The Little Office at Belle Grove

For at least 20 years I've been coming to Belle Grove in Middletown, but I'd never been inside the little stone house that you see as you come up the lane. On Saturday it was open to the public for the first time as part of the plantation's opening day of the season, so I made it a point to go.

In the 18th century, this building had an office on one side and a store on the other side. Later it saw other uses and eventually became a residence. Over the past two years it underwent remodeling, and the upstairs is now ready as sleeping quarters for guests.

 

See other posts about Belle Grove.

Sharing with Tuesday Treasures.

I Opened the Blinds this Morning and Saw...

Sharing with Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday and Through My Lens. 

End of Winter Randoms, Woodstock.

Random-osity.

The Good: I enjoy outdoor art! This utility box was designed by Liam Shell. Cacti are not native to Virginia but the colors are delightful.

Sharing with Monday Murals.

The Random: After I ran some errands in Woodstock today, I drove down a country road to check out the scenery. This poor old barn has lost it's roof!

There were other barns in much better shape. I collected some for Tom's linkup and put them in a collage (or mosaic if you prefer), along with a view from Sheetz Mill Road.

The Fun: This guy saw me taking photos and came over to greet me. He seemed  like a friendly donkey and did not mind my taking his picture.

By the way, there are signs of spring here in the Shenandoah, but the weather forecast says we may get a snow storm. It doesn't feel likely because temperatures were quite warm today.

Sharing with Seasons.

Mt. Hope Presbyterian Church

This church on Coal Mine Road has a Strasburg address, although it's over 6 miles away in the foothills of Little North Mountain. It was established in 1904.

Sharing with Shadow Shot and Inspired Sunday.

Preferred Bird Settings.

I take a fair number of photos of birds and I have preferences when choosing which ones to share. Generally the most desirable setting is the natural environment. 

It was a bonus that these ducks were interacting.

If I can't catch the bird in his natural setting, capturing him perching on a manmade item can be good. It helps if the item is attractive, so that's something to consider when buying feeder poles and other items for your yard. 

Of course, keeping the feeders full will help bring birds around! I have several feeders at the same distance from my window so that I can focus quickly when shooting from indoors.

I've read that photo editors don't want pictures of birds at feeders. Bloggers have more artistic freedom, but I try to avoid pictures of birds with their beaks buried in feeders. I like to see their little faces!  This goldfinch obliged by looking in my direction.

Rules are made to be broken, at least in photography. I like the pattern on this woodpecker's back, so I'm including it's rearview picture.

Sharing with Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather Be Birding.

One other thing: my rules for squirrels are different. They are funniest when stealing from bird feeders! I have more pictures of funny squirrels than I'll ever publish, but I throw one in here once in a while.

Mid-March Quintet

Willy Nilly Friday.

1. This image of a stairway started off as a cell phone picture. I cropped off the sides a little bit and converted it to black and white. 

2. I zoomed way in and cropped this goose photo to emphasize the bright orange beak. Not many bloggers are participating in the Orange linkup these days but it's challenging. Sometimes the camera doesn't render orange correctly and it comes out yellow or red.

3. My younger daughter just returned from a trip to Tunisia. Be sure to visit her blog and see her incredible pictures. They will strike a chord with Star Wars fans.

Photo by Marie Javins

4. This is another cell phone shot. Parts of the reflection are wavy and other lines are pretty straight. I wonder if the glass has a plastic coating or something. 

I took this picture, as well as the stairway in #1, when I was in Baltimore. I considered converting it to black and white but I like the blue sky.

5. Saturday is St. Patrick's Day, and I'm prepared because I have a picture of a green display that I saw in Kroger. The beads looks suspiciously like Mardi Gras beads, don't they?

Enjoy your weekend!

Rural Strasburg Scenes

Shenandoah County, Virginia.

There are actually farms within the town limits of Strasburg. Here a horse grazes with Riverview Cemetery in the background.

Next we see fence rails casting long shadows in the town park.

If you enter Strasburg from exit 298 on I-81, you'll probably notice the mountain views. You can pull into the parking lot for Burger King or Denny's and take a good look.

I took the final photo outside of town although the area still has a Strasburg address. I am fortunate to live in a pretty area!

Sharing with Fences Around the World and Thankful Thursday.

I Saw a Light.

Sharing with Wordless Wednesday and Through My Lens

Pine Grove School and More

On Saturday there was a small crafts show at this schoolhouse in Clary, which is west of Strasburg. This is the Pine Grove School, built in 1885 and recently relocated to private land nearby. 

Even in winter, the view from the school is pretty.

After we left there, we took a ride out Coal Mine Road and circled back to Route 55 via Wardensville Grade. Here's one of the farms we passed.

Since a cow posed for me, it seems right to show you a closer view of this.

More Mercy Murals

Today I drove Lynn back to Baltimore for another appointment at Mercy Medical Center. I snapped a cell phone picture of this artwork depicting charitable works of the Sisters of Mercy. 

A week ago I posted pictures of other artwork at this place. Again I am sharing with Monday Murals.

Mountain View UMC

This pretty church sits high on a hill just off Wardensville Grade near the town of Star Tannery, VA.

I took this church picture from the car, as you can see from the hood (and reflection) along the bottom. Also. I'm linking to Shadow Shot Sunday at it's new location.

Furry Four

1. This is something that's likely to run out in front of your car at night! Drive cautiously at dusk if you're in deer country. As you can see, she was moving briskly and was not concerned about my car.

2. Flash is napping more and more these days. He is getting old and has had congestive heart failure for over a year now. I took him to the vet yesterday because he was coughing every morning. Dr. Jim increased one of his meds by an additional half pill at night. He also suggested elevating the head of his bed a little to raise his chest, but I don't know if Flash will keep the right position for that to work. Anyway, I gave him the extra dose last night and this morning, no cough!

3. The cat came back! This is Flash's little enemy. She likes to sit on our lower deck. I have a gate on the upper deck to keep Flash from wandering away, and the cat seems to know he can't get out. So she sits there and he barks at her!

Eventually I get tired of the barking and I get his leash and walk him back inside.

4. And here's a cute squirrel! He has no qualms about eating huge quantities of bird seed, which wouldn't be so bad if his siblings didn't join him in this.

Skies, Signs, Seeing.

Willy Nilly Friday.

1. Previously I mentioned the 4-H Center. Here's a section of one of their buildings with a windmill on the roof. 

Black and White Weekend.

2. The 4-H Center is open to the public but there are warning signs, including "Caution: Future Leaders of the World at Work and Play."

3. Ever sharpen your focus using your fingers to bend the light? I do this when I just need to read one thing, like a label or a phone number.

4. Forsythia is blooming here so I guess spring is really on the way!

Sharing with Floral Friday.

5. A colorful sky is a nice way to end the day.

Sharing with Skywatch and Orange You Glad It's Friday.

Remount Depot Restoration

Remount Depot was established in 1909 for the purpose of supplying the U.S. Army with horses. Virginia was known for horse breeding, and this rural location near Front Royal was selected as one of four horse centers in the country. By the outbreak of World War I, this center comprised 4,200 acres.

A portion of the old facility is now used by the 4-H Educational Center, and they are restoring these buildings as an equestrian center. Large portions of the old Remount Depot are still owned by the government and used by the Smithsonian and by the US Customs Canine Training Program.

Across the road from the 4-H Center is this creek.

Sharing with Fences Around the World and Seasons

Birds Mostly in Branches