Category Archives: Happy times

Unknown's avatar

Getting to know Virginia – Westmoreland Park take II

by

Because I missed a trip to Fossil Beach the last time I went to this park, I had to make another trip! I took a Friday off from work to hopefully avoid the crowds and there was hardly anyone there.

The trail was very nicely kept up through a forest of lots of different trees.

DSCN2206

Looks like this one was struck by lightning.

DSCN2211

DSCN2219

A ghostly tree!

DSCN2220

Finally made it to the beach!

DSCN2222

But some of it was closed because of erosion. I have no doubt that is where all of the cool fossilized sharks teeth are, but I obeyed the law and kept my distance.

DSCN2237

I knew that the trail was going to be about 1.5 miles round trip, but what I didn’t know was that there was a really steep hill. The way down wasn’t so bad, but the way up was a little tough. You can’t really tell from this angle, but that is a hill. I should have taken it from the bottom looking up, but this is the top, looking down.

DSCN2239

I didn’t go in the visitors center, but there is a huge field behind it where you can view the Potomac River.

DSCN2201

DSCN2243

Went back to the other beach to look for more sea glass, and it looked like a whole different park. There were maybe two people there, as opposed to the 200+ the last time I was there!

While I did find one small piece of sea glass, but no fossils, it was still a very nice day!

Unknown's avatar

Getting to know Virginia – Farmville

by

Me and the fam took a drive about an hour west to Farmville several weeks ago. I accidentally drove us through the town on our way somewhere else and vowed to go back, so we did! I did research and there is a really nice, long trail through the High Bridge Trail State Park where there are several places to view the Appomattox River. But its over 30 miles long…not exactly a trail you can do on a whim. So we just walked around the furniture store a bit, drove through town, then headed back home.

DSCN2089

DSCN2101

Giant bellow!

DSCN2097

DSCN2091

Several buildings had murals painted on the sides.

DSCN2087

Unknown's avatar

Photo fails

by

Oh dear, sweet, loving mother of mine. Why are things growing out of my head? Not once, or twice, but several times??

Two years in a row I had a tree (or antlers) growing out of my head at Easter.

DSCN2072

I couldn’t escape the antlers, even during Halloween.

DSCN2066

Or how about the time we were at Disneyland and she found the ONE space in the ENTIRETY of the park to put me in front of…and I have a light pole growing out of head (and little Megan is just waving and smiling, oblivious).

DSCN2065

Last but not least (and Mom’s favorite fail), we were in the mountains (probably Big Bear), and Mom said to little Megan and Dad “go stand over there, that’s a great spot!” Low and behold…in the ENTIRETY of the FOREST, Dad has a tree growing out of his head.

DSCN2070

I love you Mom, but apparently NOT anyonecantakeapicture!

 

Unknown's avatar

The Jefferson

by

The Jefferson is one of those places that I tend to take for granted. It is close by, so I have no excuse. It is historic, so there are plenty of photo opportunities. But because it is right there, I don’t go often.

DSCN1878

In a nutshell, it is a luxury hotel built in the late 1800s by Lewis Ginter and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Beaux Art. It has been partially rebuilt twice from fires, and undergone numerous renovations. 13 presidents stayed there, along with Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and countless other celebrities.

Apparently, alligators used to live in the pools at The Jefferson. They now have sculptures in and around the building to memorialize them.

I’ve been twice (or three times, I can’t remember) for their infamous Sunday Brunch Buffet. I’ve also gone to a couple of work-related happy hours during the holidays.

The most recent trip was for a belated birthday brunch for Mom. Her birthday is in July, but they didn’t have any openings until August.

We were seated right next to the giant dessert table!

DSCN1861

My perfect breakfast (including a mimosa!)

DSCN1869

Me and Mom :)

DSCN1872

That is what a normal photograph of people in a picture should look like. The next one is, well…a representation of the kinds of photographs my Mom used to take before we banned her from taking pictures (we purposefully posed for this one).

Note the ice sculpture is now “growing” out of her head…

DSCN1874

…and cue the “photo fails“…