An Autumn Sigh

Sunday we took a ride on Route 39. This Virginia Scenic Byway goes through Goshen Pass, over Warm Springs Mountain, into Warm Springs, and on into West Virginia. At Warm Springs, we took US 220 back home instead of continuing west.

We were about a week late for the peak in that area, which did not surprise me. Generally speaking, we are always a week late when we go to look at the leaves!

This is a mountain on the way to Goshen Pass.

The Maury River at one of the overlooks at Goshen Pass.

The Maury River again. I love this shot. The colors came out great.

The river once more. Can't get enough of the river and colors.

The Maury cannot be a navigable river, it is so rocky. Maybe in a canoe.

Water is amazing, isn't it? The way it carves through stone.

We saw a crane sitting majestically among the rocks while we were driving along (I couldn't get a photo of it). Many people were fishing.

After you leave Goshen Pass, you go through Goshen and a few other little places, then you climb up Warm Springs Mountain. There is an overlook with nice parking at the top. This is the view!

It was worth the drive just to see this. The rolling mountains, the spots of color.

The majesty of the world spread out before me, showing me the meaning of life.

I could have looked at it all day.

This is beauty.

Even the road brings a quiet loveliness to the landscape.

After we passed through Warm Springs (we didn't stop) you must go up and down Warm Springs Mountain on the other side. This overlook is on US 220.

What a view!

I love the way the mountains fold.

How can you not love this view?

Question Mark

No, I'm not asking a question! Question mark is the name of this butterfly! I spied it fluttering about in the woods recently when I was taking photos of the colorful leaves.

According to my guide book, it feeds on elm trees and nettles, and hibernates in December, January, and February.

Bird Watching

Red-bellied woodpecker. Except the belly isn't red. It's definitely a woodpecker of some kind, though.

I think this is a black-throated blue warbler, but I am not certain. It is the closest picture in my bird book. Anyone know for sure?

Meet Chippy

Recently I stepped outside to take a few shots of the change of season. I had the camera on a tripod. I was standing so still that the squirrels and birds were not bothered by my presence.

I spied movement at a woodpile in the woods below the shed.

A chipmunk!

I had never been able to photograph a chipmunk before. They are so swift they're difficult to catch with the camera.

He raised his head up over the log to have a look-see. He emitted a bark (which sounded nothing at all like Alvin).

There he is! So cute!

Thursday Thirteen

1. The box of brownie mix began calling to me from the pantry yesterday around lunch time. "Come make me, come make me!" it begged. Finally, I could stand the pleas no longer, so I turned on the stove, prepared the mix, and popped the dish in the oven.

2. There was no other chocolate in the house, as I had banned it from the premises. The brownies (now in a plate on the counter) were the last of it.

3. Fortunately I don't have to eat all of the brownies. I have people I can send them too.

4. On the walls of my home office: a picture of doe nursing her fawn that I took several years ago, a "license to laugh" that "entitles the bearer to perform random acts of spontaneous laughter," and a card from a friend that bears this sentiment: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild & precious life?" - Mary Oliver.

5.  Sitting on my desk: a bottle of Chloraseptic sore throat spray, a bottle of Rescue Remedy, and Nasonex. I'm still battling a bad infection but seem to be getting better, finally. (The Rescue Remedy is always on my desk, though.)

6. Best thing I saw on Facebook this morning: "Me, I got a binder 47% full of big birds. Sheesh!" said by a friend who is a professor at a my Alma mater.

7. Alma mater means "nourishing mother" in Latin. In the US it is used to refer to an institution of higher learning from which you have graduated. I rather like the notion that Hollins University is my nourishing mother. It is certainly the place where I feel most at home and have done the most growing.

8. I have been trying to instill better work habits into my days, but being sick for several weeks has really put a dent in my efforts. It is hard to establish a routine when you have to go to bed when you're supposed to be doing something else.

9. My new career involves teaching, something with which I have little experience. Starting in November I will be an adjunct instructor at the local community college. I am eager to see if I like it and if I am good at it.

10. My words today are fretting me as I keep ending sentences with prepositions, and then I must edit said sentences. Usually it doesn't bother me to end a sentence with "at" but today it feels wrong.

11. The Internet is a strange place. I think it tends to bring out the worst in some people, but it has brought new people into my life. Earlier this week I had an inquiry about genealogy in Botetourt, and the woman turned out to be my husband's distant cousin. After looking at my blog, she sent me a photo of her father and he looks a lot like my fellow!

12. Also on my desk: 164 pages of a very bad novel that I wrote in the early 1980s. I have been trying to see if I can rewrite it. I am starting to think it is hopeless. I may need to keep the basic plot line and start all over.

13.  I hear the brownies calling to me from the kitchen now. I think this Thursday Thirteen is done!





Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 264th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Wordless Wednesday

A tree in my brother's yard. We should be in full fall regalia in another day or two.

