Looking Back on November

Here we are at the very end of November and there are so many pictures I haven't shown you! Well, it's Willy Nilly Friday so I'm doing a post of random shots, only this time they are in pairs by location.

1. Dickey Ridge, Shenandoah National Park. I drive up there often because it's only 5 miles from the grocery store in Front Royal that has a salad bar. I get my lunch and take it up to the park to eat while drinking in the view.

Sharing with Skywatch Friday and 

 Black and White Weekend.

2. When we visited Orkney Springs, I found flowers scattered about, apparently from some sort of celebration.

Floral Friday.

3. It's been 30 days since we visited Capon Springs and I didn't get around to showing the pictures. It really deserves it's own post but just in case I don't get to it, here is a shot of the pond in autumn. Charming place, and it is just across the mountain in West Virginia! 

Weekend Reflection, Orange You Glad, and Signs, Signs.

4. I took so many photos of the ginkgo grove at Blandy that I didn't have time to pick out the best and post them. The leaves turn yellow every autumn but then fall, covering the ground in a golden carpet.

See the grove in 2015.

Frank took the picture of me. I was feeling pretty good then but now I'm down with a bad cold. I hope I'm better on Sunday because the weather is supposed to warm up and I want to get outside.

Have a good weekend!

Today in Eastham Park

Front Royal, Virginia

I had lunch in Eastham Park today. Or perhaps I should call it breakfast. I had just had lab work done at the nearby hospital which had required fasting. It was delayed a little bit because my requisition form was a replacement one and lacked a signature from the doctor. Fortunately they reached his office by phone and faxes went back and forth. By the time I left there, it was noon and I was hungry for the Spirutein shake that I had brought in a cooler.

After I wolfed down the shake, I took a few pictures, including a couple with fences for Gosia's linkup.  

Birds Viewed in my Front Yard.

A sudden rain storm came through Monday afternoon. After it passed, I looked out and saw a rainbow. I grabbed my camera and went out on the front porch. I took a couple of pictures and then heard the honking of geese. I zoomed in a little and look at them! They flew into the right spot and I got a photo!

The rest of today's post shows common birds in my yard, starting with a mourning dove.

The cardinal and sparrow were attracted by bird seed. I've only filled the front yard feeder so far because I know bears walk through our back yard and they may not be hibernating yet. A bear does not just rob a feeder, it pulls it down and rolls on it! Then he makes a mental note to come back often.

I look forward to putting up my back yard feeders soon. Temperatures were only slightly above freezing today so if I were a bear, I'd be curling up in a den to keep warm!

I took the second cardinal photo today using a different camera but he's in the same spot as before.

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday, Through My Lens, and Not So Wordless Wednesday.

Happy Creek and the Blue Ridge Heritage Monument

Front Royal, Virginia

This chimney-style monument was dedicated in October, 2018 to honor the Warren County families who were displaced by the creation of Shenandoah National Park. This is along Happy Creek beside a walking trail near the Criser Road bridge.

There are similar monuments in several other counties where the park was built. I have previously posted pictures of the ones in Elkton and Sperryville.

Many of the Blue Ridge Mountain residents did not want to leave their land for the sake of the new park, but they were basically evicted in the 1930's, although they were paid for their property. Some elderly people were allowed to remain to live out their lives.

Surnames on the plaque include some that I recognize from local place names: Compton, Corbin, Cullers, Fox, Hickerson, Lewis, Mathews, Miller, Overall, and Thompson.

Links: Tuesday Treasures.

Park Service Article on The Displaced.

Random and Enjoyable

Random-osity

The Good: I love the colors of autumn! This collage is made up of pictures are from earlier this month.

Mosaic Monday

The Random: This wrap-around mural is in Harrisonburg. The public can enjoy seeing it at the Community Place at Route 11 and Johnson Street.

Monday Murals

The Fun: I love getting together with my daughters! They are both grown and lead busy lives. Here I am with Marie just before I took her to the airport.

Lutheran Church Near Basye

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church is on Orkney Grade Road between Basye and Orkney Springs in Shenandoah County.

These towns are surrounded by forests and farms. (I took these photos on November 1.)

Sharing with InSpired Sunday

and The Barn Collective.

Haitian Artwork and Some Critters

 My younger daughter was only here for a few days but it was delightful to see her. Here she is showing a sequined fabric art piece that she purchased in Haiti.

This morning I took Marie to the new shoe store in Front Royal and then to Dulles Airport, stopping for lunch in Chantilly. It took me a while to get home due to hard rain and a couple of accidents along I-66. It took her even longer because her first flight was late so she could not make the connecting flight. She is still in the air now on a replacement flight to California.

The rest of today's post is devoted to some critters I saw along Skyline Drive on Monday. The bear was not very big but he quickly moved out of camera range. Even though I had my camera handy, he had scampered out of the road and into the brush by the time I got the car stopped.

 The picnic area at Dickey Ridge was still open so I ate my lunch there. I stayed in the car because it was cold, except for getting out to move a couple of branches out of the road and then take a picture of the bear warning sign. (Do not run! Make noise.)

I also saw some deer along the Drive.

Lynn's Birthday, plus some Scenic Shots.

It's Willy Nilly Friday!
 

1. Today was Lynn's birthday. Marie and I met her in New Market for lunch to celebrate.

2. This black and white shot is from a week ago when we had a little snow on the ground. There's a chance of sleet and freezing rain tomorrow, which I hope does not happen.

3. The interesting sky caught my eye at a traffic light one evening last week.

4. I'm still posting autumn shots and will probably do so for another week. Here's a tired looking dog returning to the car after a long walk.

Orange You Glad It's Friday?

5. A building lot is for sale near us that has a nice view, shown below.

Weekend Reflections

A Last Minute Post

It's almost midnight. We just got back from picking up Marie at the airport. Earlier we had Thanksgiving dinner with Allison and Dave at Cracker Barrel. I hope you had a good day.
 

Thought I'd share this picture taken near Middletown and link up with Fences Around the World.

Ducks, Cardinals, Turkeys

Most of these pictures are from the snowy days we had last week. Ducks don't mind wet weather, even when it's cold.

Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal came out the next day to gobble some bird seed.

Sharing with Seasons and Wild Bird Wednesday. 

The last image is from a warmer season. I'm posting it now because tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in the US. I won't be eating turkey because I have a mild allergy to it. Whatever you happen to be doing tomorrow, I hope you enjoy it!

Mount Bleak Farm

Sky Meadows State Park

Sharing with Tuesday Treasures,

Through My Lens,

The Barn Collective, and

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday.

(Photographed Nov. 2, 2018,
Near Paris, Virginia.)

Read the Civil War Marker at HMDB.