It's heating up

High is SUPPOSED to be 98 degrees F here today in Central Virginia. The thermometer on the back porch (Smokey The Bear) says it's pretty close to 100!

Our squash plants don't seem to mind though....We have blooms setting on!!!

WATCH OUT FOR TURTLES!

This is the time of year when turtles are moving, crossing roads. Be careful not to hit any with your vehicle! While I hate to see anything killed on a road, reptiles have an especially hard time because many are slow-moving or use the warm road surfaces to bask (they are ectothermic, remember?).

Habitat fragementation and degredation are significant problems for these species and mortalities due to collisions from vehicles are a major source of population decline.

Check out this blog post....

Wildlife Center of Virginia (World Turtle Day Blog Post)

If you stop to help a turtle across the road (be careful as this is dangerous for you...you might be struck by a vehicle), please move the animal to the side of the road is is facing! Wouldn't you feel bad if the critter had to cover all the distance it traveled again?

Dutch Gap Conservation Area, Chester.

GET OUTSIDE VIRGINIA!!!

For anyone interested in planning an excursion here in The Old Dominion, check out this cool website -


VIRGINIA OUTDOORS (click here)


It lists places to go, things to do, outdoor articles and whole lot more!

Another great site if you are looking for hikes/backpacking trips is Hiking Upward (click here)

Molly's Knob, Hungry Mother State Park

Celebrating 75 years: Virginia State Parks

Virginia's State Parks have been around for 75 years! Check out the article at the link below for more information about the celebration hosted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

VA State Parks 75th Anniversary Information (click here)

There are so many activities available at state parks here in Virginia. From hiking and fishing to camping and outdoor concerts. The park I have spent the most time at is also the largest, Pocahontas State Park. Other parks that I really enjoy are False Cape (where I hope to plan a paddling/camping trip soon), Twin Lakes, Hungry Mother and Natural Tunnel. Natural Tunnel was the sight of the 2000 Governor's Academy for Environmental Stewardship that I attended in high school. Hard to believe that was more than a decade ago!

I have been to most of the 35 state parks in Virginia and actually live on a farm that borders High Bridge Trail State Park. I suppose that's one reason why I enjoy the park system so much, because it is so accessible!

Hungry Mother State Park

Garden Progress

It's not the best picture, but the garden is coming along nicely. Weeded last week and already need to do it again. Soon, the groundcover plants (squash, zucini, watermelon, cantelope, cucumbers) will shade out many of the weeds. You can see the Romaine lettuce in the foreground and the squash, zucini and cucumber in the background (just past the shadow in the light). The corn at the far end is about 8-12 inches tall.



The fish were biting at my house!

Saturday afternoon, I decided to wet a line in the pond at the farm I live on. The fish were literally in that, "bare hook" biting stage! Not sure if the sunfish are fanning nests or what (they will remove foreign objects) but the action was hot.

I ended up catching a few fish but tossed them back to enjoy later. Most of them still had some growing to do.

TADPOLES!!!

My fishin' buddies, Colter and Rosie.

In addition to the tadpoles, I saw some fry (young fish) and a freshwater mussel....Still trying to figure out how that one got in the pond! It is one of the larger species, almost as big as my hand.

Busy weekend! North Carolina, then Kentucky

What a busy weekend!

Went down to North Carolina to watch Parker's (my eldest nephew) baseball game. Pretty good defensive game and they started really hitting toward the last inning...Parker caught, played second base and right field! From the sound of at least one previous game, this was a good showing. Lost 3 to 0.

After the game, we had a great barbeque that I am still recovering from!!! Corn on the cobb, brats, burgers, pasta salad, etc.

On Sunday, I made a quick trip to Kentucky to pick up a feist pup. Well, to get to Kentucky, I have to go through Southwest Virginia. The town of St. Paul, Virginia was built on land, one of the farms, formerly owned by James Gray (1765-1849)....much later than his lifetime, about 1910-11. There is a subdivision established in 1957 in the vicinity of where the Gray house was located, called Gray Hill. To the east, more in Russell County (outside Lebanon) the road to the original farm purchased by James is called Gray Farm Road. He is reportedly buried there. It's truly amazing how many relatives we still have living in Southwest Virginia.

On my way down the I-81 corridor (before I went through Abingdon into the REAL mountains), I saw the destruction caused by the recent tornadic activity in the vicinity of Glade Spring, VA. Looked truly devastating......Buildings reduced to kindling, trees splintered and clipped, cargo boxes toppled like a child's blocks, debris on both sides of the freeway of all kinds, Road signs gnarled, on and on.

 No pictures from Kentucky because I was busy driving....