I found a very interesting seashell at Virginia Beach last week. It was actually just a piece of a shell. Most of the shells I was seeing were completely pulverized.
I’ve been told shells get pulverized like that when there’s a dredging/beach replenishment effort in an area. I can’t say whether that’s the case in Virginia Beach or not, but I do know there were lots of rocks/stones and pulverized shells along the beach.
That’s okay, because even small things can be interesting, whether they are whole or not.
Most-Interesting Wear Pattern
I though the wear pattern on this piece of shell was really cool. You’re looking at the inside of what was once a much-thicker shell. The other side just looks like the outside of any other unremarkable shell.
The pic is grainy because it’s an extreme close-up, taken with my phone while I was sitting on the beach. That piece is actually pretty little. I’d guesstimate bigger than a dime, but smaller than a nickel.
Let’s see…
Compared to Coins
I did find one shell that looked to be pretty perfect.
A Perfect Shell
But it was hard to tell without my close-up-vision glasses.
Looks Can Be Deceiving
Did you think that perfect shell would be so small? 🙂
I have met some really cool people since moving to Virginia in 2011. It’s hard to believe it has already been five years! Well, not officially five until September 30/October 1, but that’s close enough. Sometimes it still feels so new…
But, back to me having met COOL people. One of the interesting localish ladies I’ve befriended is Connie Stevens Hilker. Some of you may remember her from this 2014 post of mine. According to the bio on Connie’s blog…
…I started Hartwood Roses, an educational rose garden in Virginia that specializes in rare and unusual antique roses. I know a lot about roses, old houses, carpentry and remodeling, and am an expert day dreamer. You will often find me working in the garden, planning a home project, building something, or hanging out in a cemetery …all of this has come in handy as my husband and I restore our historic home (built in 1848) renovate the outbuildings, and design the gardens.
She loves animals, too. She’s a supporter of dog rescue. She paints furniture. She’s just a really fun gal. And she’s married to a guy named, Steve, an artist who also seems like a cool chap. Here’s a recent pic of the two of them from Connie’s blog…
Steve and Connie
Aren’t they a cute couple? They’re grandparents, too.
Now for the point of this post… Connie and Steve hosted an open house/walking garden tour this past May. It’s an annual thing, I think. After seeing all of their preparations online, I thought it would be fun to go.
Illustrated Map of the Property
There was a map and everything. If you click on any of the images in this post, a larger version will open so you can see details.
Hartwood Manor – photo courtesy of Connie
There were LOTS of different rose varieties.
I hadn’t told Connie I was coming. She was a little surprised to see me, but I think Steve was more surprised to see this granny pull into his yard on a motorcycle. I hadn’t met Steve before that day. Of course, I felt like I knew him to some degree through Connie and her social media posts.
That’s Connie on the left chatting-up some other visitors.
It’s a big yard with a lot of different gardens and planting areas.
Front Hybrid Tea Rose beds, laid out English-garden-style.
Rear outbuildings; L-R, Carriage House Garage, The Shack, and the Greenhouse.
There’s the large Miniature Garden behind the outbuildings.
The Barn and Cottage toward the rear of the property.
English Rose garden near The Barn
Rose Tree (a climbing rose went crazy, resulting in this happy accident)
That’s an overview of the property. Isn’t it delightful?
Now for a bunch of pictures of their gorgeous roses.
One of my favorite pics from the day.
This flower is a unique shade of dusty lavender; the pic doesn’t do it justice.
Tea Rose
This is a George Washington cabbage rose that dates back to 1860!
Hubby and I drove out to Shenandoah National Park (SNP) last weekend. It’s been pretty hot here, so I haven’t been on my bike in weeks.
It was about 93 degrees and humid when we left the house on Sunday. The heat index — what it feels like with the humidity — was probably about 105. It was gross.
As is typical on hot, muggy days like that, there were thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon. I told Mike we’d probably see some pretty cool skies from Skyline Drive. He wasn’t excited.
It was about 75 degrees when we reached Skyline Drive. It was still humid, but it felt much better than the temps back down on the Piedmont.
