Saying Goodbye

Our plans are starting to gel a bit: the movers are coming on the 15th and we are out then or the next day. We have rented a house for a few weeks in Yamhill, OR. With our leaving being pretty much imminent at this point, my father wanted to come say goodbye. At his age and in his state of not awesome health, he probably had no business making a long, long drive, but he is a stubborn son of a gun. He drove up from his house in Alabama and arrived on Thursday at my aunt and uncle's house in the hills near Burlington WV, a wide spot on US 50 slightly east of Keyser. We drove out from our house on Friday and spent the night catching up one last time before we head west for good.

Susan and Marshall live south of Route 50 back up on a pretty decent hill (about 1200 feet) that has wonderful views of the surrounding mountains, especially from their spacious rear deck. Their house is situated on a very lightly traveled dirt road that just invites you to take a walk through the woods and take in your surroundings. It's a very peaceful place and I really enjoy going there. A bonus is that Susan has several bird feeders at one end of her deck along with a couple of hummingbird feeders hanging from an awning. It's a lot of fun to sit there and watch the birds do their thing, especially the noisy hummers jockeying for feeder rights.

View From the Back Deck

Annie in Doggie Heaven

Charlie Liked Standing on the Bench

Susan and Marshall with Their Dogs

My Father

Happy Hour on the Deck

Ann's still learning about the birds that visit feeders and she is confused, like most people, about the difference between Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers. They look almost identical. But the Hairy is very much larger than the Downy, has a much stouter and longer bill, and a lower call. It was great for Ann to see both birds side-by-side on the feeder so that she could see the differences up close.

Male Hairy Woodpecker, Leuconotopicus villosus

Female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris

Dad and Marshall Walking the Dogs

We spent a good bit of time outside enjoying the wonderful fall weather that we're having now. It's weather that we should be having a month from now. The only downside is that we usually get about six weeks off from mowing grass this time of year, but not this year. Taking advantage of the cool weather, we took a bunch of walks and I spent some time kicking around the yard where Susan has her tiny garden inside a chain-link fence to keep the deer out. Growing up one side of the fence and covered in hummingbirds was this beautiful Cypressvine, something I have never seen before.

Cypressvine, Ipomoea quamoclit

Sweet Autumn Clematis, Clematis terniflora

Clematis Blooms Up Close

I saw three wildflowers up in the dry shale woods that I have never seen before, including this lavender-blooming mint which was growing everywhere. When I rubbed the leaves, they smelled harshly of oregano. Susan called it Wild Oregano.

American Dittany/Wild Oregano, Cunila origanoides

Another new flower to me was a handsome plant with white bracts surrounding a tiny yellow flower, Pearly Everlasting. I knew what it was based on some western wildflower books I am reading in preparation for moving to Oregon, but I have not encountered it in the east before.

Pearly Everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea

Catnip, Nepeta cataria

Deptford Pink, Dianthus armeria

This August has been significantly wetter than most and I noticed that the Creeping Lespedeza is doing particularly well this year. Now that we are almost at the first of September, it is blooming profusely all over our region.

Creeping Lespedeza, Lespedeza repens

Toxic Horse-nettle Fruit, Solanum carolinense

The shale in this part of Mineral County WV is full of fossils, full to the point where it is nearly impossible not to see many fossils on a single walk. We saw many types of small shells in the shale as well as worm tubes.

Fossils in the Shale

Our Ladies'-tresses at home are pretty well bloomed out, but we saw a couple, not many, that were just starting to bloom up on the mountain. Some while ago, I would have said what species of Spiranthes this plant is, but I have since learned that there are probably at least a dozen species in our area and I really have no idea which this might be, despite my prior confidence borne of ignorance.

Ladies'-tresses, Spiranthes sp.

Sulphur Cinquefoil, Potentilla recta

The Snakeroots have been starting to bloom in recent weeks and they are always cheerful plants to see when we hike. Boneset is another plant that whose bloom looks similar and can be confusing for some people. The two have very different leaves and growth habits despite having very similar blooms. It was instructive to see the two plants blooming right next to each other so that we could look at the differences comparatively.

White Snakeroot, Ageratina altissima

Common Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum
with Copulating Soldier Beetles

Staghorn Sumac, Rhus typhina

To be expected at this time of year, the roadsides and woods were littered with goldenrods in full bloom. I have a very hard time separating goldenrods, but this one, growing in a wetter location with long narrow lanceolate leaves and relatively small flower clusters, struck me as being fairly different from the ones that I usually see. I came to find out this it is not a Solidago at all but a Euthamia.

Lance-leaved Goldenrod, Euthamia graminifolia

We were very pleased to see that every patch of milkweed along the road had its share of Monarch Butterfly larvae.

Monarch Butterfly Larva, Danaus plexippus
on Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca

Wingstem is a plant that I have been waiting to see in person. I have always been struck by the flowers in photos and I was no less struck when I saw the very tall plants in person. This patch ranged from 5- to 8-feet high.