Fired Up For a Cure

October is Fire Prevention Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this morning my husband wore a pink shirt to work. The fire department is promoting awareness via the shirts to help “extinguish” breast cancer!

During October the firefighters wear these pink uniform shirts to show support for the community and to remember those that have passed from breast cancer, those battling or those who have won the fight.

This is the back of the shirt. I took a picture of my husband from the front, too, but I was half asleep and the photo is blurry.

In September, the fire department held a walk/run and other events to help prevent, educate and advocate about the importance of self breast exams, mammograms and also to remind citizens to practice their fire safety plans. Here is an article about that event.

Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer in all reported cancer cases, accounting for a little more than 10 percent of cancer diagnoses around the world. Women are about 100 times more likely to develop the disease than men; however, the survival rates are about the same regardless of the patient’s sex. About 519,000 people died from the disease in 2004.

Women over 40 should get a mammogram every 1 to 2 years. I'm a little overdue for mine and this is a good reminder to get this taken care of.

Be well, my friends!

Muted Colors

When I went out this morning, I saw that the colors had changed overnight.

They are not very brilliant yet.

We are on the cusp of the season, the trees still shy and not yet fully dressed in their finery.

This is my favorite time of year, when the colors come, and the days take on a golden hue.

This cedar wears a crown of red!

Yellow against the sky.

Thank you for your kind wishes regarding my health. I am sorry to say I am still ill. I returned to the doctor today and she gave me a different antibiotic. Fingers crossed that this is the one that will help.

I have been sick for three weeks! That's a long time to feel poorly. I have things to do that require me to be well, so I am hoping for good health soon. At the least I would like my voice back! It's been missing a long time.

Wild Turkeys

This flock of turkeys has been in the front yard several times now. I think it is a couple of hens with their spring brood. I counted 21 birds when I was taking the photos.

Zoe Does Her Dance

My niece performed a solo dance at Greenfield Elementary this morning for their fall festival as part of the Floyd Ward School of Dance event at the rear of the school.

I took pictures and this little bit of video tape. She is so much fun to watch! Such energy. I can barely remember being that small.

The video is a little dark because of the full sun and reflections off the concrete. I have no idea what the music is; it is not something I recognize.

The Raccoon

We caught this fellow on the game camera earlier this week. Still no bear. I keep hoping for a bear.

Turkeys!

A turkey hen.

A flock of turkey hens.

Two turkey toms.

Thursday Thirteen

Last week we left on vacation. Can you guess where we went?

Late evening.

The view from the 15th floor at the elevators.

Glowing Tourist Trap

From under the umbrella.

Castle by the sea.

Hubby doing the relaxing thing.

The pool area from the 15th floor.

Casting a shadow.

Mr. & Mrs. Thurston Howell, III

Lady bug! Lady bug! Fly away home! Your house is on fire! Your children are gone!

The view to the south.

The view to the north.

The beach side of our "resort."

Okay, so we went to the beach. We went to North Myrtle Beach, to be exact, which is . . . north of Myrtle Beach. It's a little quieter area that is not as crowded as Myrtle Beach proper.

My husband and I figure that we've each been to the Myrtle Beach area about 30 times or more in our lives. This is where our parents vacationed with us when we were children, and this is where we have vacationed at least 15 times in the 28 years of our marriage. The trips tend to run together - we have a hard time remembering which year what little trivia happened.

The area has changed a lot in that time. The hotels have gone from three or four stories to massive towers that rise 20 or more stories into the sky. The things we loved as children - the Pavilion area - has been torn down. It's now more a place to go play golf and shop. I suppose it reflects the changing mores of American society.

I strongly suspect we won't return to the beach again any time soon. Neither of us play golf, nor are we much on shopping.  Then there's the "I am now allergic to seafood" issue, which makes it hard to find a good place to eat since most everything serves fish down there.

This trip I was sick the entire time; I was ill before we left. I had hoped that the sea air might help and I did feel better after a few days, though never completely well. Monday evening I fell ill again, just in time for our return home. This morning I am so sick that I need to go back to bed.





Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 263rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

This Ol' Farm Feels Like a Long Lost Friend

I made sure you didn't miss me, but I have been away.

Hubby and I went on vacation, and returned just about an hour ago. We came home to find the house sitting on 60 degrees - BRR!

We spent some time at North Myrtle Beach. We only had one bad day of weather, which was yesterday.

I took my laptop with me but on the first night there I became concerned about the security of my Internet connections and decided to put the thing in the car and forget about it. I don't seem to have had anything compromised, although the spam box of one of my gmail account seems to have more sex spam than normal, but it is hard to say. I don't check my spam box that often.

