Around Roanoke, VA (A Daily Photo Blog)

SkyWatch Friday

2012-02-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

(moon with contrails)

This was the "Snow Moon" from Tuesday night. We did see snow on Wednesday, snowed a big part of the morning BUT nothing stuck, not even one little snowflake. Will we ever end up with some snow ON THE GROUND this winter? Although on second thought, I'm actually ready for spring now, so nevermind!

Check out more skies from all over the world by visiting SKYLEY

Have a great weekend....it's supposed to be a cold one here!

Rural Thursday Blog Hop # 2

2012-02-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

I saw this little rural home out in Fincastle one day. Look at that porch! I just imagine, when the weather is warmer, someone sitting in one of those rockers playing a fiddle or a banjo and lots of fun going on, kids running around, people dancing, sharing the town gossip....just a fun old timey Saturday night! Linking to Rural Thursday Blog Hop!

Watery Wednesday

2012-02-08T05:00:00.003-05:00

(what is left of the cotton mill @ Harpers Ferry)

Once the largest building on Virginius Island, this 1848 four-story brick structure sported steam heat and gas lighting and boasted the latest machinery for making "yard-wide sheeting and shirting at less than Baltimore prices." The cotton mill operated under various owners until just prior to the Civil War. After the war, the new partnership of Child & McCreight converted the factory into a flour mill.

Business at the flour mill lagged. Production was first disrupted by the 1870 flood. The mill finally was abandoned after a flood in 1889 ended all hope for economic recovery.

Linking up with Watery Wednesday!

Barn Charm Tuesday

2012-02-07T06:50:00.002-05:00

Catawba Valley....click on barn charm to visit barns from all over!

Signage Three

2012-02-06T06:49:00.001-05:00

The Texas Tavern in Roanoke, Va...they claim "We seat 1000 people a day.....

10 seats at a time"....

Ozzy Sunday

2012-02-05T05:00:00.000-05:00

When the Man waked up he said,
"What is Wild Dog doing here?"
And the Woman said,
"His name is not Wild Dog any more,
but the First Friend,
because he will be our friend
for always and always and always."

Rudyard Kipling

And....it's Superbowl Sunday! Who's your team? I've got a house full of Patriots fans for the day. Nick has a huge menu planned and we also have a neighborhood Superbowl party to attend. Should be a fun night!

SkyWatch Friday

2012-02-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, on a nice warm-ish Saturday, we decided to get outside and do a little hiking around. We ended up at Explore Park off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Despite these dramatic clouds, it really was nice weather. We brought a cooler filled with some water and sandwiches and sat right here in this spot and had a nice picnic!

To see more skies from all over the world, visit Skyley!

Signage Two

2012-02-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Another great old train from the Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Va

Along with today being Groundhog Day, it is also my 2 youngest boys birthday! They turn 10 today! Happy Birthday to Braden and Dalton!!

Also.....I'm linking with the FIRST EVER "Rural Thursday" blog hop so go on over and check out some rural-ness!

February Theme Day - Animals

2012-02-01T06:41:00.001-05:00

Today of course (1st of the month) is another Theme Day for the City Daily Photo players. I got my Theme Day themes confused and thought this month's theme was "electricity" so I hadn't planned to participate this month, I'm at a loss on how to capture "electricity"....but then I noticed that in actuality, the theme for THIS MONTH is animals....how could I not post another picture of Ozzy?!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Barn Charm Tuesday

2012-01-31T06:43:00.002-05:00

Blue Ridge, VA....to see barns from all over the world, visit Barn Charm!

Mellow Yellow Monday - Signage One

2012-01-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

Taken @ the Museum of Transportation in Roanoke.

Linking to: Mellow Yellow Monday click on the link and go brighten your day!

Ozzy Sunday

2012-01-29T05:00:00.000-05:00

Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of the country as Wall Street and the railroads. ~ Harry S Truman

SkyWatch Friday - Scenes From Harpers Ferry VII

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

Built by the Pencoyd Construction Company in 1893 this railroad bridge crosses the Potomac River into Harpers Ferry, WV

Linking to SkyWatch Friday!

Scenes From Harpers Ferry VI

2012-01-26T06:46:00.005-05:00

Cobblestone, rock and brick...these are a few of my favorite things!

Watery Wednesday - Scenes From Harpers Ferry V

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

A different kind of "watery" shot for today. I thought this measurement of the flood levels gives a great perspective of how high the water was!

Memorable Floods at Harpers Ferry

Here at Harpers Ferry, where the waters of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers converge, floods have inundated the Lower Town since the first white settlers arrived here more than two centuries ago. The town's more memorable floods are listed below.

1748. According to local legend, floodwaters drove Robert Harper from the log cabin he had acquired from Peter Stephens.

1753. "The Pumpkin Flood," so named for the great numbers of pumpkins washed down from the gardens of nearby Indian villages.

1852. The greatest flood since the first settlers arrived at Harpers Ferry. Waterpower dams on the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers suffered considerable damage.

1870. (September 30-October 1). The Shenandoah River rose so rapidly that residents were trapped on Virginius Island. Floodwaters swept away much of the island's homes and industry and claimed 42 lives at Harpers Ferry.

1877. (November 25). High water caused considerable damage to the C&O Canal and closed the old Shenandoah Canal for good. The flood crest was 29.2 feet.

