Hazy Days

On Tuesday, I met Lynn for lunch, and then took her to see Shenandoah River State Park. The sky was quite hazy due to traces of wildfire smoke from Canada.

I was interested in the exhibit in the in visitor center that had a model of a gundalow, and a display telling how these flat bottomed boats were used on the Shenandoah River.

“By all accounts it took skill, intimate knowledge of the river, cunning, physical strength, and a strong personality to work these boats. To move the gundalow along in the current, boatmen struck the riverbed with a long-tipped pole, essentially pulling the craft downriver. At the rear of the craft would be a rudder manned by the pilot and a cooking hearth, usually made of brick. Tarps attached to cargo provided some shelter for sleep.”

Our air quality got worse yesterday and today. We were in a “code red“ zone, which means we should not exercise outdoors. I think Charlie was disappointed that we did not go to the dog park, but my eyes were itching from the pollution.

Fortunately, the air started to clear late this afternoon, and I saw some blue tones in the sky. Whether it gets better or worse tomorrow, depends on the winds. We could use a thunderstorm.

Gravel at the Gundalow

The Friends Of Seven Bends State Park sponsored a work session last weekend. Park staff and volunteers spread gravel around the gundalow in the children's play area.

This scaled-down gundalow represents the flat-bottomed barges that once carried goods to market down the North Fork of the Shenandoah. The name, derived from gondola, was also used for barges in New England but those had sails and a different design.

The gundalows on the Shenandoah typically had flat ends because they only traveled downriver. Once they reached their destination, the lumber was sold for building materials. The crew then headed back on foot. There are buildings in Front Royal and Harpers Ferry that contain boards from gundalows.

Through My Lens

New Features on the Hollingsworth Side

Seven Bends State Park

After hearing that there were new features at the children's play space at our State Park, I decided to take a look. Most of the features have a rustic appearance. The area looks natural and inviting.

I was very interested in seeing the new gundalow, a structure that represents the flat-bottomed boats that once carried goods downriver. A real gundalow was larger; this one is for children.

Looking at our rocky river today, one may wonder how any boat larger than a canoe could navigate the Shenandoah. Records show that people modified the river, moving rocks and other barriers to boats.

End of August Random-osity

The Good, The Random, The Fun. 

The Good: Here's another post office. (I'm a big fan of our postal service!) This is the Fort Valley Post Office in the small town of Detrick.

The Random: It's harvest season, and I made up a collage for Mosaic Monday of some pictures from farmers markets.

The Fun: These colorful murals are at a canoe and tubing outfitter near Front Royal. 

The canoe companies have had to cut back on capacity this year to avoid crowding. This final picture is made up of photos from last year.

Did you know Front Royal is known as the Canoe Capital of Virginia? It's location on the Shenandoah River makes it a popular location for boating. 

A Beautiful Season

Mid-April Random-osity.

The Good: It's Spring and flowers are blooming! We are not on total lockdown here, although we are supposed to stay home except for necessary errands, essential work, and exercise. We are able to get outdoors, feel the sunshine, and enjoy the colors, while staying 6 feet from others, of course. 

Mosaic Monday.

The Random: This truck-trailer in Sperryville has a beautiful message: LOVE.

Monday Mural and Blue Monday.

The Fun: Now that winter is over, our neighborhood turned on the fountain in the lake. A family went out in kayaks and rowed around it.

October Birds, A Sheep, and A Deer.

Let's start with some geese in our neighborhood.

Just downhill from the pond is a small farm. Here a vulture appears to be visiting a sheep. There were actually a number of vultures and a flock of chickens. Do vultures eat chicken feed? I don't know.

Here's another vulture. He was on a fence was in Clarke County.

Not far from there, I drove around Wilkins Loop in the State Arboretum. A small deer was browsing in the shade. I waited for him to step into the sunlight to get a clearer picture.

The last three pictures are from a boat landing in Front Royal. I saw a flash of blue across the river and zoomed in as much as I could. I was still not able to see him clearly but after cropping the picture, I concluded that he's a kingfisher.

I find that it's hard to get a clear zoomed-in image over a river or lake because there is usually mist in the atmosphere.

That was on a nice afternoon and a fisherman was upstream in a kayak.

This was on the South Fork of the Shenandoah.

Saturday Critters.

I'd Rather Be Birdin'.

Boats at Karo Landing

Weekend Reflections and Skywatch Friday

 These are from the boat launch at the end of Chapman Farm Road. I watched a small bus from Front Royal Outdoors unload kayaks and canoes and passengers to fill them. Looks like fun!

Speedboat Silver

Atlantic Ocean, Virginia Beach

This scene was monochromatic when I captured it, so this is what I'm sharing at Black and White Weekend.

Five Photos for Late June

1. I relish anomalies as seen in my last post. This picture is another example: Civil War soldiers at a modern festival in Winchester. By the way, there are some history events going on this weekend at Cedar Creek and Belle Grove.

2. My Town Shoot Out is celebrating Summer Joys today. I figured this fellow in an orange kayak fit the topic.  

3. PhotoFriday is looking for mountainous scenes today. All I have to do is look out my window!

4. Also seen from my window: a cute squirrel.

5. Here's a photo from 14 years ago. 

June 22, 2002

Have a great weekend!

Not Qualified for Photo of the Year

In the process of selecting my "Photo of the Year 2015" I discovered two things. One, there were many fine photos that I never posted; paging through my blog reminded me of many of them. Two, I have almost 60 that I did post that I marked to consider for this honor so I have to eliminate some of them just to narrow the field. So I am disqualifying these because they were not taken in my region, the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding mountains.

Assateague Island, VA

In Southern California

This picture of me holding a little lamb was taken near here but I didn't take it, Frank did. So I'm eliminating it from my list even though I like it.

I like the final photo too but I didn't take it; a robot did. Actually it's from a motion-activated trail camera. This was one of two times the camera caught the bear in our back yard. I think the bright spot is caused by the focusing beam that the camera sends out.

Well, 2015 is almost over. I hope that the new year is kind to you and peaceful for all.