Sister On The Go: June 2016

I have been too distracted to blog. By work, by life. But I have taken moments to soak in some good stuff. I have managed to loose a couple hundred photos so you will have to trust that I have not been standing still. (Where do things go on your computer when they do not seem to live there anymore and you know it is not because of something you did?)

Virginia experienced an earthquake on August 23. I thought an explosion was occurring in the building where I work so I instructed everyone to leave the building. I soon learned we had experienced an earthquake. That weekend I visited some friends in Highland and Pocahontas Counties where I enjoyed reading reactions in the local paper. Apparently they did not just have an earthquake, but a “freak earthquake” that caused one resident to conclude the wind was blowing. (I say, what??) Another resident’s mother explained to her questioning daughter that she just needed to get something to eat. (Uh?)

The newspaper was also covering local elections. A candidate explains the reason she is running for office is because ‘The Lord told me to.” Another candidate states “Some people thought I should do it. I tried not to do it, to the best of my ability, but I will try one more time.” I had to wonder: Should he win, will he be as successful at the job as he has been in trying not to run?

A week or so later, I toured The Bunker at The Greenbrier, White Sulpher Springs, WV. Planned by the Eisenhower Administration, it was designed to accomodate the US Senate and House of Representatives in case of a national emergency. It was exposed by the Washington Post in 1992 and its termination as a safe place for our government began immediately. An interesting tour.

I accepted an invitation to meet up with some friends at a Blue Grass Festival in Rockbridge County. (I had some great photos.) I am not a musician, but attended a class on techniques for playing the banjo. It was fascinating to me. There was a clogging class taught by one of the best instructors in the country. I enjoyed walking around, stopping to listen as small groups sat around their camp sites playing what to my ear seemed to be the same song. I was assured they were not all playing the same song. Still, the music was perfect in the fresh air of a perfect late summer day. I later dined with friends at a house I had never visited. That was interesing. Our host for the evening is a long-bearded hermit with an interesting past that was very social. He lives in a large, old farmhouse surrounded by nothing but rolling hills and mountains as far as the eye can see. The conversation was fascinating. Pam and I hiked to the top of the hill behind the house to take advantage of the view at dusk. Wow. I am sick that those photos have disappeared. Thank heaven I still have my memory. When the time comes that I cannot remember that weekend, the photos would do me no good anyhow.

Returning home, I started thinking about going somewhere that required me to get on a plane.

So I ended up in St. Thomas. I stayed at the house where I lived for 13 months. It was a working vacation. I did a little work for George, saw lots of people I knew and did some beach time. Coffee taste better when you can look out at George's back yard.

The nights are wonderful on island. The moon was full, just for me it seemed.

Leaving St. Thomas, I returned to my favorite spot in the mountains, Highland County, where fall colors were peaking. How fabulous is that...

I visited with some friends who live close to where I was staying. After a wonderful breakfast, we went up to their apple orchard to pick apples and to enjoy the view.