Virginia's mountains in July

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xoWuSJ-RGwWA-bj-MAX3JY7Q1EEHN3nruC001I3m3TAQFsALAhTHRQCodUNVo5gyd8pEIe682wolnVURmHTlFR30Nn76lCu9tCFkrXlQw-yOvnET9XP2cnL2sgGCNo762_Hr5EORFM6O/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xoWuSJ-RGwWA-bj-MAX3JY7Q1EEHN3nruC001I3m3TAQFsALAhTHRQCodUNVo5gyd8pEIe682wolnVURmHTlFR30Nn76lCu9tCFkrXlQw-yOvnET9XP2cnL2sgGCNo762_Hr5EORFM6O/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home...." --John Muir</span></span><br /></div><br />Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />Shenandoah National Park<br />July 26, 2013

Big Meadows Blue Ridge Mountains National Parks Shenandoah National Park Skyline Drive western Virginia Virginia's mountains in July

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home...." --John M...

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Storytellers Mack & Joan Swift at Skyland Resort

Mack Swift was the football coach when I was in high school. Each summer, he and his wife can be found at Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park as storytellers extraordinaire.<br /><blockquote><b>Wednesdays – July 10, 17, 24 & 31</b><br /><br />In keeping with the tradition of “Stony Man Camp” founder George Pollock’s activities of entertaining his guests and telling stories, storytellers Mack & Joan Swift provide a lively 45-minute program of Jack Tales at Skyland Resort. Tales such as “Jack and the Three Sacks of Truth” are great for all ages. Held 8:00 to 8:45pm on the Skyland terrace, weather permitting. Check at front desk for location if inclement weather.</blockquote>This is one of many summer programs going on at Skyland and Big Meadows Lodges.

Big Meadows Lodge Blue Ridge Mountains George Pollock Jack Tales Joan Swift Mack Swift Shenandoah National Park Skyland Resort Skyline Drive storytellers Storytellers Mack & Joan Swift at Skyland Resort

Mack Swift was the football coach when I was in high school. Each summer, he and his wife can be found at Skyland Resort in Shenandoah Natio...

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Father's Day 2013: 'One More Day' ... with Dad

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyYFRVjhz7uof1EPnUo0V1LX2QdyTUWVBm8ZO9V1q96-4MjfZ5bg4JYN_pvZz_MxzX1raOHgop13P2tRjYBs8T5nde8Sa5V2zx28hPQkdp7fv-jwjiyvWQSs8H5CDuaTp8lrMi98UcLOo/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyYFRVjhz7uof1EPnUo0V1LX2QdyTUWVBm8ZO9V1q96-4MjfZ5bg4JYN_pvZz_MxzX1raOHgop13P2tRjYBs8T5nde8Sa5V2zx28hPQkdp7fv-jwjiyvWQSs8H5CDuaTp8lrMi98UcLOo/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Shenandoah National Park as the mountain laurel blooms. My dad had two places on earth he loved more than anywhere else: the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.</i></div><br /><i>[My annual Father's Day remembrance of my dad....]</i><br /><br />It's Father's Day and, once again, my dad is not here to be with us. He passed away in 1975 at the age of 51.<br /><br />There's a country song by Diamond Rio called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuE1XJ_uqOs">"One More Day"</a> ... and every time I hear that song I think of my dad. It has been years since cancer took him from us and, yet, a word or song or thought can bring me to my knees as I continue to feel the loss of a man I admired and respected and miss to this day.<br /><br />He was a simple man, the oldest of five children growing up in Amelia County, Virginia ... a child of the Depression who quit school after eighth grade to help support his financially-strapped family.<br /><br />According to many pundits today, he should have felt sorry for himself and given up on life or blamed society. But he didn't. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, traveling to exotic places in the South Pacific as a gunner on the <i>USS Wisconsin</i>. He came home to Chesterfield County, Virginia, after the war, settled down, married, and raised three daughters. He wasn't the CEO of some company ... but to us he was more.<br /><br />He was funny, easy-going, and hard to anger ... but when he angered, look out. He was a stern disciplinarian who had a thundering velvet hand when we had misbehaved. He was a deacon in our church and a Sunday school teacher for most of his adult life. He played baseball on his company's team, and he taught us the game.<br /><br />My dad loved to camp in the Shenandoah National Park along the Skyline Drive. Because my parents couldn't afford pricey vacations, they took us to the mountains from the time we were young. Dad was a naturalist before it became fashionable. He was mindful of nature, teaching his girls to leave the flowers for others to enjoy. He taught us to pack out our trash, be respectful of the animals that lived there, and enjoy that beautiful part of Virginia.<br /><br />We still enjoy that beautiful part of Virginia. At the age of one, my parents took me for my first camping trip to Big Meadows Campground ... and we've been at it ever since ... and living in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains is a dream come true.<br /><br />Though not physically with me, I carry Dad's memory and honor him by remembering and practicing what he taught all those years ago.<br /><br />And that's why the Diamond Rio song can bring me to tears in a heartbeat ... if I could have just one more day with him it would be sitting around a campfire in Shenandoah National Park ... one more time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuE1XJ_uqOs">"One More Day"</a><br />By Diamond Rio<br /><br />Last night I had a crazy dream<br />A wish was granted just for me, it could be for anything.<br />I didn't ask for money or a mansion in Malibu,<br />I simply wished for one more day with you.<br /><br />One more day, one more time...<br />One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied.<br />But then again, I know what it would do<br />Leave me wishin' still for one more day with you.<br /><br />First thing I'd do is pray for time to crawl,<br />I'd unplug the telephone, keep the TV off,<br />I'd hold you every second and say a million "I love you's"...<br />That's what I'd do with one more day with you.<br /><br />One more day, one more time...<br />One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied.<br />But then again, I know what it would do<br />Leave me wishin' still for one more day with you.<br /><br /><i>Originally posted on Father's Day 2007.</i>

