I love playing with Adobe® Photoshop®! If you're new at using filters or any special effects, remember to duplicate the background layer and make the changes on the duplicate. This not only makes it easy to delete the changes if you don't like them; it also expands your options. You can choose different ways of blending the layers and you can adjust the transparency of your new layer to make the effect more subtle. So don't be intimidated by layers. They can be fun!
I'm posting the first picture to show my new haircut. This is probably the shortest I've worn my hair since middle school, so it's a big change.
When the potted lily I got for Mother's Day stopped blooming, I put it on the deck. By the time the foliage died, some seedlings had appeared in the soil, so I watered them. Eventually one of them grew big enough to bloom. It was this purple petunia.
I liked this scene on a country road between the Valley Pike and South Middle Road.
I love the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. Over the years I've taken many photos like this - somewhat disappointing because it doesn't capture the feeling of being on top of the world nor does it show the colors or light in the way I saw them, thanks to the haze that's usually present.
Sometimes we see the prettiest skies when clouds are rolling in (or away). We were driving toward Mount Jackson when I stopped the car to take this picture. 
Dellinger is a common name in Shenandoah County and I know of two roads near Jerome with that as part of their names: Dellinger Acres Road and Dellinger Gap Road. 
We bought a 2009 Nissan Maxima. It's used but it's still a lot newer than the car it replaces, my trusty 2004 Mazda which got crushed in a crash. 
That's Great North Mountain in the distance. It separates Virginia from West Virginia.
Frank took the first photo - that's me on our deck taking pictures. I retaliated by taking a picture of him but he was in deep shade. When I lightened the image in Photoshop, the dark figure just brightened to shades of gray. So I guess he won that shootout.
The Page County Heritage Festival is held on Columbus Day Weekend at the fairgrounds in Luray, Virginia. With over 175 artisans and vendors, it's probably the largest festival we've seen here in the Shenandoah Valley. 
I saturated the colors in PhotoShop and added a "PhotoFrame" (add-on from on-One).
The remains of Fort Mill Ridge are quite recognizable in spite of the trees that have grown up on the site. In fact, the trees are credited with helping to preserve the contours of the earthworks by slowing down erosion.In early April, 1863, a Confederate force led by Captain John H. McNeill's Rangers and four additional companies of Virginia cavalry left Rockingham County for West Virginia. At Moorefield, 20 miles south of Fort Mill Ridge, the force divided into several smaller units.
On April 6th, McNeill's Rangers surprised a Union foraging train near Burlington, 10 miles west of Fort Mill Ridge, capturing 5 wagons and 11 soldiers. A contingent of 50 Union cavalrymen sent to assist the foraging party headed south toward Moorefield by today's Route 220, west of Mill Mountain. A second larger Union cavalry force followed them.
The smaller Union force ran headlong into the Virginia cavalry and bid a hasty retreat back up the road. Near Purgitsville, they met with the larger Union force, which prepared to receive the Confederates. A hand-to-hand melee ensued before the outnumbered Confederates broke off the engagement and retreated south toward Moorefield.
Union infantry and artillery were sent to reinforce the cavalry. On the morning of April 7th, they surprised the Confederate encampment 5 miles south of Moorefield. After scattering the Confederates with artillery shells, the Union infantry crossed the swollen South Branch of the Potomac River in small boats and burned the camp. The Union forces then returned to Fort Mill Ridge, and McNeill's Confederates returned to Rockingham County.
The forest has grown here since the Civil War. Whatever trees were on the ridge in early 1863 would have been cleared and used in constructing the fort.A redoubt is a small enclosed earthwork used to fortify a position from attacks on all sides. The square is the most common form for a redoubt in part due to the ease with which it is constructed. The weakest point of a square redoubt is the corner, or salient, as only a limited amount of fire can be concentrated in that direction. The corner projections, or traverses, of the central redoubt are intended to help overcome that weakness. With these projections, the redoubt has the form of a miniature bastion fort.
A nearby historical marker tells us the following:In 1866, Confederate Memorial Association was formed here, which on September 26, 1867, dedicated a monument to Confederate soldiers, one of the first erected anywhere.And yes, West Virginia split off from Virginia and became a Union state, but the population was divided in allegiance. Many West Virginians joined the Confederate Army and many joined the Union army.
Text of sign:
“Fort Pearsall was on or in view of this site.” Job Pearsall built a fort as protection against the Indians in 1754 on Lot 16, granted by Fairfax in 1749 containing 323 acres, including part of Indian Mound Cemetery.On May 14, 1756, Gen. Washington assigned 45 men and 5 officers, and later 94 soldiers to defend Pearsall’s fort during the French and Indian War.
During the French and Indian War a series of forts was built to protect settlers along the frontier (which in this case was within present-day West Virginia, then Virginia). Fort Pearsall was constructed on high ground overlooking the South Branch of the Potomac River. 
We got rear-ended on Route 50 near Romney. Fortunately our injuries were minor and the only person who went to the hospital was a passenger in the vehicle that hit us. He had a broken finger. Frank was driving so I'll let him tell the story."A couple of cars in front of us stopped so the lead one could make a left turn. We were hit Hard from behind by a Toyota Land Cruiser (big SUV) which was travelling about 35-40 MPH. He never saw we were stopped until a split-second before he hit us. The SUV impact pushed us down the road and off on the left side, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic. Rear third of Mazda completely demolished. Rear window shattered, both front bucket seats broken (from impact), roof and floor crumpled, frame bent, 3 of four doors jammed including the front passenger seat door (where Linda was sitting). The 2/3 full gas tank in the rear was shoved forward and down almost hitting the pavement. If it had sparked and ignited, Linda would not have been able to get out through her jammed door. It did not ignite fortunately, and we were able to get her over the console and out the driver front door. We were really lucky we weren't also hit in the front by oncoming traffic. since our car was propelled across the opposite lane to the other side of the two-lane road. Linda and I are both sore and bruised."I saw the SUV in the mirror before it hit us. It was large and coming fast, a frightening sight! I heard the squeal of brakes and the loud crash.
I don't know what that first building is; just found it interesting. The second one is the Star Mercantile where we picked up a schedule for Heritage Weekend. They have a friendly-looking restaurant and a gift shop.
St. Peter Lutheran Church is built of native limestone.
The old jail in Wardensville (WV) was open during Hardy County's Heritage Weekend. It was a blacksmith shop before it became a jail. Experience the ambiance of the Wardensville Jail, enjoyed by prisoners from 1930 through the 1950's. Not many towns could boast of a jail where families kept in touch with a captive relative during a leisurely stroll down Main Street.
...The original structure was built of hand dressed stone, held together with lime mortar. The rear section collapsed years ago but the front section remains secure enough for prisoners, even today.
Since the windows were handy for friends to pass a bottle, prisoners often came out drunker than when put in.
I read about this color halftone technique and decided to try it. I added an extra layer and gave it poster edges (Photoshop filter). The result reminds me on an old-time greeting card.
Yesterday we were in Warren County so we stopped at Shenandoah River Lakes. The clouds had just parted and there was sunlight streaking across the lake, making the fountain glow. Knowing the effect wouldn't last long, I grabbed the closest camera and took a picture. Then I tried to zoom and accidentally turned the camera off! I had forgotten that my old camera (which was the one I grabbed) has the Off switch in the same place as the Zoom button on my new camera (which I use most of the time). 
I've posted pictures of this lake before. We own property there and the view is pretty. Some of my favorites versions of the view are posted as:
I took these pictures in September before the leaves started to change color. We drove the northern section of Skyline Drive which was delightful as usual. 
