Waterford: A Church and Surroundings

Inspired Sunday.
 

The John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church has proudly stood on a hill since 1891.

It primarily served Waterford's African American community until 1968. Since then it has been taken care of, as you can see.

According to a page about the town's churches, there was once another Methodist Church in the town, established by white townspeople, some of whom were former Quakers  expelled from that religion.

I peered in a window but my photo is full of reflections.

Next we see buildings across the street.

Waterford is a charming town in Loudoun County, Virginia. Established around 1733 by Quakers, the town was mostly pro-Union during the Civil War. Much of the town still looks like it did at that time.

The final photo shows a barn that is near the church. These photos are from November. 

Solstice: Ice and Geese

The weather has been cold and a film of ice coats the lake. The geese don't seem to mind.

Another flock of Canada Geese flew in today. I was able to grab my camera and get a few pictures.

They like to stand on the ice, near the edge of open water. I imagine that if a predator appeared, they would quickly find safety in the water.

Sharing with Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather Be Birdin'

A Shadow, A Winter View, and Group Photos.

Willy Nilly Friday

1. Black and White: The final photo explains what we're looking at here. 

2. Skywatch: When Deborah was here, we made a brief trip up to Skyline Drive. It was late on a rainy day and the temperature was dropping back down to freezing, so I decided to head back down to the valley before ice started coating the road. The mountains are noticeably colder than lower elevations, and navigating a windy, icy road in the dark did not not seem advisable.

3.  This image is from two years ago. I used it to experiment with a Photoshop Action that adds a vintage look. 

4. Since gatherings are likely this time of year, I want to remind you to take group photos, even if you feel a little awkward asking folks to pose. They'll appreciate it later!

5. Friday Bliss: This gazebo in Woodstock is the location of the first image.

Fancified Fences

 I haven't gotten into the spirit of the season yet, but I'm working on it.

Fences Around the World.

Woodstock, Winchester, Strasburg.

Photo #3 started out as an evening shot with a yellow cast from the street light. I duplicated the layer in Photoshop,  Stylized with Glowing Edges, and Changed the Layer Blending Mode to one that appealed to me.

Signs of Christmas Everywhere.

Signs, Signs.

Stores, restaurants, and neighborhoods are decked out in colors and lights! This makes the short days a little more bearable.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope you find joy in the holidays!

As Seen by My Game Camera.

I have a trail cam set up near the lake. Mostly it gets pictures of ordinary sights, like Frank riding the mower. Here we see his sister walking by. In the fog she looks ghostly!

We dropped her off at the airport this morning. Already the house seems very quiet, and she is not even a noisy person.

Let's look at the most interesting pictures that it took over the past few weeks. I cropped out the big shrub on the right. I have to face the camera that way so it doesn't get frequently sun-struck.

Wild Bird Wednesday / My Corner of the World.

Dusk in the Village of Washington

The Inn at Little Washington.

Sharing with Tuesday Treasures and

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday.

Mid-December Random-osity

The Good, the Random, the Fun.

The Good: I survived another birthday. I guess I'll make it through the holidays.

What's that about? Well, aside from getting older, I'm not a big fan of winter and the short cold days. I feel a better when the days start getting longer.

The Random: Frank's sister has been visiting. Here they are at Long Branch yesterday. We had a lovely tour with a very knowledgeable guide. The historic manor house is decorated for Christmas.

And on Saturday, we enjoyed Strasburg's holiday home tour. (The frames on the collage are courtesy of PhotoCollage.)

 The Fun: Peggy and Bill were passing through town so today we met them for lunch in Winchester.  It's always a joy to spend time with my sister.

A Presbyterian Church and Some Barns.

Strasburg, in the Shenandoah Valley.

Inspired Sunday: Strasburg Presbyterian Church is on Holliday Street.

The Barn Collective: This red barn is near Junction Road.

The gray building has a sign advertising Christmas Trees.

The fourth photo is from November, when we still had fall foliage brightening the landscape.

Thursday on the Mountain, Today in the Valley.

I had an appointment in Front Royal on Thursday. It was one of those appointments that was frustrating: the doctor's office had failed to enter my appointment in the computer so I was not on the schedule. I pulled out the little appointment card they had given me and they admitted their mistake. They said they would work me in, but I wound up waiting a long time. Two and a half hours later, I finally finished my appointment. I went up to Skyline Drive to eat my delayed lunch and decompress.

The park was only open for the first five miles due to icy roads. Light was getting dim, but I saw several deer in the shadows on Dickey Ridge.

Then I saw a bear! He wasn't very big and he was heading into the forest, but he stopped for a few seconds and looked back. I got one decent photo before he ran up the hill.

Before leaving the mountain, I stopped at the first overlook and took a picture of Front Royal at dusk.

Near home, I tried to take a picture of the full moon rising, but I was shivering from the cold. Can you see the geese in the foreground? (Or should I say forewater?)

Weekend Reflections.

Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather Be Birdin'.

Today started out rainy and cold. Things cleared up this  afternoon. I photographed the cardinal pair through a window.

As the skies cleared, we headed to Strasburg for a Holiday Home Tour. We saw some cute dogs there.

We drove to John's Family Restaurant for dinner. I took a few pictures of the Christmas decor there.