Check out this awesome quilt that was on display at the Visitor’s Center.
Centennial Quilt
The SNP Facebook page said…
Shenandoah National Park has a lot of exciting plans to celebrate the 100th year of the National Park Service! This past winter, Shenandoah staff and volunteers created a quilt representing Parks across the nation. The quilt is currently displayed at Byrd Visitor Center. Other quilt related events can also be found on our special events page. Visit our website to learn more about the hikes, programs and festivities at Shenandoah as we celebrate our 100th Birthday! https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/special_events.htm.
Pretty Flowers at the Visitor’s Center
We were surprised to see a very large storm cloud approaching the lodge complex from the other side of the drive.
Hubby watches large storm cloud rolling in.
The sky looked clearer north of the Visitor’s Center.
Pretty flower, but I have no idea what it is.
The cluster of flowers was oddly waxy-feeling.
Interesting cloud formations.
Storms were definitely starting to pop up in various places.
More interesting clouds.
Hello, Grasshopper.
Blue skies to the north.
I did say we’d see some interesting skies, right?
Check out that downpour!
Seeing such heavy, localized rain intrigued me.
Look how dense that rain is!
A little while later, heading north, we saw a bear beside the road. I had to turn around and circle back for a better view. Buy then, he’d gone into the brush, so I didn’t get a decent picture.
Raven!
You folks out West will probably laugh at me for sharing a picture of a Raven, but we don’t see them often. We have far more American Crows than Ravens. So, yes, I get excited when I see a Raven.
And that was our excitement last Sunday.
Clear skies to the East.
It’s supposed to be cooler this week. Here’s hoping the weather folks are right. I am really, really tired of being in the house.
Hi there! In case you haven’t visited in a while, this post is basically the second half of the pics I captured during a recent visit (April 20, 2016) to Victoria, BC, Canada. You’ll have to be sure to see the first installment if you haven’t already. There were so many pretty park pics to share, I decided they deserved a post of their own.
Anyhoo… I really didn’t have much of a plan beyond meeting up with Dar in the late afternoon. I knew Victoria was pretty, based on my previous, very quick visit and posts I’d vaguely remembered seeing on Dar’s blog and Brandy’s blog. I was excited to just have a few hours to myself to just roam, sightsee, and do whatever I felt like doing, or NOT doing as the case may be. I grabbed a Victoria map on the ferry and, upon seeing that Beacon Hill Park looked to be relatively close to the harbor, I decided to go there. (Here’s a link if you want to learn more about the 200-acre park.)
Remember, you can click on any image to see a larger version.
Park Entrance
Since Richard asked, I had to check and see how far I actually walked that day. It appears to have been roughly six miles (9.5 km) give or take. I criss-crossed the park a lot, so it’s hard to tell for sure. I was walking slowly and stopping a lot for pics and also just to enjoy some peaceful spots in the shade.
It was a beautiful, sunny, warm Spring day. There were lots and lots of flowers in bloom. And a bunch of other interesting stuff to see. I could have gone to a museum and/or shopping, but it was such a pretty day and it was just so darn gorgeous that I sort of just ambled around the city all day.
Here are some of the many images I captured.
Woodland Pond
I didn’t enter the park through the main entrance pictured in that first shot. I’d just walked in the general direction of the park and entered on the first convenient path that I saw. And I didn’t have a map of the park, so I don’t remember what the various areas were called. Sorry. I was just ambling about.
The biggest non-wild rhododendron I’ve ever seen.
Same bush, different side. The bench helps give a sense of scale.
Fiddlehead Ferns!
I may or may not have squealed aloud when I rounded a corner on a wooded path and saw this…
I am a visual, nature-loving person, so I was completely and utterly in my element.
Such a peaceful place.
The view would be all green and serene, maybe with a pond or two. And ducks. Loads of ducks, geese and such. Then I’d round a corner and, BOOM, more color.
An explosion of color.
Not that I am complaining. Trust me, I was absolutely delighted.
Pretty azalea with lilac/blue flowers.
