Rest Area, Mile 262 South

Theme: Travel

The state of Virginia encourages tourism, which is an important part of the economy. They maintain some pretty nice rest stops, where you can take a bathroom break, walk your dog, check a map, eat a picnic, or take a nap in your car. 

I don’t have the stamina for long trips anymore. I enjoy day trips, although sometimes I need to rest the next day. I travel by car. I haven’t flown in a plane in years. I don’t mind flying except for feeling crowded, but the rushing, standing, and waiting in airports is not fun.

For a while, I thought that self-driving cars would be available before I got too old to drive, but now I’m not so sure. What I really want is a self driving RV… or a chauffeur!

Lake Shenandoah on a Sunny August day.

Yesterday, Rockingham County

Originally I had two medical appointments near Harrisonburg, but yesterday morning I got a call saying one of them had to be rescheduled. Unfortunately, the first availability is in October. We have a real shortage of medical providers right now, and often I have to wait several months for an appointment.

After my morning appointment, I drove to nearby Lake Shenandoah. Water level is down due to storm damage near the dam.

I took a few pictures of water lilies, and then crossed the parking lot to the Pollinator Trail. It was too hot to walk very far, and the sun was so bright that I couldn’t see the image on the screen of my phone, so I snapped pictures and straightened the crooked ones later.

Pretty Dog, Fuzzy Bee

When I went to the ophthalmologist earlier this month, I was greeted by his dog, Annie. She’s a gracious hostess who will share her toys with you.

My left eye has recovered from cataract surgery. It took almost two years, and the doctor agrees that I don’t need to have the other cataract removed from the right eye yet.  I think my left eye reacted to the surgery because it is odd anyway, for it is “tonic,” that is, the pupil stays large, even in bright light. The term for this is Holmes-Adies syndrome, and it showed up in my fifth decade. The doctor said I could start using pilocarpine eye drops again to shrink the pupil when I’m going to be in bright sunlight. They give me a temporary headache, but it’s preferable to the pain of light in an enlarged pupil. 

While I was waiting for my appointment, I took a picture of this toy bee that’s on top of a partition. My guess is that one of Dr. Viti’s patients gave it to him because he is also a beekeeper who raises honey.

Under the Table

Composed while Waiting.

Yesterday I went to another new doctor, an orthopedic specialist in Harrisonburg. I’m switching much of my medical care to the Sentara system because I’m getting frustrated with Valley Health. I realize that all medical conglomerates have similar problems: long delays in getting an appointment, busy offices that may not respond to questions, and short appointments due to insurance requirements. I hope to at least find practitioners who respond to questions.

This doctor seems willing to listen, and at least did not push surgery as a solution. But no one seems to comprehend that pain is not the biggest part of my problem. I just want to walk without losing my balance. Well, I have an appointment in the future with a neurologist, and I am continuing with physical therapy. It’s hard to get motivated to do the practice exercises because I get tired so easily, and then I can’t do  things I want to do. 

Don’t get old; it’s hard! I tried to put it off as long as possible, but time caught up with me.

Vibrance vs. Saturation

A June Sky, 8:50 P.M.

Some years ago, I took a Photoshop class and asked the teacher, “What is the difference between the Saturation Adjustment and the Vibrance Adjustment?” I forget her response, but I interpreted it as Vibrance increasing the contrast between colors. 

Most sources say that Vibrance enhances muted colors without overly saturating the colors that are already bright. If you increase Saturation instead, it deepens all colors, giving your picture an unnatural look if you’re not careful. 

Let’s experiment with my sky shot in the Photos app that came with my iPad. (I stopped using Photoshop when they started requiring a subscription because I don’t like recurring fees.) If I increase the Vibrance slider all the way to 100, the sky deepens and we see a pretty sunset.
 

If instead, I increase Saturation all the way to 100, the colors are brilliant, but the sky looks unnatural, especially the blue.

That looks awesome, but it’s not at all what I saw. I pulled the sliders back and then set Vibrance at 20 and Saturation at 10. The result is the first image, which is not as impressive, but it’s true to what I saw. After all, I was just walking the dog in the evening, and I wasn’t interested in waiting for the colors to possibly deepen to a stunning intensity.

Most of my pictures are fairly realistic. I’m not a big fan of overly manipulated images unless they are clearly art rather than journalistic. When I use AI or artistic filters, I’ll usually mention it. 

Most of my blog posts are journalistic in style, with the exception of the Saturday posts that I pretend are written by my dog. I like to think that everyone is “in” on that little joke. 

Quite a Day!

I'm tired — even more than usual. For one thing, I had physical therapy and it was exhausting. Lynn and her friend Jessica spent the afternoon here helping me with a list of chores, and they entertained the dog while I was gone. Charlie still has separation anxiety and does not do well by himself.

