Three Pictures with Lights

An Unintentional Theme

It was foggy outside when I walked the dog before sunrise. Street lights were still on.

I had a follow up appointment with the oral surgeon in the early afternoon. Their office was designed with a contemporary look, and I took a picture of the round lighting fixture in the reception area.

I was disappointed that a dental x-ray showed that not enough bone has filled in around the area where an upper tooth was extracted. This means I’ll need a bone graft when I get the implant, so that’s going to cost a small fortune. I’ve already exceeded the limit of what my dental insurance will pay for the year. I’ve always taken care of my teeth, but it hasn’t paid off, at least budget-wise.

While I was in Winchester, I went to a dollar store and a grocery store. On my way home, I stopped in Strasburg to take a few pictures. When I saw a man in colorful clothing walking a bike, I waited until he was across from me to take a photo. I think my fellow photobloggers will understand about looking for pictures to take.

Good Rain and Sunshine

This week finally brought us a nice soaking rain. It was an on and off drizzle on Tuesday, and then a good steady rain yesterday. Today was a beautiful day, although technically we are still in a drought because summer was so dry.

 Skywatch and more from this afternoon:

Charlie watched for friends to come to the dog park. Happily, his friend Ryleigh showed up. After he got tired, I drove us to Edinburg to try to fix the disposal in my condo, which is vacant and up for rent. 

We crossed Stony Creek. The water level looked normal.

I did it! I fixed the disposal, saving myself a few hundred dollars. Basically I used a mop handle to check that the basket was clear and then used my phone camera to locate the reset button underneath.

Edinburg’s annual festival is this weekend and vendors are already getting set up.

After I took Charlie home, I went back out to pick up groceries that I had ordered online. That way I didn’t have to leave him alone very long. He still does not like staying by himself, but he did well this time.

Virginia's Tallest Bird

The Great Blue Heron

I saw it standing behind some bushes and waited. The heron was waiting for a fish to appear. 

Great blue herons also eat frogs and small animals. They are graceful when they stand, but sometimes look gangly when they take off. I love seeing them.

Wild Bird Wednesday

What is “Bits of Moon?”

Vintage and Collectibles, Near Edinburg

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday 

Swimming on the Ceiling

Last year when I sought out the Fairfax Stone, I made a stop in Thomas, West Virginia. I went into a gallery that had an incredible ceiling mural, but I did not get around to posting pictures for you until now.

Mosaic Monday / Murals 

The entire shop is artfully decorated. West Virginia is full of surprises.

Where McCormick Invented the Reaper

Raphine, VA

I visited Lynn two weeks ago and we drove to Raphine to eat lunch at the truck stop, which has greatly modernized and expanded since the last time I was there. It has a food court and a small department store, among other things. I stopped briefly at nearby McCormicks Farm. I’ve been there before, and posted photos back in 2011.

It was here that Cyrus McCormick first built his successful version of the reaper. Actually, his father had been working on it for 28 years before Cyrus took over and built a marketable version, with the assistance of Jo Anderson, an enslaved man. 

Sunday Best

In 1847, Cyrus and his brother moved to Chicago to establish a factory. He had realized that farmers in midwestern and western states were highly interested in his reaper because they had vast spreads of flat land, which is better suited for growing wheat than the rocky hills of Virginia.

Charlie’s Report on Good Things and Scary Things

I guess Mom told you that Peggy came to visit us. I had not met her before, but we made friends. She has a dog who did not come with her. She stayed for three nights and sat next to me on the way to the dog park. I always feel better when someone is next to me in the car. The car makes scary noises and moves. Also, she kept me company when my mom was out of the room. Sometimes I get worried when no one is with me.

Today Mom took me to the park in Edinburg. 

We saw a cat. It looked like a nice cat, but it would not come close enough for me to sniff it.

Caturday Art / Saturday Critters

Oh, there is something I should warn you about. One of the stores has added some scary things. We were just walking through and these big things started making loud noises. It made me jump.

I have been getting braver, but it seems like there are a lot of scary things around. So be careful and have a safe week.

I took Peggy to our State Park

Seven Bends State Park

My sister had not seen our local state park since it was developed. I had driven her down to the entrance some years ago, before the park was officially opened. She likes natural areas as much as I do, so we went there on Wednesday.

The first photo shows the ramp/stairway for taking a canoe down to the river. This is the North Fork of the Shenandoah.

We visited both the Hollingsworth Road side of the park and the Lupton side, where we had a picnic and posed at the LOVE sign.

Skyline Views with Peggy

Shenandoah National Park

When my sister arrived on Monday afternoon, she said she wanted to go to the mountains. So we went the next day. We’ve been going there all our lives, but she’s been living in Pittsburgh and before that in Kentucky, so she hasn’t been to the Blue Ridge mountains for a while.

We entered at Swift Run Gap and drove north to Thornton Gap. It was a beautiful day, with clear blue skies.

 

Asters for Floral Friday

We stopped at a number of overlooks and toured the visitors center at Big Meadows.

Stony Man Overlook

Mounted Hawk

Edinburg, VA

This is displayed in the National Forest Service office. I believe it is a red tailed hawk. I have previously posted photos of live ones, but this example looks faded, or perhaps that’s from the fluorescent lighting.

When I searched my image folder for Hawks, the only one that came up that I have not previously shown was one pictured on a sign in Shenandoah National Park. (Bottom row.)

 

Peggy Came to Visit

And we met Lynn for Lunch.

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

Mural Over a Cafe

Charlottesville 

Monday Murals

The other Wegmans stores that I shopped in have a mural on the back wall behind the model railroad. This one has a mural in the front of the store. 

Does this picture depict one of their original stores? I don’t know. It isn’t one of their big modern supermarkets.

September Sunday Collages

Let's start with a couple of photos of the Shenandoah River on a mosaic background.

Summer is ending soon, so I’ll share some flowers while they’re still blooming.

 

Mosaics / Floral Linkup

Dogs, Cows, Cat

A Report from Charlie

Hi! I had fun at the dog park because another dog was there. He liked to run, so we raced around! 

Then he had to leave, but before I even had a chance to miss him, Sadie showed up. Miss Deborah threw a ball and we chased it. Then we rested on the bench.

On another day, Mom drove past a farm. Do you like farms? This one had cows.

At the top of the hill, there was a view.

I saw some other friends this week. Today I saw Chuck, a friendly white dog. I get so excited when I see him, so Mom doesn’t have a chance to take a picture. She said I’m going to make her fall down if I keep running in circles.

I saw Tripod a couple times this week. I was beginning to wonder about him because he didn’t come out much during the really hot weather. I was glad to see him again.

Sharing with Caturday and Saturday Critters