Blue Ridge Mountains family Father's Day friendship mentoring Outer Banks Shenandoah National Park Skyline Drive Father's Day 2013: 'One More Day' ... with Dad

Shenandoah National Park as the mountain laurel blooms. My dad had two places on earth he loved more than anywhere else: the Outer Banks of ...

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Window on the World: Mountain laurel, wildflowers blooming in Shenandoah National Park

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkF3xcGM64XU88alaM5Rzm-oDD8wVFZr03xxeW6p-T-iRpkGnCH3-9F1QJt9TZTNt6NQLHVLvzWial0Ns3Lijmbj7PfvbzvJJipgfuk9LxxC0Cet4VDD7xWh9x02hdomdeyd6lEbPxadC/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkF3xcGM64XU88alaM5Rzm-oDD8wVFZr03xxeW6p-T-iRpkGnCH3-9F1QJt9TZTNt6NQLHVLvzWial0Ns3Lijmbj7PfvbzvJJipgfuk9LxxC0Cet4VDD7xWh9x02hdomdeyd6lEbPxadC/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Friday, June 14 ... spent the day along the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park where the mountain laurel and a variety of wildflowers are in full bloom.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIigUHWuL3Li-i7q9gK1PymfLYYfU-mSxTSUt4j-Cs8ju4sNl9eXytw0uwIfwVK0z6eP-HIpHsfJyueNi4rV-xy8co4WpD556mtcUVsruUswXVmD4iqlyKOhTk9K53dW0jtk1xuc_tVipP/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIigUHWuL3Li-i7q9gK1PymfLYYfU-mSxTSUt4j-Cs8ju4sNl9eXytw0uwIfwVK0z6eP-HIpHsfJyueNi4rV-xy8co4WpD556mtcUVsruUswXVmD4iqlyKOhTk9K53dW0jtk1xuc_tVipP/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlf2xNe1dWs84TcBiAB6UGosonG-bLktdyvHTiaqk4eZw4DJ33BgvvugsrOGu4y_B1n-pzCcxrnV5WBdxIYWn5Fdc2cWaQb_eV7VUM5dYLjhVx4TlQSvMKVo0XzUD8EaiZcb9BrXpMYeP/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlf2xNe1dWs84TcBiAB6UGosonG-bLktdyvHTiaqk4eZw4DJ33BgvvugsrOGu4y_B1n-pzCcxrnV5WBdxIYWn5Fdc2cWaQb_eV7VUM5dYLjhVx4TlQSvMKVo0XzUD8EaiZcb9BrXpMYeP/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwjtFtVPeAWqB_jQtSDkdtQCdIvvAouuu6E-UUIl7_7g3Dw9SPcrD7JZfI6D18gsFUnaRlK78XMzmnvn1SNnoWwxv6sNnw371AlgIezobH2azycSg-y8G8uscQstqZPsN5FlqHT16gGzb/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwjtFtVPeAWqB_jQtSDkdtQCdIvvAouuu6E-UUIl7_7g3Dw9SPcrD7JZfI6D18gsFUnaRlK78XMzmnvn1SNnoWwxv6sNnw371AlgIezobH2azycSg-y8G8uscQstqZPsN5FlqHT16gGzb/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Camp site at Loft Mountain as campers began arriving. It will be a great weekend with cool temps, low humidity, and sunny weather.