Sunday, August 18, 2013
School is right around the corner
Well, I have enjoyed my visits to Mount Airy and Fairy Stone State Park, but soon I will be teaching again. Teaching is that less than perfect profession. College adjuncts aren't paid a lot for their time and students should appreciate all the effort we/I put into my classes. A few in the past have been downright rude. I hope this semester's students are decent.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Fairy Stone Park peaceful, now back to work
We were probably the oldest couple there-- in a tent, that is. But all ages can stay in a tent, one of those "pop up" tents (a metal bottom with wheels the car pulls, and the sides "pop out" so you have some sleeping space) or an RV. And our air mattress inflated to a foot high! And at Fairy Stone State Park (VA) recently we had all three! It was relaxing, coming during the middle of the week, mostly. Wednesday evening it rained and we had to stay in the tent and it wasn't that much fun. But the other days we lit out.
Ranger naturalist Janette Lavier pointed out loads of info on one trail, from the fluffy orange mushrooms called "chanterelles" to the red eft (juvenile) newt she and I saw on the trail. If you know something about what you are looking at in the woods that makes it so much more interesting.
We didn't swim "enough" (not in my opinion) but we went out in a rented rowboat and saw those slider turtles (what the ranger called them, as they have a red marking on the side of the neck/ear area and can easily slide into the water, though they look a lot like the painted turtle) sunning themselves on logs and also some cute, furry baby herons -- and I didn't have my camera with me!
At the visitor center we saw a pile of "fairy stones" on display and also went to a site off Route 57 where you can look in a creek bed for the distinctive cross shaped pattern. Needless to say, we took some little rocks but they weren't at all cross or crisscross shaped!
On the way back we stopped in Floyd at the "travel through time" shop for some nice frozen yogurt. And the cat survived our staying away (we left out water and dry food for her).
Now I have to revise my syllabus somewhat and have to teach again very soon!
Ranger naturalist Janette Lavier pointed out loads of info on one trail, from the fluffy orange mushrooms called "chanterelles" to the red eft (juvenile) newt she and I saw on the trail. If you know something about what you are looking at in the woods that makes it so much more interesting.
We didn't swim "enough" (not in my opinion) but we went out in a rented rowboat and saw those slider turtles (what the ranger called them, as they have a red marking on the side of the neck/ear area and can easily slide into the water, though they look a lot like the painted turtle) sunning themselves on logs and also some cute, furry baby herons -- and I didn't have my camera with me!
At the visitor center we saw a pile of "fairy stones" on display and also went to a site off Route 57 where you can look in a creek bed for the distinctive cross shaped pattern. Needless to say, we took some little rocks but they weren't at all cross or crisscross shaped!
On the way back we stopped in Floyd at the "travel through time" shop for some nice frozen yogurt. And the cat survived our staying away (we left out water and dry food for her).
Now I have to revise my syllabus somewhat and have to teach again very soon!
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