Autumn Sights

A couple of years ago I was in Colonial Williamsburg to see the autumn foliage. I didn’t expect to see so much greenery in November, but it was a delightful day and many people were out walking wearing t-shirts, shorts and sandals. I didn’t think it was that warm but I ended up carrying my jacket after walking for a couple of hours. Here are some of the sights.

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With everything still so green I wondered if I’d see any fall foliage. I did find this tree on one of the streets and the colors were lovely.

A Little Snow Before Christmas

 

Last weekend we had some snow and since it’s December it seemed like a good time for it.  After all, it’s almost Christmas.  However, when the sun came out a few days later it warmed up and now the snow is gone.  That one cold, snowy Saturday turned out to be a perfect time for staying home, writing Christmas cards and having a cup of hot chocolate!  I’m also enjoying the displays and decorations I’ve seen this month that are so cheerful for the holidays.  These pictures are of scenes that I’ve admired from past Decembers.  Sometimes it’s nice to stop and simply enjoy the season, especially when a little winter weather comes your way.

Festive scene

Flower arrangement

Indoor trees

Simple decorations

Shiny ornaments

Holiday wreaths

Colorful arrangements

Merry Christmas!

November Scenes

I’ve been in different parts of Virginia over the past few weeks and the change in the trees has been remarkable.  When I was in Williamsburg at the beginning of the month there was a lot of color in the leaves and shrubs.  A nursery at Colonial Williamsburg had rows of greenery and potted plants for sale.  Last week I was in the mountains and saw the Natural Bridge.  It was quite impressive even though the leaves were gone.  Still, the trees can be dramatic even without leaves.

Williamsburg in early November:

Lots of color

Plants for sale

Williamsburg

Bright berries

Still growing

A few weeks later:

 

The bridge

Waterfall

Retaining wall

A path to…

Curved tree

Now is also a good time to look forward to all the upcoming holidays.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Almost Spring

After some snow and ice earlier this week the sun has reappeared, the weather has gotten warmer and the snow is melting.  I thought that today was perfect for a drive to Williamsburg.  It was warm enough outside that I could carry my coat and even sit on a bench and enjoy the sunshine.  Many people were in shorts and tee shirts so I’m not the only one that thought it seemed like spring.  Although it is still early in March I saw a few flowers in bloom.  I was also looking for scenes that featured the color orange for this week’s theme and I found it in the bricks of the buildings and sidewalks as well as flower pots and other accessories.

 

Getting ready for spring

For the garden

Orange bricks

Orange flower

Colorful sidewalk

It is getting closer and closer to spring…

Here is more about the orange theme.

A Winter Walk

This is my second winter in Virginia and there has been a lot of sunshine during the month of January.  I saw a little snow one morning but it was gone by the afternoon.  Since the weather has been so mild I thought that I’d return to Colonial Williamsburg for a winter walk.  I’ve now been there all four seasons and it is a nice place to see in January.  There was even some greenery and I noticed plants growing in a sort of greenhouse.  Most of the people out walking wore light jackets and I was comfortable with my winter coat and a hat.  I started out wearing mittens but I kept taking them off to take pictures until I realized that I didn’t need them after all!

If you’d like to join me on this walk this is what we’ll see:

Winter greenery

Colonial skyline

Greenhouse flowers

Plants grow in January

Bright color

In a few days it’ll be February and then it will almost be spring!

Here is more about Jo’s Monday Walk.

Flowers for all Seasons

I’ve been thinking about this year and all the opportunities that I’ve had to see flowers while traveling.  It seems that each season features colorful and unique flowers.  Here are some of my favorites from the spring, summer, fall and winter.  It’s a nice way to remember the year!  I’m looking forward to the year ahead with new opportunities to travel as well as time to enjoy being near home.

I’ve noticed that spring and summer flowers are both bright and dainty:

Flowers in May

It’s spring!

Flowers for sale

Fresh spring color

Lilies

Day lily

Summer morning

Here are some interesting autumn and winter flowers:

Autumn garden

Early fall with bees…

Flowers in December

Cheery colors

Holiday flowers

I wish you a very Happy New Year!

Welcome to December

Now that it is December I wanted to find out how nearby places are decorated for the holidays.  Recently I went to Williamsburg to get an idea of how someplace set in the past would be decorated.  It was very simple and many of the wreaths and other displays included fruit and flowers.  As I walked I saw all of these traditional scenes.

on display

simple and classic

colorful wreath

decorated entrance

welcome to the holidays!

In addition to Colonial Williamsburg there are other parts of town with shopping areas and they also had charming decorations and displays.  This was the perfect time for a hot chocolate and a leisurely walk!

Even though it’s December there are still brightly colored leaves like these in the late afternoon sun.

A Williamsburg Walk

I thought it would be a good time to take another visit to Williamsburg and see how things look at this time of the year.  Since I went there on a weekend there were lots of other people with the same idea.  Starting at the Visitor’s Center I made the short walk to Colonial Williamsburg.  It was a sunny day and quite comfortable being outdoors and walking for several hours.  There are many interesting and unique scenes from the past and it is easy to imagine how it might have looked hundreds of years ago.   These are some of the places I passed on my walk.

follow this path

shopping baskets

colonial house

a nice day!

Here are more of my favorite places.

Check here for other walks.

 

 

Travel theme: Strong

I was walking down a side street in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, when I saw this gate.  The lock looked sturdy, old, and strong.  Not only was there a lock but also a chain.  I wondered how old it was or if it even worked anymore.  Maybe a large, ornate metal key would open it.

I realized that seeing this lock also had a strong impact on my imagination!

Have a look here for more information.

Travel theme: Fresh

I’m starting to take short trips around Virginia now that I’m getting settled here.  It has been a lovely spring and I’ve traveled from Charlottesville to Williamsburg to see lots of fresh spring scenery.  In addition to flowers I’ve been impressed by the bright blue sky, the sunshine and the different colors of green from leaves on the trees to those on shrubs and plants.  Of course there have been lots of flowers and I’ve enjoyed seeing those too.  It’s been interesting to see spring arrive this year and I’m looking forward to seeing how things might change as summer approaches.  Here are some pictures of the scenery that I’ve observed.

Colonial Williamsburg

Richmond garden

Just greenery…

wildflowers

Spring flowers

Charlottesville and blue sky

For more information check here.