Trail Nuts

Virginia Capital Trail

Soybeans

Over on Governor's Land, farmers have once again planted soybeans.

One of these days, maybe I will be lucky enough to find out how these soybeans will be used. 

Mushrooms!

 

 

It has not been too long since I last hiked at Greensprings . . .

 

 

so I was quite surprised

 

 

 

to discover such a trove of mushrooms that had popped up since.

 

Squirrels

 

 

Don't think this little piece of wisdom applies as much to dogs as perhaps it does to humans. :-)

Question Mark?

 

You'll just have to take my word for it about the question mark. Unfortunately, this particular butterfly wasn't interested in showing off his/her (?) underside. 

"Polygonia interrogationis, commonly called the question mark butterfly, is a North American nymphalid butterfly. It lives in wooded areas, city parks, generally in areas with a combination of trees and open space. The color and textured appearance of the underside of its wings combine to provide camouflage that resembles a dead leaf. The adult butterfly has a wingspan of 4.5–7.6 cm (1.8–3.0 in). Its flight period is from May to September. 'The silver mark on the underside of the hindwing is broken into two parts, a curved line and a dot, creating a ?-shaped mark that gives the species its common name.'" -- Wikipedia

Signs

 

 

I sometimes think summer will last forever, and that these days when afternoon temperatures reach into the 90s will never end. Then . . . I look up, like I did yesterday, only to discover that, in fact, as Bob Dylan put it, "the times they are a-changin" after all. That epiphany came when I noticed the walnuts dropping from this tree, a sure sign that autumn is on the way.

 

Canoe Launches

 

 

 

Afternoon temps finally became comfortable enough again (mid 80s) to put my canoe back in the water. These are a couple of the canoe launches in our area. College Landing (shown above) puts you into College Creek. The motor launch at Chickahominy Riverfront Park (shown below) currently leads you to Gordon Creek. The canoe and kayak launch, which normally puts you into the park's namesake Chickahominy River, is currently undergoing a major overhaul and will not be ready for use again, I was told, until the end of this year.

Both of these estuaries, I suspect, would have been well known to Captain John Smith who helped establish the first permanent English settlement in North America. He might have even traveled on them by canoe himself, from what I've read. Anyway, kind of fun to think about as you are paddling along.

 

Covered Wagon

I stopped to talk to some of Colonial Williamsburg's carriage makers about some of the projects they're working on.

One includes this covered wagon that they've built from scratch. The lumber, they told me, was harvested from forests in central Virginia and hand cut for use by craftsmen here in Colonial Williamsburg's lumber yard.

 

Closeups

 

 

 

Rose of Sharon

Smooth Oxeye

Bump-outs

 

 

 

One of the results of the pandemic is a desire on the part of some businesses to make more-or-less permanent the outdoor dining that became popular. Here, for instance, is part of the transformation beginning to take place. Officials are calling it a "bump-out".

 

 

 

What do you think? Would you prefer outdoors or indoors?

 

God-like?!

 

 

 “We know that you are royally blest
Cicada when, among the tree-tops,
You sip some dew and sing your song;
For every single thing is yours
That you survey among the fields
And all the things the woods produce.
The farmers’ constant company,
You damage nothing that is theirs;
Esteemed you are by every human
As the summer’s sweet-voiced prophet.
Muses love you, and Apollo too,
Who’s gifted you with high pitched song.
Old age does nothing that can wear you,
Earth’s sage and song-enamored son;
You suffer not, being flesh-and-blood-less–
A god-like creature, virtually.”

--  Anacreontea

Quiet Pond

  

 

Late Summer

 

There are some definite signs here that summer is beginning to wind down. There are no less than four low pressure systems off in the Atlantic somewhere, something anyone with any modicum of sense living near the coast pays attention to. Also, schools are ramping up. And, hey, we're smack dab in the middle of the NFL's preseason, and the Washington Commanders actually won their first game! Of course, it IS only the pre-season and we all know, I think, what that means--or doesn't. 

Anyway, I'm still enjoying some our late summer blooms. Here are a couple I came across just in the past few days.

Coffee Shop

 

There appears to be another coffee shop opening soon near me but with a twist. 

WHAAAT!

 

"Please, sir, I want some more." -- Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist

Canna Indica

 

"Canna indica, commonly known as Indian shot, African arrowroot, edible canna, purple arrowroot, Sierra Leone arrowroot, is a plant species in the family Cannaceae. It is native to much of South America, Central America, the West Indies, and Mexico. It is also naturalized in the southeastern United States (Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and South Carolina), and much of Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania." -- Wikipedia

Home Design

 

Crepe Myrtle Festival

 

Yes, the heat and humidity have returned with heat indices rising into the triple digits, but so has the peak season for crepe myrtles. 

 

 

Makes me wonder why, if people hold cherry blossom festivals earlier in the year, why we don't have crepe myrtle festivals. Maybe because it's just too darn hot? So maybe we could celebrate with appropriately colored (and flavored) crushed ice?

The Bake Shop

 Finally stopped into The Bake Shop. Usually, when students are on campus, there is a long line of people waiting to get inside. This was one of those rare occasions when there was not, so I ordered a couple of sesame seed bagels to go. 

Yellow

(Mostly) Clear Skies

 

Well, with the exception of yesterday's brief and passing storms, conditions here have been mostly sunny and warm, with afternoon temps in the mid to upper 80s. Quite nice, actually.

Still keeping my eye(s) on the sky at Skywatch Friday. 

Paw Paw

Reminds me of a former neighbor who raised Paw Paws to eat. He insisted they were quite tasty. According to Healthline, "Pawpaws are prized for their flavor, which is described as a tropical blend of mango, banana, berries, and pineapple. . . . However, it’s important to note that there are several types of wild pawpaw, some of which don’t have a pleasant taste."

Late Summer

 

 

 

Late summer here. To no one's surprise, it's sunny, hot, and humid most afternoons (this is southeastern Virginia, after all), perfect conditions for many of my favorite things.

 

No DST?

I'm particularly fond of old time pieces. Having become frustrated with the batteries on my digital watches failing at just the wrong--shall I say it?--time, I finally invested in a mechanical watch with an open dial. It hasn't failed me yet. 

I think that's why I so enjoy sundials like this one I found in one of the quiet, often overlooked gardens in Colonial Williamsburg. Sure, it can't adjust for Daylight Saving Time, but that's part of its charm, isn't it? I mean, who needs DST anyway? I know, I know, it's controversial! And some of you may live I places where there is no DST. So, what do you think? Are you better off without it or not?