12 July, 2026 Going batty

On the evening of July 10 I attended my first meeting of Bat Conservation and Rescue of Virginia at the incomparable Powhatan State Park. If you’re not into bats I get it – they’re not for everybody. But we’re lucky they’re around! Organic mosquito control! Powhatan State Park however – everybody should go there! Or everybody in central Virginia anyway. It’s about 1,500 mostly unspoiled acres on the banks of the James River roughly half an hour west of Richmond. It is a treat! Here’s a picture I took there this weekend: 

I highly recommend a visit to Powhatan State Park. Bring your dog if you have one (or more), bring a good pair of walking shoes, you could spend days there. Really nice bathrooms too! Enjoy! 

I’ll put in a couple of pictures of Birdy – she had the time of her life at Powhatan both Friday and yesterday. She is a first rate traveling and hiking companion! 

Ripple is always an entertaining cat – no shortage of energy or curiosity. He likes to jump up on my desk while I’m typing and look out in the front yard. I don’t even know what he’s looking at – it wasn’t birds. I think he just likes to stretch his legs. Be a little muscle man. 

Evelyn constantly, constantly, constantly has something in bloom in our  yard – or in our house – no matter the weather. It’s been a  pretty wet late Spring/ early Summer and every time it rains these hibiscuses just pop open.  

So another thing I saw at Powhatan State Park was this sign for the Pawpaw Festival on September 19. I am 100% going out there. I described pawpaws in an old post on here as “practically the dandelion of Pony Pasture” – they’re so widespread and prolific. The number of pawpaws at Powhatan makes Pony Pasture seem insignificant by comparison – it is astounding. They are everywhere. You just hike through solid walls of pawpaw trunks and branches and leaves for so long you begin to think it’s the only tree in the park. When the fruit begins to drop the smell will travel for miles – it is so sweet and delicious! I can hardly wait! 

I didn’t spend the whole week at Powhatan – just two days. I had a nice visit to Henrico’s wonderful Crump Park (in Glen Allen). Crump Park has a pond, livestock, sports facilities, playgrounds, restored train cars, a restored farmhouse, great roads and trails – plenty of room for hiking and biking and exploring. The flowers above are from Crump and so are the pigs below. And much, much more – plan a visit some time. 

Before I sign off, one more I enjoyed from Powhatan – this Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) was fluttering back and forth across our path:

Have a great week! I hope to put up another blog post soon! 

All best, 

Jay and Evelyn and Birdy and Ripple