SILHOUETTES

   The pileated woodpecker rat-a-tat-tatting on the dead tops of the paradise tree woke me. With coffee in mug and fuzzy socks and jacket I went to the porch with my binoculars to investigate. I could see the chips of the bark flying even before I could focus on the big bird. The sun was coming up behind the trees, making the tree limbs and the birds seem like a black and white photo. Silhouetted against the morning sky I watched a mated pair of the huge woodpeckers work the tree.As the sun got higher and the crows and smaller birds became active the pair worked their way down the field line and headed for more cover in the deeper parts of the woods by the creek. Smaller woodpeckers appeared and worked the same area the Pileateds' had been, apparently enjoying the smaller bugs left exposed. Bob and I love to hear the monkey jungle sounds these birds make as they call to each other. We seem to have several mated pairs and are lucky to see them on a regular basis. Most people never get the chance to see them but they might have heard them and not known what was making the loud rapping , jack-hammer sounds on the dead limbs and the jungle noises.

After the visit...rain

Even Quarrie is sad..The family is all gone, back to New England and routine has set back in here...well, partly. The rain is dismal and cold...

But we had sunny days to ride, and ride we did! Adam put over 110 miles on his machine this trip!

Papa, Adam and Dad John.

Heres the back of Mom Keri, Adam in orange, Dad John in the green cap, Papa Clayton and Grandma Janet in the background...three generations of Bemis's.

Heres Clay coming down the hill to "ice bottom".

Heres Adam all smiles !

Heres Grandma Janet in her 'Gator'.

John and Adam were crawfish catchers!

Crawfish hanging on to the stick...

Janet's taking a picture of John holding the crawfish.

Adam is posing in a tree over the creek on the trail ...

Adam is riding Papa's lawn mower...he loves to mow, and even has his own mowing business! Not bad for 11 years old!

He mowed all our property and Papa's field on Bob's John Deere! Thanks Adam!

Penny loves to sit on Adam and be petted, but break out the camera, and her Amish nature shows up!

We had a great visit and thankfully I was able to ride since the shots I had in my hip. I did get in one ride to West VaCo, but the gang did several trips...

Can't believe another year til we ride again...

The wearing of the "green"

Happy St. Patricks Day!!! Belle is all smiles.
The earth is wearing green...and pink and purple and yellow...Can you see why we are called the Blue Ridge Mountains?

We visited the mini's today, so good to see them all fat and happy!This is their new home and some of their new friends.

Endeavor, aka 'Norman', is here with Skye,aka 'Lucy'. The background shows the big barn and the Lorton's pretty home.

Apple cookies make your tongue flop out of your mouth...

I am remembered ! (ok, maybe its the cookies.)

We drove the back way home and stopped on Ramsey Memorial Rd. in Penhook to take this pastoral shot of a pony lying down. I covet these fences....

On this same road, we stopped to watch the new lambs. The one alone on the right was crying pitifully, so Bob cryed back and it started heading for our truck! Then Mom emerged from the rusted back side of the farm implement...

The road sides are so pretty in their purple fringe. Red bud trees are one of my favorites.

Forsythia is another favorite of mine, especially when it is allowed to grow naturally.

With this nice weather, we spend more time on the porch, as you can see we play cribbage outside in good weather, and the girls are having some cheese. They miss their "uncle Cookie".

Mac is awaiting anything in the food family during a break from birdie hunting under the weeping cherry.

Can you spot the bees? Click on the picture to enlarge it...

Springtime in the Blue Ridge is very colorful and sweet smelling, except for the beautiful Bradford Pear trees that look like big white gumdrops. Who knew they would smell like dead fish!

Snow or no snow, the dogs run

I don't think this needs alot of words..The Blue Ridge area of Virginia in snow, and particularly,
Little Jacks Creek in the snow...that says it all...

Can you see Belle??

Harry lauder is packing on charm.....

These were taken during the snow fall yesterday..today is sunny and incredibly beautiful...the dog run today will be a photo shoot to beat all!!!

snowman arrived!

February 20th, at 8 am . We were wakened earlier with the sound of raucous birds...our feeders were full of black birds. Grackles I beleive. Boat tailed Grackles. I got up to make some coffee and proceeded to shoot pictures of the surrounding trees filled with black birds .
The snowman cometh in good fashion. Actually he gained a couple of pounds overnight. My snowman picture made it to channel 27 news at 10 last night and again on the channel 10 11 o'clock news cast...
the rest of these are self explanitory...

Another blog with creek pictures from yesterday will come next...

Winter in Appalachia..