SkyWatch Friday

I just love how vibrant the sky was on that day! This is in Salem, Va. To see skies from all over, visit Skyley

:)

Appalachian Houses

More than a century ago, log cabins were a common site in Appalachia and in other rural areas of the eastern United States. Samuel and Elizabeth Matthews built this cabin near Galax in 1869. Made largely of oak, it has one room on each of its two floors. Over time, the family installed a wood stove and added a bedroom, a metal roof, and weatherboarding.

In 1956, Matthews cabin was donated to the National Parks Service. Workers carefully restored the structure to its earlier appearance and moved it to this site (Mabry Mill).
*************************************************************************************

Things going on this weekend that interest me!

FRIDAY

Oktoberfest Festival

Wine Gourmet will be pouring 10 German and craft beers for tasting and serving them with the normal Oktoberfare of brats and beer bread. 5 to 8 p.m. Free. Wine Gourmet, 3524 Electric Road, Roanoke. 400-8466.

SATURDAY

Mountain Magic In Fall Bluegrass, Antiques & Crafts Festival

Stroll through more than 100 vendor spaces featuring antiques, crafts, art and great food, with live bluegrass performances and an antique auto and tractor show. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free. Main Street, Buchanan. 254-1212.

Watery Wednesday

Mabry Mill in Meadows of Dan, Va...to see more water pics, head over to Watery Wednesday!

Barn Charm Tuesday

A drive-by in Shawsville, Va. To see more barns from all over the world, visit Tricia over at Barn Charm!

Mellow Yellow Monday

Some medieval flags at the renaissance faire. To see more yellow, hop on over to Mellow Yellow Monday!

SkyWatch Friday

A sky shot on the Autumnal Equinox. It rained all morning on this first day of fall but the sun is finally starting to shine through, in fact, this is actually the sunniest it's been in a while now! Not a lot of signs of fall yet but my dogwood was quick to surrender.

To see more skies from all over the world, visit Skyley!

Have a great weekend :)

Rust

On Sunday we went out hiking at Woodpecker Ridge in Troutville.

Christian, my oldest son took my camera and was the photographer for the day. He saw this old rusting trailer along our trail. I love the way it turned out!

An excerpt about Woodpecker Ridge from the Botetourt View:
One of the most popular places for bird-watching in Botetourt County has been permanently protected from development, thanks to a conservation easement donated by the property’s owner to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.

The 106-acre tract, owned by Barry Kinzie, is located along Stoney Battery Road just outside Troutville. The land has been in his family since before the Civil War, supporting the family’s farming and orchard business. Kinzie, who is 65 and retired, lives there with his wife, Teresa.

In the 1990s, Kinzie and his friends from the Roanoke Valley Bird Club began improving bird habitat and blazing trails throughout the property. They eventually added feeding stations, butterfly gardens, parking areas, and a hawk-watching platform. For his efforts, Kinzie has received conservation awards from the Virginia Society of Ornithology and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Today, Woodpecker Ridge is open to the public free of charge and featured on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail, attracting about 1,000 visitors annually.

Explaining why he protected the land with an easement, Kinzie said, “I have respect for what my father and grandfather did to keep this farm. I want to keep it in undeveloped condition for many in the future to use, view, enjoy, and learn from.”