Where analytic and creative thought collide and all kinds of weird stuff can happen.

I really enjoyed this past weekend.

First, there was Saturday’s wine tour. It was a great time. Then on Sunday, for the first time in a long time, we got to visit the WV Place.

Spring in West Virginia

Our little house in the woods has been neglected of late. There’s just so much stuff to do and/or discover here at the new place. Honestly, the only reason we went on Sunday was because we had to. My car has been parked there, in that very spot you see pictured, for a couple of months.

Being a one-car family has been different. It’s not like we don’t have other modes of transport available. If I take off with the truck for a weekend, Hubby still has the bikes at his disposal. But cargo space is pretty limited.

So now we got the car back. I am happy. I’ve missed my car.

The dogs were happy, too. They really enjoyed the visit, however brief.

K and Belle, soon after arrival.

See how nice and clean they both look in that image I posted above? That did NOT last long at all.

Hunting

Meg went off to visit the neighbors while the younguns set out for a hunt.

Hunting

This wood pile sits at the bottom of the hill near the turn in our driveway. It’s a very boggy area.

And More Hunting

Can you see K in the last shot? You have to look closely as she blends in and there’s not much to be seen.

I swear K is part mountain goat.

Part mountain goat?

She is the most sure-footed dog I have ever seen.

Belle

Belle did her share of climbing, too. But K’s climbing abilities are unsurpassed. At least among our three.

Bog Dogs

When they weren’t on the woodpile, they were running around it. Through the bog.

Belle may be our little princess, but she loves her some mud.

Happy as a Pig in Mud

Really. The ground where’s she is laying is a spongy, muddy mess. She was happy as could be. Click on that image of Belle to get a close look at her back feet.

Speaking of happy… check out the smile on Meg’s face.

Happy Meg

Yes, dogs can smile. The WV place is her favorite place in the whole world.

I guess you could say she’s a country dog at heart.

Trees are still not quite full.

I was surprised to see that the trees are still rather bare.  I guess most are about half filled-out? Quite a few others still have a ways to go.

Sparse Canopy

See what I mean? There just aren’t many leaves yet. Maybe it’s because of the weird, cold weather we’ve had. Last weekend, it snowed a bit at the WV place!

Meg was pooped.

Meg is a bit out of shape, I guess. She hadn’t been out long, but looked exhausted.

The young girls were still raring to go. K, especially, was still showing some spunk.

That's My K!

How was your weekend?

We visited the WV place this past weekend. Mainly because we had to pick up our trailer, which we needed to get the snowblower we bought from one of Hubby’s co-workers. Now we know we won’t get an measurable snow this winter. You know, now that we are prepared for it and all.

It was a nice, if brief, visit. We drove up on Saturday morning. It was somewhat warm and the sky was a really pretty blue.

Blue-sky Day

The dogs had a blast doing what they love to do most. K and Belle were hunting while Meg was off saying hello to all her old pals.

Hunting Expedition

I walked to the back part of our property to check on this downed tree, which has been in this position since 2005 when we moved in.

Rotting Log

Ever since I first saw the thing, I wondered how long it would take to break. It’s been seven years. And I have no idea how long it was like that before we bought the place. Late last year, I noticed it starting to sag. Initially, I was just going to let the thing go. But the grandkids, when they visit, always love to climb on it. Come to think of it, it was shortly after snapping this photo in July that I noticed the thing sagging and said, “Everyone off!”

Natural Playground Equipment

And the dogs walk under it, too. So it worried me.

On Saturday, I actually got a closer look at the thing. I could see visible stress cracks. I gave it a gentle kick and could tell it was really rotten. So I stood on the end close to the ground and bounced a few times.

Danger Averted

It didn’t take much at all to make the thing fall. Based on the very loud crack and thud it made when it fell, I’m glad I did what I did. It was obviously very heavy and would have inflicted quite an injury had it fallen on anyone.

Seven years. Wow.

Still Digging

The girls were oblivious. They heard the thud, looked up, then went back to their hunt.

I did manage to capture one very cool (in my opinion) picture of K.

Now That is Focus

I like how, if you look closely, you can see her eye. Click on the image to see a bigger version if you like. She’s quite determined to catch the mouse or vole or whatever it is that once made the stump its home.

