Update At the Vet’s and in Edinburg

Here's Charlie as he waited to see the veterinarian today. He was a good boy, and you couldn't tell that his tummy was bothering him, but he didn't eat yesterday except for chewing on grass, and he had other signs of digestive issues. Dr. Jim examined him. Tests indicated bad bacteria, so we got prescription medication.

We also stopped by the condo. Lynn brought her friend Barb to help her replace the bathroom vanity. Lynn has already replaced most of the lighting fixtures. As with many home improvement projects, we found that there was more to be done than we expected.

Lynn is my older daughter, and she learned DIY skills from working on her own house. She must’ve got the talent from her dad, or perhaps from my dad and it skipped a generation because I can barely replace a light bulb!

The last picture shows the turn on the way to the condo. It’s so easy to miss that I took a picture of it. It’s at the town limits and across from Cook’s Trailer Sales.

Getting Ducks in a Row

My older daughter has been replacing fixtures in my vacant condo. On Monday, she asked for some measurements because she was going shopping for additional items at Habitat’s Restore and Mercy House Building Supply Store. They both carry used home improvement items, and also brand new overstock items.

I put Charlie in the car to head for the condo, but first we stopped at the county landfill to drop off recycling, including a defective battery from a drill. (Did you know that lithium batteries have caused house fires? And you’re not supposed to put them in regular trash because they can explode in the garbage truck!)

After we did that and took a few measurements at the condo, I headed for nearby Edinburg Mill. There is a picnic table near Stony Creek where I could sit with Charlie for a little while. Ducks who were on the shore hurried into the water when they saw Charlie, except for a single brave one.

After sitting a while and taking a short stroll, I put Charlie in the car and walked closer to the creek to take a few pictures. The ducks are not afraid of people, but they don’t trust dogs.

There were some cute little ducklings. My cell phone pictures were not as sharp as I’d like, a problem that I’ve noticed around bodies of water before. Here’s an explanation from Bing:

“Cameras often struggle to focus on water because water surfaces create reflections, low contrast, and refracted images that confuse the autofocus system, making it hard to determine the true subject to focus on.”

Rose of Sharon and Daylily

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

Bringing Fire Back to the Mountains

George Washington National Forest

This sign is across the parking lot from the Lion’s Tale Trail. It explains about intentional fires conducted by the Forest Service.

"Fire has been an essential natural process in Appalachian oak and pine forests for thousands of years. Lightning caused some fires, and Native Americans intentionally set fires. Fires opened the forest understory, which increased plant diversity, improved browse for wildlife and made traveling easier. Early European settlers continued to use fire as a tool to shape their surroundings. 

Teams of skilled fire experts are using controlled burns to safely reintroduce fire to these forests. Burns take place only when the weather conditions are best to control smoke, manage fire behavior, and ensure the safety of the fire team, nearby residents, and private property."

Nearby I saw scorched trees that are recovering from a fire in late 2024 that burned a significant portion of this forest in the Massanutten mountains. It was a wildfire, not a controlled burn, but fortunately firefighters were able to keep it away from homes and businesses, although some of them suffered smoke damage. The forest is already recovering.

A short drive away, I pulled over to admire a pretty creek that  passes through the forest.

More Changes in Mt. Jackson

Yesterday Charlie told you about going to the new dog park in Mount Jackson. There’s a LOVE sign there, which is actually how I learned about the park, when an artist posted that she painted the letters on the sign at the dog park.

Mosaics  / Murals

There are pictures of cute dogs on the letters.

Also, the old mill in Mount Jackson has finally been renovated. A mural now decorates the side that faces Mill Creek.

We returned to the dog park today so that we could share it with Sadie.

Belgravia Road.

Heading Toward Normal

It was a fairly busy week, with a visit to the dermatologist, several afternoons at the condo where Lynn is replacing old lighting fixtures, and a few local expeditions with Charlie. I still can't walk very far without aching, but it’s getting better by the day. I've been having prescriptions and groceries delivered with a trial membership to Walmart+. That's a big help when you have back pain.