Some of my pics are a bit washed out because the sun was so bright, which is a shame. But I think you get the idea just how lovely a place it was.
Unique azalea.
Duck!
Woodland Stream
Pretty Tulip
Winding path lined with many varieties of tulips, daffodils, and similar flowers.
Hybrid daffodils.
More daffodils and a lone, pink tulip.
This one was in the shade, so you can see it’s form better.
Do the colors on this one make you swoon? I gasped aloud when I saw the thing in person.
One of the many spots I chose to just sit for a spell.
More colorful loveliness.
I was so overwhelmed by all the loveliness that I actually forgot ScooterBob was with me. DOH! I can be such a dunce sometimes. All oohing and aahing about the stunning natural beauty around me instead of snapping opportunistic photos of my little globe-trotting wooden friend.
ScooterBob at the wildflower meadow.
I never did get an image of that meadow good enough to do it justice. It was a veritable sea of purple before me. There was just too much sun at that time of day.
Look closely and you’ll see a snow-capped mountain framed by those trees.
Wildflower close-up.
Tiny pond with bust of Queen Victoria (I think).
Peacock (they are noisy suckers)
Yet another pretty pond. And ScooterBob.
Flowy willow tree.
This is my favorite duck capture of the day.
Finally, my favorite nature scene of the day. A bunch of turtles on a floating log.
I like turtles.
I actually stood there watching for a while. And laughing. While I have seen my share of turtles on logs, I’d never actually seen turtles on a floating log. It’s different, trust me. You’ll have to watch at least the first 45 seconds of the video I included below to see why.
That was my day at Beacon Hill Park. Yes, I’d go again in a heartbeat. Even if I had just one more day to spend in Victoria. Of course, I’d ask Dar to meet me there with a picnic meal, and perhaps an alcoholic beverage or two. 🙂
I went to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge yesterday with hopes of seeing big flocks of Snow Geese. I’ve been thinking about visiting that place since October, when I failed to see Snow Geese during my visit to Chincoteague. It’s a three-hour drive from my house, though. Sometimes it’s hard for me to justify — to myself — investing an entire day just to go see a bunch of birds.
So, when I learned of a dog transport passing through this area, I figured I could multi-task again. I could help transport the dog AND drive to Blackwater.
Ellie’s Transport – Rustburg, VA to Whiting, NJ (not the actual route)
Originally, I was supposed to take Ellie from Warrenton to the other side of DC. But I figured if I carried her to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the folks on the NJ end might appreciate traversing ruralish highways instead of Interstate 95.
I was right. 🙂
Ellie with her foster Dad, Bob Fairbanks
So, after handing Ellie off to her foster parents in Queenstown, MD, I drove about another hour to Blackwater.
Pretty Day at Blackwater
It was around 3:00 when I got there, and there wasn’t a whole lot of daylight remaining.
Unfortunately, there were few Snow Geese to be found. I did get lots of other cool pics, though, and quite a few crappy ones.
Before I share my captures, I will say this… I am no bird photographer. I take pictures of birds, but I don’t have the right equipment, i.e., a big-ass, expensive zoom lens and industrial-strength tripod, to capture technically good bird photos. I just take snapshots.
I also have to say that it was very windy and cold there yesterday. Temps hovered around 40 degrees F (about 4.5 C), but the wind made it feel much colder. The wind also wreaked havoc on my focus. Using a zoom lens requires a tripod and/or a very steady hand. Although I had taken the tripod along, I didn’t bother setting it up because of said wind.
The first set of pics was taken with my point-and-shoot camera.
Looking out over the water.
Blackwater — a tidal wetland — is a pretty place.
I really enjoy visiting tidal wetlands.
Cool — and mysterious! — pattern in the ice.
I really like my captures of this pattern in the ice. I’d hoped the folks at the visitors’ center could explain how it was created, but they were equally intrigued.
A bit of grass in the foreground, while blurry, makes this shot, I think.
Nice colors, eh? The sun was setting.
One of my favorite sunset captures.
