Musketeers

Sic Semper Tyrannis!

All may appear calm in Williamsburg on the outside, but on the inside, believe me, this town where the American Revolution was born is nothing less than a seething cauldron of anger and resentment over the results of this past presidential election. Everywhere, people are discussing it, even on their seemingly leisurely walks through town.

Yes, there is shock and grief. But, unless I am greatly mistaken, there also is a rising tide of anger that will soon enough be turned against Trump and his administration. A movement of resistance is gathering. I can hear the sounds. SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS, indeed!

Campaign Sign

Our homeowners association guidelines called for all campaign signs to be taken down by Friday. And from what I could tell from my walk yesterday, all did come down except one.

Capitol

Capitol Building

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

This photo reminds me of the book I'm reading right now by Henry Mayer entitled A Son of Thunder about Patrick Henry, and including fascinating details about his work as a member of Virginia's House of Burgesses. I can't say my impression of Henry has improved as a result, but I've taken special note of his especially vocal opposition to tyranny and certain burgesses' abuses of power. Makes me think of the abuses that may lay ahead as Republicans now seize full control of both Congress and the White House.

Calm

Greensprings Interpretive Trail

Linking again today with Skywatch Friday

Randolph House

Every fall, I enjoy capturing on camera this oak at the corner of the Peyton Randolph House (built around 1715). Some years it turns brilliant yellow. Other years, like this one, it appears just a little bit more subdued. Still, it's lovely, and provides lots of welcome shade in an otherwise exposed space across from the courthouse commons.

The photo I wish I could show you today, though, is one I didn't think about until too late! That was when I spotted a man yesterday driving through town waving a red Trump hat and shouting how the messiah had come. I kid you not. I flipped him the bird when what I should have done, had I had the presence of mind to do so, was to snap a picture. Next time you can be sure that I'll be ready! 

Reminded me of the time just days after Trump's first successful election when I was in D.C. and witnessed members of an ultra-right wing nationalist party pouring out onto the streets after attending a celebratory luncheon and beating up members of an ultra-left wing demonstrators until D.C. police intervened. I'm afraid this election will almost certainly presage other such acts of violence. 

• "Don't agonize, organize." -- Nancy Pelosi

My Apologies!

I have to apologize for the outcome of yesterday's election. I don't know what has become of the American people to return a convicted felon and adjudicated sexual predator to the highest office in the land. It's inexplicable! It's like there is a madness that has overtaken a significant portion of our population. The coming years are going to be tough. So we are all going to have to be extremely brave and fight every day for what we know is right, and good, and true. 

BIG DAY!!!

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

BIG DAY!!! LET'S GO DO THIS!!! 

As previously mentioned, I'm spending today at the polls, helping voters cast their ballots. You know, among other things, checking people in, making sure they're properly registered, making sure they're at the right polling location, and, of course, watching to make sure they feed their completed ballots correctly into the OpenElect Voting Optical Scan (OVO), which is the way we do it in my precinct. And, like everyone else, I'll be anxiously awaiting the end result of this election.

Election Eve

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Well, folks, I'll be at the polls tomorrow well before dawn in order to greet folks as they arrive to vote beginning at 6 a.m. I don't expect to be home again until . . . well, who knows when. More than 40% of the registered voters in my precinct have already voted, suggesting that we well may be heading toward a record turnout for a presidential election. 

Will we know the result before I get home? Not likely, given our multiple time zones in the States. More likely, the race will be called in the wee hours of Wednesday morning when I HOPE to be fast asleep in bed. :-)

Hikers

Takinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

 

Decay

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Tucker House

St. George Tucker House

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

I believe this to be one of the additions St. George Tucker made (a kitchen?).

The St. George Tucker House was "built in 1718–19 for William Levingston (who, incidentally, built the first theater in America). The house eventually came into the hands of St. George Tucker who had moved from Bermuda to Williamsburg. Tucker was a lawyer and professor of law at the College of William and Mary and later became a state and federal judge." -- Wikipedia

Linking again to Skywatch Friday.

The Path Ahead

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Another World

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

There's been a good deal said as of late here in the United States about what helps keep people sane during what has been an extraordinarily fractious presidential campaign. For me, it's long walks, especially in the woods. I relish these moments, especially as I will be pretty much in the thick of things as I go to work the polls on Election Day from five o-clock in the morning until--well, until all the votes in that precinct are counted, no matter how long that may take. I think it was the last presidential election when I didn't get back home until the wee hours of the next morning. 

I know none of my blogger friends would dream of cursing or abusing election officials. But every election there are some who do so. All we can do in response is just to smile and thank them for voting. It's in moments like those that I it helps, I think, to remember that there's another world out there filled with wonder and beauty, waiting to be enjoyed.

Light

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Late afternoon. Sunlight still stealing its way through breaks in the forest cover. Pools of light gathering on the forest floor. My favorite time to be in the woods.

Gate

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Overlook

Bald Eagle Overlook

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Gnarly

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

My old favorite.

Three Sisters

A "lifestyle clothing store that encourages women of all ages to feel good about themselves." Located in the heart of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Linking again today with Skywatch Friday.

POV

 

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Laurel & Pine

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Mountain Laurel and Eastern White Pine are, for me, kind of like Rosemary & Thyme, Simon & Garfunkel, or maybe Sonny & Cher (Oops! I guess that last one didn't last). :-)

Waters Edge

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Taskinas Creek Trail

Returned yesterday to the Taskinas Creek Trail in York River State Park, a wonderful place to observe wildlife. Just in the time it took the Washington Commanders to score about 20-points in their Sunday afternoon game with the Carolina Panthers, I heard and/or saw Great Blue Herons, Pileated Woodpeckers, White-tailed Deer, Barred Owls, Red-shouldered Hawks and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, not to mention the leaves of various deciduous trees just now beginning to show their fall colors. 

Memo

Always, ALWAYS, it's the maple trees that get the memo early. :-)

Burg Ehrenfels

Resurrected this photo recently from a visit I paid to Bingen-am-Rhein. Taken just after sunset. 

Linking again today with Skywatch Friday.

Neighbors

Grateful

Williamsburg, Virginia

Experiment

More of an experiment than anything else. I wanted to see if I could somehow capture the sunlight streaming through this maple leaf I spotted while walking the Virginia Capital Trail near Greensprings. I was using an Apple iPhone 13 (ISO 50 - 48mm - f1.6 - 1/1992 s).

Formidable

Powhatan Creek Trail

The Pond

Greensprings

Linking again today to Skywatch Friday.

Fall Iris

 Williamsburg garden

Shore Reclamation

Officials at York River State Park have been working hard to protect its shoreline from further erosion.

 

Hickory Nut

York River State Park

Forest

York River State Park

On the Tide

Just some of the stuff that has either floated in on the tide or fallen from the trees above the shoreline at York River State Park. I like to come down here at low tide, especially after a period of stormy weather.

Roots

York River State Park

Low Tide

York River 

Linking again today with Skywatch Friday.

Pollinators

York River State Park

Mushrooms #3

Greensprings Interpretive Trail

Mushrooms #2

Greensprings Interpretive Trail

Mushrooms #1

Greensprings Interpretive Trail

Helene

Well, it was a busy afternoon and evening here yesterday, filled with all sorts of ominous weather alerts about possible flooding and tornadoes. Today I'll get out to survey what damage might have occurred locally, although I think the worst of it probably was just west of here, across the James River.