Blind Light

Sometimes an ordinary thing looks so different that I have to snap a picture. 

The curtains were open just a crack and sunlight was coming through the blinds.

Thanksgiving Day is Over

It was certainly nice having my daughters here for Thanksgiving. I’d like to get together with them more often, but Marie lives far away. Lynn lives closer, an hour drive if the traffic isn’t too bad on the interstate.

Marie arrived on Wednesday and left today. She was very helpful, cooking dinner yesterday and walking Charlie.  Here we are just before she left for the airport. She was closer to the phone’s camera because she was holding it.

Non-Turkey Day and a Belated Birthday

Both of my daughters were here for Thanksgiving. We had steak instead of turkey because Lynn does not like turkey and I am allergic to it. Marie baked sweet potatoes, broccoli, and green beans to go with the the meal. 

We also celebrated Lynn‘s birthday, which took place four days ago. On her actual birthday, she did not feel too well but fortunately has pretty much recovered. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

Cardinal Plus Turkeys

The male cardinal finally came to my birdfeeder. Perhaps he caught a glimpse of himself reflected in the camera.

Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the states. The holiday is associated with a feast that features turkey, so here are some turkeys from past posts. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posing as the Pumpkin Queen

Long Ago near Winchester

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

Crescent Moon Mural

 Near Edinburg

Bits of Moon has opened their Christmas shop for the season. I saw this cheery painting around the door.

Their regular shop has a moon painting also. The shop sells vintage items and collectibles, mostly small decorative items. 

Oh, there’s a LOVE sign. It’s a Virginia tradition to make unique signs with the word LOVE.

Link: Monday Murals

A short distance south on Ox Road are some farms, a vineyard, and a church. This farm has a view of Great North Mountain.

Charlie and a Story Trail

Seven Bends State Park

These pictures are from two weeks ago on the Hollingsworth side of the state park. Charlie and I went for a walk along the Shenandoah River. Story Trail signs had been installed, telling a new chapter of the adventures of two dogs at the park.

Sharing with Mosaics / Shadow Shot / Sunday Best

The final shots are from Hollingsworth Road after we left the park.

Critters and the Kris Kringle Market

Today I left Charlie with Deborah and Sadie and went to a holiday market at Belle Grove in Middletown.

The first creature I encountered at the market was the Krampus. 

 

Vendors were set up in tents. Hundreds of people were there. At the rear corner, I saw some cute goats and alpacas.

When I picked Charlie up, I could see he had a good time playing with Sadie

Frida on Friday

The first picture is from a hallway at the Museum of The Shenandoah Valley. I was there to see photographs of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo taken by Nickolas Muray. That exhibit has signs saying no photography allowed. That seemed ironic, but I respected the signs.

The photos are interesting and beautifully done. They are from before my time, and I have only seen a couple of them before. They included pictures of Kahlo’s husband, artist Diego Rivera, and quite a few images of her artwork. 

In the last room, I found typed transcripts of letters exchanged between the artist and the photographer. He was passionately in love with her. Her private life was complicated by pain and heartbreak.

Today’s second image also features lights, but these are very different. Multicolored Christmas lights are reflected in a neighbor’s vehicle. Yes, people are already putting up their Christmas lights. They’re pretty, but I prefer to celebrate Christmas in December.

Seven Bends Skies

The days are so short now. It was almost 4:30 yesterday afternoon when I arrived at Seven Bends State Park with Charlie. I had already dropped off a box of donations at Goodwill, but I'm not sure what else I did to get out of the house so late. I do recall that I checked several items off my list and ordered some groceries.

The water level of the North Fork is fairly low, although we did have some rain the other day.

I took Charlie for a short walk, and then sat on a bench for a few minutes. By 4:45, the sun was already setting.

Hunger Games

The first birdseed I put out this autumn were nyjer seeds, and they attracted house finches. Then I added sunflower seeds, and other birds showed up. They seem to like these seeds a little too much. My Birdfy camera has caught them arguing at the feeder.

Here we see a sweet female cardinal. But she was suddenly startled by something and jumped up backwards! What scared her? It was just a Carolina wren.

The Carolina wren is a cute bird that trills pretty melodies. But apparently it can be aggressive. Here it’s chasing off a junco.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Stay tuned. I’ll let you know if bird battles keep coming

Recently Seen in Our Town

Wordless