Also, I don't have a smart phone. All I do on my cell phone is talk on it, so it wasn't much help. I think it was the first time I finally understood the desire for the smart phone, though.

But not being in touch also had its perks.

We had a nice time. Unfortunately I was sick the entire time, still, and whatever I have been fighting (some kind of sore throat/respiratory thing) decided to rebound Monday night. I was in Damon's getting ready to eat a few of their wonderful BBQ ribs when my throat suddenly started feeling like someone was scraping a knife down it.

I won't bore you with the details of the trip; we spent most of our time sitting on the beach. I read books, he read magazines, we watched the waves and people. We went there to rest and that is exactly what we did.

I'll post some photos later in the week, though I'm pretty sure I didn't take anything spectacular.

88 Questions Part 4

I stole this from Sunday Stealing. It's actually 88 questions, which I am chopping up into 22 at a time. Thankfully, this is the fourth and final part.


67. Has anyone put their arms around you in the past 5 days?

A. Yes.

68. Do you miss the way things used to be?

A. Sometimes.

69. Song you're thinking of right now?

A. Um. I wasn't. But let's see. How about Vincent (Starry Starry Night) by Don McLean. It is one of my favorites.

70. Want someone back in your life?

A. Can't think of anyone. If they're not in my life now, it's for a reason.

71. Will tomorrow be better than today?

A. I always hope that it is.

72. What's the color of the underwear you are wearing?

A. That's rather personal, isn't it?

73. Who was the first best friend that you ever had?

A. I think it was Chris in the third grade.

74. How do you react when someone disappoints you?

A. Depending upon the disappointment, I might become sad (even cry) or I might just shrug it off.

75. Is there anyone who understands your sexuality?

A. Pretty much every heterosexual woman would, I would guess. What a weird question.

76. Are you a naturally happy person? Or is your happiness forced?

A. I am not a naturally happy person. I work at it, which is not the same as forcing it.

77. Is there anyone you wish would fall in love with you?

A. Well, a multi-millionaire who would die in a few days after rewriting his will to leave me his mass fortune would be nice, but I don't expect that to happen.

78. What do you wear when you sleep?

A. A nightgown that I bought at Walmart. Made by cheap labor in some foreign country, I'm sure, and I should be ashamed of myself for making that purchase.

79. Are you obsessed with something right now?

A. Yes. Getting these questions answered and over with.

80. The first person you loved is?

A. I have loved a lot of people, but I would guess my brother in a sisterly fashion, and then my husband, though I also love my friends in that friendly sort of way.

81. Something terrible happened with you?

A. With me? With me? What, is this the bad grammar meme? Do you mean did something terrible happen to me? Look up the word "with" and tell me how does that apply to this sentence? Did something terrible accompany me? Because of me? From me? Against me? What in the world are you asking?

82. You are locked up with your celebrity crush for days, what happens?

A. I don't really have a celebrity crush, so I will have to think about this. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Okay. We'll go with George Clooney, and by the time the doors open he will run screaming into the jungle, never to be seen again.

83. If you could wish something, what would it be?

A. I would wish for civility on the Internet. That would create a huge chain of events that might ulimately bring about world peace.

84. Ever try to force someone to do something?

A. Yes.

85. When you are alone, what do you think about?

A. Everything. My brain whirrs constantly.

86. How was your first sex?

A. Too personal a question for me to answer.

87. What's your favorite music genre?

A. Pop, pop, pop music. American Top 40.

88. Are you happy I only wrote 88 questions?
A. Yes, very.

88 Questions Part 3

I stole this from Sunday Stealing. It's actually 88 questions, which I am chopping up into 22 at a time. This is part 3.



45. What were you doing yesterday at midnight?

A. Sleeping.

46. What are your LEGAL initials?

A. MYOB.

47. Who's the first B in your contacts?

A. My bank. You know, B is for Bank.

48. When was the last time you laughed really hard?

A. It's been a while.

49. Your number 1 top friend walks out of your life, do you go after them?

A. Yes.

50. Explain your last awkward moment?

A. Oh, there's so many, you wouldn't have time.

51. Are you afraid of the dark?

A. Not usually.

52. Do you have good vision?

A. No. I have had poor vision for a very long time.

53. Have you ever tripped someone?

A. Not intentionally.

54. Have you ever slapped someone?

A. Yes. I got into a girly fight in high school.

55. Are you Irish?

A. Aye, actually, I am. There's a wee bit o' Irish running through these here veins of mine, yes indeed.

56. Do you use chap stick?

A. I use Burt's Bees lip stick.

57. Do you have any scars?

A. I have quite a few, actually.

58. Is there someone you will never forgive?

A. Yes.

59. Are you dating the person you last held hands with?

A. Actually I am married to him.

60. Name the last person to text you?

A. Here we go with that text crap again. Although I suppose "Phone Company Rep" might fit the bill, as I think I did get some kind of "welcome to your phone company" text from them once.