1889. (June 1). The rivers rose to a record height – 34.8 feet – destroying the Shenandoah wagon bridge and forcing the Child & McCreight flour mill on Virginius Island to close for good.

1896. (October 1). One of the worst floods in the town's history. The rivers crested at 33.0 feet.

1924. (May 3). Floodwaters swept away three spans from the Bollman highway bridge across the Potomac River and permanently closed the C&O Canal. The rivers rose to 27.6 feet.

1936. (March 18-19). 36½ feet – the all-time record crest at Harpers Ferry. The Bollman highway bridge and Shenandoah bridge were swept away for good, while many businesses in the Lower Town were left in ruins.

1942. (October 16). All-time record crest for the Shenandoah Valley. Floodwaters reached 33.8 feet in Lower Town Harpers Ferry.

1972. (June 23). Floodwater from Hurricane Agnes swelled to 29.7 feet here but caused relatively little damage.

1985. (November 5-6). The Potomac and Shenandoah rivers crested at 29.8 feet in Lower Town Harpers Ferry, leaving behind several inches of mud.

1996. January 20-21: Rain and snowmelt from the record Blizzard of January 1996 – which dumped more than two feet of snow in the valleys of the Potomac and Shenandoah – caused the rivers to rise to 29.4 feet in Lower Town Harpers Ferry. September 8: Devastating rains from the remnants of Hurricane Fran fell across the Shenandoah and Potomac river basins. The rivers rose to 29.8 feet, marking the first time in the town's history that two floods in excess of 29 feet have occurred in a single year.

(from the National Parks Service website)

Linking to Watery Wednesday

Barn Charm Tuesday

2012-01-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

A little Catawba Valley barn...to see barns from all over, visit barn charm :)

Scenes From Harpers Ferry IV

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, I'm obsessed with these neat little houses/buildings!

Ozzy Sunday

2012-01-22T08:59:00.001-05:00

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside
on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring, it was peace."
Milan Kundera

Is anyone having trouble with their font? blogger keeps changing it on me. I've had trouble yesterday and today with it.

Saturday Sareenity - Scenes From Harpers Ferry III

2012-01-21T10:18:00.001-05:00

The view from Jefferson Rock

Jefferson Rock is several large masses of shale rock piled one upon the other that overlook the
Shenandoah River just prior to its confulence with the Potomac River. The name of this landmark
derives from Thomas Jefferson, who stood there on October 25, 1783. He found the view from the rock impressive and wrote that "this scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic".

Linking to Saturday Sareenity and Weekly Top Shot

Ozzy Saturday will now be moved to Ozzy Sunday!

SkyWatch Friday - Scenes from Harpers Ferry II

2012-01-20T05:00:00.001-05:00

Looking up at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church. The original church was built in 1833 and was the only church to escape destruction during the Civil War. The church was extensively altered in 1896 in the then popular Neo-Gothic style which is seen today.

To see more skies from all over the world, visit Skyley!

Scenes From Harpers Ferry I

2012-01-19T05:00:00.004-05:00

I think I mentioned how much I love, love, LOVE the town of Harpers Ferry. All the little buildings just have such a European feel to them, maybe because Harpers Ferry was settled by Europeans back in the day. The downtown is run by the National Park Service and there are a few private residences. I mentioned to Nick that it would be like living in an amusement park to live in one of these homes in a National Park.

Over the next few days I'll take you on a tour of Harpers Ferry :)

Watery Wednesday

2012-01-18T06:42:00.000-05:00

Kayaking on the very cold Shenandoah River, Harper's Ferry, WV

Linking to Watery Wednesday

Barn Charm Tuesday

2012-01-17T07:51:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I had to drive Christian over to his friend's house for a sleepover (there is no school today) so I took the back road through Catawba. I never mind taking him over there as this is such a scenic drive. Braden and Dalton were getting quite annoyed with me though that I kept stopping for barns. They were in a hurry to get home and play with friends. Every time I'd pull over, I'd get an earful from the backseat ;)

To see barns from all over the world, visit Tricia @ Barn Charm!

John Brown's Fort - Harpers Ferry, WV

2012-01-16T09:21:00.001-05:00

(the fort is the building in the background, taken from the monument where the fort originally stood)

Sunday we woke up bright and early and took a 3 hour drive up to Harpers Ferry, WV. Nick had been wanting to go there for a while and we ended up taking advantage of the FREE National Park Days weekend (there are several throughout the year). It was cold out, just in the low 30's but no wind and all sun made it bearable plus it seems like winter is the perfect time to visit as there really weren't many people around. It's a really neat little town!

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
John Brown Fort
The structure we now call John Brown's Fort was erected in 1848 as the Armory’s fire engine and guard house. The building was described in a June 30, 1848, Armory report: "An engine and guard-house, 35½ x 24 feet, one story brick, covered with slate, and having copper gutters and down spouts, has been constructed, and is now occupied." It was in this building that John Brown and several of his followers barricaded themselves during the final hours of their ill-fated raid of October 16, 17, and 18, 1859.

To read more on John Brown and Harpers Ferry, visit Harpers Ferry NPS

Ozzy Saturday

2012-01-14T13:10:00.002-05:00

I've decided to devote Saturdays to Ozzy. Here he is today....on the 20th he will be 11 mos old already!