City Hall
No story here beyond the fact that a cleared the sidewalk twice the day before. Just liked the shot.

Life Impacts "Art"

" Never Before Have So Many Owed So Much to So Few....."

Symptom of Cabin Fever

And I Thought I Had Problems
A beautiful scene for those passing by. For the poor bastard who lives here there is a lot of work ahead.

Looks Like an Improvement to Me
Previously I had asked you to comment on whether you felt the color(s) of this wall were appropriate to their surroundings. Well even though the color(s) of the wall was not what was originally agreed to City Council has decided we can live with it. This is not the first time we have gone down this road. The local High School mascot is the Yellow Jacket yet the school colors are orange and black. The story is that years ago the new football uniforms came in the wrong colors. Instead of sending them back we adopted the new colors. Fredericksburg has a problem with color coordination. Frankly I think the snow piled up over the wall is an improvement. What do you think?

Todo, I Don't Think We are in Virginia Anymore?
The Rappahannock River at the City Dock. This is not supposed to happen in Virginia! Next thing you know gridlock will end in Richmond and VDOT's Six Year Plan will actually take six years to complete instead of six decades! Sure looks like hell freezing over to me.

A Parental Moment

" Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life."
Herbert Asquith

Yes, our second big snow of the season at about 12 inches! Donning my adult responsibilities this morning I headed out the door to complete the task of freeing my car. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the snow was powdery and it took little effort to get it off.

This state of adult elation was soon replaced with a tinge of disappointment when my inner child pointed out that you can't make a respectable snowball with this crap. I found myself reminiscing about the tactical employment of snowballs--always have two at the ready. Throw the first high to get your opponent to duck and the second one goes into the face when they look back up. A smile came across my face remembering hitting a particularly annoying kid behind the kneecap and watching him crumble to the ground with the second snowball at the ready for the coup de grace--the ear or neck shot. At this point my parental instincts kicked back in reminding my inner child that such conduct was not very nice. And anyway there was work to be done.

Later in the day my inner child again came to the forefront. I was out taking some photos when I thought a shot of Hazel Run would be nice. I went across the street thinking I could cut through the woods and down to Hazel Run. I had forgotten about the 60+ degree incline to the stream. Piece of cake--was the response of my inner child and off we went. After a number of falls, and becoming soaked through to the skin, I reached Hazel Run. I then noticed deer tracks and my inner child said lets follow them. So we did. After another series of falls, and scraps going through bramble, and again climbing a steep slope in 12 inches of snow I reached a road. At this point my, aching, out of shape, wheezing, and bleeding 51 year old psyche cried out--What the (expletive deleted) do you think you are doing! As I wearily made my way home I still had a smile on my face.

There is more to life than getting from point "A" to point "B" as quickly as possible. Stop looking at events like 12" of snow as only an inconvenience or an obstacle that must be overcome. Instead take a moment to remember how you marveled and enjoyed it in your youth. Go ahead, pack that snowball good and tight, pick your target and let it fly. Then you can get in your car and join the rat race.

Yes Virginia...........

Dear Bloggers,

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there are no snow plows in Fredericksburg to clear the streets. Papa says, If you see it on a blog it's so. Please tell me the truth; are there snow plows in Fredericksburg?
VIRGINIA (Probably not her real name)

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. There are Snow plows in Fredericksburg. Your little friends have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age......

OK so I took a little literary license here. So sue me.

Sun Rise Over Freshly Fallen Snow on an Ornate Fence That Serves No Purpose
The Jepson Center which is part of the University of Mary Washington College. Four sections of ornate fencing was donated to the University by an alumnist. Having nothing better to do with them the fencing was incorporated into the landscaping for the center. Someone gets a write-off and the college spends a few extra thousands to incorporate them into the project. Nothing better for the University to spend money on. Still it does add to the picture.