Yesterday’s weather was strange: wintry with icy cold rain in the morning, warming up to springlike temperatures in the afternoon. It was my “day off” from Charlie because I had a reservation for him to stay in day boarding. After I picked up a few groceries, I went off to enjoy the afternoon.
I drove to Strasburg, dropped off donations at the thrift store, and headed to Shenandoah River State Park. It stays open when our local park cannot be reached due to flooded roads, as well as when Shenandoah National Park has to close Skyline Drive due to snow and downed trees. (The mountain tops get hit hard by winter winds and cold temperatures.)
Here we see the visitors center reflected in a water feature.
I stopped at Cullers Overlook. A pair of chromatic binoculars are mounted on a stand. These not only bring in distant details, but they are said to help people with color blindness.
From the overlook, we see the South Fork of the Shenandoah curving around a bend. The Massanutten Range is in the distance.
the first black and white shot is exquisite
ReplyDeleteGreat black and white shot! (I love your last photo, too)
ReplyDeleteAlways like that name, Massanutten. :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful view of the river!
ReplyDeleteTake care, have a happy weekend.
Let’s hope that pristine area is never marred by mining or other resource extraction.
ReplyDeleteIt was marred in the past. In the years before the Civil War, iron ore was extracted and then processed in large stone furnaces. So much charcoal was needed to fuel the furnaces that almost all the trees were cut down on our mountains. In the first of half the 20th century, the river became badly polluted by industry. A Dupont plant in Waynesboro contaminated the South Fork with mercury, and to this day, people are warned not to consume more than a couple of fish from these waters.
DeleteMy favorite (hard to choose) was the vista with the bend in the river. But the last shot is such an excellent still-life also.
ReplyDelete...the water level looks like it has receded.
ReplyDeleteThis is the South Fork, and the North Fork on my side of the mountain is still flooded.
DeleteI think that in a lot of states, the state parks are overlooked, underfunded, gems.
ReplyDeleteLovely shots and interesting to note the chromatic binoculars.
ReplyDeleteAwesome pics
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteLovely photographs Linda.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan