Make A Wish

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Took a break...but I'm back!

Hope everyone is well!

We are officially on summer break now! Yay!

Where The Wild Things Grow

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The Roanoke River . Explore Park . Roanoke

Today I am thankful for pretty light! This morning I had to get the boys to school a little earlier than our normal routine. They had to run for their coach so he could record their times...anyway, on our way there the sky was dark grey but the lighting on the ground and mountains looked like a gigantic spotlight was shining down...made for a very pretty drive this morning! I wished I had my camera with me because I wanted to take a picture of everything! Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Black & White Wednesday

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Explore Park . Roanoke

"I believe the future is only the past again, entered through another gate." Arthur Wing Pinero

Kemp's Ford Schoolhouse

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Explore Park . Roanoke

Originally located near a ford of the Blackwater River in Franklin County and then moved to Explore Park and restored. This little school was in operation from 1860-1935. The region was isolated following the Civil War and changed very little during the time the school was in use. Reports from students of the 1920's mirror the experiences of the 19th century students.

The school was moved to Explore Park thanks to a descendant of a former teacher of the school.

I've shown you the schoolhouse before right HERE

Linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Lovey Dovey

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Explore Park . Roanoke

Those 2 little specks ahead on the pathway are a pair of Mourning Doves...I think they were getting annoyed with us because they thought we were following them...but fact of the matter is they kept going forward on the path that we were taking haha...Mourning Doves always remind me of my grandparent's house...they always liked to hang out there :)

Today I am thankful for the arrival of Spring, finally, today! We get into the 70's at last...jeez I hope it stays!

Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Black & White Wednesday

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Sprinkles Towing & Garage . Fincastle

"I can't imagine there has ever been a more gratifying time or place to be alive than America in the 1950s." Bill Bryson

Godwin Cemetery & Fincastle United Methodist Church

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Fincastle . Botetourt County

The earliest graves date from the mid 1800's on land purchased by James Godwin for a family graveyard. A portion of his property was deeded to John Slicer in 1891 for his family burials.

The church is Fincastle United Methodist Church. The congregation was formed in 1789. The original building was condemned and torn down with the aid of Oxen teams and replaced with the building of this church in 1840.



I love, love, love this church! I've blogged about the church and the cemetery a few times...you can see those posts HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and last but not least HERE....I need to make some time to get over there and take a walk...finally getting some warm weather by the weekend! Maybe I'll go then!
All of these pictures were taken in April of 2015.

Linking up with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 168

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1)
Fiery sunset...

2)
Tan Yur Can...Bedford

3)
Bike parking @ Duke University . Durham . NC

4)
Wilson Hughes Gallery . Roanoke

5)
The Color Purple . Explore Park . Roanoke

Linking up with Tom's Willy Nilly and:
Weekend Reflections
Skywatch Friday
Floral Friday

Have a great weekend :)

Green & Purple

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Spring!

Today I am thankful for spring break! We haven't been anywhere and the temps haven't felt particularly spring like but it has been so great spending more time with the boys...we've watched a couple of movies, went out for lunch and just hung out being lazy...today Dalton is going to his girlfriend's house (she's been out of town all week) and Braden is at a friend's house so it's just me and Ozzy for the day but I think I'll use that time to clean up Christian's old room!

Oh, I'm also thankful for Tom over at Back Roads Traveller he is taking over Willy Nilly starting tomorrow! Thank you Tom and thank you to everyone for participating...I'm just having a rough time keeping up with it so Tom is nice enough to host it for us!! Thanks again Tom!!

Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Black & White Wednesday

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Dogwood flower

“I recall looking out the window at Redbuds, Dogwoods, Daffodils, Irises and Pom-Pom bushes, knowing exactly what Heaven must look like: a spring day in Kentucky.”
― Ashley Judd, All That Is Bitter and Sweet: A Memoir

I think the same could be said for Virginia too! - Tanya Breese :)

Spruce Creek Park

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You remember how I'm cleaning out my old picture files right? Well I came across these back from April 2012! We had taken a little road trip to Walton's Mountain Museum (yes, as in The Walton's tv show!) and after we were done checking it out we stopped and picked up some bbq and found this great little park behind this old Country Store, which was built in about 1908...I searched my blog to see what I had shown you all from the day and really I didn't show anything but a couple of pictures, one being this store but none of the museum so I'll show that stuff a little later...today I'm going to show you around this park! So let's go!


I really loved the old store...when I blogged about it HERE I said that I had read about it being used as an art museum...I didn't look into that any further so I don't know if it still is...


Here's the family looking a little bit younger eating our lunch that we picked up from The Blue Ridge Pig...I blogged about that right HERE ...notice Ashlyn and Christian hiding from the camera...teenagers... haha


There was a pretty little creek...


A turtle....


A dragonfly...


Butterflies...


A funky little band...


More watery views...


Fences and hills...


Gates and gravel roads...


Pastures and mountains...


A church, I think...or a house with really neat windows...


