
August 31, 2007
August 30, 2007
Labels added to Blog
I went through my blog and added Labels to certain entries so that you can find other posts on the same topic. They are Civil War (sites and books), Genealogy (family history), Gardens (and flowers), and Orkney Springs (here in Virginia). These labels will appear at the bottom of relevant entries (providing, of course, that I remember to tell them to).
After spending over an hour on this project, I clicked on a Civil War label and only got a small portion of my posts on Civil War sites. I checked Blogger Help and found out that this is because I am still using the Classic Template. I need to upgrade to the Layouts Template, which I have not done because I will lose some of the formatting that I already added. Sign!
That means I have to redo some of what I did before. Well, someday I'll get around to it. Probably.
After spending over an hour on this project, I clicked on a Civil War label and only got a small portion of my posts on Civil War sites. I checked Blogger Help and found out that this is because I am still using the Classic Template. I need to upgrade to the Layouts Template, which I have not done because I will lose some of the formatting that I already added. Sign!
That means I have to redo some of what I did before. Well, someday I'll get around to it. Probably.
August 29, 2007
Mary Amaryllis

Among the organizations that she belonged to were the Mothers' Relief Association, the Illinois Colony Club, the Dames of the Loyal Legion of Illinois, Poetry Lovers of America, the Andoka Philanthropic Club, Illinois Woman's Press Association, the Woman's Athletic Club, the Chicago Woman's Club, the Colonial Coverlet Guild of America, and the Chicago Society of Ohio Women.
When she met Judge D. Harry Hammer, she was a young widow working as a correspondent for the Athens Messenger. She was well-read, auburn-haired, and a graceful dancer. She and the judge married in June 1874.
She was outspoken and campaigned against the killing of aigrettes (egrets) for their plumes, used in hats, so not all her energy was devoted to socializing and shopping, although even her children seemed to remember her as a socialite. After Judge Hammer died in 1904, she spent less time on social events and became involved in political issues, supporting women's suffrage and women's rights. On one occasion she was entertained by Mrs. Harding at the White House.
Labels:
Genealogy
History at Delaplane

Piedmont Station
By Train to Manassas - First Manassas Campaign
By Train to Manassas - First Manassas Campaign
Here at Piedmont Station (now Delaplane) trains were used for the first time in history to move troops to impending battle.
On July 19, 1861, the fields surrounding this stop on the Manassas Gap Railroad -- which appeared then almost exactly as they do today -- were filled with thousands of volunteer soldiers, members of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's Confederate Army of the Shenandoah. A single steam locomotive was on hand to move the army to Manassas Junction, then threatened with Federal attack. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson's 1st Brigade, ordered here from their bivouac in the meadows just south of Paris, were loaded onto freight and cattle cars for the first transport, which took eight hours to cover the 30 miles to Manassas.
Labels:
Civil War
August 27, 2007
Field Trip Photos

The Romney-Delaplane trip was the only one I've been on in which it rained all day. This made it hard to take notes and a little tricky to get decent photos.
Labels:
Civil War,
West Virginia
August 26, 2007
Labor Day Weekend Book Sale in Basye

Our little library is one of the few where a resident can fly in to return a book. Hours are limited. pretty much 10-2 Monday-Saturday, plus a few hours on Tuesday evening. But even when the library is closed, visitors sit outside at the picnic table to use the wireless internet.
Labels:
Bryce Resort,
Library
August 25, 2007
August 24, 2007
More Pictures from the Pottery Tour

Below:Birds visit her garden.

Labels:
Arts and Crafts,
Gardens
August 23, 2007
A Tour with the Garden Club

Below: Our hostess Joan and the garden club ladies.

Below: Joan's waterfall and pond

Labels:
Gardens,
Lakes and Ponds,
Shenandoah
August 22, 2007
More pictures of Orkney Springs
The main street: Orkney Grade

I've read that there are seven springs in the area. Below is a close view of Chalybeate Spring, also called the Orkney Spring. Chalybeate is a term for iron-rich water. Note the rusty red color in the pool and on the rocks; that's iron.

I've posted other photographs of Orkney Springs which you can see by entering Orkney or Shrinemont in the Search Box at the top of the page or try clicking this.
Labels:
Orkney Springs
Ben visits Orkney Springs

This is one of the natural mountain springs at the old resort. Years back, someone tapped into it using a pipe to make it easy and clean to fill containers with the mineral-rich water.
Labels:
Orkney Springs
August 21, 2007
August 20, 2007
More Photos from the Herb Farm

The landscaping here is extraordinary, and there is a colorful variety of flowers, even in the hot dry days of August.

