Category Archives: Fun

Life goes on

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Jay McLaughlin

21 February, 2016 Life goes on My mom recalls me living in a box. One of my siblings wrote “Didn’t you once spend a night in jail for punching someone?” Reactions to my last blog post … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, daffodils, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, hyacinths, James River, Northern flicker, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers | Tagged daffodils, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, hyacinths, james river, nature, Northern flicker, outdoors, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | 6 Comments

The kindness of strangers

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Jay McLaughlin

7 February, 2016 The kindness of strangers A young man I spent time with once bolted into the ladies room. And immediately undressed. And more. I’ve depended on the kindness of strangers. A bit of photography … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, buffleheads, Downy woodpecker, Fun, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, robin, Starbucks | Tagged buffleheads, Dogs, Downy woodpecker, Fun, james river, nature, outdoors, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, robin, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | Leave a comment

Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Jay McLaughlin

31 January, 2016 Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play Kids threw poop at me. “It was twenty years ago today,” give or take a month. Not when I was a kid – when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, disability, Dogs, Fun, James River, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), whitetail deer | Tagged disability, Dogs, Fun, james river, nature, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles!, whitetail deer | 6 Comments

Red, white and blue

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Jay McLaughlin

24 January, 2016 Red, white and blue I started this post before the snow. The first title was “I’m seeing red” because I saw this Red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) while hiking with Ethan at Bryan Park … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Blue Jays, Bryan Park, cardinals, cats, dog booties, Dogs, firewood, Fun, ice, James River, moon, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-headed woodpeckers, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers | Tagged blue jay, bryan park, cats, dog booties, Dogs, Fun, ice, james river, nature, outdoors, People, pictures of the moon, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Smiles - human AND dog smiles!, waxing gibbous moon, wood stove | 6 Comments

Impeccable timing

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Jay McLaughlin

17 January, 2016 Impeccable timing I first drafted this post earlier this week when it was 60º and balmy. As I sit down now on Sunday afternoon for the final draft, I look out my window … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Bryan Park, Dogs, Fun, Guatemala, Pony Pasture, raptors, red-shouldered hawks, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), triathlons, whitetail deer | Tagged bluebird, bryan park, Dogs, Fun, Guatemala, james river, nature, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles!, whitetail deer | Leave a comment

Even a blind hog…

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Jay McLaughlin

10 January, 2016 Even a blind hog… …finds an acorn sometimes. Or so goes the old saying. Wiktionary refers to this as an “English proverb” and attaches this terse explanation: “Being right once doesn’t prove anything.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Bryan Park, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, Pony Pasture, Raccoons, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), sunsets | Tagged bryan park, Dogs, Flowers, Fun, Hooded merganser, james river, mourning doves, nature, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers | 4 Comments

We turned our flashlights off after dark

Posted on January 3, 2016 by Jay McLaughlin

3 January, 2016 We turned our flashlights off after dark Remembering the odd nature of wearing shorts when it snowed called to mind other backwards-ness of my childhood. I’m including a brief blurb about it at … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, Bryan Park, coffee, Dogs, firewood, Fun, mockingbirds, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), squirrels, sunsets, Trains | Tagged bryan park, Dogs, Downy woodpecker, Fun, GE AC4400CW locomotive, james river, nature, Northern mockingbird, outdoors, People, Red-tailed hawks, Smiles - human AND dog smiles!, transportation | 5 Comments

We wore shorts when it snowed

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Jay McLaughlin

27 December, 2015 We wore shorts when it snowed It’s difficult to recall the feel of a snowy winter this year, but it will be cold soon enough. I have my own wood stove burning here … Continue reading →

Posted in Dogs, firewood, Fun, Rivers, Shenandoah River, Shenandoah Valey, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), whitetail deer | Tagged Dogs, Fun, james river, nature, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, Rivers, smile, Smiles - human AND dog smiles!, whitetail deer | 2 Comments

One person’s kryptonite…

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Jay McLaughlin

20 December, 2015 One person’s kryptonite… …is another person’s gesture of gratitude! Evelyn and I have a friend named Joel Elston who is a life coach specializing in health and addiction recovery. He recently published … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, buffleheads, Dogs, Fun, fungus, Ghirardelli, James River, People, Peppermint bark, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!), Turtles, whitetail deer | Tagged Ghirardelli, Kryptonite, Peppermint bark, the bench | 4 Comments

Cloudless sulphur

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Jay McLaughlin

13 December, 2015 Cloudless sulphur That’s the actual name of a butterfly I photographed at the river this week. It caught my ear (the name, not the butterfly) and I like that quality in blog post … Continue reading →

Posted in Dogs, Fun, Insects, James River, People, Pony Pasture, raptors, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles (including "dog smiles"!) | Tagged bluebird, bryan park, Dogs, Downy woodpecker, Fun, james river, nature, outdoors, People, Pony Pasture, Red-tailed hawks, Rivers, Smiles - human AND dog smiles! | Leave a comment