George Washington National Forest

Willy Nilly Friday

1. Last weekend we were in West Virginia and my husband noticed the sign for George Washington National Forest and remarked that it is a big place! After all, we've often visited it a few miles from our home in Virginia and here it was across the mountain and in another state. Yes, it is big, but it stops and starts. The part near us is in the Massanutten Mountains, then it stops for the occupied land of the Shenandoah Valley and starts again in the Appalachians, interrupted again by another valley in West Virginia and then connecting to Monongahela National Forest. There is also a strip of it southeast of us along the Blue Ridge. On the south it connects with Jefferson National Forest, and together they comprise 1.8 million acres of land. 

Passage Creek in May, GWNF

By the Water

2. Tomahawk Pond lies in the portion of the forest that is on the Virginia side of Great North Mountain. I posted other photos of this pond in July.  Like most of the National Forest, this area offers mountain hiking trails.

3. If you drive west on Virginia Route 55 (US 48) from Strasburg, you enter West Virginia at the top of the mountain. Just past there you can find Hawk Recreation Area, one of many camping areas in the National Forest.

4. Just a little deeper into West Virginia you'll find Trout Pond Recreation Area. I posted pictures of it before. I've heard the water is soft and clear for swimming!

Weekend Reflection

5. Headquarters of the Lee Ranger District of GWNF is in Edinburg, Virginia. We visited there to pick up a map and admired the forestry exhibits.

Honoring the Civilian Conservation Corps

Skywatch Friday

Update on Rockland Park

I recently stopped at Rockland Park and saw that a new paved trail or road is being constructed. As you can see in the first picture, it is lined by an anti-erosion fence for now. The park itself is new and being completed in stages over a period of years.

There is already a playground, walking trails, picnic shelters, and a  disc golf course. Warren County has a page about Rockland Park.

Sharing with Good Fences and Seasons

Foot Random-osity

The Good: On Friday I wanted very much to get out of the "boot" that was provided after food surgery because I was afraid it would get caught under one of the pedals when I was driving. It was also clumsy and heavy, so I adapted my new sandals so I could wear them over my bandaged foot.

This involved cutting two straps from old sandals and making holes in them. Boom, instant expanders! The old buckles are the brown suede ones to the right of the shinier buckles. My new Birkenstocks are the same style as my old ones except the new pair is black and not suede. I loved my old ones but the soles were so worn that the tacks were starting to come through. The podiatrist had commented several times that these shoes are good for my feet!

The Random: Yesterday I went back to the doctor and he removed the bandages, declared the healing satisfactory, and wrapped the elastic back around my foot, but not before I took my cell phone and snapped a picture to show the smiley face he had drawn on there when he removed the bone spur last week.

I have to go back to his office again next week to be checked again. Meanwhile there is less pain every day.

The Fun: Pets are fun, but this post is not really about fun. This part is about a coincidence. Flash has been limping for a week and finally I got him to the vet today. Dr. Coston checked him out and said the the poor dog has loose ligaments so he is no longer able to walk on his toes, which is how dogs usually walk (unlike us).

Me: "I am so surprised because my doctor told me I have loose ligaments and that's how I injured my foot! But it's weird because Flash and I are not related."

I'm sure the vet already knew that Flash was adopted! Anyway, Flash now has a prescription for painkillers. Also, I guess long walks are no longer a treat for him. 

Mountain, Fountain, Pool

Beautiful Downtown Baker

Hardy County, West Virginia

The Leatherman Barn

On Saturday we drove over to Hardy County for a brief visit to Heritage Days. Frank had spent the morning helping with our community clean-up so all we had available was the afternoon. I especially wanted to see this unusual barn in Old Fields, which is north of Moorefield, WV.

The barn was completed in 1917. Recently it was restored so that it can stand for another hundred years. 

The property is still a working farm. There are other buildings for the various functions, although the old Leatherman Barn is still used for sheltering cows.

Mosaic Monday and The Barn Collective

The Home at Buena Vista Farms

In Old Fields, WV

This brick house is one of a number of buildings in the South Branch Valley that shows a Greek Revival influence. It was built in 1836 with later additions.

On East Court Street, Woodstock

Since it's Sunday, I'm sharing another charming church plus a street view. This is Woodstock Presbyterian Church in the county seat of Shenandoah County, VA. I don't know when church was built, although I read that an addition was completed in 2012 to the right of the older sanctuary.

Across the street from the church is an attractive house and a small building next to it with matching paint. On the far right is a long building with boarded-up windows.

Saturday's Sort-Of Critters

I'm starting this post with two creatures I saw today in Hardy County, West Virginia. Okay, I admit they're not real. I just thought they were cute!

For those who like real animals, we have some cows on a hill.

Five Late September Topics

Random-osity

1. Photo Friday: #downtown.

Front Royal, VA: These downtown scenes are from last October. Actually, they are the same picture cropped differently. The second one focuses on a bench in front of a pawn shop. 

2.  Heritage Weekend is starting in Hardy County, WV. These two young people were our charming guides at one of the historic sites in 2014.

Orange You Glad It's Friday

3. It's time for fall but the foliage hasn't changed much here. Here are some September flowers  that I put together with PhotoCollage.

Sharing with Today's Flowers and Floral Mosaics

4. We listed our spare lot with B. K. Haynes of Front Royal. They're calling it Rich Man's Waterfront at Po' Boys Price! Haynes has always had a way with words.

Sharing with Skywatch Friday

5. Last but not least, we have a sepia photo of my mom from around 1924.  If she were still alive, we'd be wishing her Happy Birthday tomorrow.

Love ya, Mom!

Eleanor

More Old Time Activities

Edinburg's Ole Time Festival always has photogenic subjects, so here are three more scenes. Each one even has a fence for the Good Fences linkup!

The first photo shows men making apple butter, a Shenandoah Valley tradition. Next we have a basket-maker and some Civil War re-enactors.

See more Ole Time Festival posts.

Wednesday Water Birds

Here we have a couple of nice ducks. When they headed back to the pond, they found some Canada Geese were already there. No problem, though. They get along fine with the geese.

It's World Peace Day! 

Fife and Drum Band Plays in Edinburg