Road trip to the Virginia mountains

Bill and I went on a road trip to Virginia last weekend and part of this past week.



I thought the bear peering through the flowers was very endearing.



The mountain shots were mostly taken from the skyline drive through the Shenandoah National park. 



I couldn't believe how much the weather cooperated.



The forecast was very iffy but with the exception of evening rain, a few sprinkles and a brief storm at Monticello it was clear sailing.



I'll get to the Monticello shots at the end but we lucked out there.



Before I get into the Monticello story the next group of shots, including the one above, are from Luray Caverns.



It was raining when we arrived at Monticello and we assumed we could do the house tour.



Rain wasn't the issue but severe storms close by resulted in the tour buses not taking anyone up to Jefferson's house for about an hour for safety reasons until they could ascertain if the storms would hit at Monticello.



During that time they didn't sell tickets so my idea, since it was only a light rain, of walking up with umbrellas for external shots didn't work because you can't walk beyond a certain point without a ticket.



We decided to tour the museum at the lower level and wait and see if we'd get to go up to Monticello.



We lucked out, when the storm systems passed by we got to go up.



By the way the shot above and the next few shots are back on the skyline drive and national park and if you are interested in information about Luray caverns you can click the link at the beginning of the cavern shots.



It was raining during the tour of the inside of Thomas Jefferson's house but once we were back outside the rain had stopped and it was a beautiful day for photography.



I was glad I could photograph the outside because they don't allow photography inside the house.



The skyline drive was another lucky event since occasionally there were sprinkles and rain seemed possible and then it passed without materializing.



The rest of the shot are from Monticello.



I was at least as interested in the gardens as I was in the house.



Hard to believe that just an hour or two before I took these shots at the end of the house tour they weren't allowing people up due to the severe storms.



Since I decided to do a post with a smorgasbord of shots, I will probably return to the photos I took for additional posts in the future.



I have felt stale with photography so it was good to go on a road trip and have places to photograph that I don't see every day.



I went on a walk yesterday at my neighborhood lake and took some shots I liked but I'll save them for later.



Well that's it for now, probably be at least a week before I get another post together.

A week ago Sunday

This weekend has been rainy which I haven't minded.



Bill took me out for a delicious mother's day brunch and after I got home I thought I'd take a look at last weekend's photos for a post.



My last post had photos from a walk a week ago Saturday.



This post has photos for a week ago Sunday.



The great blue heron kept going in and out of my view by ducking into the flowers.



I haven't seen as many heron as usual this year so was glad to spot one.



The geese were grazing at the bottom of the dam.



I almost didn't spot the turtle.

The second day of May

Whenever I see buttercups I'm transported back to a time when I would string them together for necklaces, headbands and bracelets.



The first day of May was chilly and raining but the second day of May has made up for May Day.



Nice to have a beautiful weekend.



Last weekend was overcast and raining so this weekend is a treat.



It's amazing how fast my world turns green once the new growth starts.



The advantage to how wet it has been over the past six or seven years is how lush my world has been in spring and summer.



I still remember our last bad drought between 2007 and 2008.



I'll never take rain for granted again. That said, it has been wet for so many years now that I can enjoy sunny days like I didn't when we had a number of drought years.



There is something about the light this time of the year that I like in particular.



Today, May 2, is the only day I took any photographs all week.



I made up for it on my Saturday walk.



I took a ton of shots and since Sunday is supposed to be pretty, I'm sure I'll take a ton tomorrow.



There weren't many ducks or geese at the lake.



I notice in the spring that I hear them but don't see as many.



I know the herons stay near their young in protected nests and even geese and ducks stay in the more hidden places by the streams until the young start waddling out with them.



I hear them make a lot of racket but except for a few geeese, ducks and male mallards, I didn't see many water birds today.



Happy May!