Late January Random-osity

The Good, The Random, The Fun

The Good: Farms like this remind me that the Shenandoah is still a fertile valley producing healthful food for people and animals. 

Sharing with The Barn Collective 

The Random: Here are some winter scenes from our area. We had an inch or so of snow last night, but most of it melted during the day. 

Sharing with Mosaic Monday and Seasons

The Fun: Seeing trains is fun! I like the whistles and the rumbling sound. This one received some unofficial decoration.

Sharing with Monday Murals

Hats and Other Symbols

In Woodstock, VA

These cut-out characters are skating around a rock sculpture of a hiker. He's been dressed up before.

The fences here are small but cute. I'm linking to Fences Around the World.

Also in Woodstock on Saturday, I saw plenty of pink hats. Even the Peter Muhlenberg was wearing one! A man complained that this was disrespectful of Muhlenberg, a Revolutionary War hero. After thinking about it, I concluded that Muhlenberg would understand. He was quite a rebel, for his fame in Woodstock is based on the story that he was preaching in a local church in 1776 when he interrupted a text from Ecclesiastes, saying "a time of war, and a time of peace... And this is the time of war," removing his clerical robe to reveal his Colonel's uniform. He went on the form the 8th Virginia Regiment and be an important officer in the Revolution.

This legendary incident in Woodstock took place on January 21, 1776,  exactly 241 years before the Women's March and the day I took this picture!

Oh! Now I understand why this gentleman suddenly showed up in colonial costume. He was there for the Muhlenberg anniversary! He removed the pink hat from the statue and conversed with someone about whether the face looked like Muhlenberg's.  As I was leaving, I noticed that a few people gathered and he read a prayer.

Wintry Mix, January 23rd

Five for Friday the 13th

I'm not superstitious about Friday the 13th but it's worth mentioning because it gives some folks a smile. Anyway, it is Friday already, so I have five pictures for blog linkups, including Five on Friday and Willy Nilly Friday. 

1. Skywatch Friday: Locals may recognize this as taken from a Sheetz Gas Station.

2.  Locals may recognize this one too. It's a view from Skyline Drive near Front Royal. I'm linking up with Mersad's Nature in Sleep challenge as well as Orange You Glad It's Friday.

3. Nature may be sleeping but Flash is doing a good job of it too! Note that we placed a step next to the couch because he seemed to struggle to jump up there. Then he climbed onto the back of it so he wouldn't miss anything that was going on. Then he went to sleep.

Once upon a time I kept dogs off the furniture. But eventually I gave up.

4. This isn't even the only cannon I saw with Christmas lights! 

Friday Greens

5. I thought I might need this for Facebook.

P.S. Just as I finished writing this post, something went wrong with my browser.  The blogging sidebar disappeared and I couldn't get it back! I had to close Chrome and go back in with Safari to add the labels to my post. Perhaps the troll was causing mischief – or was it Friday the 13th?!

Gulls Came to Visit

Sharing with:

Wordless Wednesday, 

Wild Bird Wednesday, 

Wednesday Waters

Two Barns and an Old Store

This farm near Toms Brook almost disappears behind a hill as you draw close to it. I took a second picture of the silo so you can see it better.

The next one is not far from Cedar Creek. I'm linking up with the Barn Collective.  Tom has some beautiful snow scenes there today!

Finally we have the old store at Waterlick. Until a few years ago it had a overhang that eventually was taken down by some truck that ran into it. I remember when the store was open. My goodness, I stopped there about 40 years ago to pick up a can opener when we went camping in Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area. I had forgotten to pack that essential item! 

Sharing with Tuesday Treasures

Randoms on a Cold Monday

Random-osity

The Good: Frank seems to have found some good tenants for his house in Woodstock. They really love the house!

The Random: Lately I've been been running out of wall-art to share with Monday Murals but last week I happened to see one in the Whole Foods parking lot in Charlottesville. And just as I walked toward it with my camera, one of the cars parked in front of it pulled away so I almost got a full view. After I snapped the picture, I realized that a man was patiently waiting for me so he could pull his car into the spot! (It's a busy store.)

The Fun: Skyline Drive reopened today so we drove up there for a brief visit. There was still some ice on the road so we only went as far as Dickey Ridge.

