Spatter

Photo Hunt - Pink

 

bydamanti 

Happy July 4th!

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Blues Comes To Floyd

It's widely known that Floyd, Virginia is known for being part of bluegrass music's Crooked Road Trail.  What's not so known is that it attracts all genres of music.  This past weekend a band called The Blues Agent came to to the Pavilion at the Pine Tavern. 

Dogtown Pizza was there.  It's a traveling pizza oven that usually shows up at events  taking place in the area.  They make several varieties of  pizza...all of them delicious.  And of course there was a variety of wine and beer available in the Pavilion to go with them. 

People didn't hesitate to get up and shake a leg.  It was a nice mix of people...no teeny boppers though. That guy in the hat is a fixture around Floyd's music venues.  Be it clogging or swing, he does it effortlessly. 

Judy and I went with a couple who I first met through the local camera club.  We had a great time and look forward to the next event.

On A Country Road

I haven't been spending all my time mowing the grass or watching the rain...just most of it. In fact, I mowed again today...it seems to be on steroids!  No, not all my time. I have managed to go out and about with camera a bit.   

Here's the Bob White Covered Bridge in Woolwine...a town that's just down the other side of the Blue Ridge Parkway from us.

I didn't have to go far to find this little butterfly and thistle. It's on Woods Gap Road on our way to town.

I then wandered to Alum Ridge Road and saw this scene...

...and then a little later, this flower...

and then this little fawn...

 I hope to get up to the Parkway before long...and now, just today...our hummingbirds appear to finally be back so there will soon be that challenge to engage in again. 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday - Parkway Blues

bydamanti 


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Another Virtual Friend Materialized

Every so often, we get to meet the people who have come into our lives through blogging. Last year I met Bonnie in Chattanooga and Kerri...who happens to live in Blacksburg...not that far from Floyd.  Both are now more than virtual friends and I look forward to more opportunities to share time with them.  I can now add a third person to this list:  Jeff of Turning Points.  Jeff lives down there with me in south Florida, yet it took him coming to Floyd for me to actually meet him.  He's got property here in Floyd and came up to tend to it some.  As with my past two encounters, I wasn't disappointed.

That's the beauty of blogging...you already have a relationship in progress when you meet... not too many surprise and a firm foundation to build on. 



Post Note
Tomorrow is the day my new MacBook is arriving.  I'm prepared to be spending a good amount of time immersed in the migration of programs and data...and too...in learning how to use a Mac.  But I'm ready!  Good news: I've discovered I have a pretty long list of friends who are Mac users and are willing to help if I get stuck.

The Station

There's a new building in Floyd and it's called The Station.  It's actually not new.  It's been around for years as one thing or another.  It was originally built and operated as a car dealership/service station...ergo the name...but it's latest incarnation is as a mixed occupancy building.  You know the type. Commercial downstairs and residential upstairs.  It's the latest component of the Floyd town revitalization project that started five years ago.  Other components include Hotel Floyd...a state of the art environmentally friendly hotel...The Village Green, remodeling the Floyd Country Store, sidewalks and sitting walls to accommodate Friday Night Jamboree street music,  Lineberry Park, and general facelifts for buildings in town.

In keeping with Floyd's focus on local commerce,  The Station's rennovation was in keeping with these projects:  local materials and labor were used as much as possible, and...in keeping with the project's long term goal of maintaining the charm that makes Floyd what it is...all plans were approved by the Department of Historic Resources.   

The area behind these windows will be a restaurant.  There's talk that it will be one that features "comfort food served with a touch of class" and that much of the fare will come from local farmers and ranchers.  That would be great, but we'll have to wait and see. Several stores have been leased already. One is Mitchell Music Company...right in line with Floyd's music heritage and focus.  A few spaces are being occupied by artisans to showcase their wares, including several are from the famous 16 Hands Tour.  A few of the local wineries have also banded together and are leasing a space as a tasting room.  Both the artisans and the wineries are selling on site, but they're hoping that having an in-town venue will provide their primary sites more exposure and traffic.  And then, there's a space adjacent to the building that's going to be a farmer's market on the weekends. 

We're liking what we see!









 

Camera Critters - Bright's Farm Beagles

bydamanti

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Dame's Rocket

bydamanti

Spring On Woods Gap Road

bydamanti 

There are youngins' all around here in Floyd.  This is one of them.  Some sad news: the family that owns many of the cows that grace Woods Gap Road will be getting rid of them.  It's gotten too expensive to keep them.  A sign of the times.  My drive into town will be a little less picturesque as a result. 

Humane Society Fair

Yesterday was the Floyd County Humane Society fair.  Their timing was perfect...the first day in a long while without rain.   Off we went to see what it was about. 

One of our first stops was to get a pencil sketch made of Shaynee.  The artist really captured her essence well.  See her trademark visor?  You can't tell here, but the artist even got Shaynee's crooked little mouth just right. 

Next stop was to watch some dog games.  All the pooches were having a blast.

Other goings-ons included dog bathing...

Nail clipping...ain't Shaynee adorable!

Bubble blowing...

and just some hanging around...

Shaynee approved of the whole affair.  She took a moment to reflect...

.

and then, soon after, we left. When we arrived home, we found our hay had been cut. Fluffing and baling will follow.  There should be plenty...all the rain produced a lush field.