Charlie is going to tell you about our expedition yesterday, but first here is a picture of him that I edited using a filter called Technical in the BeCasso app.

Hello world from Charlie!

Here I am on the way to a new dog park in Mount Jackson. We had to wait for the rain to stop before we went. There was a lot of rain this week.

The dog park is grassy, and there is a water fountain. I met a little dog named Ponzi and his people. I showed Ponzi how to run fast.

Today we saw Lynn and her friend Barb and we walked in Edinburg Park, but it started raining. Mom drove back to the state park and talked to the ranger, but we didn’t stay because the rain was coming that way and the river was high at the bridge.

I hope we start having adventures every day like we used to. It is more fun to go to parks than it is to stay home or go to the vet.

Overlooking

Shenandoah National Park

These are pictures from last month that I took along Skyline Drive. The first one is converted to monochrome for the Black and White Weekend linkup.

Mountain laurel was blooming. I’m very fortunate to live near this national park. I can be there in about 40 minutes. It’s one of my favorite places

Evening Clouds with Branches

“Most floods are caused by man, not weather; deforestation, levee construction, erosion, and overgrazing all result in the loss of ecosystem services.”
—Paul Hawken

Emergence at Dawn

 Once again, I find myself without new bird pictures for Wild Bird Wednesday. I don’t fill the bird feeders in the summer, especially since there’s a threat of bird flu. Also, I haven’t been on very many outings because I’m still healing from my fall, although I am definitely improving.

So today, I’m sharing a piece of art that I bid on and won in an auction. I wasn’t expecting to win and was rather surprised by how much it cost to have it shipped to me, but that’s okay because it’s beautiful.

The artist is Amelia Music, a biology major attending Valdosta State University in Georgia. She drew this great blue heron with oil pastels.

This is not the only picture I have of great blue herons. I also have a large painting of two herons ((below). It’s hanging in my living room and I put the new one in the guest room. I now have more pictures than I have space to hang them so I really need to stop buying them.

I’ve noticed before that I have a weakness for pictures with orange in them. 

Evening Primrose, Squash Blossoms

Yellow Blossoms in my Yard

Garden Affair / Mosaic / Wordless

Dreams of Luray

I noticed this pretty new mural in Luray and stopped to get a picture of it. It’s on E. Main St. and shows some of the nearby attractions, including Luray Caverns and the “Singing Tower.” This is signed by the artist G. M. Grant.

I believe this replaces a previous mural which was peeling and fading.

Sharing with Monday Murals.

Skyline Wedding

Yesterday in Shenandoah National Park

It’s not unusual for people to get married along Skyline Drive. After all, it’s a beautiful location. A permit is not required for a really small group with no equipment.

This was at Jewell Hollow Overlook, one of my favorite spots for views. I also stopped to take pictures at Thorofare Mountain Overlook because the daylilies caught my eye. 

Pinnacles Overlook is another “must see” along the middle section of the park. I got out of the car to get close to a tiger swallowtail butterfly. It’s the first one I’ve photographed this summer.

By the way, the park is no longer accepting cash at the entrance gates. If you do not want to pay by credit card, you can purchase a pass at certain visitor centers and stores outside the park.

Tired Dog Journal

Hi, it's Charlie the reporter beagle. i'm going to tell you a little about my week, but this will be short because I'm tired.

Mom told you yesterday about our visit to Seven Bends State Park. We saw these deer in the road.

It was hot and Mom wanted to sit in the shade after a short walk. I decided to hide behind a post.

LOL, that was funny! She must have wondered where I went.

Today we went for a long ride and Miss Deborah sat with me. She even took me for a walk at a boat ramp.

There was a dog in the river with his people, but I did not want to go in the water. 

Now Mom says her eyes are tired so we’re going to get ready for bed.