I believe the vine below with the purple pods is a Hyacinth Bean Vine.

Labels:
Fences,
Gardens,
Shenandoah
August 19, 2007
Wade's Mill

This mill is next to Buffalo Spring Herb Farm and is has a shop that is open on certain days. They still grind flour and sell it.
![]() | I took the interior shot on the second floor. The white coating on everything is flour dust. |


Labels:
Mills,
Shenandoah
More Water Garden Photos



Labels:
Gardens,
Lakes and Ponds,
Shenandoah
August 18, 2007
Water lily photo

Today we visited several gardens, including Springdale Water Gardens in Greenville. Frank is planning to put in a pond and we are looking for ideas.
Labels:
Gardens,
Lakes and Ponds,
Shenandoah
August 17, 2007
Browsing local books
Yesterday we drove to Harrisonburg and Frank wanted to shop at Books-a-Million. I browsed the regional book section and came across a colorful book called Shenandoah National Park - Simply Beautiful. The authors were Ann and Rob Simpson who teach at Lord Fairfax Community College. I took a photography course that Rob taught and he is an outstanding nature photographer.
I continued browsing and on the adjacent shelf was The Best in Tent Camping: Virginia, 2nd edition by Rob Porter and Marie Javins. Later I spied another copy of this book in the travel section. (For those who don't know, Marie is my daughter.)
I continued browsing and on the adjacent shelf was The Best in Tent Camping: Virginia, 2nd edition by Rob Porter and Marie Javins. Later I spied another copy of this book in the travel section. (For those who don't know, Marie is my daughter.)
Labels:
Books,
Shenandoah
August 16, 2007
News from Alexandria
Clovis point found in Alexandria, Virginia
I still get emails and a newsletter from Alexandria Archaeology, where I volunteered for many years before leaving that fair city. A stone point from 13,000 years ago was found in a dig near the Wilson Bridge, along with quartzite chips that indicate tool-making. This indicates that native people lived in that area earlier than previous evidence suggested.
I miss Alexandria sometimes. It's a great city, although I found the air pollution to be unhealthy in the summertime.
When reading about the Clovis point, I came across an article that said Cash Grocer is closing. Too bad, it's a great little store, but I'm not surprised. Whole Foods opened nearby, and MOM (My Organic Market) has a nice store in Arlandria now. And of course, large supermarket chains now carry the most popular "natural" foods. When I worked in Alexandria, I used to really depend on Cash Grocer for wheat-free and dairy-free foods.
I still get emails and a newsletter from Alexandria Archaeology, where I volunteered for many years before leaving that fair city. A stone point from 13,000 years ago was found in a dig near the Wilson Bridge, along with quartzite chips that indicate tool-making. This indicates that native people lived in that area earlier than previous evidence suggested.
I miss Alexandria sometimes. It's a great city, although I found the air pollution to be unhealthy in the summertime.
When reading about the Clovis point, I came across an article that said Cash Grocer is closing. Too bad, it's a great little store, but I'm not surprised. Whole Foods opened nearby, and MOM (My Organic Market) has a nice store in Arlandria now. And of course, large supermarket chains now carry the most popular "natural" foods. When I worked in Alexandria, I used to really depend on Cash Grocer for wheat-free and dairy-free foods.
Historic Sites: Romney, WV
I came across the Historical Marker Database while looking for some information on a West Virginia town. The site has photos of numerous historical markers with accompanying details - quite useful for historical research (although one must remember that markers are not always totally accurate).
The site has a wish list of markers needed or nearby historic sites and one of them was Indian Mound Cemetery in Romney. I happen to be working on a Romney to Delaplane field trip for my Civil War battlefields website, so I had some digital photos handy. I submitted them last night and they now have their own page called Fort Pearsall 1754. That's the name of a fort that was erected on the Indian Mound before Romney was even a town. The fort had nothing to do with the Civil War, but the Romney area was occupied and fought over many times during the war.

Labels:
Signs,
West Virginia
August 15, 2007
An Air Horn Approach to Dog Aggression

I made the appointment because Ben had scared Frank's grandchildren and tried to bite Susan. The trainer suggested that we buy an air horn and blast the dog with it when he starts the ferocious barking-growling that frightens everyone. I found one at Wal-Mart's sporting goods section and tonight we had our first reason to use it. I accidentally stepped on poor Ben's foot and of course he reacted angrily, like he might eat us both! Mr. Hill had made it clear that we cannot tolerate biting NO MATTER WHAT, so while Frank was throwing water on Ben to shush him, I hit the button on the air horn and the barking stopped immediately. Within a few minutes the dog was calm enough that we could wipe up the water from the floor without a reaction.
We are also working with Ben on better leash behavior (no lunging!) and longer stays. And we must remember to release Ben from each "stay" with "Okay" so that he becomes clear on how long he must hold the position. This seems to be helping.
Postscript: A tin can with 6 pennies in it is another noise-maker that helps make Ben behave!
Labels:
Dogs
August 13, 2007
Book on the West Virginia Campaign

