I ended my last post saying, “The next installment will feature images from the Hoh Rain Forest and one of my absolute favorite stops, Rialto Beach.”
Signage
I lied. There were so many cool shots from Hoh (which is pronounced with the long O as in OH), that I’m saving Rialto Beach for next time. Sorry, Bob.
There’s a ton of pics in this post, so I want overburden you with words. The image captions say enough, I think.
Well, maybe this first image needs some explanation. To get to the Hoh Rain Forest, we had to drive through the town of Forks, Washington. That’s the actual town where author Stephenie Meyer based her Twilight book series. I haven’t seen the movie(s) or read the books, but enjoyed the Twilight theme in Forks. Especially this sign.
Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do…
Banana Slug, which Yves declared “overripe.”
One of the main attractions in the Hoh Rain Forest is the Hall of Mosses trail. A really easy 0.8-mile trail that introduces visitors to the complex ecosystem and unique arboreal tapestry. The trail begins at the ranger station. Another trail, which we also followed for a bit, travels above and along the Hoh River.
Mossy Phone at Ranger Station
Do you see a dinosaur?
Creek
Hints of Fall Color
Moss and Ferns
Lovely, Peaceful Forest
Tourists
More Hints of Fall Color
Big Leaf Maple
Abundant Growth
Fungi
Sunlight Peeking Through
See why it’s called the “Hall of Moses”?
As Annelies said, “I’ve never seen so many different shades of green.”
Hints of Fall Color
Another Big Leaf Maple
Creek
Moss
Hikers
Ferns
Fungi
Black Slug
Still Hiking…
Every now and then, we would get to see the river.
Fern
Witch!
Trees growing on moss-covered log.
Sun-dappled ferns.
Big Stuff
Official Greeter?
See why it was so hard to choose? I hope y’all enjoyed the pics as much as I enjoyed the Hoh Rain Forest.
Next up, I promise, is Rialto Beach.
TRIP Re-cap
Installment 1: In the Beginning (Friday, August 30 – Monday, Sept 2)
In case y’all are getting bored with vacation posts, I decided to switch things up a bit. Plus, we’re having server issues and I can’t get to my images at the moment. But my IT guy is working on it.
We went to the WV Place this past weekend for a change.
Hubby and I hadn’t been there together since January. My last visit was in March and his was in June. Talk about neglecting the place…
It was awesome. The dogs had a blast. We had lots of chores and cleaning up to do, but it was still good to be back. Especially since the leaves are starting to change.
Oh, how I’ve missed my country yard…
Of course, I captured a bunch of images to share, too. Enjoy!
The weather has not been very cooperative here in the Northeast of late. Nice days, when it’s not raining on unbearably hot and humid, have been few and fare between. Even rarer are the days where nice weather and our freedom to squeeze a ride in coincide. Such is life, I guess.
This past weekend, I’d hoped to do surprise a weekend getaway. I even had a dog-sitter lined up. But then Hubby told me there was a work deadline looming, so he couldn’t afford to take the entire weekend or even a whole day. So we had to settle for a short ride.
The weather looked pretty good. But Thursday night into Friday, between 11 PM and about 6 AM, we got 6 to 7 inches of rain. I’m not exaggerating either.
By Saturday, the roads were dry enough. But there were washouts to consider, where gravel is pushed from the roadside — driveways especially — into the middle of the road.
A Minor Washout
Not a huge concern when traveling on four wheels, but a big deal for bikes. Straightaways aren’t so bad, as you can see it coming. But curvy roads with blind turns can become absolutely treacherous after a hard rain. It’s especially bad in the mountains. That’s why I decided to stick to the Piedmont. I planned a nice little 60-odd mile circuit on roads we hadn’t traveled, including a lunch stop at a place we’d never been. At least there were some elements of adventure involved.
I shared the map below in case you’d like to see our route.
Our destination was to be The Inn at Kelly’s Ford. I’d never been, but I heard the food was good. And it looked to be a nice setting.