And lots of shade to cool off after our nice walk!

Some info on the park:
Spruce Creek Park/Camille Memorial Park Trails

Spruce Creek Park is located along State Route 151 just east of the Nelson Scenic Loop. Over four miles of trails extend between parking areas located at the former Wintergreen country store and in a designated lot on the southwest side of the bridge crossing of the Rockfish River. The trails follow the Rockfish River through farm land that has been placed under conservation easement. The trails are one of the stops along the Thomas Jefferson Loop of the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail. The trails interpret local birds and other wildlife and culture. Currently open for hiking only, these are mowed grass and dirt trails, and have a nearly level grade throughout, while surrounded by spectacular mountain views. The trails are open sunrise to sunset.
Copied from HERE
And HERE is a little historical background on the store...

Linking up with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

CDP Theme Day - One Colour

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Old farmhouse at Greenfield . Botetourt County

Time to flip another page on the calendar already! This month's City Daily Photo Theme is "One Colour"...see more interpretations from all over the world by visiting City Daily Photo

On a side note you might have noticed me slowing down here on the old blog...I've just been having trouble trying to find balance and I apologize for not getting Willy Nilly ready last Friday :( If anyone would like to take over Willy Nilly duties, it's all yours! Tom??? I just am not doing a good job as a host at the moment!!

Happy Monday!!
Today is our first official day of spring break!

Black & White

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"Animals are such agreeable friends―they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." ― George Eliot

Linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 167

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1)
Devil's Backbone
Right outside of Eagle Rock...everytime we pass there is a flag on the rock...we went through a week or so ago and didn't see a flag but it's up to nice volunteers who just take the treacherous hike and do it themselves..depending on the weather I'm sure... CLICK HERE to read a story about 2 young women who have changed the flag out and some great pictures! And CLICK HERE for another story along with the history!

2)
Dal Nita Hills . Troutville . Botetourt County

This is one of my favorite trees! We lived in this neighborhood for a few years before moving into the house we are in now...this tree was at the entrance and always reminded me of The Tree of Life...

3)
Colors of spring!

4)
Another favorite tree of mine at Greenfield...see that clump of trees up the hill to the right? That is where the slave cabins used to be...don't even get me started on that ha...if you don't remember all the controversy around it, type "slave cabins" in my search bar and there will be plenty o' reading haha...short version, the county moved them from their original home to turn this beautiful area into an industrial park...$ always wins right? :(

5)
More spring!!

That's my 5 this week!! I hope you will join in too! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others!! Thanks for joining friends and have a great weekend!!



By the way, thanks for all the info about my picture storage problems!! I will look into getting an external hard drive...I had no idea!! What would I do without you all?!!

Black & White Wednesday

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Pittsburgh . PA

This was back in 2013...I have mentioned that I'm going through my archives...my computer is so low on memory right now so I just keep deleting photos that I should have deleted years ago to try and free up more space...it's making me not even want to get out and take pictures because I have no storage space to download them :( I really need to fix this situation ASAP!

On another note, we have a snow day today! Crazy weather! I went to pick up Dalton from work at 10 last night and it had started snowing while I was waiting for him...it was fun and we stopped at Kroger to pick up a few things for their "snow day"...wasn't really concerned about the roads because the weather people have been saying it's not going to stick on the roads, just grassy areas like our last snow...finished shopping and the parking lot was covered in snow when we came outside! The roads were awful trying to get back home...I slid a few times but thankfully no other vehicles were near me...I'm not going to lie, it was a little troubling!

First day of spring ha!!

Northside Supply

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Northside Supply . 5316 Peaks Road . Bedford

It's almost like going back in time isn't it?!

Linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 166

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St. Patrick's Edition!
All pictures were taken at Roanoke's St. Patty's celebrations over the past few years...
1)
Now that's some hair!

2)
Welcome to downtown...

3)
Who are those 2 little Leprechauns? ;)

4)
What's St. Patty's Day without a beer?

5)
St. Patrick himself!

That's my 5 this week friends...running a wee bit late (see what I did there?!)...Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others! The more the merrier! Have a great weekend and a fun and safe St. Patrick's Day!

People Of Fincastle

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Downtown Fincastle . Botetourt County

“I like to prowl ordinary places
and taste the people-
from a distance.”
― Charles Bukowski, Play the Piano Drunk Like a Percussion Instrument Until the Fingers Begin to Bleed a Bit

Today I am thankful this week is almost over and I'm still here breathing...man, what a week I would not like to repeat!

Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Black & White Wednesday

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Sachs Covered Bridge . Gettysburg

“Men build too many walls and not enough bridges.”
― Joseph Fort Newton

Mason - Dixon

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Interstate 81 . Pennsylvania

Cleaning out my archives...have so many old photos trying to delete or move...this was taken a few years back on our trip to Gettysburg...we were on our way home so we didn't take the exit so this is all we got of the Mason-Dixon Line...Click Here to read the Mason-Dixon Mystery...Linking up with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures