Langley Fountain

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Lynchburg

That's Langley Fountain in the distance...I've shown a different view of it HERE along with a little info about the fountain. I love Lynchburg's old buildings. We were surprised at how far the riverfront restoration has come along. So many great new restaurants have opened up! You can read the plans HERE and I'm linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Oats & Berries

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Lynchburg

If you stopped by for Willy Nilly Friday 5 I am sorry to leave you hanging like that! I got sooo sick Wednesday night, ugh...first Braden came down with it and then me...is this going around where you live too? It's just awful! We are both just beginning to feel better...So back to blogging :)

Linking with Monday Murals

On Top Of The World

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Mountain Pass Road . Troutville . Botetourt County

Linking with Wordless Wednesday

Old House On A Hill

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Blue Ridge Turnpike . Botetourt County

Note to self: Go back with my zoom lens!

Linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Coke Sign

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Blue Ridge Turnpike . Botetourt County

We have a whole week of spring temperatures ahead!

Linking with Mersad's Through My Lens

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 119

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Mt. Zion Baptist Church . 460 . Montvale

1) My nephew JD passed away on Wednesday evening. He was diagnosed with Lymphoma back in September. His chances looked good. Then in December he became pretty ill and was hospitalized but then he made a turn for the better and was released. We were all excited again about his chances. I even posted a Thankful Thursday post about it. Well that was not meant to be...just last week he started to have terrible headaches and his body and mind started to go downhill. My other nephew (Jake) took him to the hospital over the weekend. While things looked bleak the dr. and my nephew Jake decided to go ahead and start back on his cancer treatment on Wednesday. During his treatment he got sick and things got even worse. Later that evening he passed away with my nephew Jake and some close friends by his side. This has been so sudden and such a shock.

2) My brother and mom had moved out here to Virginia in 2008. My brother Jerry (the one who moved out here) was JD's dad. We had been trying to get JD to move out here to Virginia but he was in an apprenticeship so we always thought "maybe later"...well some of you might remember my mom and brother both passed away in 2012...my mom was kind of expected but my brother was pretty sudden and out of the blue. We had my brother cremated and his ashes sent to JD. JD took them and spread them at Lake Cuyamaca (San Diego) where the 2 of them used to fish.

3) JD is going to be cremated and my nephew Jake will take him to Lake Cuyamaca and spread his ashes where his dad's are.

4) I am grateful that my brother went as early as he did so he doesn't have to live with this. I am happy that they are together although I still feel sad that both their lives were cut short.

5)

Now for a little less heavy...The day I drove up to this church that sits on a hill, I was alone. Nobody at the church either. I drove around to the back and noticed these headstones so I rolled my window down to take a picture when all of a sudden I hear a man's voice say "good morning"! I have to admit it made me jump, sitting there all alone next to these graves! I laughed a bit at myself for being so jumpy and snapped this picture and drove away thinking it must have been a recording that goes off with a sensor when you drive up...right?! :)

If you would like to see the Facebook post I copied from my nephew JD click here ....for some reason seeing it written out and the pictures posted made it real to me. JD was a good kid...he got that from my brother...

Well that's my 5 this week...not a happy week but it's real life. I hope you will play along too and I hope the week has been better for you! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others...thanks for visiting...

Pinks, Whites & Greens

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JMU Arboretum

Today I am thankful for seeing signs of spring popping up everywhere! I've seen Forsythia blooming, Daffodils along the side of the road, my Daisy bushes that I trimmed way back have little leaves sprouting and I can see huge buds on all the trees! Although our winter has been mostly mild spring is such an exciting season to me and I can barely wait each year! The photo above was taken back in May of 2015 on a visit to see Ashlyn.

Linking with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

First National Bank

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First National Bank aka People's Federal Building & Liberty Trust Co. 101 So Jefferson St . Roanoke

Built in 1910

Linking with Wordless Wednesday

Hancock Building

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35 Campbell Avenue . Roanoke

Hancock Dry Goods was built in 1898. In 1929 was purchased by Pugh Department Store and in 1965 Grand Piano purchased the building and bricked over these gorgeous windows and terra cotta mosaics...why oh why would anyone do that??? Anyways, since then it has been restored and renovated into apartments...

