Blue Ridge Mountains

Hello everyone. No, I haven't forgotten about my blog-I've just not had the time to update it as I should. I've been busy planning another trip to Richmond to take my daughter, Kim, to see her grandfather and father. For those of you who have inquired about her health: she has been doing pretty good the past week. She went to the gastroenterologist Thursday and she prescribed a seasick patch for Kim to wear to help ward off the nausea. I don't know why none of her doctors has thought of this remedy before. Since she is feeling somewhat better we are going to try and make a trip to Virginia to see the relatives and if her health still holds out we will go to the museum in Richmond and maybe even up to Skyline Drive. Skyline Drive is the name of the Park/Road that meanders through the Blue Ridge Mountain range in Virginia for approximately 105 miles.

Skyline Drive is located within the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, USA and it is protected and preserved.by our government. Billboards and Houses are ( thankfully ) non-existent.

Skyline Drive "begins" in Front Royal, Virginia, less than 90-minutes from Washington, DC. It ends in Afton, Virginia, at the intersection of Interstate-64 , where it becomes the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Within the park are a virtual cornucopia of sights, sounds, and smells that will astound. In almost every hollow or valley there are remains of pioneer settlements that date back to the 18th century. If I feel comfortable enough driving and parking on the steep grades, I hope we get the chance to do some gravestone rubbings or photos. I cannot wait to see Joshua's reactions to the sights!

One of the biggest lures that the Drive presents is its plentiful wildlife. Lovers of Wild Animals can see Deer along the road, grazing on grass, plants and trees. Bear are a common sight in the summer, especially during mating season. Birds, including a massive population of Red-Tailed Hawks and Owls, are in almost constant sight. Needless to say, it is a bird-watchers paradise. And because it is a National Park where hunting is prohibited, the Wildlife here have little fear of humans, and it's possible to stop the car and watch a herd of Deer move about within a few yards of your car, posing as if they know you are taking snapshots of them.

All of the Parkway info above was obtained from: http://members.aol.com/adnascar/skylinedrive.html, please take time to visit this private site.


Luray Caverns

Kim has spoken of going to the Luray Caverns also. Not sure I'm up for this (claustrophobia) but if she is well enough and wants to, I will!

The Luray Caverns are the largest caverns in the eastern USA and a National Landmark. Some of the most spectacular creations were formed just one drip at at time, such as Giant's Hall, vast expansive chambers decorated by predominately golden columns, 10-stories tall. The gold colors come from iron and clay soils seeping from the ground along with the calcium carbonate "drips."

There is also an organ that uses the calcium formations as pipes!

The Stalacpipe Organ is played from a regular-size organ, but its organ pipes are the stalactites themselves, spreading over 3.5 underground acres, and wired with little rubber mallets.

I am working on a freebie kit for SAS July Challenge and hope to have it finished and uploaded soon so check back later!

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend.

Love, Liv

PS to my Blog Friends: Thinking of you and hope to get back to visit you again soon! Vicki, I hope you are having a ball at the CHA!