Bhutanese Mask

My daughter Marie sent me this great mask. She bought it in Bhutan on her world tour.

More Views of October Snow

Here are some views of Saturday's snow. The temperature rose above freezing so the snow was wet and heavy. At least it wasn't too deep, barely above my ankles. I heard that some places in New England got three feet of snow and still don't have electricity restored. Our power was only out for two hours so we were fortunate.

I took these pictures in our yard here in Basye.

Maple in Snowy Woods

October 29, 2011

I can't recall seeing a snowstorm like this so early in the season before. Usually it's mid-November before we get more than a flurry in Virginia.

Today the temperature went up and most of the snow melted away, which was fine with me. However, it was pretty to look at the contrast of the autumn colors against the white snow.

Squirrel on Snowy Rail

Today on Our Deck

A Squirrel in October

This squirrel visits our deck fairly often to scavenge tidbits from the suet feeder. I took this photo earlier this month.

Our view today is quite different because we had an early snow.

See all posts tagged Squirrels.

Last Rose of Summer

Since our nice autumn weather is ending abruptly tonight, our plants won't be producing any more blooms this season. Fortunately Frank brought the last rose inside so we could enjoy it.

Right now snow is falling outside. It's unusual to have snow accumulation in Virginia in October, but the forecast is for 4 to 6 inches by tomorrow afternoon.

A Young Red Tree

A Maple, East of Woodstock, VA

A Home-built Tractor

We stopped at a Christmas tree farm on the Fall Farm Tour in Warren County. The owner had built a tractor which was an object of fascination for visitors.

View the video and hear it run. [If it doesn't show up on your ipad, that's a known issue and I'm looking for a solution. Sorry.]

General Store in Browntown

Rudacille's General Merchandise

Browntown is a community along Gooney Creek in Warren County, Virginia. According to a page about Browntown's history, this store was built in 1885.

A Couple of Farm Photos

Last month we took advantage of Warren County's Farm Tour Day and visited a few farms south of Front Royal. It was a chance to see some places we hadn't been before.

Of course, we drive past farms all the time, and I've visited Gail Rose's farm many times. When I was growing up, my farm experience was pretty much limited to my Uncle Hiram's farm in Michigan. Coincidentally, his last name was Rose too. He wasn't a big-time farmer though, more of what is now called a hobby farmer.

By the way, I've now passed the 100-post mark for the tag "Farms."

See also: Visit to the deer farm (2006).

A Fine Pair of Draft Horses

These gentle giants work at Liberty Farm in Bentonville (south of Front Royal). Owner Mark Wastler uses them to plow fields. He combines old-fashioned farming methods with science to produce healthy foods while protecting the environment.

Link: Liberty Farm, Virginia

Autumn Along Fort Valley Road

Passage Creek

I enjoy visiting Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area in the fall. It's in the National Forest and a rocky little river burbles through the valley lined with colorful trees.

Fort Valley lies within the Massanutten mountain range, which in turn divides the Shenandoah Valley between Strasburg and Harrisonburg. Fort Valley is easily missed, but not hard to find if you know where to turn. The main entrance is next to Panorama Memorial Gardens on Route 55 (Strasburg Road).

See also: Autumn Impression, Passage Creek

The View from Denny's

Strasburg, VA

This is the view from Denny's parking lot in Strasburg. Unfortunately the restaurant does not take advantage of the view; you have to go outside to see it.

In the vertical picture we are looking south toward Signal Knob, a landmark on the north end of the Massanutten Range.  The other photo is slightly to the left of the first and looks over a new subdivision. In the far distance is the Blue Ridge.

See all posts about Strasburg

A Mailbox in October

Looking Up

I took this picture by pointing the camera up through the sunroof of our car.

The Artist's Clothesline

At Margot Bergman's Farm Studio, New Market

Some of these cloths had hopeful ideals depicted on them such as "love" and peace symbols. This display reminded me of the prayer flags that Marie photographed in Tibet and Bhutan.

A Llama Comes to the Library

On Saturday our library in Basye had a children's program on llamas. Volunteer Mona Wolf led the event and even arranged for a real llama to come up from Edinburg Gap Llamas. 

Start the short video for a look at the fun!

Marie on Television

My daughter Marie appeared on Independent Lens on PBS. She was shown working as an editor for the Kuwaiti comic which was the subject of the show. The program about The 99 is online through 10/20/2011.

Marie is currently traveling overseas. See Marie's World Tour site and share her adventures. She has some fascinating photos!

Rural Landscapes

I took these photographs a month ago along Senedo Road near Timberville.

The Mill in Millwood

This is the final weekend for the art show at the Burwell Morgan Mill in Millwood, VA. We went today and were impressed by the quality of the artwork. We also attended the show there in May.

A state historical marker tells a brief history of the old mill.

This grist mill, built in 1782-85 by General Daniel Morgan of Saratoga and Colonel Nathaniel Burwell of Carter Hall, was in continuous operation until 1943. Now owned by the Clarke County Historical Association.

Link: Clarke Co. Historical Assn.

Squirrel on a Wet Deck

Rainy weather did not keep this squirrel from visiting our deck. She helps herself to bird food and is not bothered by the dogs barking or by me taking pictures from the door.

Fluffy Owl

I bought this owl ornament last week in Winchester. I posed him on the roof of a bird feeder looking over our yard. The bright red leaves belong to a dogwood tree.

Remembering Massive Resistance

It felt odd seeing that an event from my childhood is now considered history. This historical marker in Front Royal deals with "Massive Resistance" to school integration.

Warren County High School, a Public Works Administrative project, was constructed in 1940. In 1958, the local NAACP chapter, lead by James W. Kilby, won a federal suit against the Warren County School Board to admit African Americans for the first time, in response, Gov. Jame Lindsay Almond Jr. ordered it closed in Sept. 1958, the first school in Virginia shut down under the state's Massive Resistance strategy. Following the 1959 Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruling that Massive Resistance was unconstitutional, a U.S. Circuit Court ordered it reopened. On 18 Feb. 1959, 23 African American students walked up this hill and integrated the school.

The marker was dedicated in June 2011. See the HMDB listing for this Warren County sign. You might also want to read the marker about massive resistance in Prince Edward County.

Former Warren Co. High School

I remember that my parents were shocked by the idea that Virginia would close it's public schools rather than integrate them. My dad went to meetings to support keeping the schools open. Our schools in Fairfax County did not close and were integrated peacefully although at a slow pace.

Fall Color Report

The leaves are turning earlier this year! Here it is Columbus Day and already the Virginia mountains are bright with fall colors.

I took these photos today in our driveway.

Animals at the Luray Zoo Animals, Luray Zoo

    

The Luray Zoo is primarily a rescue zoo. I can remember when it was mostly a reptile zoo with some goats for good measure, but that was years ago. They still have a large collection of reptiles in a dark creepy room that you pass through if you want to see the other animals.

Recently we went there on a day when it rained off and on. There was a slight drizzle while we were there but we were still able to enjoy our visit.

The zoo is located on U.S. 211 on the west side of Luray.

Zoo Signs and Graphics

Luray Zoo, Page County, VA

Cloudy View from Woodstock

Edinburg Gap Viewed from Hoover Road, Woodstock

I took a picture of this view last year but it didn't have low clouds in front of the Massanutten Mountains.