Letters of Love in Montross

"Virginia is for Lovers."

The LOVE letters in Montross represent local features: A waterman's boot, an oyster, a shark's tooth, and a wine bottle. It seems there is an Oyster Trail in the Northern Neck for folks who want to dine on seafood. After all, the region lies between two rivers and is just above the Chesapeake Bay. 

The area is not plagued by sharks, so don't worry. Fossilized shark's teeth are often found by beach combers, and ancient sharks were huge. As for wine, there are multiple vineyards and wineries. I remember when very little wine was made in Virginia, but grafting techniques have greatly improved the quality and yield of grape vines.

Here's another view of the sign.

Signs, Signs./ Little Things Thursday.

Here's another view of the courthouse that I showed last week. There's a plaque in front.

"Evergreen trees planted by citizens of Montross
Dedicated to those of Westmoreland County
Who served their country in World Wars I, II, and Korea."

A Little Hummingbird and Some Growing Geese

 Bird Post #940

Wild Bird Wednesday / My Corner of the World

Although I keep my hummingbird filled with fresh nectar, we don't see many of these tiny birds. There's at least one that visits, and probably two. Last year I saw two at one time, so I assume they are a pair. 

This one showed up today while I was sitting on the deck with my lunch and a camera. He moves quickly so I was glad when he perched for a minute so I could take his picture.

Meanwhile, the Canada geese youngsters continue to grow. The ones shown here are among a brood of seven, all of whom survived. The picture of two with a parent is from June 8th. They were still gawky adolescents. 

Today's final photo shows one of the goslings on the left, now almost as big as the parent. They eat pretty much all the time, so it's no wonder they grow quickly.

Montross Town Hall and Post Office

Town Established 1852.

• Tuesday Treasures
• Wordless on Tuesday

A Mural and More Pics from Marie's Visit

Last week I said I would post another Montross mural for Monday Murals, so here is a nice one. This is on the side of a shop called "Carrot Cottage." 

Here we see some carrot logos on the store.

Mosaic Monday

Changing the topic to Marie's short visit, she went into the back yard to record the sound of the cicadas. One landed on her shirt! She also saw the mean geese which still acted threatening to me. 

 After we met Lynn for lunch and visited Skyline Drive, we stopped at Massanutten Country Corner to see the animals and do a little shopping. 

It was so good seeing my daughters together again! We were unable to get together for Thanksgiving or Christmas due to the pandemic. I'm so thankful that we all made it through and were able to spend a little time together. 

I realize that some of my internet friends are still under Covid restrictions, and I hope things will improve for you soon. Stay healthy!

An Episcopal Church in Montross

St. James Episcopal Church was established in 1850. The church website states that it was then a wooden frame church. It was later bricked in and additions were built.

Inspired Sunday

Cooter’s in Luray

STREET SCENE (Tourist Attraction)

On the way to Skyline Drive yesterday, I pulled into Cooter’s Store near Luray so that Marie could see it. She remembers the Dukes of Hazzard TV show that is the basis for this tourist spot.

Finally, Time with both My Daughters

It's been a year and a half since I've seen Marie, and finally she was able to visit, thanks to all of us being vaccinated and restrictions having eased. She arrived yesterday afternoon and must leave early on Sunday. She has to work on Monday, and even though she is able to work from home, it takes her full   attention and time. 

We met Lynn for lunch and headed for Skyline Drive. It was foggy on the mountains due to being enveloped by clouds, although we did emerge into somewhat clear spots now and then.

These scenes are at Jewell Hollow Overlook. There were birds on some branches that were shaped like mourning doves. I'm not accustomed to seeing doves way up there. 

Sharing with:

• Black and White Weekend
• Saturday Critters
• The Bird D'pot.

Wildflowers along the Drive.

Shenandoah National Park.

Gimlet Ridge Overlook.

Today's photos are from a recent visit to Shenandoah National Park.

Sharing with: 

• Friday Flowers
• Skywatch
• Garden Affair
• Friday Bliss

Things I Saw Near Woodstock

Shenandoah County, Virginia

Signs crowned with honeysuckle, Lupton Road.

I went there last week for the first outdoor meeting of Friends of Seven Bends State Park. I took this group photo using the panorama feature on my cell phone. If you look closely, you may notice that the camera gave Ranger Megan an extra arm! 

The river is the North Fork of the Shenandoah, which is adjacent to the park.

Here are some wild daisies to rest your eyes before you look at the next picture. 

I certainly did a double take the first time I saw that falling ladder. I wonder if someone made that display for April Fools Day and decided to leave it up. The sign on the building is for a lawn care business. 

The final photo is a bright stuffed animal in a second-hand store. 

Goldfinch in June

• Wild Bird Wednesday
• My Corner of the World
• Wordless Wednesday

Westmoreland Courthouse

Montross is a small town but it is the county seat of Westmoreland County, Virginia. Nearby is George Washington's birthplace and Stratford Hall, once home to the Lee family.  Let's view the courthouse and a historical marker in front of it. 

A courthouse was first built in the town in 1667. The town was simply called Westmoreland Courthouse until 1752. An Irish merchant had opened a store near the courthouse and the town got the name Montross after his native town in Ireland.

"At a public meeting here, on June 22, 1774, resolutions of Richard Henry Lee offering aid to Boston, whose port had been closed by the British government, were adopted. Here, on May 23, 1775, the Westmoreland Committee on Safety passed resolutions denouncing the Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, for seizing the colony’s powder supply at Williamsburg."

Tuesday Treasures / Our World Tuesday

Mount Holly Post Office

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

And not far from there...

Mural with Deer and Turkeys

 The town of Montross is now known for murals. While Frank was conducting business there last week, I walked through town and took pictures of these large paintings, which I will share in a series of Monday posts, starting with this one. I could not get a straight-on shot because a tree would have blocked half the painting.

Here is a collage of wild animals in the mural.  Deer and wild turkeys are plentiful in Virginia and have learned to live near people. 

Mosaic Monday / Murals 

St. John's Church in King George, Virginia

King George is the name of a town as well as a county in eastern Virginia. They were named in colonial times for George I of England. 

Inspired Sunday

This church was built in 1843. It is situated along King's Highway, State Route 3.

A detailed history of St. John's Church is on the Hanover Parish website. During the Civil War, the church closed in 1862 when the pastor resigned. He was from the North and did not choose to serve after the "Protestant Episcopal Church of the Confederate States" was formed.

 

Our Lake and Our National Park.

Today's birds are residents of our community lake. 

Weekend Reflection / Bird D'Pot / Saturday's Critters

I saw ducks on my way home yesterday. The late afternoon light was pretty. 

The great blue heron was standing in the water when I went out a few hours earlier. 

The goslings are growing up. They don't look like their parents yet but they aren't babies anymore. 

After I did my errands in Front Royal yesterday, I drove up into Shenandoah National Park because it is right there, calling me to go up on the mountain. It did not disappoint.

I saw a bear but by the time I got my camera turned on, he had turned to disappear into the woods. 

I saw several deer and one of them stood still and posed nicely. I also saw a beautiful fawn but he ran away quickly.