Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Home Again, Home Again

Northern Virginia Countryside

I've been away for a couple of weeks, visiting my sister and her husband, who live just outside Washington, D.C., in northern Virginia. I don't get up there very often; my last trip was about two years ago. I usually go alone, and drive the almost 1,000 miles each way; it's a long and physically taxing trip, but I very much enjoy the scenery through Tennessee and Virginia.

This time, I was afforded the luxury of flying, courtesy of my brother-in-law, and the trip took just over 6 hours. Airline routes being what they are, I had to fly from Little Rock to Houston, then Houston to Washington, D.C.

While Arkansas was experiencing downpours (October, 2009, was the wettest October on record, with over 16" of rain during the month), there were only light showers in Virginia -- just enough to prevent us from getting out and enjoying the fall scenery -- until the last day of my visit, when the sun came out and things dried out enough to let us to go out to lunch at my sister's favorite restaurant, Heart in Hand, in Clifton, VA, and for a short drive in the surrounding countryside, where I took the photo shown above.

The area around Clifton is "horse country" and there are literally hundreds of miles of fence similar to the one shown in the photo above. There's some serious money in "them thar hills!"

I think my cats were glad to see me come home; I can't sit down without having one cat in my lap and another yowling around my ankles. I was glad to see them, too.

More, later.

P.S. The Kairos card count is now almost 1,400. The ladies have been busy since I've been away.

13 comments:

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Sounds like you picked a good time to get away from Arkansas, Pat. We have had LOTS and LOTS of rain also--and our Fall colors are pretty-much gone.

Glad you got to fly this time --even though you didn't get to see the colors in TN and VA....

Welcome home. I missed you.
Hugs,
Betsy

Jackie said...

That is one BEAUTIFUL photograph!
Nature in all its splendor.
Love,
Jackie

Jinksy said...

How did you manage to capture that flying witch in the top left corner of your photo?! :)

Hilary said...

Welcome home. Lovely shot, that. But I must be hanging around Jinsky a bit too much lately. I thought the exact same thing. ;)

Snap said...

Welcome home! Sounds like a wonderful trip and a well deserved get-a-way!

Pat - Arkansas said...

Jinksy and Hilary -- re: flying witch. One never knows what will be in the air just before Hallowe'en. :)

Peter said...

I'm amazed by the distances in your country, compared to where I'm living a 1000 mile journey seems vast. In fact I think that 1000 miles would nearly get you from New Zealand to Australia at the closest point. 16 inches is a lot of rain too. By comparison Dunedin, our closest city, averages 30 inches of rain a year, and we receive significantly less than that! Glad you did manage to see some autumn colours, if only for a day!

Snowbrush said...

I'll bet your cats were glad to see you after so long. Welcome home!

Arkansas Patti said...

Virginia is such a lovely state and it was sweet of your BIL to let you fly. I know when I go to Ohio it is such a long trip but for now, I enjoy it and am scared of planes,
You missed nothing in Arkansas.
So glad you cats are happy to see you and not spiteful as they can somethimes get when we leave them.
Welcome home.

rhymeswithplague said...

Cherokee County, Georgia, is horse country too. That picture could have been taken around here -- except for the flying witch, of course.

Patty said...

Nice yo were able to have a visit with your sister and brother-in-law. Also nice he got a ticket for you so you could fly and save your energy from a long drive.

NitWit1 said...

I would take flying anytime to driving. My husband is beginning to see my side of that. We have had 3 road trips three weeks in a row, two or which were to Little Rock.

Virginia is a beautiful historict state. I wish I had sp;ent more time sightseeing in it when I lived in Baltimore.

Welcome Home. I'm sure your cats, are like Luckie. "Please get back to their routine."

Suldog said...

Welcome back! Lovely photo.