Newell covers much the same territory as our professor's book, The Glories of War: Small Battle and Early Heroes of 1861
Many history buffs are unfamiliar with the struggle for western Virginia, but it is an interesting story. I have posted photo tours of the Kanawha Valley Campaign and the Cheat Mountain Campaign, but for the dramatic details, read one of the books listed above.
Labels:
Books,
Civil War,
West Virginia
August 12, 2007
Critter Photos

Below is a squirrel that visited our feeder yesterday. Normally I don't fill the bird feeders in the summer because I want the squirrels to disperse and find new territories to live in. Just before Frank's grandchildren came, I put some pine nuts in this feeder, hoping to have some birds or squirrels to show them. Unfortunately, it took the critters over a week to discover the nuts. However, the grandkids did see a hummingbird visiting our nectar feeder, and they were entranced by it's small size.
By the way, you may notice that our grass and leaves are still very green. We have had just enough rain and just in time to avoid the drought that has parched other parts of Virginia.

A Flat Tire

The vehicle was towed to a place near the Green Valley Book Fair. I picked her up yesterday and took her there. The tow truck guy was kind enough to change her tire and put air in the spare. Then Lynn and I went to a buffet in Mt. Crawford for a meal.
Labels:
Family,
Shenandoah
August 11, 2007
Second Concert of the Weekend
Tonight we saw the Blind Boys of Alabama at the Shenandoah Music Festival. They are billed as a gospel group, but they really rocked! They started off with a loud rousing version of "When the Saints Go Marching In" and kept up an energetic pace for the rest of the show.
Arlo
We went to the Arlo Guthrie Concert in Orkney Springs and had a great time! Lynn and Peggy and a couple of Peggy's friends joined us. This was the fourth Arlo Guthrie concert that Lynn and I attended together. The first was for her 18th birthday; about a decade later we met and saw Arlo and Pete Seeger at Wolf Trap; and another decade later we saw Arlo at JMU... that was just a couple of years ago.
Tonight's show was part of his "solo reunion" tour and he was not accompanied by a band. This gave us a chance to really hear his skill on the guitar and piano. As usual, his story-telling was hilarious.
According to Arlo.net, he will perform at Wolf Trap on Sunday. Highly recommended.
Tonight's show was part of his "solo reunion" tour and he was not accompanied by a band. This gave us a chance to really hear his skill on the guitar and piano. As usual, his story-telling was hilarious.
According to Arlo.net, he will perform at Wolf Trap on Sunday. Highly recommended.
August 9, 2007
Image: Orkney Springs Hotel

This historic hotel at Orkney Springs is identified on the Shrine Mont site as the Virginia House.
(This picture started out as a photo. I altered it in Photoshop using filters and layers.)
Labels:
Orkney Springs,
Photoshop
Local Events
Happenings this weekend:
The Shenandoah Music Festival in Orkney Springs has some great acts!
August 10: Arlo Guthrie
August 11: The Blind Boys of Alabama
Also on Saturday: Route 11 Yard Crawl on from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Yard Crawl offers thirty-two miles of yard sales from Strasburg to New Market, Virginia.
Meanwhile, I was sorry to read in the Bryce Courier that Gail Rose plans to sell the herd of fallow deer at Deauville. They've been great for taking visitors to see but they are not profitable to raise. She will continue to raise and sell vegetables and eggs.
Deauville Farm is on Crooked Run Road near Basye.
The Shenandoah Music Festival in Orkney Springs has some great acts!
August 10: Arlo Guthrie
August 11: The Blind Boys of Alabama
Also on Saturday: Route 11 Yard Crawl on from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Yard Crawl offers thirty-two miles of yard sales from Strasburg to New Market, Virginia.

Deauville Farm is on Crooked Run Road near Basye.
August 8, 2007
More Pictures with Boyles kids


Left: Frank carries his granddaughter on his shoulders
Below: Crossing the stone bridge at Shrinemont

Labels:
Family
August 7, 2007
Our kitchen - a BEFORE picture

All this will probably take a couple of months.
Labels:
Remodeling
Cowgirl Jo

Labels:
Family,
Shenandoah
August 6, 2007
More Parade Exhibits

As ususal, you can click on a picture to see a larger version.





Labels:
Recreation,
Shenandoah
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