VIEWS ALONG SKYLINE DRIVE, VIRGINIA

We had a very enjoyable ride up to Skyline Drive.  It was threatening rain and had sprinkled some.  However, it held off even though it was chilly and very windy.

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1) I haven’t been doing any new recipes lately.  Therefore, there have been no Monday Food Posts as I have relied on the tried and true ones, with lots of quick-fix salads.  We had not made this Thai recipe in a few months, and felt it was time to go to our local Asian supermarket.  It is a fun place as many of the foods are more exotic than the ones we get in our local grocery store, and we thoroughly enjoy going there.

2) Our son came over to take me to the movies as a pre-Mother's Day outing.  We went to the new Batman v Superman movie.   He and I have the same taste in action movies.  I enjoyed it and don’t think it merits all the criticism it has received. Everyone did a great job of entertaining us for a couple of hours.

3) I have just finished "The Nature of the Beast" by Louise Penny and find myself very invested in the repeat characters she has in her Chief Inspector Gamache series.   I already have my next one ready to go, "A Great Reckoning".

4) It has been very rainy all week.  I wish we could send it to western Canada to help with those awful forest fires.  By now I am hoping that Mother Nature has lent a helping hand.  

   5) The following is my favorite photo of the week.  As I mentioned earlier it was very cold and windy, and at one of the overlooks we were trying to take a selfie.  A lady asked us if she could take our photo. Her husband and little girl, about three years' old, waited patiently and we returned the favor.  I looked back as we were leaving and that darling little girl was so cold she crouched down below the wall and using it as a windbreak, she waddled very comically all the way back to the car.  She had the gait of a sweet little duckling. What a cute sight she made, and just looking at this photo makes me smile.

I am sharing with the following as they become available, with my thanks to all our hosts.  If you click on their names you can visit other participants.

The Team at SkyWatch Friday
Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five
Cath at Fun Friday Favourites

TREES

J. R. Tolkein

The Fellowship of the Ring

All that is gold does not glitter, 

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

1) The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wildnerness.
~John Muir~



2) The creation of a thousand forests in one acorn.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~



3) Shade for man and shelter for animals, planted in your name, may you be the same for those around you, every year the same.
~Nancy J. Cavanaugh~




4) A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
~Greek Proverb~


5) I am ending with a poem from one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, called When I Am Among the Trees

When I am among the trees,
Especially the willows and the honey locust, 
Equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
They give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
In which I have goodness, and discernment,
And never hurry through the world
But walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves 
And call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"And you too have come 
Into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
With light, and to shine."

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I am sharing with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to all our hosts.  If you click on their names you can visit other participants.

The Team at SkyWatch Friday
Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five
Cath at Fun Friday Favourites

MOUNT VERNON - PART 1

We had a great time showing my brother-in-law some of the sights we have enjoyed over the years.  The first place we took him to was Mount Vernon, George Washington's old home.  But first, we found this wonderful motorcyle in the parking lot.  I asked the boys to pose behind it as they had taken a great interest.

It was a beautiful machine and goes way back.  I found a website with their timeline here if you are interested.

Gregg took these.

This fence surrounds the garden.  We didn't go through this time as it is so early in the year, and not much to look at.  I would like to go again when I know there will be more flowers blooming.

We started off at the visitor center and I was immediately drawn to this picture representing George Washington.

There were many interesting items to look at, like the statue of the family.  

and this wonderful stained glass on the wall.  My brother-in-law is standing at one end.

Here's a closer view of the middle section.

There was also a wonderful doll's house nearby, a replica of Mount Vernon.

After watching a very good short movie showing part of Washington's life, we began our tour.  

Unfortunately we couldn't take photos inside but I did remember to buy some postcards on our way out, showing most of the rooms.  I also sneaked a quick shot at the end of the tour, one of the kitchen.  Others were doing so and I seem to remember being told by a docent last time that it was okay, so......

This shows the door we came out of.  

In Part 2, I will share what we saw on the rest of our walk on the grounds.

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Five facts about Mount Vernon that I found on their website.

1) There was a smaller place built on this spot before the present house.  It was a one-and-a-half story farmhouse originally, built by George's father, Augustine Washington.

2) Mount Vernon is named for an Admiral in the British Navy.

3) The mansion is ten times the size of the average home in colonial Virginia.

4) Mount Vernon is not symmetrical but George wanted it to be.  

5) The cupola is topped with a weathervane in the shape of a dove of peace.

You can read a more extended version of the above facts if you click on this link, and also read more facts.

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I am sharing with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to all our hosts.  If you click on their names you can visit other participants.

Theresa at Good Fences
Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five

Cath at Fun Friday Favourites

The Team at SkyWatch Friday

FRIDAY MEMES

I am sharing photos from my archives this week, five photos from driving through the southwest a few years ago.

 Thank you to the team of SkyWatch Friday, Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five and Cath at Fun Friday Favourites. Please click on their names below to visit other participants.

SkyWatch Friday
Willy-Nilly Friday Five
Fun Friday Favourites

LAST SNOW PHOTOS FOR A LONG TIME, I HOPE!

I am sharing five photos for the memes mentioned below with my favorite backyard birds  These were taken a month ago during the first real heavy, and hopefully last, snowfall.  This week it is in the 70's. I have been looking forward to the warmer weather more this year than any other, and went out for the first time yesterday in short sleeves. 