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYIynR86C_faWXS5j26nIvY_42Yw6XgChyhormT53SZGhB8WwiUM1fCHE1nuEvQIgxpfCP2O1a4EE5XqgmytyUftVIQ42FcUgN5JxmKYQ103ttrgH1DPDEzBru7Uatu1uRtAC3R88tLy1/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYIynR86C_faWXS5j26nIvY_42Yw6XgChyhormT53SZGhB8WwiUM1fCHE1nuEvQIgxpfCP2O1a4EE5XqgmytyUftVIQ42FcUgN5JxmKYQ103ttrgH1DPDEzBru7Uatu1uRtAC3R88tLy1/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xyeMguDaMLzHgKzDYLdPI9NRU6yYPtiSB0W4J6vBXkddQTvD5LAsKbqkvJuCYG15eZSUQkk_XMB5Nf6QHQG1FONTdGod3cm7y4kLMsqcO57v2o18Hq5wUNFzMG7B8QTijN2b6dvwfL33/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xyeMguDaMLzHgKzDYLdPI9NRU6yYPtiSB0W4J6vBXkddQTvD5LAsKbqkvJuCYG15eZSUQkk_XMB5Nf6QHQG1FONTdGod3cm7y4kLMsqcO57v2o18Hq5wUNFzMG7B8QTijN2b6dvwfL33/s640/5.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qFEYxe19WHgNJeRN9V2THUG40J58MKvzj1DAqUSFbHF7RLx4pBi46Zxd8VOQvzOGDHvuxUJJVY7LooqBii-P9x_sON29vXhH439h01rtBuJnMk5zJF5-ClXVVULatudVgp5BXWUuhPlB/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qFEYxe19WHgNJeRN9V2THUG40J58MKvzj1DAqUSFbHF7RLx4pBi46Zxd8VOQvzOGDHvuxUJJVY7LooqBii-P9x_sON29vXhH439h01rtBuJnMk5zJF5-ClXVVULatudVgp5BXWUuhPlB/s640/6.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABA6-vck3yGRxzrkoEj3K6MMapQqTvmSA-gt0nqteDpVWp-h4uBTfYa218gamFz7fgivB2bNs4gSDBSeRjAqeWyzkJDooUUAGiVy_pjvCCWaIJshnB4oy5hiVfK-M-9zVOQKuI6m5k0MF/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABA6-vck3yGRxzrkoEj3K6MMapQqTvmSA-gt0nqteDpVWp-h4uBTfYa218gamFz7fgivB2bNs4gSDBSeRjAqeWyzkJDooUUAGiVy_pjvCCWaIJshnB4oy5hiVfK-M-9zVOQKuI6m5k0MF/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFUjmfMABJWbf2SAC1sxVXKoq-hkLNlijsSFpDow8P7nC9YSZiIFqBUI4KDgAjmjT44dknHNmwn6qVe7q3cp6fUGUiJsTBCMIDWFslKGq28Q4EgLe51kYgSsUvOgBdR4Ef7SAkTH0Zs8P/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFUjmfMABJWbf2SAC1sxVXKoq-hkLNlijsSFpDow8P7nC9YSZiIFqBUI4KDgAjmjT44dknHNmwn6qVe7q3cp6fUGUiJsTBCMIDWFslKGq28Q4EgLe51kYgSsUvOgBdR4Ef7SAkTH0Zs8P/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Looking at Waynesboro in the Shenandoah Valley.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEu9yMocHpgDk1BlncAw8DS25LYA9KOR7wz717xjl1PjruADaF9LgOMB5DMYsUBRBJe5H9tI8K6gE1vIY7lvjo_AJPjsgRakXWGcrodbQMhxqeVsUg-cnoWy4wkKDCbMbHQ3XPEb8iLumT/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEu9yMocHpgDk1BlncAw8DS25LYA9KOR7wz717xjl1PjruADaF9LgOMB5DMYsUBRBJe5H9tI8K6gE1vIY7lvjo_AJPjsgRakXWGcrodbQMhxqeVsUg-cnoWy4wkKDCbMbHQ3XPEb8iLumT/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7XhVFrHE7vh15uCOBCU3IOkJPdtytlHBRhVx8qwhb0g375L0OljVFDYkn0NbHB_UocYTlO-q-t8YqC6clYpyxi_WAMmghtJQblNDU4YaUBKOwHHa8f2anubzyn256YcWjW4SYQjIZXLg/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7XhVFrHE7vh15uCOBCU3IOkJPdtytlHBRhVx8qwhb0g375L0OljVFDYkn0NbHB_UocYTlO-q-t8YqC6clYpyxi_WAMmghtJQblNDU4YaUBKOwHHa8f2anubzyn256YcWjW4SYQjIZXLg/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />Shenandoah National Park<br />June 14, 2013