Wingstem, Verbesina alternifolia

Thistle with Soldier Beetle and Bumblebee

Common Elderberry, Sambucus canadensis

Rose Hips

Another plant that Susan showed me is the Hop-hornbeam, Ostrya virginiana. I have seen a lot of them, but never with the hop-like fruit capsules.

Hop-Hornbeam "Hops", Ostrya virginiana

Chestnut Oak, Quercus montana

Lake Down in the Creek Bottom

It was a great visit with my father and my aunt and uncle. Saying goodbye is the part of moving on that really bothers me but going to Oregon is something that Ann and I just have to do.

Labor Day: Lindy Point/Stumptown Ales

On Sunday morning for the first part of our Labor Day weekend getaway, we hiked from the Lodge at Blackwater Falls down to the falls and back. Around 1:30, we returned to the lodge where we left the Jeep. When we went in, they very graciously let us check in a couple hours early. We were happy to jump in the shower and rinse off the dust of our hike before we headed into town for beers.

Backing up to Friday, my uncle and aunt, Marshall and Susan, dropped by the restaurant on the way in to town from Burlington WV, out route 50. I had mentioned to them that we were going to be in Davis on Sunday and Susan said to text her, that they would drive the hour from their house and have a beer with us. I mentioned that I heard that Stumptown Ales had a really good reputation for great beer and that I was eager to try it.

At 12:30 when we had finished viewing the waterfall, I texted Susan and said if they were still game, we'd meet them at Stumptown at 3:30 give or take. I figured an hour to walk back to the lodge, thirty minutes to get checked in and showered, and 90 minutes to check out the canyon behind the lodge, run up to Lindy Point, and then head into town for a beer.

Just behind the lodge, the lawn runs nearly to the cliff edge and a walled observation point overlooking the incredible canyon below. The Blackwater River is visible a little to the west, looking left down the canyon. This was our first view of the canyon proper; we would get great views at Lindy Point later in the day and across the River at Pendleton and Pase Points the next day.

Blackwater Canyon from the Lodge

Blackwater River from the Lodge

I didn't have much time to look into places to visit nearby because we took the decision to visit this weekend at almost the last minute, but the one place I saw great photos of was Lindy Point at the far western part of the park, surrounded by Monongahela National Forest to the south and private property to the north. It's only a five-minute drive from the Lodge past the Nordic Center where you can rent skis and showshoes, so after looking at the canyon from behind the lodge, we drove down to Lindy Point and got front row parking for what was clearly a very popular destination: cars were strung out all along the road. At the end of the short trail, maybe a five-minute walk, we emerged to find the following spectacular views.

Lindy Point Looking Down Canyon

High Above the Canyon Floor

Spectacular View Southwest Down the Canyon

Taking in the View

Though there were a lot of people here, they were mostly couples and most everyone was respectful of everyone else and given the views and the short walk, there was a lot of bang for the buck. It's a view that should not be missed. We were on a schedule/beer mission at this point in the day, so we didn't linger too long and headed back out to downtown Davis just as a big group was arriving at Lindy Point, clogging the road. I'm so glad we missed them.

As far as I can tell, there's really no good food in Davis or the surrounding area, but the one place that I wanted to visit was Stumptown Ales, about which I had heard nothing but good. As we entered the tiny little strip that is downtown, we saw Marshall and Susan standing on the side of the street and pulled in beside them. They arrived about ten minutes before we did, but found the brewpub packed to the gills and so went out on the street to await us.

Stumptown Ales: Great Beer

Decorative Hop Vine

It's a small place with a couple of high-top tables and a short bar made out of slabs of trees sealed with acrylic. The silver tin ceiling doesn't hurt the atmosphere. There was barely room for us, but we got a chair at the end of the bar for Ann and the other three of us sat on the window ledge next to the bar.

It's a Small Place

Though because of the big Labor Day crowd, they were sold out of a couple of beers, we all managed to get something that we wanted and liked. Ann got a Who Tarted? Berliner Weisse, Susan got a Lefty Lucy Amber Ale, Marshall got the deep coffee-flavored Over the Tip Top Breakfast Stout, and I got the Cave Dweller Pale Ale, flavored with Citra hops, among my very favorite hops and I like hops quite a lot. I would have liked to try the Holy Citra Double IPA, but it was all gone. The Cave Dweller was a fine substitute, and at under 6%, I could have more than one. The double weighs in north of 8%.

Marshall and Susan Joined Us

Cave Dweller Citra Pale Ale

Ultimately, we moved to a high-top vacated by a group of young people, some of whom were sporting UVa Sigma Nu shirts. Marshall chatted with them for a few minutes, being a William and Mary Sigma Nu from way back. We parted company with Marshall and Susan after a couple hours of catching up and went back to the lodge, where we snacked on salame, cheese, and bread that I brought from home. After this and approaching dusk, we brought a bottle of wine and two glasses down to the overlook behind the lodge, commandeered two lawn chairs, and watched the sun go down.

