Tag Archives: Nature

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Selu Conservancy: Colors on a Misty, Cloudy Day

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Selu Conservancy, a 380 acre tract of land along The Little River, serves as a retreat center,  and an outdoor classroom and science lab for Radford University.  I’ve been to Selu several times over the years for business meetings, government retreats, special events, weddings and a memorial service.  This day I came for the Fine Art & Crafts Holiday Market.

The day was rainy and cloudy, and as I pulled out my camera, one of the other patrons commented that there really wasn’t much to photograph because of the “dreary day”.  I of course disagreed and only wish I had the ability to capture the beauty!  Photographic opportunities are endless at Selu …  today I offer just a glimpse into all that the Conservancy offers.

The Selu property houses The Barn (a research and science center), The Observatory (which resembles a silo) and an “authentic replica” of a 1930s homestead.

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The mist and clouds made for striations of color against the mountains.

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The grayish blue day provided a perfect backdrop for the silhouettes of the trees.

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Jeff Armistead, the Director of Selu, and I, spent several minutes on the deck of the Retreat Center trying to photograph the multiple levels of color on display before us.  I’m not sure that I was able to do justice to the view, but I sure enjoyed trying!

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Foggy Morning in Radford

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You may remember me saying that I often head out the door in the morning without a clue as to the weather or the temperature.  This morning, when driving to accomplish the mundane task of getting the oil changed in the truck, I was fortunate to witness the beauty of a foggy morning.  By the time I got home an hour later, I had stopped twice to shoot the silhouette of trees and once, the beautiful view shed that Radford offers.

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Frosty!! The Transition from Home to Work

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If you’ve seen some of  my posts, you will know that I love my ride to work.  I travel on 3 short but pretty roads.  The first thing that caught my eye this morning was the sun’s reflection on the frost of this cedar tree.

There was something about that bare tree,

the questioning looks as I darted back and forth outside the fence line,

and the sunlight shining through the hair on their backs.

What a lovely, lovely way to transition from home to work.

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The Umstead: Hotel as Art Gallery

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While celebrating the 50th Birthday of two dear friends, I had the very good fortune to spend time at The Umstead Hotel  and Spa in Cary (near Raleigh) North Carolina.  While not an overnight guest, I had the opportunity to enjoy the natural landscape,  a delicious brunch and to realize the peace, serenity and absolute luxury that guests enjoy.

According to Our State: North Carolina Magazine, the Umstead was built on land that used to be part of the William B. Umstead State Park.  “The hotel is a reflection of the surrounding serenity with a limestone exterior that rises up from naturally landscaped earth. Off the terrace, a shaded boardwalk invites visitors to linger around a pond fringed with blue flag iris and a grove of young cypress. Inside, sleek wood paneling, stone floors, and walls of windows pull nature indoors” (http://www.ourstate.com/brilliant-oasis-the-umstead/).

The Umstead also boasts an extensive art collection.  I wandered the interior of the hotel, stopping time and time again to enjoy the paintings, sculptures and photographs, all a reflection of the natural world.  I had not thought of writing about the experience from the perspective of art (hey – I was here for a party!), but I wish I’d taken more time with the camera.  As I stopped to photograph some of the pieces, I thought about how I don’t know much about art but I do know what catches my eye.

 

The flower arrangements were stunning!

  

And even the presentation of the table and food were beautiful to see.

  

A stroll along the walking paths took us through the trees and alongside a pond.  The hotel boasts it’s sustainability and I loved that over 50% of the food products for Herons, the in hotel restaurant, and over 30% of the food products for the entire property come from local North Carolina purveyors (http://www.theumstead.com/ourHotel/sustainability-en.html).  We watched as one of the chefs selected herbs for the days meals.

What an absolute treat it was to spend a few hours at The Umstead.  I kept joking with my friends that I understood why people wanted to be rich … I would have loved to spend a few days, rather than just a few hours, here.

Even the trees put on a show for us.

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First Frost

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It truly is a wonder that I get to work on time … but I do … really!   As I drive the short route to work each morning, I often have to force myself to keep the truck moving toward the office.

As one who loves all seasons and most types of weather, I thought the morning was wonderfully cold at 29 degrees.  The little bit of sun that was shining through caused the frost on the leaves to sparkle. I pulled over and ran along the side of the road (in my skirt and heels) snapping a few pictures.  The girls in the field were curious as to what I was up to, and followed my movements.

It was lovely to connect with the out of doors before getting back in the truck, finishing the ride to work and spending the day closed up inside a building.

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Reminders of Summer in the Middle of Fall

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I have loved seeing this begonia continue to bloom well into fall … bright colors that surely fit into the oranges, reds and yellows of the changing leaves.

The blue, while not a fall color, is a lovely contrast against the brown leaves.

The afternoon sun brightens the yellow leaves that have fallen into the juniper.

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Southwest Virginia – My neck of the woods

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Southwest Virginia … home of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a part of the larger Appalachian mountain range, and also of the New River, considered to be the oldest river on the North American continent.  My current home in the City of Radford (http://www.radford.va.us/)  is located in the New River Valley.

On any given day, I travel down roads that, especially during this time of year, are arguably some of the prettiest around.

In the summer, my friends and I kayak along this stretch of the New.  During this time of year, I scramble down the river bank to shoot the old train trestle against the backdrop of the evening light and the changing leaves.

While visiting friends to drop off fresh baked bread or cookies, I’m rewarded by the beauty that I see outside their homes.

                      

The ride to work takes longer than it should during the fall as I stop multiple times to capture the scenery.  The first picture was taken from my office parking lot, while the next is the view over the houses near Radford University (http://www.radford.edu/).

The taste of  a microbrew at The River Company (http://www.therivercompanyrestaurant.com/) across the New River is even better when this is what I see from the deck.

This gorgeous oak stops me on my way down to Main Street …

… while this is the view that greets me as I drive home from work in the evening.

Sure, there are things that I miss by living in the rural part of Virginia (restaurant diversity for example), but views like this one taken from Attimo Winery (http://www.attimowinery.com/) sure help to make up for it!

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Fall in love with Fall … all day long

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I am always surprised when someone tells me that they don’t like fall.

The fresh air, the cooler temps, the energy … but mostly the colors!

I want to take my camera with me everywhere I go.  And when I do leave it at home, I regret it.  The beauty of fall surrounds us at all times of the day.

Morning sun…

   

Mid-morning Color …

   

Late afternoon light …

   

Evening Sunset …

  

Don’t mourn the passing of summer and end up missing all that is fall!!

Let yourself enjoy!!

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The Road Home … Riding Solo

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Without a doubt, I love to ride with friends.  Some of my favorite and most fun times are when I am spending the day with friends on our bikes. But one of the advantages of riding solo, is that I can stop at any time to take pictures … and the ride from Mt Airy, NC to SWVA is perfect for doing just that!

 

  

  

  

I took me twice as long to get home than it should have but it was so worth it!!

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Evening Light on Trees

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While relaxing in my living room after a lovely day on the bike with Dave, I couldn’t help but see the beautiful evening light shining down on the trees in my front yard …

So fortunate to live in a home surrounded by trees.