I spent Saturday afternoon making my Appalachian Tours web site work. Finally. It’s been broken for months, since I switched hosting services. By Saturday evening, it was windy and COLD. What a difference a few hours make. We stayed the night then came home on Sunday, stopping to get the snowblower on the way.

Not a hugely exciting weekend. But it was still a nice one.

Don’t you just love days that start out in one place and then, completely unpredictably, you end up in another place? Days like that keep life interesting.

Take Wednesday for example. It started out with me here at home in Virginia. One of my goals for this week has been to paint my office. (I made good progress there, by the way. I’ll finish today.) One of my other goals has been to take the girls to the WV place. So, the trip to WV wasn’t entirely unexpected. I just didn’t know when I’d go.

I was thinking about it while painting. Painting is one of those mindless jobs that forces contemplation. Since the week was winding down, I figured I’d better get my traveling butt in gear and head to the WV place.

After dinner, we did just that.

Know what that meant? Besides a late-night arrival? I had three very HAPPY dogs.

Meg Checks Out the Woodpecker Tree

Belle Wondering Which Way I Was Headed

K Waiting Patiently for Mama

They love stretching their legs at the WV place. They really were super-excited to be there. Even if only for a brief visit.

K on the Hunt

That last shot above is my favorite doggie pic of the day. K was poking through her favorite brush pile looking for rodents.

Something else I’ve been wanting to do is take the dogs on a hike. They do really well walking on leash here in town. Since we’re so close to Shenandoah National Park, I figured we could stop for a visit. It is halfway between the VA and WV houses, after all. But the visitor center is closed for the season. So we opted for Sky Meadows State Park instead, which is also between the WV and VA houses.

Sky Meadows State Park, in Clarke and Fauquier counties, is just two miles south of Paris, Virginia. Here’s a brief description from the VA Department of Conservation and Recreation’s web site for Sky Meadows…

Just an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C., Sky Meadows State Park … offers a peaceful getaway on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With rolling pastures and woodlands, the park boasts beautiful vistas of the foothills and access to the Appalachian Trail. Its rich history is shaped by the development of agriculture and the impact of the Civil War. Activities include hiking, fishing, picnicking, horseback riding, primitive camping, and nature and history programs.

Of course, I had to stop in Paris just so I could say I was in Paris on Thursday.

That’s where we encountered some strange creatures.

Giant Parisian Turkeys

What are these giant turkeys doing in a cow pasture?

More Large, Long-legged Turkeys

Turkeys are birds, right? When my three bird dogs spotted them, they were going nuts.

Gobble Gobble Gobble

Speaking of nuts… look at this strange collection of beasts in the neighboring pasture.

Strange Collection of Critters

Not a cow to be seen. And, wait, isn’t that a little horse?

Dark-faced, Horned Sheep

We didn’t linger too long because the dogs really were going nuts in the back of the truck. K can be quite vocal, too, and the animals were getting quite freaked out. I didn’t want to start a stampede and make Paris look like that scene in Jumanji.

Farm on the Outskirts of Paris

Check out the size of that farmhouse! I guess that would be called a manor.

The state park really was just around the corner.

Entrance Sign

It’s also only about 30 minutes from my house. How cool is that?

If you are wondering why I find that so exciting, have a look at some of the pics I shot at the park.

Paris, Virginia

Keep in mind, these are just snapshots (just point and shoot). I had three very excited dogs with me.

View from Overlook Trail at Sky Meadows State Park

View from Overlook Trail at Sky Meadows State Park

View from Overlook Trail at Sky Meadows State Park

View from Overlook Trail at Sky Meadows State Park

View from Overlook Trail at Sky Meadows State Park

Just imagine how pretty this place will be in the Spring and Summer when everything is green. And in the Fall, when the leaves are changing.

Oh, and did I mention that the Appalchian Trail runs through Sky Meadows State Park? That’s something else on my list of things to do this year. (Not hike the whole trail, just pieces of it.)

Speaking of things to do… I have to finish painting my office. That’s a job I both dread and am excited about. Just wait until you see the dramatic difference, then you’ll understand why the excitement.

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P.S. – I do realize those aren’t turkeys…