Willy Nilly Friday

This is my first Willy Nilly Friday post. Hope I'm doing it right. Five random things. I love random!

1. The weather has been truly gorgeous this week. Sunny and mostly clear (although VERY hot).

2. Looks like the garden is just about finished for this season. The heat really got to the tomatoes and dill this year, and the squash never even got started. About the only thing still going strong is the basil— it's parched, but keeps right on growing. I need to make some pesto.

3. What we've been spending all our time on lately. Finally getting bookshelves in the study! Nearly floor-to-ceiling, and white, white, white!

4. And some storage units in the craft/guest room. Also new carpet in both rooms. It's taken us five years (since we first moved into this house) to get it done, but now that we've made a start it seems to be going along pretty smoothly.

5. The Rotunda, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

Designed by Thomas Jefferson, begun in 1822 and completed in 1826, shortly after his death. Charlottesville has been in my thoughts a lot this week. Naturally, I guess. The university campus is so lovely, and I hate to think of any violence taking place there. This shot was taken quite a while back, during a visit in the summer of 2003. I like to believe it still looks the same.

Also linking up with SkyWatch Friday.

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SkyWatch Friday: Watching the Sky Watcher

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Here's a shot of the hubby doing a little sky-watching in Shenandoah National Park, this past summer. We're hoping to get over there for another brief visit soon -- the trees should be really pretty just about now.

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Saturday Snapshot: A Day at the Park

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books, and as she says: "To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online."

The Hubby and I are getting ready to spend the Fourth at Shenandoah National Park. Just driving over for a couple of days R&R, and hoping for good weather and not too much heat (those cabins aren't air conditioned). These are a couple of snaps from past visits, showing my little travel doll Kayla enjoying some of the Park's outdoor scenes.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

ABC Wednesday: "R" is for...

Reenactors!!!

I wasn't really too familiar with the term before I moved to Virginia. But around here, historical reenactors (or re-enactors if you prefer) are everywhere. Many museums and historical sites have them. Civil War and Revolutionary War battle recreations abound with them. And of course, places like Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown are fully stocked with hundreds of very authentic-looking reenactors. These are a few shots we took during a visit to Williamsburg a few years ago.

A villager outside the post office.

In the saddle maker's shop.

Colonial carpenter.

In the printer's establishment.

At the book bindery.

A reenactor bringing history to life.

And sometimes, even the visitors get into the act.

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Blue Monday: Library Blues

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
To see more offerings, or to participate yourself,
please head on over to her blog.

I took this shot while I was at our local public library one day last spring. It was a beautiful day, and I loved the look of the baby blue skies framed by the monumental columns out front. I was standing just outside the building, looking toward the parking lot. And I seem to have captured a library patron as well, who just might be wearing blue, too!

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Out and About in Old Town

It's been so cold around here lately, I haven't really ventured out much. And there's snow on the ground again today. Not picturesque snow - just patchy, gray stuff. So I thought I'd post a few shots taken back in the fall, when "going outside" sounded a little more inviting.


These photos were taken back in October, on a day when M and I drove into Old Town Alexandria for lunch and a little sightseeing. As I recall, it was pretty darn cold that day, too - but at least the sun was shining. This is Christ Church, the first Episcopal Church in Alexandria. The building was designed by James Wren in the colonial Georgian style, and completed by John Carlyle in 1773. George Washington and Robert E. Lee were regular worshippers here. The churchyard is filled with the graves of parishioners and some of the tombstones are barely readable, but still interesting to see.


George Washington isn't buried here (his grave is at Mount Vernon), but there is a plaque dedicated to his honorary pall bearers.


The church was in use on the Saturday we were there, so we didn't go inside; but here are a few more shots of the outside and grounds.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Outdoor Wednesday is hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.
To see many, many more outdoor photos or to post some of your own, please visit her blog.

Hobby Shop Holiday

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ABC Wednesday: "W" is for...

Window Shopping!

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Antique shop.
Old Town Alexandria VA, December 2010.

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Out and About in Old Town

It's been really cold here in Northern Virginia lately. Cold and mostly cloudy and damp. And in that kind of weather, I tend to hibernate; which means I just stay indoors and mope. But over the weekend we had a bit of a break in the wintry weather - Saturday was sunny and not quite as cold. So M and I took that opportunity to venture out for a visit to Old Town Alexandria, to do a little sight-seeing and window-shopping (and shoe shopping, but that's another story). Thought I'd share a few of the photos I took of some of the seasonal decorations. (Click on photos to enlarge.)


Old Town is always one of my favorite places to visit during the holidays. All the home and shop owners usually go all-out, in a sort of decorating frenzy.


This year the mood seemed to be a bit subdued compared to other years. Don't know if it's because of the economy, or just a general attitude change, but it all felt a little less exuberant than I've seen it in the past. And I also noticed a tendency to use more artificial decorations and less real greenery, flowers and fruit. And, of course, lots more of those awful LED lights.

Still a lot of very pretty stuff around, though.

Outdoor Wednesday is hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.
To see many, many more outdoor photos or to post some of your own, please visit her blog.

Shadow Shot Sunday 134

Shenandoah National Park VA
October 2010
(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet.
To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.

Christmas Shopping in the Bizzaro World

Today was a lovely day here in Northern Virginia – cold, but nice and sunny and not too windy. A little cooler than I like it but, hey – it's winter time (well, almost). I should just get over it. M and I drove into Old Town Alexandria this morning, hoping to get a look at the Christmas decorations and take a few snaps. But they were having the annual Scottish Walk (the local Christmas parade), and the place was so packed with locals and tourists that parking spaces were almost nonexistent. Glad to see there was a crowd, though – hopefully, that meant a good day for all the shops and businesses. Unfortunately, it also meant no Old Town photos for us. Maybe next week.

We did get in a little Christmas shopping, although not in Old Town. And I think I may have discovered the perfect shopping routine to keep both myself and the hubby happy. First I hit Tuesday Morning. Spent half an hour or so, browsing and picking out all the stuff I just couldn't resist. Found some great Christmas cards and gift tags and beverage napkins at half price, as well as a really cute little faux suede-covered bucket that would be perfect for corralling all those current magazines and catalogs that I can't seem to throw out right away. Then headed over to pay for all my good stuff and just couldn't face standing in that long, long line to hand over my cash. So I put everything back! Strangely, I didn't feel too bad about it. And M was, of course, delighted.

Then stopped in at the local Borders. Spent another half hour or so looking around. Found some more great Christmas cards (at 30% off this time), plus the couple of magazines I'd been looking for, and a book that would have made a perfect gift for one of the kids on my Christmas list. Headed for the check out line, and once again couldn't face the wait. Put everything back again! Left empty-handed and still didn't feel too bad. I was amazed. And M was, once again, delighted.

As I said, it might be the perfect shopping strategy. I get to pick out everything I want. M saves money. We don't have to stand in line. And I don't come home with stuff I really don't need anyway. How perfect is that?

Not too perfect for all the retailers, of course.

And since we didn't get any photos of holiday decorations in Old Town today, here's a couple from years gone by.

Shadow Shot Sunday 131: Fencing Shadows

I took several shots of this fence and then couldn't decide which one I liked best, so I'm posting two. First, this one:


And then this one with a bit of road showing:


And finally, this is that last one, before I cropped out my own shadow down in the right hand corner:

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet.
To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Bistro Shadows

Snapped this at one of our favorite neighborhood eateries, just before the lunchtime crowd descended.

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet.
To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.