You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.
First, though, a look along Beverley St in Staunton on a sunny evening.
In summer, the main street is blockaded by bollards on the weekends, and the many restaurants can spill out into the streets -- fewer of them tonight, as the season is only beginning. (10 April 2026)
The children are dashing about everywhere, and the musical buskers have brought some friends.
That beautful old bank building drew our custom when we first arrived here in 2019 -- not long after that, the bank merged with Truist and went to live in Truist's awkwardly-modern building up the street, and this fine old thing has been sitting there unoccupied ever since. The interior is fabulous.
To be honest, we're just hanging out here at the moment whilst Kristin waits on line for the gelato.
The Augusta Springs Wetlands, 11 April 2026
We haven't been out here as often this season -- the weather's been somewhat unforgiving -- but now it's time.
Some serious maintenance has been going on in our absence. A lot of these old trees are in pretty bad condition . . .
. . . like this one.
The location here was the site of a early-mid 19th century hotel, mineral spa, casino resort, most of which is long gone now, but some of the old infrastructure remains. Old stone walls buried amongst the modern wetland foliage, etc.
But who knows what that was all about? We'll refrain from investigating.
The wetland loop runs round the pond and the swampy parts for about a kilometre, all blessedly level.
And that's the main pond. There was an informal path down closer to the shoreline -- good for photographing ducks and what not -- but it's been allowed to grow over convincingly.
This is the site of our favorite reading bench when the mood overcomes us.
There are only three suitable benches here, so the choice of a regular favorite was an easy one.
Continuing round the pond, we come to . . .
. . . the entrance to the Uplands Trail that runs about an kilometre or so and up onto a ridge, then steeply down the other side in a loop back to the pond.
But not for today -- these days one is just learning to walk with a cane without tripping over it, so we're just taking two laps round the wetland loop.
Though there's no staff on duty here, the site is maintained by the US Forest Service in a project involving the Virginia Dept of Wildlife Resources and Ducks Unlimited.
That's the 500-meter boardwalk that covers the swampier bits of the walk.
And here's one of the creeks leading out of the wetland to join the Little Calf Pasture 'River' just across the road, headed south to join up with the Maury River near Goshen.
The home stretch
Nearing the end of our second trip round the loop
Home with the overhead lights on (something we nearly never do -- how could we replace the bulbs?)
Cats a-snooze.
The Star Trail
The Wilson Pond here is a wee little thing in Fisherville, associated in some way with a group of public schools just up the hill.
It's especially nice if you really like geese (but don't get too close).
The Star Trail is a half-mile level path running all round the pond, and . . .
. . . it's a fine place to walk round the pond once or twice and sit with our books for a while.
Choupette's resuming her old habit of sitting there and staring at us (whilst we stare at the telly).
Salutations
Melvin's choice of hangouts some days
But in the mid- to late-afternoon, it's all about tracking the sun rays all round from the west.
Sherando Lake, 9 May 2026
A fine weather day, walking down from the dam end of the lake
-- Hey, wait up.
The eastern side of the lakeshore trail is conveniently very flat, just what we need at the moment.
There's the lovely little island.
Our favorite bench, and books out.
The facilities opened on 1 April, but here in early May there still aren't very many takers.
That's not really so bad, though, and there are some little kids paddling round outside the beach area . . .
. . . like this.
Back to the carpark at the dam. (The Anglers' Parking, they call it.)
-- All good? -- Yep, all good.
-- Okay, meet you there.
Not a lot of healthy exercise today, but we take what we can get.
Here's a slightly bitter look up the Cliff Trail, our favorite here, as it may be quite a while before we can get back onto it.
The Montgomery Hall Park, 10 May 2026
Some Scout Trail with some of the Yulee Trail thrown in
Up we go from the southern carpark
-- Wait up!
First one to the summit of Black Dog Mountain is the winner.
-- Tough luck, son.
Down the long and convoluted Scout Trail
Half an hour later, we're at the former landmark of the amateur tepee and split rail fence round it, which (in our absence) some vandal or legitimate authority knocked all to pieces. We have no idea why.
But the ex-tepee is located at a useful liaison with the shorter Yulee Trail, so, with suitable reservations, we'll take that one back to the car.
The Yulee has far fewer elaborate time-heavy convolutions.
Still on the Yulee Trail, we're passing the formal liaison with the MHP Expressway, which so winds all about the forest landscape as to make it worth nearly 3 or 4 times the straightforward Yulee path.
Not too many flowers out yet. (And no mountain laurel so far yet, either.)
The Yulee's a generally levelish sort of path, just a few ups and downs from time to time, and . . .
. . . significant ups and downs are exactly what we aren't wishing for these days.
A few more nice flowers
Nearly back to the car
The cats do sometimes squabble, and sometimes they chase each other about with serious expressions, but they're also often the best of friends.
Especially when they're waiting for someone to get them their dinner.
So our little $9.99 Walmart cane has behaved itself quite well this month.
Next up: Further dispatches are awaited.
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All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 17 May 2026.