My point-and-shoot — a Canon G16 — is a higher-end camera, and it has pretty good zoom capabilities, but digital zoom is only good if the light is bright and the camera is very still. Remember, it was windy. And daylight was fading fast during my visit.
The pics shared below were all taken with my DSLR camera, equipped with a zoom lens.
Just a pretty picture.
This image of a Great Blue Heron is blurry, but I think that adds to the shot.
Same bird, slightly more in focus.
I like how you can also see the bird’s feet in the second picture.
I saw quite a few herons yesterday.
I like the blurry marsh grass in the foreground.
That’s an eagle atop of the snag.
This guy (or gal?) was kind enough to land right in front of my car.
Looking for attention?
I’m a sucker for interesting reflections.
There’s that interesting pattern in the ice again.
Great Blue Heron
Same bird, different orientation.
I stopped at the visitors’ center for a potty break, to warm up, and to ask about the Snow Geese. I was starting to think they’d all flown north already (Blackwater is one of several over-wintering spots for them on the East Coast).
That’s where I captured this eagle shot, which I posted to FB with the caption, “Got really close to an eagle! That’s a phone pic, no filter.”
Close-up of an Eagle!
Of course, the prankster in me left a few important details out of that caption. It was a real, but dead, stuffed, and mounted, eagle in an exhibit.
The volunteers at the visitors’ center told me the Snow Geese were spending their day in nearby fields, off-refuge, eating. While there was still sufficient light, I set out to see the elusive Snow Geese.
Snow Geese
Snow Geese (some were quite far from the road; see the white dots in the background?)
Snow Geese
After observing them for a bit, I drove back to the refuge, hoping maybe they’d return before dark.
Canada Geese
Note, I did NOT say Canadian Geese. They’re CANADA Geese, people, not Canadian Geese. That’s one of my pet peeves when people talk about birds.
Along Wildlife Drive at the Blackwater Refuge.
Great Blue Heron
If you look at a larger version of this image (just click on the picture) you’ll see that its neck feathers were blowing in the wind.
I captured quite a few nice sunset shots, which I’ll share in a separate post.
The Snow Geese did return to the refuge, but not until after sunset. I DID capture a few shots with the point-and-shoot, but they were blurry.
One blurry, dark photo of Snow Geese in flight.
The pics I captured during my previous visit are better. The first image shown below is a good pic from my visit in 2011, when I still had a separate moto blog.
Snow Geese in Flight
One of my favorite bike pics.
It’s really pretty amazing to see — and hear! — hundreds of geese in flight. I guess if you like that sorta thing.
If you’re curious, here a link for more info on about Snow Geese. And here are some nice pics captured by someone else — found via Google — that clearly show Canada Geese beside a Snow Goose.
I must say, it was nice being out in the world for a change. I hope you enjoyed your virtual visit. 🙂
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the national wildlife refuge (NWR), but I didn’t get many pics worth sharing. It wasn’t for lack of trying. The light just wasn’t right.
The Chincoteague NWR is actually on Assateague Island, a National Seashore. About two-thirds of Assateague Island — the northern end — is actually in Maryland. I’ve been to the northern end many times, and have seen the ponies there, so I wasn’t too terribly disappointed that I only saw a few ponies during this visit. The few I did see were too far away for a picture, so you’ll just have to trust me.
Trail to the Lighthouse
Informational Plaque
It was a lovely, easy walk to the lighthouse. There’s sound in the video, believe it or not.
A Bit of History
Assateague Lighthouse
Egrets on the Marsh
Lighthouse in the Distance
I was hoping to see some Snow Geese, but it was too early in the year. I’m really going to try to get over to the Eastern Shore in December or January to see the Snow Geese.
Cool Sky
Pony Pen
It’s a shame I didn’t get more “keeper” pics, but I enjoyed my morning at the refuge. It was cold, but peaceful. Few people were around, so the only sounds I heard were waves crashing on the shore, the wind blowing through the trees/reeds, seagulls and other birds squawking, and the crunch of leaves under my feet.
After the museum, which I told you about in my last post, I had one final stop before heading off of the island and, eventually, toward home.
