It’s been steadily raining for hours here in Southwest Virginia, and it’s anticipated to do so for a few more days. During a quick break in the clinical day, I went outside and huddled under an umbrella in order to take photos of raindrops on leaves.
I found this little guy seeking shelter from the storm.
As I walked out of the office at the end of the day, my mind was focused on the pending photography shoot of a friend’s elderly dog. I was feeling a bit apprehensive, not having had much experience with animal photography. Dexter is much loved and will soon not be with us. Adding to that apprehension was the fact that I wasn’t very happy with the photos I’d taken the day before.
When climbing into the truck, I saw the sun shining through these leaves. The colors were so like fall … in the beginning of June. As soon as I pressed the shutter, I knew I’d be happy with the result. In fact, I really couldn’t decide which one I liked best, so I posted all three!
And that was just the boost of confidence that I needed to go visit Dexter.
I’m not sure I captured the personality of this sweet old boy. What is it about a dog? No matter how much in pain or how hard it is to get around, a dog will still wag that tail and try to make the people around him happy.
What a guy! I’m so glad I met him.
The extensive rain and unusually cold temps have made this such a strange spring. I’m way behind on gardening and some of the weeds in my yard are as tall as I am! I’ve put fewer miles on the motorcycle than is typical for this time of year and I haven’t even had to turn on the A/C yet!
Despite all that, the temps are finally starting to rise and today, Karen and I were able to get on the river. I’ve got the truck; she’s got the kayaks. We knew that rain was coming but enjoyed the peace that floating the river brings and reached the take out spot right before the storm set in.
Simply lovely!
One of the many great things about Charleston is that it is a community that bikes. Everywhere you look, you see folks riding bicycles. Unfortunately most are riding without helmets, but that story is for another time. I loved this dedicated “bike parking lot”.
A bookstore right in front of the bike parking lot uses cool combination advertising.
One of the purposes of the trip was to bring my son a bicycle so he’d be able to join the other cyclists in commuting and in play.
One evening, Andrew and I rode through Hampton Park and from there, found a curvy little pathway that led to the Ashley River.
It was the perfect place to watch the sun set over the river.
Such peace and tranquility … I was almost ready to move there!
Hmmm … shouldn’t this little guy be an ant?
I’m still editing the many, many photos I took during my 48 hour trip to Charleston and I’m looking forward to sharing some of them with you. Until then … something about this old home, and it’s address, caught my eye in the early morning light.
What a joy to be in Charleston in the spring! Temperatures in the 70s, and the smell of Jasmine everywhere.
This is the fourth and final post about Myrtle Beach Bike Week and my experience as a first timer.
One of the things that was a bit of a surprise to me about my trip to Myrtle Beach is that actually going to the beach did not seem like much of a priority. Me? At the first sign of the ocean, I pulled the bike over, breathed in the ocean air and relaxed into the view. I’m an Outer Banks, NC kind of woman … the Outer Banks is “beautifully natural, formed by centuries of wind, water and sand blown from the Atlantic Ocean, and home to a rich history; a place that inspires a true sense of adventure” (http://www.outerbanks.org/)
Even though Myrtle Beach is vastly different than a less developed beach community, it was during the very early morning hours that I found the ocean experience that I love.
We rode our bikes to the 2nd Avenue Pier, enjoyed breakfast at the Pier House Restaurant, and marveled at the view.
There’s just something about a beach, whether developed or more remote and quiet, that makes me so incredibly happy.
As did this fun time away with friends that I adore.
Sometimes I’m home at just the right time to catch the evening light on the rhododendrons outside my front door. I wish I could take credit for them being there, but they came with the house when I bought it 16 years ago.
Different Colors / Different Evenings.
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 