Skyline Drive and the surrounding Shenandoah National Park are among my favorite places. Dickey Ridge is not far from us so I wind up there several times a month. 

Today at Dickey Ridge. Sharing with Through My Lens.

I made a collage of Dickey Ridge scenes. The snow scenes are from today and the others are from earlier in the winter. (Click on it to see it larger.)

Sharing with Mosaic Monday and Seasons

Snow Birds and Hiking Dogs

Even plain-colored birds stand out on a snowy day! This junco is posing nicely for Black and White Weekend and Saturday Silhouettes.

These sparrows perched on our "patio peach." Since many of my readers are fellow photobloggers, I feel comfortable confessing that I bought this little tree as a prop for my photos. I had my husband plant it near the feeders so that birds could perch on it.

Sharing with The Bird D'Pot and Saturday Critters

By now you may have guessed why I bought this colorful feeder.  

Ms. Cardinal is not red like the male of the species but she has her own style and beauty.

The last two pictures were taken on New Year's Day. We went to Shenandoah River State Park to take advantage of the "First Day" free admission. The weather was mild and people were out hiking, some with their dogs.

We didn't hike very far but I enjoyed getting outdoors.

Sharing with Pet Parade

Signs of Change in the Valley

Willy Nilly Friday

1. The new bridge into Front Royal continues to grow. Here we see signs of construction in the fading light. 

Orange You Glad, Skywatch Friday, My Town Shoot Out

2. Finally we got measurable snow! It was only two inches but more is on the way. Unfortunately, we also got some sleet and with temperatures below freezing, I gave up on clearing ice off my windshield this afternoon. I wanted to run some errands but it seemed like too much trouble, especially since my foot was hurting. 

3. The old theater in Strasburg was finally sold. It will serve as a church. I read that the services will be bilingual, Spanish and English.

4. The arts center in Mt. Jackson (below) has closed. We were sad to read of this so we made one last visit in December. I purchased a nice framed collage at a sale price.

5. Stenciled signs like this are being posted in various places. Well, most are not exactly like this one. Most of them have all the letters facing the right direction.

Sharing with Signs, Signs

Snapshots from New Market, VA

Today I have three photos from the town of New Market, so the Random-osity format fits well.

The Good: This home looks charming. It used to be a B&B.

Sharing with Tuesday Treasures

The Random: Busy Interstate 81 separates the town from the core of New Market Battlefield. An exit here brings travelers into town for food, gas, and sightseeing.

Our World Tuesday

The Fun: There are quaint shops in town, and during the holidays, some cheerful decorations.

Year Old and New

I've seen better years, but 2016 is about to end. I'm not terribly optimistic about 2017. Perhaps I can get to some more of our beautiful natural areas ... while they're still there! Guess I should start with the lowlands like our barrier islands; they'll be the first to flood! We've been to Tangier Island and the residents are well aware that their homes are at risk. And of course we've been to Chincoteague many times and neighboring Assateague.  Wonderful places! 

Oh well, there is beauty to see and I am fortunate to be surrounded by it.  

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
~ Matthew 6:26

I hope that you, dear readers, have many opportunities to enjoy our natural world in this coming year.

And may we all get along with our neighbors! 

And have fun! 

Best wishes for a peaceful and satisfying year.

Five for a Post-Christmas Friday

Willy Nilly Friday

1. New Year's Eve is tomorrow! It's just about time to take the tree down.  I wish you all a peaceful and rewarding new year!

Friday Greens

2.  My post that got the most hits for 2016 was George Washington National Forest.  It starts off with this picture but I don't think that has anything to do with it's popularity. The post just happens to get hits from people who were searching the web for information about the national forest.

3.  Skywatch Friday: Yesterday started off rainy but the sun came out. I caught the bright sky at Rapid Rehabilitation in Front Royal, where I had just received advice on avoiding further foot injuries. Since there isn't a cure for hyper-flexible ankles, I'm working on better balance.

4. Yoga anyone?

We've had ice on the lake. We had snow flurries today but no accumulation.

Sharing with Weekend Reflections and Orange You Glad It's Friday

5. Flash likes his crate. Sometimes he just goes in there to rest.

Pet Parade