They got a lot of things done! Lynn is good at technical things like setting up a camera by my front door and making the app work, and Jessica is willing to work hard, and cleaned both the microwave and the living room floor. She got up on a ladder to change a lightbulb in a ceiling fixture. I don’t like climbing ladders because my balance is not great, and falling can be disastrous when you’re past a certain age. I don’t have osteoporosis yet, but I do have osteopenia, which means my bones are starting to thin. 

This evening my deck got painted. Mr. Dodson worked at another job all day and then came over with his helper and painted. It seems like other people have a lot more energy than I do!

I definitely need to get to bed on time tonight. I guess I need more sleep than I needed when I was younger. Getting old is hard. 

It’s Flag Day

When I realized it was flag day, I decided to display my new garden flag that I got for Independence Day. The flags on it are symbolic, and not remotely accurate in the number of stars or stripes. Ha, it’s made in China, so how patriotic is that? Oh well, the colors are great!

June 14 was the day our original flag was adopted in 1777. When I was in grade school, we would have a lesson about the American flag on Flag Day. I recall talks on flag etiquette given by someone who was not our teacher. Perhaps it was a volunteer from the American Legion or a similar organization.

The rules for flag etiquette used to be stricter than they are now, saying not to wear flag clothing except for a small emblem. I still find it offensive when someone sweats on a representation of the flag because they wore it as a T-shirt or shorts. Tacky!

We also said the Pledge of Allegiance in school every day. That was a way to learn it, but I don’t think it taught anybody patriotism. It was my generation who became protesters and even flag burners. Reciting something by rote is not effective, except in learning elocution and vocabulary. 

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. 😉 

It’s a Double Blog Anniversary!

Blog Post #9500

Yes, this is actually the 9,500th post on this blog! And my first post was on this day 21 years ago!

Are you impressed? That’s a long time to keep doing something that isn’t necessary! But I like photography and writing, and I truly enjoy interacting with other bloggers. At first I did not post every day, but I’ve been doing that for a long time, And it helps me keep my photosorganized, and motivates me to take better pictures.

I appreciate all those who follow this blog, especially those who take time to comment. 

With love and gratitude,

Linda

Classic Cadillac and Lincoln Continental

Today I was in Front Royal and noticed this shiny blue Cadillac. When I reached the entrance to Shenandoah National Park, it was right behind me. Since they had to stop to pay the entrance fee, I had time to reach a parking spot so I could take a picture as they drove by.

I recognized it as a Cadillac, but I didn’t know the model because I am not a car enthusiast. Bing’s visual search engine says this is a 1960 Cadillac hearse.

Another classic car was behind it, but I wasn’t expecting it so I didn’t get a picture. Later, I saw them at an overlook. The drivers were doing what classic car enthusiasts do: checking out what’s under the hood.

The gray car is a Lincoln Continental, likely a 1965.

I saw a few other classic cars this weekend, so I guess there was a “Cruise In” nearby. I’ve been to a couple of those, but got bored quickly. It’s more exciting to see these cars in the wild.

I remember when fashionable cars were long like these. Their gas mileage was only about 12 MPG, but gas cost something like $.29 a gallon.

None of the cars that my parents drove looked like these. I think they only bought used Chevrolets when I was growing up.

Other Scenes at this Overlook

 

Mosaic Blog Hop

Barn on a Sunny Day

This was not today. Today was rainy. So was yesterday. It looks like the next few days are going to be rainy also, but that can change.

I can’t complain. We desperately need rain. The state of Virginia is officially in drought stage. Strasburg is already asking people to conserve water. Usually this doesn’t happen until July or August.

I had appointments today: Physical therapy and the eye specialist. I also picked up a prescription and had blood drawn for diagnostic tests. I don’t seem to have anything serious, but I have a bunch of nuisance problems plus ever-present fatigue. Yesterday I saw a new doctor and I’m grateful that he’s trying to be thorough. At least he doesn’t chalk up my concerns to old age! 

I was able to ignore my age for a long time, but my body reminds me every day that I’m not 39 anymore. Or 59!

Overall, I feel fortunate. I was born after World War II, and I’ve lived through somewhat of a golden age. The economy was good for most of it. It may fall apart now, with conflict and corruption threatening our country’s strength.  I hope not. 

My parents survived the Great Depression, followed by war. They taught me how to be frugal. Will that be enough? The health problems of getting older are a lot more expensive than I expected.

I don’t mean to go off on a tangent, so I’ll stop. I just wanted to say that my generation was very fortunate, in spite of challenges that we had to face.

A Big Tree and a Tree Mural

Last week I went to the dentist in Front Royal. My appointment went quickly, and afterward I stopped at a farm store called The Giving Tree. I wondered if the name was inspired by the huge tree at the edge of the parking lot.

Inside the store, there’s a colorful collage-style mural of a tree.

When I looked at the big tree outside, I noticed it had the seed pods of a maple, but the leaves looked different. I took a picture of a leafy branch and asked my phone to identify it. It’s a box elder, which is a type of maple. There are also other names for it, and the latin name is acer negundo.

