Friday Five for End of July

1. Trout Pond Recreation Area is in West Virginia, just across Great North Mountain from us. Doesn't the pond look smooth? 

2. Summer woods: The Doris Agnew Lake Trail at Trout Pond.

I like walking and my doctor advised me to walk at least half an hour a day. I was doing it fairly regularly until two weeks ago when foot pain made it impossible. There is a swollen area right over the arch on my right foot and the podiatrist diagnosed a bursa over arthritis. He gave me a (painful) cortisone shot and the swelling went down enough that I can feel a hard bump like a bone spur. I can only be on my feet for a few minutes before it starts hurting. I have to put up my foot and soothe it with a cold pack. It's frustrating because I want to enjoy nature by getting out in the beautiful parks and forests around here. Also I have errands to do that are now too painful.

3. I saw this sculpture on a garden tour in the spring. I like the way it echoes the form of the tree. 

4. Here's another scene from the garden tour. It reminds me of the poem "Patterns" so I added a verse using Photoshop. I remembered this verse from reading it for a class many years ago.

5. Frank still owns a house in Dale City. The tenant who has been there for eight years is buying a home so now he needs to find a new renter, but first he'll have to get the inside painted and fixed up.