Sunset and Red Wine

Still a little hungry after our wine, Ann decided we should grab a quick bite in the lodge restaurant. It was pretty awful. And there ends the tale of our first day at Blackwater, a pretty phenomenal day. We had no idea then what we would do the next day, nor that it would turn out more spectacular than the first day.

Previous: Part One of our Labor Day Getaway, Next: Part Three of our Labor Day Getaway

Happy Birthday to Me!

My birthday has the impeccably bad timing to come right after Valentine's Day. For most people, this isn't any big deal. For restaurant people, this is terrible timing. Valentine's Day week is crushingly busy and so each year on my birthday, I find myself exhausted and not wanting to do anything but sleep through my birthday. Luck usually has it that I am working anyway and unable to celebrate.

This year, it had the good graces to come on a day off, but right after the busiest weekend of our year. I really didn't want to do anything, but on Sunday, Ann had arranged for us to go see my aunt and uncle out near Keyser WV and as it turned out, my cousin Sarah and her two boys were there as well. It's always great to see my family, even if I am exhausted.

Warning: I didn't bring the big camera home. I was too exhausted on Saturday night after dinner service to care. And besides, I might as well learn how to shoot decent photos with the iPhone. Remember the old saying, "It's not the camera...."

My Kind of Cake!

When we arrived out at Marshall and Susan's, we were greeted by their dog and my cousin Sarah's two dogs, so I knew she was there as well. Inside on the counter was this "cake," definitely my kind of cake! I'm not a sweets guy so this definitely was a great idea. After a glass of wine, a couple of noshes, and some chitchat, we got down to lunch, a slow cooker full of chili.

Chili with Pickled Jalapeños and Avocado Salad

On a cold, blustery day with snow squalls blowing in off the ridge line opposite us before slamming into us up on the other ridge, my aunt's chili really hit the spot. It was delicious and not very challenging, just the kind of food I like when I am tired. I really don't care to eat too much chef food on my days off. The avocado salad which she called pico de gallo was just wonderful especially with all the fresh cilantro in it. Other people try to impress me with their food when we end up at their houses for dinner; my aunt always serves tasty comfort food and that impresses me more than any chef food could ever do.

Carter Entertaining Xavier and Patrick

Not only did we get to see photos of Marshall and Susan's recent trip to Dehli, Jaipur, and Kerala with their daughter and my youngest first cousin Melissa, we also got to catch up with cousin Sarah who lives in Reston with her two guys Xavier and Patrick, my first cousins once removed. Carter got the honor of playing video games with them while the adults got a little adult time. Thanks Carter!

On Monday, my actual birthday, I had to work, but it was a short day of only seven hours! For a guy used to working 13-15 hours a day, seven is a real treat. And since it was my birthday and I had to be at Costco to pick up a few things for work, I decided to treat myself to some wine for dinner. Ann and I planned to stay home so that I could rest and I greatly appreciate that.

Kirkland? Yeah, Not Bad!

I picked up a bottle of this Kirkland Champagne for two reasons. The first is that I am professionally curious about what Costco is selling under their Kirkland label and this is the first Kirkland wine that our Costco is carrying. Yeah, out here in Nowhere, Virginia, we're slow on the uptake. The second is that I saw on the back label that Manuel Janisson is responsible for the wine and I know that he always does a great job, both in France and here in Virginia with Thibaut-Janisson. It really was a surprisingly nice bottle and a very good value for the price. It isn't earth shattering, but at the price, I didn't expect it to be. It does taste like very good non-vintage Champagne and that is all I expected. The price is a bonus.



2006 Brunello, Soft Like a Châteauneuf-du-Pape

I knew we were pulling a bag of my pork ragù out of the freezer and serving it with orecchiette for dinner, so I decided to get a bottle of Brunello as well. I haven't had much from 2006 yet as we are still drinking older vintages, but I know that 2006 is well regarded. This wine from Tenuta Col d'Orcia was extremely ripe with slightly jammy fruit backed with some spice and very mellow tannins and much lower acidity than I was expecting. This wine reminded me a lot of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and that is not a bad thing. I like a softer, riper, lower acid wine to go with my braised meat dishes.

A New Oil, Garda DOP, A Little Grassy

We also tried a new-to-us olive oil, a Garda DOP from way up north in Italy near Verona. It is a replacement for a very good Greek olive oil that we got back in the summer. Neither of us liked it as well; it's good oil but just a touch grassier than we were hoping for.

Not a Bad Way to Start off an Afternoon

And finally, the pièce de résistance of our meal, the pork ragù with orecchiette. On a cold day, I can't think of a better or more fitting dinner. Happy Birthday to me!

Orecchiette with Meat Sauce