighboring plantations, risking their lives for a chance for freedom."

You can read the entire text on the Historical Marker Database. 

Sharing with Monday Murals.

New and Old in Middletown

 Frederick County, VA

After I read that the replica train station in Middletown is now under roof, I decided to drive by and see it. The building is new construction, not a restoration, but it will look like the town’s old train station

on the outside. The interior has been redesigned.

The station will be both a tourist attraction and home to a model railroad. A local model railroad club once had an extensive setup in a former train depot in Winchester, but they lost their lease when that building was sold in 2018. They began looking for a new location, and eventually struck a deal with nearby Middletown. The town owned the land and the club raised funds to build the station.

After pausing to take pictures, I followed the road out of town and wound up on Minebank Road, where I saw this old building with a new barn quilt and new door.

Grumpy Beagle and More

Hi, Charlie here! Sometimes I wake up grumpy. I don’t stay that way; it’s just a waking up thing.

 I like taking walks, especially when Miss Deborah brings Sadie. But I don’t like leaving my mom. She should come with us! 
 

I don’t have pictures of a lot of different animals to show you today. Here’s a robin. We hear birds all the time, but most of them are hiding up in the trees.

I saw Tripod a couple times, but he didn’t come close enough for a picture. One time he was under our deck in the shade and he wouldn’t come out at all. Another time he was sitting on his own porch and didn’t want to come play. Mom made a pretend picture of a yellow cat like him.

On Monday, I had to stay at day boarding. Here’s a friend bringing me out when Mom came to take me home. Usually I walk out, but I like being picked up.

We went to Riley Park twice this week. The first time we just went to the picnic area and we didn’t stay long because a storm was coming. The next time we went to the playground area.

I visited Sadie a couple of times this week.

Today Mom put up a new garden flag. The squirrel is different from the squirrels in our yard. They are gray.

I will close with a picture of me in my mom’s hat.