Blue Ridge Mountains mountain laurel Shenandoah National Park Skyline Drive tourism Virginia Is For Lovers wildflowers Window on the World: Mountain laurel, wildflowers blooming in Shenandoah National Park

Friday, June 14 ... spent the day along the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park where the mountain laurel and a variety of wildflowers...

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Saturday: Shenandoah National Park neighbors enjoy free admission

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlPfVbZ3RRIAI0Dl80yGVlJW6wPzf2eeOtsfqrZygBLM5ayHYxLi3o4lzDZw8BckLnWnacaSFRGyamc0pvoo1wxUOrvZ0T25RiLnUmyf3O1EqXULZErik6ay3UBv2VGyzxCIIbjKp5opg/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlPfVbZ3RRIAI0Dl80yGVlJW6wPzf2eeOtsfqrZygBLM5ayHYxLi3o4lzDZw8BckLnWnacaSFRGyamc0pvoo1wxUOrvZ0T25RiLnUmyf3O1EqXULZErik6ay3UBv2VGyzxCIIbjKp5opg/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>June 14, 2013 ... mountain laurel is in full bloom along Skyline Drive.</i></div><br />Tomorrow -- Saturday, June 15 -- residents from AUGUSTA, Albemarle, Greene, Madison, Nelson, Page, Rappahannock, Rockingham, and Warren Counties receive free admission to Shenandoah National Park in honor of <a href="http://www.nps.gov/shen/parknews/shenandoah-national-park-continues-neighbor-appreciation-day-2013.htm">Neighbor Appreciation Day</a> plus discounts on items in the bookstores and on some items in gift shops and restaurants.<br /><br />DNC, the park's official concessioner, plans to provide a 10% discount on select items in their retail stores and a 10% discount on food and some beverage items at all their restaurants. The Shenandoah National Park Association, which supports the interpretive and educational activities of Shenandoah National Park, will offer a 20% discount on all items in their bookstores located in the Dickey Ridge and Byrd Visitor Centers.<br /><br />Visitors wishing to take advantage of these discounts will be required to show proof of residency by showing their Virginia driver's license.<br /><br />A trip along the Skyline Drive on Friday was filled with wildflowers and mountain laurel blooming in profusion throughout the Park. With comfortable temperatures and low humidity, Saturday should be a perfect day to visit.<br /><br />Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />Shenandoah National Park<br />June 14, 2013

Blue Ridge Mountains Byrd Visitor Center Dickey Ridge DNC mountain laurel Neighbor Appreciation Day Shenandoah National Park Skyline Drive Virginia Is For Lovers Virginia tourism Saturday: Shenandoah National Park neighbors enjoy free admission

  June 14, 2013 ... mountain laurel is in full bloom along Skyline Drive. Tomorrow -- Saturday, June 15 -- residents from AUGUSTA, Albemarle...

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