25 March, 2013    Unwasted dawns – Maple Festival 2013 and more

St. Patrick’s Day, the Maple Festival, other spring rituals

I watched the sun rise in my rear view mirror as Jim Morrison and The Doors sang “…no ‘Eternal Reward’ will forgive us now for wasting the dawn.” (The Wasp (Texas Radio and the Big Beat), 1971). This particular dawn was not going to waste. I was on my way to pick up three of my nieces to attend the Highland Maple Festival in Monterey, VA for the sixth time in as many years. We arrived at The Highland Inn – “Pride of the Mountains” since 1904 – in time for breakfast, as usual. I cannot recommend it highly enough; it’s excellent every year. Casey (perhaps Kasey or KC) was our waitress for at least the second year in a row. She remembered us as soon as we sat down. She also took our picture:

Best travel and dining companions EVER!

She’s a great photographer. Of course with nieces like mine, all pictures look great. Another person took a picture of us in the lobby:

In the lobby

We’ve taken a picture by this sign each year:

Great food, even greater companions

We went to Duff’s Sugar House, also as we do every year; they make syrup the  old-fashioned way. They tap the trees themselves, boil the sap over a wood fire, very little automation. Great tours too. There’s a pond outside that has a statue that catches my eye every year; I call her The Maple Syrup Fairy. Doesn’t she look serene?:

A picture of serenity

This old piece of John Deere farm equipment was near the pond. It’s a little bit difficult to read, but on the pedal near the center it says “John Deere – Moline, Ill”:

John Deere farm equipment – from a LONG time ago

On the way home we stopped at The Depot Grille in Staunton to meet Mom and our friend Liz for dinner. We stop there every year on the way home. Last year (and in years past) we ate dinner there with Mom and Dad. Before we went in the restaurant this time we met Mom and Liz in the adjacent Rachel’s Quilt Patch. If you click that link, at the top left of the web site you’ll see a handsome cat. Scroll down a little and you’ll see three pretty ladies. Not as pretty as my nieces, but pretty. The one on the left in the pink top was curled up in a chair with the cat. When I asked her the cat’s name she said “Sweet Blue Eyes!” It was a fun place. The food was great next door as well.

There’s a neat caboose outside of The Depot Grille (two, really). Here’s one:

Old caboose

And a sign from the Norfolk and Western Railroad inside, the railroad that ran past the cabin when we were growing up:

Old Norfolk & Western sign

It’s a sure sign the seasons are changing at my house when I have my first hyacinths and my last load of firewood in the driveway at the same time. I took this picture on the first full day of Spring:

The sight in my driveway at the end of winter/beginning of spring

I didn’t waste the dawn Tuesday either. The dogs and I got to the river early and I got this lucky shot of a flying female bufflehead. It was a gray, cold day and she’s very beautiful:

Isn’t she gorgeous?

In the afternoon – same day – I found myself with some free time and made my first trip to Colonial Shooting Academy on West Broad Street. For those of you who don’t know, we did a lot of shooting growing up. Dad taught us to shoot and we got to do it very often at the cabin. I felt like I was reconnecting with a part of myself that’s very close to Dad. Here’s what it looks like:

Colonial Shooting Academy

I hadn’t shot much in a long time but it was fun. This was a pistol target I shot. I’m glad Dad’s not here to see this awful group! But I enjoyed myself immensely, and that would be plenty for him:

Lack of practice makes imperfect. But I had fun!

I’ve also gotten a few more nice images of the moon on these cold, clear late-winter and early spring evenings. I stood in my driveway and pointed the camera up and took this one:

The moon from my driveway. So beautiful.

Many of you (more all the time, fortunately!) know my friend Evie. You may also know she is a blogger. Look here to see her blog: The Hippest Part of Nowhere

Enjoy this early spring. Although it’s very snowy here in Richmond! Have a great day,

Jay