Out in the Rain

It was very warm today and our plan was to go to Skyline Drive, calling in to Warrenton on the way.

In Warrenton we came across this wonderful, restored, vintage streetcar - used for weddings, Winery tours and small parties.

It probably wouldn't be too comfy for a long trip but it looked fun!

We spent a couple of hours looking around Warrenton..

We then decided not to go on to the Shenandoah National Park but to walk along the trail at the Manassas Battlefield Park.

We started at the Old Stone Bridge, a key site during the Battle of Manassas at Bull Run.

We walked along the river..

All was quiet (this may be because others had read the weather forecast)

Then the rain came..  and we got very wet indeed..

Herndon Rocks!

Herndon Rocks is not a geological feature but the name of a weekly summertime Friday night concert series in Herndon Old Town.

The weather was cloudy but definitely not cool - it stayed in the 30's throughout the evening. 

Quite how the band - playing mainly 80's covers and jumping around a lot - managed to stay cool, I have no idea.

Even as it got dark we were still sweltering - and that is without dancing!

Third Thursday Lunch

Well it may be only 23 degrees as I write this at 6.45 on Thursday morning but clearly with a high for the day of 36 (which sounds even hotter when it is spoken of on the radio weather forecast as 96), it's going to be a warm one!

The Women's Club doesn't meet during June, July and August but for the last two summers we have continued the 'Third Thursday' lunches as we normally have together at a restaurant nearby  after the monthly meetings at Lake Anne.

When I made the reservations I had to decide whether to book inside or outside at Kalypso's.  Thankfully I have booked inside in the cool dining room for today, otherwise I think we may have had 24 overheated and unhappy ladies who lunch!! 

Will take a few photos when I get there...

Lunch went well and we were all happy to be inside.

Not many people were around at this normally busy Plaza!



None of the boats were out for rent..

The most inviting place looked to be the fountain..

It is now 10.30pm and still 29 degrees outside.  We have three more days, apparently, before this hot spell breaks..

What's for Sale?

When I spent some time at The Bargain Loft on Tuesday sorting out new donations of jewellery, I also took some photos of  items for sale to share on the Facebook page.

Above, this is a Venetian glass stylised cat from Murano - he is a paperweight and appropriately heavy as about 7 inches tall, but very beautifully made.

Not quite sure what is going on in the picture on the plate - looks as if the gentleman is being tickled with a feather..

We quite often have patchwork quilts for sale and this is a pretty vintage one, as is the stand with its heart motif.

American Girl is a highly successful line of dolls over many years and this is a vintage collection of cut-out card dolls with a series of outfits in little books.

Initially I thought that these were small matryoshka  dolls, but there are no little nesting dolls inside these,  they are just for salt and pepper..

Just some of the jewellery that we have at the moment - quite a variety!



This sideboard is fairly modern but a beautiful reproduction.  Not sure that the pottery punchbowl and cups on the top is doing it any favours though!

Love this 'vintage' sign...looks like a punishing regime though!



We receive many donations of beautiful vintage linen - some well used but much of it kept 'for best' and not used.

Upstairs, despite a big clear out for the inventory count at the end of June, our collection of everyday glassware and kitchenware is just growing.

Birds - All Shapes and Sizes

This morning, as the sun came around to the deck, this young bird - a juvenile house finch I think - appeared to be sunbathing a little on the warm wood.

At the bottom of the garden later in the day this hawk - one of two that have been around for a while - was making the most of some dead tree branches to keep an eye on what might be in the grass below.

Hummingbirds have been visiting regularly but rarely are still for enough time to enable a photograph.



This young Bluebird posed nicely on the side of the bird bath, but I had less luck capturing his colourful parent..

The Pileated Woodpeckers are visiting frequently too, with the 'baby' bird still expecting to be fed..

Virginia Wine Tour

On Saturday we took a bus tour organized by a local company into the Virginia countryside to visit two wineries.

The first stop was at Barrel Oak Winery, a large producer of red and white wines...and beer too...

Inside the winery was busy - families were welcome and dogs too.

There were a variety of wines to sample.

Then time to enjoy a glass on the terrace surrounded by vineyards before we moved on.

Our bus then took us on to Desert Rose Winery that we have visited before.

A good time was had by all!

Cave of the Winds - A Final Soaking!

Still damp from our trip on Maid of the Mist we walked to the trail for the Cave of the Winds. 

Once equipped with our rain ponchos (yellow this time) and sandals designed to stop us slipping over (or ruining our shoes) we headed down to the edge of the Falls.



Both sides of the gorge are colonized by gulls - which are tolerated but definitely growing in numbers.

There were many young ones - large but still being fed by their parents.

As you get close to the (sturdy) wooden staircase that takes you up the side and almost under the Bridal Veil Falls, the power of the water roaring past at very close quarters is evident.

This is what the wooden structure looks like from the top of the Falls..

Here is the top of the structure - known as the Hurricane Deck for the way that the water blasts over you - from below.

Initially you just feel a bit damp..then gradually wetter..

Damp selfies at the bottom..

By the time you get to the Hurricane Deck the lens is full of water so the photos are a little blurred..

That's it, can't get any wetter now...