Musings Over a Barrel is not the most prolific blog on the internet. It has always been a niche blog — that niche being me. Part review site, part experience log, and mostly a journal for me to reminisce over.

One of the most popular pages is the search link, and it’s quite likely many of those hits are my own.

To my surprise, sometime in the last 24 hours, the blog recorded its 10 millionth hit. Granted, that took more than 18 years, but still, it’s a cool milestone.

18+ years and 3,718 posts later, I offer a hearty “thank you” to everyone who spends a few moments of their time reading these ramblings.

Musings Over a Barrel is not the most prolific blog on the internet. It has always been a niche blog — that niche being me. Part review site, part experience log, and mostly a journal for me to reminisce over.

One of the most popular pages is the search link, and it’s quite likely many of those hits are my own.

To my surprise, sometime in the last 24 hours, the blog recorded its 10 millionth hit. Granted, that took more than 18 years, but still, it’s a cool milestone.

18+ years and 3,718 posts later, I offer a hearty “thank you” to everyone who spends a few moments of their time reading these ramblings.

County Roads, Take Me Home

My phone served up a cover version of this John Denver classic as I was chauffeuring my wife around yesterday. Something about the lyric hit me in a way that I'd never noticed before.

Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze

That is scientifically accurate. The Appalachians are the oldest mountain range on the planet and certainly predate human life, if not all life, by millions of years.

So now I'm wondering, was Denver taking a poke at creationism with that line? Or did the words just flow? It's from the album title, Poems, Prayers & Promises, which is a little on the nose. But Denver was way more of a liberal than his marketing, especially in the 70s, would have one believe.

John Denver original
Ghost Hounds cover

My phone served up a cover version of this John Denver classic as I was chauffeuring my wife around yesterday. Something about the lyric hit me in a way that I’d never noticed before.

Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze

That is scientifically accurate. The Appalachians are the oldest mountain range on the planet and certainly predate human life, if not all life, by millions of years.

So now I’m wondering, was Denver taking a poke at creationism with that line? Or did the words just flow? It’s from the album title, Poems, Prayers & Promises, which is a little on the nose. But Denver was way more of a liberal than his marketing, especially in the 70s, would have one believe.

John Denver original
Ghost Hounds cover

County Roads, Take Me Home

My phone served up a cover version of this John Denver classic as I was chauffeuring my wife around yesterday. Something about the lyric hit me in a way that I'd never noticed before.

Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze

That is scientifically accurate. The Appalachians are the oldest mountain range on the planet and certainly predate human life, if not all life, by millions of years.

So now I'm wondering, was Denver taking a poke at creationism with that line? Or did the words just flow? It's from the album title, Poems, Prayers & Promises, which is a little on the nose. But Denver was way more of a liberal than his marketing, especially in the 70s, would have one believe.

John Denver original
Ghost Hounds cover

County Roads, Take Me Home

My phone served up a cover version of this John Denver classic as I was chauffeuring my wife around yesterday. Something about the lyric hit me in a way that I'd never noticed before.

Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze

That is scientifically accurate. The Appalachians are the oldest mountain range on the planet and certainly predate human life, if not all life, by millions of years.

So now I'm wondering, was Denver taking a poke at creationism with that line? Or did the words just flow? It's from the album title, Poems, Prayers & Promises, which is a little on the nose. But Denver was way more of a liberal than his marketing, especially in the 70s, would have one believe.

John Denver original
Ghost Hounds cover

That's a lot of work for a name tag.

15 weeks of classes, 5 or 6 field trips, a final exam, and a practical application (I made a zine) to earn this.

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Date: 2026-04-29 Tags: Personal Summary - I finished my Virginia Master Naturalist training Title: That’s a lot of work for a name tag —

15 weeks of classes, 5 or 6 field trips, a final exam, and a practical application (I made a zine) to earn this.

Virginia Master Naturalists name tag