You can check out the website HERE

Linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

A Break From Winter

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Such a nice warm weekend we had!

Linking with Mersad's Through My Lens

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 118

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4)

5

Some lionesses at the National Zoo ...these were taken back in March of last year...some of you might remember that my best friend whom I grew up with in San Diego came out to DC for a field trip with her son's school so we popped up there for the weekend to see her! Anyways, I only posted a couple of pictures from the zoo HERE ...crazy how that was almost a whole year ago!

So that's my 5 this week and I hope you will play along too! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others! Have a great weekend friends!



I'm also linking with Photo Friday and Friday Fences and Mascha's new linky Weekend Green

:)

Clock Tower

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Bedford
The clock tower in the background is on the Bedford Courthouse and the little building in front is part of the Bedford Historical Slave Foundation.

Today I am thankful for a few days of spring like weather with temps near 70 and I have even seen some Forsythia in bloom this week! Today though the weather dips down to 38 with a wind advisory...30 degrees less than yesterday, ugh! Oh well, at least the weekend jumps back up into the 60's again! I can hear the wind whipping around as I type this! Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Hardware Store

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Bedford

Linking with Wordless Wednesday

Mail Box

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Bedford Historical Slave Foundation . Bedford

Walking around Bedford a couple of weeks ago we walked past the Historical Slave Foundation which I've shown you HERE before...I walked up to the door to see if there had been any progress when I noticed this neat old mail box :)

Linking with Tuesday's Treasures

I know I was supposed to show more on the old school but haven't had a chance to look it up yet so maybe next week!

Red, White & Blue

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Bedford

This pretty house is just right around the corner from the Avenel House. I love the Betsy Ross Flag...Linking with Mersad's Through My Lens

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 117

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1)

Heading out to dinner last night (missing Nick who was downstairs getting ready and Christian who had to work :( )

2)

This happened this week...I think on Tuesday because it was super windy...strong, STRONG winds...Thankfully the elderly neighbor that lives behind us came up and told me "a tree fell on your fence and squashed it so your dogs can walk right out"...I went and checked and sure enough, they could have walked right out if they wanted...thank goodness they didn't and I'm so thankful that man came and told me because I never go down into that part of the yard so who knows when I would have noticed...
I called Nick and he came home and cut the tree up and him and the boys blocked it with a piece of plywood for now until we can fix it this weekend...until then the dogs have to be supervised outside because I don't know how sturdy that is!

3)

While down there I noticed a couple of more trees that fell but didn't do anymore damage to the fence...this one was kind of small...

4)

This one kind of split in a weird way but I think it was mostly held together by vines anyway...

5)

A random picture of Bedford...we had just parked the car and gotten out and a bunch of birds flew right over there in the corner...what kind of birds are those that fly in groups of a million?...anyways I just kind of like the gritty look of this area and thought it should be a black and white...so I did just that ;)

I apologize for running late but I hope you will still play along! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others!! Have a great weekend!


I'm linking with Photo Friday and Good Fences

I'm running behind on my visits but will make it to you eventually!

15th Birthday

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Avenel House . Bedford

Today Braden and Dalton turn 15! I'm still in denial...I still see them like:

(2009)
It's been a great 15 years...Hearing I was having twins was a shock of course but a blessing I couldn't have ever imagined! Today (like everyday) I am thankful that I was picked to be their mom! They are taking the day off from school, then I will take them to pick out a couple of video games they've been wanting and then we will take them out to dinner to Kabuki which they've requested.

I will also be thankful if that groundhog predicts an early spring ;)

Linking with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

CDP Theme Day - Loving Life

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While the boys and I were walking around Bedford on Sunday we found this cute little pig behind the Bower Center For The Arts ...he sure looks like he's "Loving Life" doesn't he?!
To see other contributions from all over the world visit City Daily Photo :)