They Aren't Big but they are Beautiful
Coming down the Rockfish Valley Highway driving towards the Blueridge Mountains.

An Illusion
I discovered on closer inspection that while this field is still being farmed the farm in the background is abandoned.

What Every Home Needs
Don't tell me there is something here you just can't live without. I really enjoy stopping in places like this just to see what surprises I can find. Unfortunately I can't take anything home. Somebody has to explain to me why, "Come on dear can't I keep it? Huh, pretty please," doesn't work anymore. It always worked with my mother. This place is located on Rt. 1 in Caroline County.

Deja Vu
There is a rather famous photo taken of General Grant and his staff in 1864 relaxing in church pews in the front yard of a church. That photos was taken here in front of the Massaponax Baptist Church.

Alum Spring Park in the Burg
A typical trail you can take a stroll on in the park. For those not from the area, or continent for that matter, it is of interest to note that during the American Revolution, Hessian (German) prisoners captured at the Battle of Trenton were held in a camp on this site. As I understand it a large number of German troops who fought in the revolution decided to start new lives in the newly independent America rather than to return home.

Nature Collides With Civilization
Looking up Hazel Run towards the Rt. 1 Bridge a major north/south highway running along the east coast. Prior to Interstate 95 this was the main east coat road. Development around Hazel Run has caused some significant water run-off issues resulting in serious errosion problems. The City is working with Friends of the Rappahannock to alleviate this problem.

Refuge in War
In November of 1862 the civilian population of Fredericksburg was order to evacuate the city by Gen. Robert E. Lee after the arrival of the Union Army on the other side of the Rappahannock River. Most had no place to go and set up tent camps outside the city around places like Salem Church and here in what is today located inside Alum Spring Park. This sandstone cliff is 400 feelt long and 40 feet high. This site offered some protection from the cold and the elements.

I started out the day at Fort A.P. Hill working on a story about environmental stewardship on the base. Jason Applegate, who I discovered is a fellow Penn Stater, took me to a few spots on post including a grove of bald cypress, apparently the farthest inland grove in Virginia, an eagle nest, a low impact parking lot as well a couple other spots. It was nice to start the day outdoors and try and light a tree with two strobes. It’s no National Geographic action, but it works. Here’s a few more:

I covered the Redskins win over the 0-4 Buccaneers yesterday at FedEx. Going into halftime, I was pretty sure the Bucs were about to snap their losing streak but I guess Jim Zorn worked some kind of Zen mind trick in the locker room and it turned into a game a play into the third quarter. For much of the season I’ve been shooting kind of loose with a 300mm. Yesterday I decided to break out the 400 and spent a lot of time shooting with a 2x teleconverter. While that gave me some reach downfield, it made it a bit more difficult to focus and when things got close, it was way too tight and I missed a few pictures. So, next time, maybe I’ll use the 400 again but no teleconverter. Anyway, here’s a selection from the game…

"To dare everyday to be irreverent and bold. To dare to preserve the randomness of mind which in children produces strange and wonderful new thoughts and forms. To continually scramble the familiar and bring the old into new juxtaposition."
Gordon Weber

Today there is no theme or story to be told. Instead we will let the, "randomness of mind," rule the day and throw in a little irreverence to liven things up a bit.

A Blast from the Past
On the way to Bowling Green you will see this house just off the road. When this house burned down I was the adjuster assigned to the claim. That was over twenty years ago. Knowing how some of you feel about insurance companies I'd better make it clear that the claim was settled over 20 years ago. And yes we paid it.