POSITIVITY POST - MURAL - WE'RE ALL...

 

I liked this mural very much. You can probably guess why.  It fits right in with my positivity posts.

For our international friends to translate, it says:

“We are all neighbors.”

PILOT'S PERCH CABIN VACATION - PART 5 - JULY 21ST TO 26TH, 2019

We have been home for just over a week now.  I am sharing our daily happenings and will be repeating this until the end of my posts on our get-away.  

Tomorrow we will be going home, so this is our last full day of our mini-getaway.  It's been a lot of fun.  I shall be sharing the cabin's website (name further below in red lettering) not only for you to take a look if it is your first visit to this thread, but in case you are looking for a place to rent in a very pretty area.  It is highly recommended by our own experience.  

You can read all the posts from our trip if you go to the bottom and click on the label with the title, 'Pilot's Perch Vacation_July 2019'.

Pilot's Perch Cabin Vacation

From July 21st to July 26th, 2019

Part 5

Thursday, July 25th, 2019

Mabry Mill, N.C.  

We left the cabin at 9.15 a.m. today, and are on our way to Mabry Mill 20 miles away.  On the way out of the neighborhood we saw three rabbits and one muskrat.  Fast little critters, no photos.  We are now on the Blue Ridge Parkway but most of these photos shared at the beginning of this post are of the Mabry Mill and area.

It is 67 degrees F.  Quite a difference from when we left home as it was 100.  The country has been going through a heat wave.

Passing through Stuart at 11.39 a.m.  An historical marker said it used to be called Taylorsville but it was renamed after Confederate General J. E. B. Stuart.  

A wonderful visit to Mabry Mill which was our second visit.  The last one was just before they officially opened for the season last year, or maybe the year before that, and the restaurant and gift shop were closed.  

This time however, we enjoyed a plate of pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon and home fries.  We asked our friendly helper if she could bring an extra plate as we were going to share.  I'm glad we ordered one meal, it was more than enough.

We had a pleasant walk to the mill.  There were several other people looking.  The mill's flume was undergoing preservation work and we could see scaffolding.  

We took a trail which in parts showed the rebuilding of the flume, and could see other work being done.  Eventually we ended up at the parking lot and shortly afterwards made our way back to the cabin.

12.32 p.m. we passed through Martinsville.  They have some wonderful murals in the town.  I took a picture of two.  

One was sighted as we drove up this hill.  

I took a photo of the marker just across the pathway.  Scott has his own website here.

There was another mural we saw as we made out way out of town.

Unfortunately I couldn't find anything about it, a signature on the corner says “Chill 2018’ but no actual name.  Good message though.  

We just passed three sheriff deputies walking down the street.  They are wearing light brown uniforms with what I thought was a dark brown trim.  Not sure on that last bit of information.  They looked very comfortable with each other and smiled amiably, a nice camaraderie from their body language.  I wished them all protective angels on each shoulder.

There is a very large visitor center here, which we saw but did not stop as we were more than ready to go back to the cabin.  Next time!  I read one review about this town on Yelp, which is as follows:

"My visit was filled with many surprises.  Upon arrival to Martinsville, I made a visit to the Visitor Center.  I was greeted with friendliness and received much information that made my visit enjoyable.  As I was leaving the visitor center, I knew I was going to find plenty to do in this town.  I participated in an art tour and enjoyed food at the local restaurants.  Shopping in the area stores was relaxing and fun.  I also checked out the Martinsville Speedway.  Wow!!!  Hopefully I can return to Martinsville in the near future."  

Well, we didn't check any of that out but one person seemed to have a great time.  We did notice how very friendly people were, not just here but other places we went to.

1.21 p.m. we drove through a small community called Dry Pond, with a sign underneath the name saying, 'walk on the left'.  I literally could not find any information on the history of Dry Pond.

As we neared Pilot's Perch we encountered three deer, very skittish and gone in a flash.  We weren't too far away from the covered bridge, taking a slight detour from the road to get here, wanting to take more photos on a dry day.

5.00 p.m. and after a very nice ride out in rural and beautiful surroundings, we are back relaxing at the cabin.  Must say, it is always lovely coming back here, as it has been peaceful and relaxing and the perfect vacation.  We have started getting our things together for the journey home tomorrow.  I shall certainly miss this very charming greeter.  He welcomed us home every day.

11.26 p.m. we are tucked in for the night.  One more opportunity to enjoy the balcony, so I get up and go sit out there for a while.  I don't hear a thing but love looking at those twinkling lights in the valley.  Gregg is fast asleep.  

We are hoping to get off early tomorrow.  Everything is packed away in the car, except for what we will need in the morning. 

