Vacation Thoughts from the Brick Terrace

Back from my golf round on Wednesday evening, again enjoying a break from the rain, I’ve got a 2-hour firelog going and I am indulging in a cigar and – finding a surprise in the beer case at the Food Lion – Shiner Bocks. This, while reading Michael Perry’s Truck: A Love Story, supervising Dude finishing up the pool-opening vacuuming, and watching my wildlife as it grows dark.

Howard invited me to an event tonight, but Mary’s been sick (food poisoning, we think from something she ate in H-burg) and I thought it best to be here tonight. She is almost through it, which is good.

The event Howard told me about is a steak fry to benefit the Boy Scout Council here in Page County. I wish I could have taken him up on it – looks like a great networking opportunity, and as we try figure out what we are going to do with this “weekends in Luray” lifestyle, that might have given some food for thought.

(Note to Howard: Thanks very much for the invitation! I will take you up on one of these things very soon!)

Back to what’s happening here in the hollow tonight. The sun has just slipped down to the right angle to light up the oak trees over on the ridge line, flooding me with reflected golden light here on the brick terrace. From over in the beaver pond, I have heard the “ker-plunk, splash!” from some beaver frolicking over there three times tonight. Off in the distance, the pileateds have been having a go at some tree, the bats are just beginning to rise, and I saw my first hummingbird of the season.
The little fire is petering out so I guess I’ve been enjoying the evening for a couple of hours now…time to decide about putting another one on – am I committed to two more hours out here? I think I might be…

The rain of the last two days has forced a reschedule of the hike Dave G. and I were going to take, Three Falls (#80 on the Hiking Upward site). I’ve got a rain check on that one; the other must do is a canoe float while the river is running like this (the photos here are from one of the landings off of US 340 near Newport, and two others from off of 675 west of Luray.)

There are still three and half days left to get in some prized recreation. We’ll get’r done.