61. Would you marry someone 8 years older than you?

A. If I were in love with him, yes. But I'm taken so it's a mute point.

62. Can you go in public looking like you do?

A. Nope. Not right at this minute I can't.

63. Have you ever kissed someone whose name started with a A?

A. Not that I recall.

64. What side of the bed do you sleep on?

A. The one that he doesn't sleep on.

65. What's the first thing you'll do on your wedding day?

A. Already been there and done that. The first thing I did on my wedding day, as I recall, was wake up and call my husband-to-be.

66. Do you fall for people easily?

A. Not generally, no. I fall over people easily if they stick their feet out, though.

88 Questions Part 2

I stole this from Sunday Stealin. It's actually 88 questions, which I am chopping up into 22 at a time. This is part 2.

23. Why do you think so many people cheat?

A. Because they are bored with their lives, or made poor choices, or just can't keep it in their pants. I imagine there are as many reasons as there are cheaters.

24. Tell me what's on your mind?

A. Why is the world so unkind?

25. What are you looking forward to in the next three months?

A. I have several projects going, including some paying work (yay), an edit of a novel, and a class I am going to teach in November. Plus there is Christmas.

26. Have you ever worn the opposite sex's clothing?

A. I always wear pants. And I like to wear my husband's t-shirts.

25. When did you last talk to your BFF?

A. Yesterday.

28. When is your next road trip?

A. Not sure.

29. Do you have someone of the opposite sex you can tell anything to?

A. Yes.

30. How's your heart?

A. I have high blood pressure, but otherwise it beats just fine, thank you.

31. Have you ever felt like you weren't important?

A. Yes.

32. Do you think somebody's secretly in love with you?

A. Heavens no.

33. What are you planning on doing after this?

A. Answering another question, I suppose.

34. Last time you yelled at someone?

A. About two weeks ago.

35. Have you told anybody you loved them today?

A. Yes.

36. Who do you not get along with?

A. Obnoxious, mean, or cruel people.

37. What does your most recent text say?

A. Sigh. I don't text. So my most recent text says. "    "

38. What are you wearing right now?

A. My bathrobe.

39. You're locked in a room with the person you last kissed in high school, how is it?

A. Gruesome.

40. When's the last time you had a grilled cheese?

A. Probably over a year ago.

41. What's your favorite boy and girl name?

A. I like the names James and Susan.

42. How did you feel when you woke up?

A. I have been sick but I feel a little better today.

43. Do you wish someone would call or text you right now?

A. I am always happy to have a conversation with someone I know or love.

44. Do you think Clint Eastwood would have been better talking to a table?
A. LOL. I think he would have been better not talking at all.

88 Questions Part 1

I stole this from Sunday Stealing. It's actually 88 questions, which I am chopping up into 22 at a time.

1. What type questions do you hate on a meme?

A. The type whereby the answer might allow someone to steal your identity.

2. If you married the last person you texted, what would your last name be?

A. Um. I don't text so this one doesn't apply. Or maybe my last name would be "I don't text."

3. Were you happy when you woke up today?

A. I wasn't miserable or anything.

4. When were you on the phone last? And with who?

A. About an hour ago with my husband.

5. Who are you excited for?

A. Is this the same thing as happy for? I am happy for my nephew, who is doing the college campus visiting thing. I am happy for my niece, who did her dance thing Saturday. I am happy for my friend, who recently returned from a nice visit to CA to see her son and his new wife, and for my blogging friend who just returned from London where her daughter was married. And for anyone else I know who has good stuff going on.

7. Honestly, who was the last person to tell you they love you?

A. Honestly, my husband!

8. What's the last thing you put in your mouth?

A. A pink-lemonade flavored icee.

9. Have a best friend?

A. Yes.

10. Were you ever or are you scared to fall in love?

A. Who isn't? Or hasn't been?

11. Do you think teenagers can be in love?

A. It's probably lust but yes, I think they can experience love, too.

12. Last person you wanted to punch in the face?

A. I would rather not say.

13. What time is it right this second?

A. 3:14 p.m.

14. What do you want right now?

A. For my head to stop aching.

15. Who was the last person you took a picture with?

A. Classmates at Hollins, back in May when I graduated. I think.

16. Are you single/taken/heartbroken/or confused?

A. Taken.

17. When was the last time you cried?

A. About two weeks ago.

18. Do you have a good relationship with your parents?

A. No comment.

19. Do you find it hard to trust others?

A. Yes.

20. How fast does your mind change?

A. Well, I am reconsidering my commitment to do this meme at the moment. So 20 questions fast, perhaps.

21. I bet you miss somebody right now. Who is it?

A. My grandmother.

22. Can you honestly say you're okay right now?

A. Yes.