Open Carriage

 

Beautiful day for an open carriage ride AND another link to Skywatch Friday.

Sparrow

 

Linking again today with Skywatch Friday

Sheep

 Colonial Williamsburg's Leicester Longwool Sheep

Calf

 

Since image editing has become such a "thing" lately, thanks to a photograph posted by Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Windsor, I thought I might just note that none of my images have been altered other than some cropping and adjustments for light. Once in awhile, but rarely, I might retouch an image that's shows some flaring or other distracting feature. Otherwise, I prefer leaving the images as they were when I took the photograph, for good or ill. 

Waiting

Waiting for the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry

The Crossing

 

Linking again today with Skywatch Friday from aboard the Powhatan on the James River.

Basking

 

It was that kind of afternoon yesterday.

Christmas Spirit

 

It's beginning again to look a lot like Christmas on DOG (Duke of Gloucester) Street in Williamsburg and Fido here is helping everyone get into the spirit in front of the men's clothing store. 

Ox Whisperer

Ox

 

You can almost immediately tell the difference between people who have been raised around farm animals and those who have not by the way they refer to the animal shown above. I have overheard many folks, including well-meaning mothers and fathers, refer to it as a "cow". Well, I guess in the broadest possible sense, they are at least on the farm, if not quite yet in the barn. 

It's actually an ox. While there are many more specific reasons why it's an ox rather than a cow, I like this explanation:

"An ox . . . is a bovine, trained and used as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration inhibits testosterone and aggression, which makes the males docile and safer to work with. Cows (adult females) or bulls (intact males) may also be used in some areas.

Oxen are used for plowing, for transport (pulling carts, hauling wagons and even riding), for threshing grain by trampling, and for powering machines that grind grain or supply irrigation among other purposes. Oxen may be also used to skid logs in forests, particularly in low-impact, select-cut logging." -- Wikipedia

Sky Blue

 

Linking again today with Skywatch Friday.

Eastern Box Turtle

 

Eastern Box Turtle, Greensprings Interpretive Trail

Monarch

 

Morning Commute

 

Tawny Emperor

 

"This butterfly may be seen flying near houses, gravel driveways (✅), near water, muddy places, gardens, and woodlands. Its only host plant is hackberry trees." -- Wikipedia

James River

 

Shot these photos this past Thursday evening before the effects of Tropical Storm Ophelia began to be felt.

Sunset on the James

Linked to Skywatch Friday

Sunset

 

 

 

Sentry Duty

 

Pocahontas

 

A couple of the other "passengers" taking the Jamestown Scotland Ferry across the James River last night.

 

 

Clouds forming on the horizon hold out the promise, at least, of cooler temperatures to come.

 

 

Linking today with Skywatch Friday.