Box elder saplings sometimes grow in thickets near rivers. I remember feeling very concerned when passing through them because they looked like poison ivy, and I am quite allergic to it. Later I felt foolish when I found out what they were, but I was just now relieved to read in Wikipedia that saplings are often mistaken for poison ivy. I am so glad it was not just me being paranoid!

Also, the leaves are so different from other maples that some botanists think they are a totally different species. The seed pods, however, are distinctly maple-like, and will eventually turn brown and float down, spinning like helicopters. 

Mosaic Monday / Murals

Fruit and Patterns

The City Daily Photo theme for May 1st is "Fruit." I took a picture of apples in a grocery store, but I hoped to find something more interesting.

 I stopped at a produce stand today, but they just had some melons and one other fruit. I don’t have any fresh fruit at home because I can’t eat raw fruit without my gums swelling, and my tongue feeling sore. I can eat certain cooked fruits, and my standby is applesauce. That’s definitely not photogenic.

I looked around my kitchen and found some canned cherries. I opened them, but they were dull-colored and mushy. I ate some with dinner. 

I did notice that a pan full of water caught a reflection of the window blinds. I shook it lightly and created patterns.

Tennis, Anyone?

When I took Charlie to the W. O. Riley Park on Monday, the parking lot was full and the tennis courts were busy. Students were playing, apparently in a tournament. Families were there watching.

It was a nice day for tennis: Not too hot. I still remember taking tennis lessons as a young teen, and it was summer and very hot. I walked home with my brother with sweat pouring into my eyes. I finished the series of lessons, but decided not to pursue the sport because I didn’t like getting sweaty. 

White Azalea Blossoms

Azaleas are blooming in spite of our up and down temperatures. Many of our other blossoms suffered from frosts that followed early hot days. I hear that the apple blossoms were hard-hit, and orchard owners will take a loss this year.

My childhood home was surrounded by azaleas and dogwoods, as well as tall oaks. 

Beagle Drama

Before I turn the blog over to Charlie for his brief report, I feel compelled to say something about the Ridglan Farms beagles. They are confined in a breeding facility in Wisconsin which is similar to the place in Virginia where Charlie was born and spent his puppyhood. Both facilities got in trouble for not treating the dogs humanely. The one where Charlie was born was closed after repeatedly failing to keep their promises to bring the conditions up to acceptable levels. Ridglan Farms has denied the charges against them, but agreed to give up its breeding license on July 1st as part of a deal to avoid prosecution for animal cruelty.

The beagles are bred to be sold to laboratories or veterinary schools, where some of them will suffer painful experiments. This is sad enough, but made worse by knowing that the breeders are not meeting government standards for animal care. (I try not to think about the awful details because it’s painful to picture my own dog being hungry and dirty and traumatized, with his life and health in danger. There were undercover videos made at Envigo in Virginia, but I decided not to watch them.)

Activists are concerned about the health and safety of the dogs at Ridglan Farms. There are no guarantees as to what will happen to the beagles, and a couple of attempts have been made to rescue them. Last weekend, a protest turned violent when some animal lovers attempted to breach the fence around the facility. They were met with rubber bullets and tear gas from law enforcement, and  some of the activists suffered injuries requiring emergency room visits. Photos from the scene showed law enforcement officers  brutalizing civilians. 

I have no answers for questions of when do wrongs make a right. Personally, I would probably not trespass or try to steal puppies, but I understand the motivation of the people who did. The animal welfare system is not working fast enough in this case. And once again, we saw policemen acting like sadistic bullies. Ugh!

They are political leaders in Wisconsin who are trying to get the beagles free before they suffer any more. There are questions about conflict of interest in the Dane County sheriff’s department. I hope the beagles are released soon, and placed with animal rescue organizations that can get them adopted.

I’ll turn this over to Charlie now. I didn’t tell him about Ridglan Farms. I think he still has bad memories of his own.

🐶 Hi! Here I am coming back from one of my walks with Deborah and Sadie. Good times!

I have a couple of animals to show you, a cat and a horse.

Let me tell you about my afternoon yesterday. Mom took me to Seven Bends State Park again. It was warm so we went down to the river for a while.

We watched some birds, but they didn’t come very close. 

After that, we went to the car wash. Usually I keep my head down and try to nap, but I decided to watch this time.

It was noisy, but I was brave. Mom says I am growing up.

It’s the 22nd of April

Today is Earth Day! I am grateful for the beauty and bounty of this earth.

Today is also the birthday of my younger daughter, Marie. She continues to surprise me with her accomplishments. Since she stated clearly that she did not want any gifts, I made a donation to Heifer International in her honor, specifically to provide chickens and bees to a family to raise and make their lives better.

It’s Wild Bird Wednesday, so here are a couple of goldfinch pictures. The first one Is from three weeks ago, and I think the finch was just coming out of moulting. 

The next picture is an earlier one.

It’s Historic Garden Week in Virginia so today I went on a house and garden tour. It was lovely but involved a lot of walking and I have to say, I am getting too old for this! I was exhausted by the end of the day.