Ordinary in Sperryville

An "ordinary" was a term used for an inn or tavern. Hopkins Ordinary dates from around 1820 with the wood frame portion added in the mid-1800s.

Sharing with Tuesday's Treasures and Our World Tuesday

Memorial Day Random-osity

The Good, the Random, and the Fun

The Good: Memorial Day reminds us to appreciate those who lost their lives while defending our country. This grand display of flags and crosses was made by the Long family of Strasburg. They started doing this 9 years ago for Memorial Day weekend and every year they add more flags.

The Random: After I took the above pictures at Red Bud Road, I stopped at Hupp's Hill and walked around with Flash. Here we see the park entrance, which is across Route 11 from City Bank. Note the motorcycle passing by. I've seen (and heard) many cycles this weekend because of the Rolling Thunder Run to Washington, DC. It's become a huge Memorial Day event. 

The Fun: This bright van decorated like a flag made me smile. I'm not sure it's proper as far as flag etiquette, but it is colorful and fun to view.

Also sharing with Seasons and Through My Lens

Abolitionist Heroes

This mural is within sight of the one I shared last week showing Civil War officers. Was this painted as a response to the other one? I'd like to know but I don't even know who painted either of them.

This certainly appears to depict Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. On the side wall we see a woman in profile. My guess is that she is Rebecca Wright of Winchester, Virginia.

I photographed these from the parking lot behind Jim Barb Realty in Berryville.

Sharing with Monday Murals

Sperryville Sunday

This cute church is in Sperryville, Virginia. It is no longer used as a church though. When I was there it had been turned into a yoga studio.

Speaking of Sperryville,  River District Arts is closing. The building is for sale and the art studios must leave. I went by there today, for tomorrow (May 30) is the last day they are open to the public. I hope they are able to find another location.

Mayor of the Pole

Sharing with Black and White Weekend and Camera Critters

Who's Been Perching in My Yard?

Sharing with The Bird D'Pot and Saturday's Critters

Into the Backcountry, Compton Gap

This trail in Shenandoah National Park is a fire road, providing access to firefighters if necessary and also serving as something of a firebreak.

The first rule on the Backcountry sign is "Pets must be on a leash at all times." Flash is obediently wearing his leash.

Sharing with Sepia Saturday

Cat on Outside Stairs

I spotted this cat while on a garden tour. I played with color and filters in Photoshop, finishing with "Oil Paint" to add a painterly texture.

Sharing with Feline Art Friday

and Orange You Glad It's Friday

Rain Over the Valley

It can be interesting watching the weather change from up on Skyline Drive. Here a rain storm is moving over the Shenandoah Valley, coming from the west. 

Rain on the Windshield 

After driving back to the Valley, I looked back toward where I'd been and saw a layer of clouds resting on the Blue Ridge.

Sharing with Skywatch Friday and Scenic Weekends

and My Town Shoot Out: Rain

Hupp Cave

Across from the Civil War Museum/Tourist Information Center in Strasburg is a trail that interprets both the Karst topography of the area and the Civil War history on Hupp's Hill. The trail dips into a sinkhole that has a cave entrance! 

Sharing with Good Fences and Signs, Signs

Caves in Virginia are protected by state law. This sign is muddy from all the rain we've had but it stresses that it is illegal to destroy or deface cave formations.

The upper sign is one of a series of interpretive signs along the trail. This one has diagrams of the geology and a map of the cave. The limestone and shale here are part of the "Edinburg formation."

Near the museum in this park was Crystal Caverns, a commercial cave that closed in 2010. 

The trail is not long but it does have steps. Flash was able to navigate it with me.

Geese with Two Goslings

Often we see geese with five or six babies but this family only has two. Mom and Dad seem proud though, and auntie stays nearby to help protect the little ones.

I hope your week is going swimmingly!

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

and Water World Wednesday and Wednesday Waters

Large Tree, Leesburg

Sharing with Black and White Wednesday,
Wordless Wednesday, Monochrome Wednesday and NF Trees and Bushes

Lynn with White Kittens, 1991

Sharing with Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

George C. Marshall's House, Leesburg

Do you know who George C. Marshall was? His name was still a household word when I was a child, but many years have passed since then. Does The Marshall Plan ring a bell? It was the European Recovery Program after World War II.

His home in Virginia is preserved as a monument to him and as a fully furnished residence of that time.

Sharing with Tuesday's Treasures
and Our World Tuesday

Local Random-osity, May 2016

The Good, The Random, and The Fun

The Good: Flash seems to have recovered from his surgery two weeks ago. This is the first photo I've taken with his mouth open since he had a tooth extracted. He hasn't been smiling much; I think his mouth was sore.

The Random: Here's a nice red barn for this week's Barn Collective. This is in Waterlick, VA.

The Fun: I enjoy watching bird parents as they take care of their babies. 

Sorry about the blur! The bird flew out of their so fast I was lucky to get a shot at all.

Sharing with The Bird D'Pot and Seasons and Camera Critters

Civil War Mural in Berryville

I almost didn't see this mural because it's a distance back from the street facing a parking lot. Lee and Jackson are unmistakable, and we have a token Yankee on the left. He must be Phil Sheridan, for the artist appears to have painted flames in front of him to represent the "burning" of the Shenandoah Valley's crops (1864). I deduced that the fellow between Lee and Jackson must be Mosby because he conducted a famous wagon train raid on the outskirts of Berryville. Sure enough, I found a photo that shows Mosby from this angle.

I love it when I find something that combines my interests, like folk art and history! This can be seen from Crow Street near the Camino Real Restaurant.

Sharing with Monday Murals

Shadow of Alliums

Sharing with Shadow Shot Sunday

Inspired Berryville

There are a number of churches in Berryville, some of them quite historic. This is a newer one and it's on Main Street. It is the Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church.

Check out InSpired Sunday to see more examples of inspirational architecture and cemeteries.

Berryville is not named after berries (as I once assumed) but after a man named Benjamin Berry, who lived from around 1720 to 1810.

"Benjamin Berry, son of Henry Berry of King George County, settled in what is now Clarke County prior to the Revolution, and in 1798, he procured the formal establishment of the town of Berryville, the town having been platted by him, and consisting of a portion (twenty acres) of a larger tract of land owned by him and his daughter, Sarah Stribling. He and she are buried in the northeast section of the yard of Grace Episcopal Church."