Of course, getting there is half the fun. I even remember the GoPro.
Cloudy sky, but no rain in the forecast til later in the day.
Ruh Ro!
Hubby goes to investigate.
It turned out to be a major washout. The asphalt had heaved up at least 6 inches. We elected to circumnavigate that particular patch of road.
After turning around, we were stopped by another hopeful motorist.
“Is the road passable at all?”
Um, nope. That road won’t be open for quite a while, I believe.
She wasn’t happy having to go around. Detours in the country are rarely short.
As it turns out, we weren’t supposed to have been on that road anyway. And once we turned around, we were back on track.
We did encounter some high water, but it was passable.
Safe to cross. I could clearly see the road.
Note to self… next time, go slower and lift your feet. (They only got a little damp.)
The road less traveled?
Nice to see blue sky peeking through.
Lovely country, no?
Soon enough, we arrived at our lunch spot. The collage shared below is actually a huge image, so if you click on it, you’ll get a much better look.
I hadn’t told Hubby about the place and he was worried we’d be under-dressed. But they have a lovely little pub on the lower-level in the back that I knew would be perfect for us.
Pelham’s Pub
Rules
I was tickled to see clam strips on the menu. My huge mound of fries was delivered moments later.
Hubby opted for chicken tenders.
They do have a nice menu, we were both just in a fried food mood.
Interior Mural
Hubby patiently awaits my return.
Exterior mural viewed from pub.
Gorgeous view from the patio.
Both the Inn and Kelly’s Ford have historical significance. Follow those links if you’d like to learn more.
After lunch, we had about an hour’s ride to get home.
More lovely scenery.
This is just such a pretty area.
Since it was warm, I decided a cooling stop was in order.
Local dessert heaven.
I opted for a huge Hawaiian Ice (snowball served in a cup). And Hubby chose the ice cream.
The other dayI told you about my pre-lunch stroll around Old Town Warrenton. If you didn’t see that post, you may want to take a peek to see my pretty flower pics.
I did have an ultimate destination in mind when I left the house. I just took my time getting there, capturing flower shots along the way. I was headed for Jimmie’s Market.
Jimmie’s Market
I’ve taken quite a few photos of the market’s storefront, but only ventured in a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea what took me so long. It’s even more charming on the inside than it is on the outside. And that says a lot.
Jimmie’s was first established in 1939. The current owner, Susan Feeley, bought it in 1975. Then, in 2009, “updated the format” of the place. It’s a coffee shop, cafe, and tea room all rolled into one. Visit their web site to get the full story.
Not being a tea person, I’ll probably never experience the afternoon tea that they serve. I may have to try a scone, though. Scones are one of my favorite things. Authentic scones, the dry kind. I love me some dry, crumbly pastries. I did have lunch there a couple of times, though.
On the day these pics were taken, my lunch consisted of a large serving of Mascarpone Caramel Pistachio Gelato with a side helping of Quarisimale cookies. Think almond biscotti. According to The Cookie Factory web site…
Quaresima is the Italian word for Lent, the 6 week period that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Quaresimali are a specialty of the Lenten season because they are supposed to be so hard they are a penance to eat!
Eating those crunchy little delights was no penance. Seriously, I adore dry, crumbly pastries.
But back to Jimmie’s. It has the feel of an old mercantile. See for yourself.
The places oozes old-time charm. There are antiques scattered about for perusal and/or purchase. Lots of culinary delicacies, yummy home-made drinks, a rotating gelato selection, sandwiches, and even adult beverages.
This past Monday, I had to return some books to the library so I stopped in for lunch. The grilled Havarti and Bacon sandwich on sourdough bread was as tasty as I’d heard it would be. It was accompanied by one Quarisamale and a glass of homemade limeade. Delightful.
I’m so glad I finally stopped in.