1) Black-capped Chickadee (1)

2) Black-capped Chickadee (2)

3) Male Northern Cardinal

4) Blue Jay

5) Grey-slated Junco

I am sharing with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to all our hosts for bringing them to us.  If you click on their names you can visit other participants.

Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five

Cath at Fun Friday Favourites

The Team at SkyWatch Friday

Eileen at Saturday's Critters

Misty at Camera Critters

Anni at Bird D'Pot

Michelle at Nature Notes

Stewart at Wild Bird Wednesday

A few favorites

I found a few favorites in my archives.  


1) Chipping Sparrow

2)  I need some help identifying this one.  I have looked on line and gone through my bird book, but have had no success.  

3) Red-winged Blackbird

4)  Palm Warbler

5)  White-breasted Nuthatch

I am sharing with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to all our hosts for bringing them to us.  If you click on their names you can visit other participants.

Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five
Cath at Fun Friday Favourites
The Team at SkyWatch Friday
Eileen at Saturday's Critters
Misty at Camera Critters
Anni at Bird D'Pot
Michelle at Nature Notes
Stewart at Wild Bird Wednesday

Friday Memes

I am dedicating this post to our blogging friend Tina Forrester (East Gwillimbury Camera Girl), who sadly was killed in a tragic car accident with her husband a few days ago.   

I thought I would do a little something different for me today.  For SkyWatch Friday and for Fun Friday Five, I am sharing the first five photos I ever shared with SkyWatch Friday.  Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five is suspending her meme for today, but will still share with Cath at Fun Friday Five.

1)  My photo was taken in Victoria, BC and it shows the domes on top of the Parliament Building  - shared 8-8-08

2)  Part of the roof of George Washington's home, Mount Vernon - shared 8-14-08

3)  Arlington County Fair.

4)   Manassas National Battlefield - shared 8-28-08

5)  Reagan National Airport

I am sharing with the following memes, and you can see other participants if you click on their names.

SkyWatch Friday

Fun Friday Five

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY MEMES

Theresa has just reached her 100th post of Good Fences. Congratulations Theresa and thank you so much for bringing us this fun meme. 

It is time for me to share what I have with Good Fences, SkyWatch Friday, Willy-Nilly Friday Five and Fun Friday Favorites.  These are great photography links.

1)  Outdoor Photography of the Year

2) International Garden Photographer of the Year

3)  Grateful photographer photos

4)  National Geographic Kids Photography Winners

5)  The Animal Soul Project

Please click on their names below to visit other participants.

Good Fences

Willy-Nilly Friday Five

Fun Friday Favorites

SkyWatch Friday

THIS LITTLE DOG....

has one of the sweetest faces ever.

For my Friday Five I thought I would choose the following quotes.

1)  "In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi-human.  The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog."

~Edward Hoagland~

2)  "Dogs are our link to paradise.  They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent.  To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace."

~Milan Kundera~

3)  "I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better."

~George Bird Evans, "Troubles with Bird Dogs"~

4)  "You may have a dog that won't sit up, roll over or even cook breakfast, not because she's too stupid to learn how but because she's too smart to bother."

~Rick Horowitze, Chicago Tribune~  

5)  "He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds.  He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea.  He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him.  (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.)  When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.  When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile.  When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.  When I am a fool, he ignores it.  When I succeed, he brags.  Without him I am only another man.  With him, I am all-powerful.  He is loyalty itself.  He has taught me the meaning of devotion.  With him I know a secret comfort and a private peace.  He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.  His head on my knee can heal my human hurts.  His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things.  He has promised to wait for me....whenever....wherever - in case I need him.  And I expect I will - as I always have.  He is just my dog."

~Gene Hill~

I am linking with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to all our hosts.  Please click on their names to visit other participants.

Will-Nilly Friday Five, 

Fun Friday Favorites, 

Saturday's Critters 

Camera Critters.
(Wordless on Tuesday) at Image-in-ing.

TROPICBIRD

I believe the above is a White-tailed Tropicbird but please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.  In the information plaque below it reads, "the Red-tailed Tropicbird is white with a red beak and red tail spike.  Whereas the White-tailed Tropicbird is more slender with black bars on otherwise white upper wings.  It has a yellow bill and a white tail streamer."

The photo above was taken when we visited the 

Wailua Falls on Kauai. Here you can read about them being an endangered bird on the island.  

You can see some very clear photos at 

this website.

For my five I am sharing videos not only on the Tropicbird but other birds in Hawaii.  

Just to let you know, the first one it seems as if it is going to be very disturbing, but then you realize it is not a matter of life or death, but it does show absolutely fascinating bird behaviour.  

1. Tropic Bird Runs the Gauntlet

2. Red-tailed Tropic Bird and its Chick

3. Unique Birds of Hawaii

4. Native Birds of Hawaii and their Bird Calls

5. Hawaiian Honeycreepers: Evolution in Hawaii
(Designed for a younger audience I think but still very informative.)

I am linking with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to their hosts.  Please click on their names to visit other participants.

Willy-Nilly Friday Five

Fun Friday Five

Saturday's Critters

Camera Critters

Bird D'Pot

Nature Notes

Wild Bird Wednesday