Last lake trip of the summer?

Say it isn't so. But I think it might have been. Bummer.

Please enjoy these snapshots while I go bemoan the whole 'being a grown up and going to work' thing.

1 8 2011

25 July 2011

24 July 2011

12 July 2011

11 July 2011

Just Add Water

And you'll get two happy kids:

Who somehow

manage to 

have fun despite

The Man

and his darn pile of Nos. And I'm not really sure why Loudon County codes apply to a water feature in Loudoun County--but being the rule following citizen I am, I feel I should at least give them a quick glance. Now could someone tell me where on this great green earth Loudon County is?

*PS I really don't like that last sentence. Of course something applicable applies. But that's more of a word nerd thing.  

8 July 2011

4 July 2011

Dear Jeanne

Even on vacation, I am a model pupil. See:

And not only that, but I'm teaching the young'uns how to be gym rats too...

That's right--tree pose on a rocking dock. We go hardcore here.

Can I have a cupcake now?

2 July 2011

29 June 2011

28 June 2011

27 June 2011

26 June 2011

25 June 2011

24 June 2011

Don't even try to make sense of it

I sat on the dock the other night for a long while just watching this spider spinning its web.

It moved so fast that it was almost hypnotizing. And very hard to capture with the lens I had with me. Not that having a different lens would have made any difference due to my lack of photographic skill, but I like to pretend it would just to make myself feel better.

And I know some of you are wondering: No I am not creeped out by spiders. They might startle me, but once I realize what it is I calm down. But I've never encountered a big hairy spider like a tarantula either, so I can't say for certain that I'd never be bothered by spiders.

But do you know what did freak me out a bit down at the dock? This:

Algae covered ladder steps in murky water. I kept glancing over there sure that at any moment some nasty sea monster was going to climb up them and eat me for dinner. But I'm really working on trying to face my irrational fears, so I plopped myself down and tried not to inch any further away from the portal of doom.

 

But if  I'm being honest, I have to say that if the view hadn't been so lovely,  there is no way I would have lasted as long as I did. 

23 June 2011

Mellon Does Swallow Falls

Pretty, right? Even the marshy stuff in the foreground that I stood in as I was taking this picture. Nature has a way of calming one's spirit, wouldn't you agree? You slow down a bit and take time to notice the less obvious beauty that surrounds you. This might be my favorite:

I just love how trees grow on rocks. It speaks of a will to live despite inhospitable circumstances. Nothing made survival easy for this tree, yet still it thrives. I like to picture it as a tiny little seedling tree boldly defying wind, snow and ice as it strains to stretch its roots across the hard surface. Yes, I do have a vivid imagination. It's part of my charm or so I tell myself.

Something I do not love?

Snakes. See it on the log there? Ew. I have noticed that when I venture out to places alone, the people I encounter are much more likely to strike up a conversation with me. I guess I look lonely or something? Anyway, that would be how I found this snake. A group of dads and sons happily pointed it out to me as I tried not to run the other way. I faced my fear--sure it was from about 20 ft above, still. I was daring. Not nearly as daring as this fellow though.

He spent a good 15 minutes in that spot contemplating jumping. He'd start, then pull himself back. Start again, pull back again. Until finally, he dove head first into the water. I didn't think he was ever going to do it, so I wasn't speedy enough to get a picture of the dive, but I did get the evidence picture.

He quickly swam to shore only to discover that it was rocky and impassable. I don't know what he finally did to get out of the river because I was too busy running away from the snake to stick around and find out.