Back to the day these photos were taken…
After lunch, I decided to drop in on Janet at The Empty Nest. On July 20th, Janet will be celebrating her shop’s one-year anniversary. In that short time, her store has become an institution. I stop in often to say hello, always mindful that she has a business to run. That day, I had time to share a Quarisamale with her, but then several customers came into the store and cut our visit short.
I was sad to have our chat cut short, but glad I got to nose around to see what new delights had arrived and/or been transformed since my last visit.
I’d seen this darling little hutch previously, but had never photographed it. I think she said she aquired this late-1800s piece at auction. It won’t be painted, since it’s such a delightful piece.
Tea Cozy
She’d recently gotten a shipment of tea cosies from her Aussie friend, Claire aka Sweet Birdy Love. Seeing Claire’s work in pictures is nice, but actually feeling the wonderful textures and seeing the quality of the artwork up close and in person is an opportunity I hate to miss. Claire is a genius with needle and felted wool.
I just love visiting Janet’s shop. Not only is she a super-sweet lady, she gets the coolest stuff. Every visit is a feast for the eyes.
She paints AND sews. The woman is very talented.
Farmer’s Market Tote, hand-made by Janet
Americana
Sorry if I seem to be gushing, but it’s all true.
Oh, and one more thing.
Janet loves vintage linens and often acquires them for her shop. I didn’t plan on buying anything that day, but when I saw this vintage doily, I HAD to have it.
I’d been needing something for under the centerpiece on my dining room table. And this doily was absolutely perfect.
Vintage Butterfly Doily
My Mom loved butterflies. The purple butterfly pick you see in that arrangement actually came from one of Mom’s funeral bouquets. The doily fits, right?
Coincidentally, that chair you see in the background was transformed by me after Janet taught me how to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
This last shot was captured on my stroll home.
So ends another stroll around Old Town Warrenton, a place I am proud to now call “home.”
Yesterday was one of those days where, while working, I reached a point where I absolutely could NOT sit at my desk for another single second. Literally. I got all fidgety. Couldn’t sit still no matter how hard I tried. Could not concentrate.
I wasn’t sick. I’d just been staring at and comparing spreadsheet data for four straight hours. I needed a break. Lucky for me it was lunchtime. The sun was out, too, which was nice, since it had been raining all morning.
So I decided to go for a stroll. With my camera, of course. And, in my opinion, I captured some pretty cool pics.
I love how the town flies flags during holidays.
It was a gorgeous day. Temporarily.
I did have a particular destination in mind, but enjoyed meandering along, taking it all in. Old Town Warrenton is very pleasing to the eyes.
For you locals who are curious, those images were all shot in the vicinity of North Sixth Street and Horner Street.
The following flowers pics were taken near the corner of High Street and Academy Hill Road.
As for that particular destination I mentioned, I’m getting there. But first, I had to share this house image.
Moving right along to that special place…
I absolutely LOVE this hydrangea bush in the side yard of the house at the corner of High Street and Liberty Street.
It’s just the coolest hydrangea. Not only does it have flowers of multiple colors, it sits atop and hangs over an old stone wall.
Remember, these pics are all from the same bush. The same location, at least. I guess there could be more than one bush planted in that spot.
The next image is my favorite capture of the day. It’s got the flowers AND that awesome wall.
See what I mean? Do you love that bush and wall, too?
It was really humid yesterday, and by that point I was getting quite hot. And drippy. Ugh. So I headed over toward Main Street. The next two images were captured behind the house near the corner of North First and Main Streets.
Actually, I snagged this shot of the water tower from that spot, too.
Big Blue
Although this church sits on Alexandria Pike, I captured this shot of the steeple from the parking lot behind the bank at Main and North First Streets.
I was pretty much done by that point. I hate being hot. So I crossed over Main Street to Jimmie’s Market, which was my other goal for the stroll.
Jimmie’s is a delightful little place. I cannot believe I only entered for the first time a week or so ago. I’ll tell you more about Jimmie’s later. This post is already way too long. But wait, there’s ONE more pic.
