Spring in VA

I'm in awe of the way that many bloggers manage to post things on the day that they happen!  A Mother's Day post that is actually posted on Mothers Day?!  How do they do it?

I'm coming to grips with the fact that I'm more the serial novelist genre of blogger than the greeting card variety.  

Maybe when I get my desk set up at the new house, I'll be able to get on a schedule.   Maybe!

Spring in VA has been as lovely as I'd hoped.

Our horseback rides lately have included a lot of oohing and ahhing over the mountain laurel and native rhododendron that are blooming up in the woods.

I'd never seen mountain laurel before and it's a lovely thing.... shell pink with sharply edged scalloped blossoms shaped like tiny chalices.


Before the buds pop open to the chalice shape they look like little pleated balloons.

When we came upon our first stand of the native rhododendron, I thought that I was seeing an old cabin site where Southern Indica azaleas had been left behind.  I never realized how similar in appearance the hybrids are to their native genus cousins.

The negative about spring in VA is the ticks!  Sarge had no less than about 50 on his lower legs after our ride this weekend.  Which means that he probably had at least that many more that I couldn't see.  Bugs have never bothered me but with Lyme being prevalent in the county, I'm pretty creeped out by the tick poplulation.

Other news:

• Mother's Day included calls from all the "kids" and a hike with Barb and Rich to Apple Orchard Falls just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Enough elevation change and far enough to tire us out without being exhausting.  Mountain vistas, flowers and waterfalls.... what a day!

• The New Market Parade at VMI was a sight to see.  Every company was in full dress out on the parade grounds with the band and bagpipers, cannon fire, speeches and echoing Taps.  Meeting the cadets at VMI is always refreshing;  I've yet to talk with one of the young men or women who wasn't polite and friendly.  

• Art on the Green showcased more local talent and I enjoyed talking with the artists.  Two small pieces were begging to come home with me but Scrooge (aka Joe!) reminded me that we needed larger scale art for the new house and that the basement was full of smaller framed art just waiting to be liberated from their boxes. 

• The Rockbridge Symphony proved once again that a small town can have a wealth of talent and support fine arts.  The lightning rod on the steeple of Lexington Presbyterian was probably trembling during the last piece!  What a finale!!   I tried to inconspicuously snap a photo during the concert and despite turning the flash off earlier, it reverted to original setting and to my horror, sent off a small blast of light.  Joe was about ready to help me crawl under the pew in shame.  And after all that,  it turned out to be a crummy photo!  :(    I learned a lesson:  never photograph during a concert.... never!