Summer’s End

Summer is officially over. I hate to see it go. I didn’t take a vacation because it’s just too difficult and not enjoyable when I have to deal with back pain and other health issues. But I did get outdoors to enjoy the flowers and signs of summer.

These pictures are left over from August.

“Summer's end's around the bend just flying
The swimming suits are on the line just drying
I'll meet you there per our conversation
I hope I didn't ruin your vacation...” 🎵 

“Come on home, Come on home.
No you don't have to be alone,
Just come on home.”

(© John Prine and Pat McLaughlin)

Repeated Birds

 I saw those birds on a wire on a foggy morning. Most of them are facing the same direction.

The other day, I discovered that I can crop pictures in the Photos app to a uniform size by tapping the crop button twice and selecting the dimensions I want.

The birdfeeder camera is still getting pictures of hummingbirds. I haven’t put any seed in the feeder yet, but I do have a small hummingbird feeder there. These little birds will be heading south soon.

To make up for not having any close-ups of other birds, here’s a collage of pairs that I have shared previously.

By the North Fork, September

Two Weeks Ago

Last Week

Mosaics / Wordless

Red Fox Mural

This fox must be shy because it’s hiding behind some chairs. The mural takes up an entire wall in a children’s waiting room in the rehab and physical therapy facility.

For murals around the world, visit Monday Murals. 

Shadows and Flowers

Isn’t it nice when a restaurant has fresh flowers on the tables? I took these pictures at Spelunkers in Front Royal.

Shadow Shot Sunday / Garden Affair

And here’s a little display on the windowsill.
 

Birdcam Photos and a Report from Charlie

My Birdfy camera is built into a bird feeder and it takes pictures when it detects motion. I removed the seed for the summer and placed a small hummingbird feeder in the tray. I’ve been pleased when it captures images like these.

I’ve had to scroll through hundreds of captures because it also takes pictures when the wind blows foliage back-and-forth. No doubt I’ve missed seeing some good pictures. But I’m glad I kept scrolling and saw this surprise visitor.

The deer came through at 6:55 in the morning. I lightened the images and cropped them and also tried to sharpen them, but without much success because there was a light rain coming down and the lens was damp.

Now, a Brief Report from the Beagle.

Hi, I’m Charlie. I’ll tell you a little about what I did this week. Mom took me to the town park in Edinburg and also to the State Park. We always cross the river to go to Seven Bends State Park.

I like going to different parks so I can smell interesting things, like places where animals have walked. We also went to the dog park in Mount Jackson. Oh, one day I stayed at Sadie‘s house while Mom went somewhere. And another time we went there for a short visit to see Allison. Here’s Sadie, and then there’s a picture of me after we played and calmed down. 

One day I stayed at daycare. This barn is across the street. It was very foggy that. morning but it got sunny later on.

Yesterday Lynn came and she stayed with me while Mom went to get a vaccination. Today Mom was tired so we stayed home except for going for walks and sitting in the yard.

I hope we get to go on adventures tomorrow. I’d better rest up.

Glass Door with Reflection

New Market, VA

Thrift Store on a Corner

"We Except Donations"

Overhang

Hospital Entrance

On Monday, I was there for a lab test. I also went to a different part of the complex for a physical therapy evaluation. Earlier this year, I had physical therapy at a different place, but eventually I got the feeling that it wasn’t helping and was actually increasing my pain. This time we will be focusing on easing the stiffness in my lower back and hopefully also improving my balance.

Getting old is hard work.

Seen from Lupton Road on Sunday

Woodstock, VA

Sunday was the day of a major fundraising event for the Friends Of Seven Bends State Park. I felt guilty that I had not volunteered to help this year, but every position required walking around more than I could handle, plus I’ve been dealing with too much fatigue and dizziness to do a four-hour shift. I’m on the committee that planned the event and I did help with proofreading and publicity.

On the afternoon of the event, I decided to drive by and snap a picture, and maybe walk Charlie in the park for a short distance. I got a picture from the car, and fortunately someone else took better ones that they posted online. I parked in a lot near the river, but only walked Charlie a very short distance because I felt exhausted and unsteady, partly because I had been active the day before. It seems like I just can’t be on the go for more than one day at a time. The good news is that a lab test that I took on Monday showed that my sodium level has come up to low normal, which is certainly better than below normal. (I’ve been taking salt tablets for a week.) 

It was a beautiful day, although it got hot. Charlie always likes sniffing around in the park. The North Fork looked pretty, as usual.

Skywatch / H2O

Great Blue Heron from Red Banks Bridge

Today I was driving Charlie to the dog park in Mount Jackson when I decided to turn left onto the Red Banks Road. Some time ago, I saw a heron from the bridge there, and I thought maybe I would see it again. Sure enough, there it was!

Unfortunately, another driver had turned onto the bridge behind me so I could not pause to take a picture. I had to drive up the road to find a place to turn around and then go back. I was able to park and walk out on the bridge. The heron was still there. 

 I snapped a couple of pictures before he flew off. 

I see there’s a calm area and a line in the foreground. It looks like the top of a dam, but I suspect it’s the remains of an old low-water bridge. The river is the North Fork of the Shenandoah.

The final picture shows the view upriver.

A Flag of Peace

Front Royal

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

Symmetry in Grayscale

It seems like the word for symmetry should be something that is a palindrome. Come to think of it, the word for palindrome should be something that is spelled the same frontwards and backwards. 😆 

Mosaic Monday

Most of these pictures have been shown previously.  

Black and white lends itself to pictures with interesting composition, doesn’t it? 

From Gobblers to Gold Stars

Yesterday I drove to the town of Broadway to a temporary exhibit honoring soldiers lost in recent wars. it was at the high school there, which turned out to be a huge complex.

Murals

The school's athletic teams are called The Gobblers. It's not the most heroic name, but it refers to Rockingham County's status as a major turkey producing county. The mural is not realistic, and I've never seen a turkey in those colors.

I found the exhibit, which was only there through today. It’s the Gold Star Tribute Wall, which is made to be deconstructed and shown around the country. It honors fallen soldiers and their families from the wars in the Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Each gold star has the name of a soldier. It was sad to see. Standing there with the sun in my eyes, I did not notice the background of gravestones. It's just as well. All these people died too young, and in some cases, for no lasting benefit.

A Fairly Short Critter Post

Charlie has already gone to sleep so he won’t be writing a post tonight. I’m ready to fall asleep myself so I’ll make this short.

The first picture shows Charlie as we cross the North Fork. If you look closely, you can see the reflection of his harness in the window.

Next, we see a cat with a special effect from PicsArt.

The hummingbird was moving fast, as they often do. This was an automatic picture taken with a Birdfy camera. 

The final picture shows an ice cream treat that Deborah got Charlie in Edinburg today. She and Frank went with me to finish putting final touches on the condo and then we took a ride. Charlie really enjoyed the ice cream and little dog biscuits.

Enjoy your treats!

September Fishing

North Fork of the Shenandoah

Our mornings have been cool, but the afternoons have been warm, even hot. It’s great weather for being down at the river.

A Field in Shanksville

Flight 93 National Memorial

It’s been three years since I visited this site in Pennsylvania. It’s been 24 years since the 911 attacks. An entire generation has grown up since then. 

I have written about this memorial and about the 911 anniversary before. I keep thinking that this will fade from memory with the passage of time, but traumatic events leave their mark.

When I visited the memorial, I viewed the exhibits but did not listen to the audio recordings. It would’ve been just too much to handle emotionally. I also did not visit the tower in the picture, preferring to see it from a distance.

September Blossoms

Sharing with Garden Affair / Image-in-ing  / Wordless Wednesday