I love my town. There’s just so much to see here. As one of my friends often says, “It’s aesthetically pleasing.”
And since I’m all about aesthetics, isn’t that reason enough to love living here?
Did you see my post featuring flower pictures captured after the rain? The Blushing Rose shot was a favorite. It was captured four days before this next image…
Blushing Rose in Full Bloom
Again, I just happened to have my camera along when I went out to lunch yesterday. I absolutely love the colors in that flower. A good reason to always have the camera handy, right?
As an aside, if you want to see the detail in these images, click on the pic and a larger version of the image will fill your screen. Keep that in mind. You just might want to use that feature soon.
Most of my walks around town are dog-walks. My girls need and thoroughly enjoy their daily exercise. I always have my iPhone along, which does take pretty decent snapshots. But it’s an all-purpose kind of camera, so you can’t capture varying shades of light, especially in low-light situations, or manipulate the focus and depth of field. Which is why, when I see especially compelling stuff, I make a mental note to return with the real camera.
The other day, I’d noticed that the peonies by the Old Jail Museum were blooming. The rich, dark color really caught my eye.
Jail Museum Peony
In the early evening light, they’d appeared to be purple. Midday light showed their true colors… my favorite hot-pink.
I couldn’t decide which angle I liked better, so you get to see two different views.
Jail Museum Peony
As I was staring at the peonies, looking for the best angle to shoot from, a woman who was walking past commented about how pretty the flowers were. I had to chuckle when she said, “Did you see the brown Iris in front of the old building down the street?”
Why did I have to chuckle? Because yes, I had seen them. In fact, that was to be my next stop.
John Marshall Building
This building has been around for a long time, and has served various purposes. It started out as a residence. I’m guessing these Iris have been there for a while. Flower colors, like paint colors, upholstery colors, etc., come in and go out of fashion over time. I don’t remember ever having seen Iris in this odd brown/maroon color. That’s why I think they are old.
I captured the building shot with my phone especially for you. The lens I was using on my other camera had a pretty narrow focus, so rather than walking down the street to get far enough away to capture the building, I took the lazy route and decided to snag a phone image later.
Those are some very cool Iris. The colors are really very interesting. Which, by the way, is why I couldn’t decide, again, which angle I liked best. So you get to see several shots.
Iris at the John Marshall Building
Iris at the John Marshall Building
Iris at the John Marshall Building
See what I mean? Those are some very pretty and unique Iris. Size-wise, they were the same as all the other Iris I’m used to seeing. But, beside the porch, was a patch of smaller, daffodil-sized versions with the same color pattern.
Daffodil-sized Iris
I definitely don’t remember having seen flowers like those before.
While I’m on the subject of unique flowers, here is another example that caught my eye during a dog walk. The funny thing is, I remembered the flower clearly, but not it’s location. So it took me a few minutes to locate them again.
Green-tipped Petunias or Torenias
Whether they are Petunias or Torenias, I haven’t a clue. But they are annual plants, which means I just might be able to find them at a local garden center.
Green Tipped Petunias or Torenias
If any of you local folk know where to buy these, let me know, okay? I think they’re awesome. And it’s time to replace my potted Pansies.
In case you’re wondering where you can see these cuties, they are in the flower bed in front and on the right-hand side of the Warren Green Building. If you go to see them for yourself, you absolutely must check out the lovely little flower garden between the Warren Green Building and the new courthouse. Kudos to whoever decided to plant that lovely little spot, which is where the following images were captured.
Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Garden Guardian?
There’s probably a story behind that statue, but I don’t know it.
Seeing those Rhododendron shots reminds me… last night, during the dog-walk, I saw the prettiest, reddest Rhododendron I’ve ever seen before. Maybe I’ll get a chance to capture a shot or two of that to share with you. Before the blooms fade.
Now can you understand why I so enjoy my strolls around Old Town Warrenton?