We saw no bears on this trip, except in the pretty décor of the cabin.  Just as well I suppose but we have been very lucky with other wildlife.  Deer, lots of rabbits, wild turkeys (can't ever remember seeing any of those in the last several years, can't even remember when that was), muskrats and birds.  One other thing I brought up in one of our conversations is that we have not been bothered by mosquitoes at all.  Normally I am their buffet line and even with precautions I can have several bites.  I brought along all preventatives but didn't have to use them once. 

Time to put the lamp off and go to sleep. 

Thank you for following me on my daily journal, and I hope your day is a very happy one.

RANDOM PHOTOS

I haven't done a random photo post in a while, and I thought why not do a collection in this one.  The first photo shows a pretty color combination of Gerbara Daisies.  They were being sold in the front of one of our local supermarkets 

We decided to have a bite to eat before shopping, and after picking up a tray of vegetable sushi and a drink, we headed to the dining area.  After lunch we started in the vegetable section and bought bananas, mushrooms, a sweet red pepper, a cauliflower, a big bag of birdseed, and a few other sundries.  This was not a big shopping trip. We got into a conversation with our young cashier as she rang our groceries up.  We are always impressed with the friendliness of the staff here. 

A wasp landed on the patio door and it didn't budge for a long time.  I think they are building a nest inside the outside light fixture.  I don't really want to look inside.  They seem to build one every year. 

This was a print in our bedroom at the Airbnb the weekend before last. Thought it was pretty enough to take a photo of.  I have said that a few times.

I like the quote.  I can't remember where I found it.

These two photos were taken when we were driving through Culpeper, Virginia, on the Friday of the Memorial Day Weekend.  I would have liked to have gotten a better photo of the mural, but my reaction time is slowing down.  Maybe we will take a trip back sometime.  I think the figure is supposed to be George Washington who, among his many accomplishments, was also a land surveyor.  You can read all about that here if interested.  

Added note: If you go to this link you will see photos and more information on the mural.

Next are the Asiatic Lilies we found for sale outside another supermarket.  Thought they were lovely.

More lovely flowers. 

I found a postcard in my collection for the State of Virginia.  Not only pretty but informative.

This past weekend we took a ride up to Skyline Drive.  It was a sunny day but on the chilly side.  Should have been more prepared as we were both in short sleeves, the weather having been warm for the previous few days.  The only thing I knew about the weather was that it was going to be sunny, that it would be a great day for a drive, and it was. I will do a post of our trip later.  So what is the ice-cream picture all about?  We know a place on our way home, and the car knows how to get here.  It is nothing fancy.  Nowhere to sit down inside, in fact no inside at all for the general public, a building with a large menu of various ice-cream flavors and drinks, and a sliding glass window where you order.  The seating is outside to the right of the building, where you sit under a large canopy.  I got a hot fudge sundae and Gregg got his root beer float.  Forty-five minutes later we were home.

Thanks for looking at my random photos, and have a great day.

PANDA MURAL AT THE MOSAIC DISTRICT - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, 2018

As we were leaving the multi story parking lot in the Mosaic District last week, I came across a floor to ceiling mural depicting panda bears walking around DC.  I haven't been able to find anything about the artist and I couldn't find a signature in any of the photos I took.  It certainly appealed to my whimsical side.  

(Top left is the Iwo Jima Memoral, in the middle is the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and then the three-prong structure is the Air Force Memorial, the buildings behind it is The Pentagon, and behind that is Crystal City, then bottom right is Mount Vernon (George Washington's home), and bottom left Arlington National Cemetery.  It isn't geographically laid out to scale but I think it is a really neat mural.)

(In the above mural picture, top left shows the Washington National Cathedral, to the left of it is the Basilica, the planes may be the Blue Angels and Marine One, the presidential helicopter.  Next The White House, the United States Capitol, and the Washington Monument.  The dinosaurs are on the top of the National Museum of Natural History.  The fountain can be found in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.  This area is turned into an ice skating rink in the winter months.  Food trucks can be found in many parts of the city.  The Lincoln Memorial can be seen middle left.  The others are described under the first mural picture, and I may have missed something out in all of these.  

Pandas on the many bicycle trails in DC, and those practicing the art of Tai Chi. We often see kayakers rowing on the Potomac River, and tucked in the bottom right-hand corner, one of the signs at a metro stop.

Above a cropped version of the first mural photo, and part of the National Zoo can be seen middle left and also below, which is in part in the above photo as well.

Hope you've enjoyed your quick tour of Washington DC.  I will be sharing more of the Mosaic District in another post.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope your day is a great one.

TURNING STRANGERS INTO FRIENDS, WHAT A LOVELY IDEA.

(and it doesn't necessarily have to be fishing)