Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 107

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1)

The Blood Moon...this was taken either Monday night or Tuesday night, I can't remember..it was a different night than my other moon picture from this week..It was amazing looking. I just wish I had a clear view of it...it kept hiding behind a tree :(

2)

The sunrise on Thursday...no editing, it was just that pretty!

3)

Sunday's Super Moon while it was still light out...

4)

Bedford's patriotic Main Street

5)

One of the old "company houses" across the road from the warehouse I showed you on Tuesday. Found this interesting write up about the houses:

"The majority of late 19th-century residences in Bedford are vernacular frame
dwellings ranging from simple company houses located near the industrial area to
stylish upper middle class houses situated along Peaks Street, Longwood Avenue, and
Bedford Avenue. Houses built for employees of the various manufactories were located
along the blocks of North and Grove streets nearest the factories. The lowest income workers apparently lived in a row of simple frame houses in the 800 block of Grove
Street, whereas more skilled workers or foremen lived in larger and more stylish
house-s built in a row along the 700 block of North Street. A certain hierarchical
social order is apparent in the location and size of these houses. Whereas- the
factories and the railroad lay at the bottom of a slightly rising hill, company worker
houses were, located along the first blocks of North and Grove streets as they extend
up the hill. More stylish houses, however, were situated further north along these^
streets until reaching the summit of the hill where the owners of many of the factories
built their fashionable houses." copied from HERE

Okey dokey, that's my 5 for the week! Now it's your turn, post 5 randoms, link back and visit others! Thanks and have a great weekend!!


I'm linking up with SkyWatch Friday this week!

A New Day

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Yesterday was so fun working the polls! Ashlyn and I arrived at 4:45 AM (luckily the precinct we worked is only 5 minutes from the house!). There were 13 of us helping and we all brought food to share during the day like a potluck! Everything was so good! The polls opened at 6:00 AM and by 5:30 AM we had quite a large line waiting to get in!

I stood at the front door directing voters where to go while Ashlyn gave them their ballots and explained to them how to do it. She was so professional and clearly chose the right major (Political Science) as she really was good at it! We saw people we knew come in so it was fun visiting and even saw some new voters from school and also past students that I hadn't seen in a year of more! (I work PT at the high school)...Sweet elderly couples that came in helping each other out and watching them leave holding hands made my heart happy :) Everyone was really in a great mood no matter how long they had to wait!

When voting ended at 7:00 PM the doors were locked while the 2 people in charge got all the voting numbers crunched. We picked up and cleaned the kitchen and then were able to leave at about 8:30 or 9...It was a long day but time passed rather quickly and the people we worked with were a lot of fun! I would definitely do it again and I think I will be called upon as the guy in charge said I was definitely working the next one haha

On top of all that, the weather here was absolutely gorgeous! I was lucky to be at the front door getting all the sunshine!

Have a great day!

Skies After A Storm

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With the days so hot it is not unusual for a thunderstorm to pop up in the afternoon...these were taken a few days back right after a storm...this is looking to the east from my deck towards the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs along there hidden by all those trees!

There was a very light rainbow...can you see it? Is there anybody that does not get happy when you see a rainbow? No, I don't think so!

And now we look west. Taken at the same time as the others...amazing how different the sky can look!

Linking up with Mersad's Through My Lens today :)

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 62

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This is the way the sky looked one morning this week as I was getting ready to head to school. Look at all those squiggly clouds!

Willy Nilly:

1) Sorry I didn't have this ready to go on time. Braden had a school assignment and was hogging my computer. By the time he was done, I was too sleepy!

2) Yesterday was so pretty...warm and 70...today is a brisk 54 and then dropping into the 40's over the weekend...yikes!

3) Thanksgiving is just around the corner...are you ready? I haven't shopped yet...better get busy!

4) Did you know the first Thanksgiving took place right here in Virginia? Read about it HERE

5) Berkeley Plantation

Well that's it for me this week....I hope you will play along! Post 5 randoms, link up and visit others! Have a great day!

Random 5 Friday - Memorial Day

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Taken from Botetourt Sports Complex

On my way home recently I noticed this super awesome sky event and had to pull into the sports complex to get a photo! I'm going to take the weekend off from bloggy land to do some family schtuff! Hope all you in the USofA have a super Memorial Day weekend and those from other lands have a wonderful weekend!

And now I leave you with my random-ness:

1) Memorial Day is a US federal holiday wherein the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces are remembered. The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the final Monday of May, was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

2) I really, REALLY dislike when people confuse Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. I called out a local newscaster on Facebook last year who posted a status something like "I would like to thank all the veterans who have served our country" on Memorial Day. I explained that this was Memorial Day and for our fallen and there is an actual holiday for ALL veterans called Veteran's Day. She replied, quite snottily that she prefers to thank everyone. I don't think she knew. I still hold that against her. Her initials are JJ from WDBJ7...just sayin....I'm married to a vet and the daughter of a vet...I never confuse the 2 holidays and I think it is disrespectful to do so.

3) Wow, reading number 2, I am quite judgmental...I am...I know it. Sorry...

4) The practice of decorating soldiers' graves with flowers is an ancient custom. Soldiers' graves were decorated in the U.S. before and during the American Civil War. A claim was made in 1906 that the first Civil War soldier's grave ever decorated was in Warrenton, Virginia, on June 3, 1861, implying the first Memorial Day occurred there. Though not for Union soldiers, there is authentic documentation that women in Savannah, Georgia, decorated Confederate soldiers' graves in 1862. In 1863, the cemetery dedication at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was a ceremony of commemoration at the graves of dead soldiers. Local historians in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, claim that ladies there decorated soldiers' graves on July 4, 1864. As a result, Boalsburg promotes itself as the birthplace of Memorial Day.

5) "As America celebrates Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those who have given their lives in our nation's wars."
John M. McHugh

Be safe and I'll see ya on Tuesday!