Traveling West Virginia - Covered Bridges

Along a country road

There are only 17 covered bridges left in West Virginia. You can go here and click on their names on the side of the page and see pictures of all 17 of them.

We are lucky, we have two in Jackson County. I have seen the one located at Cedar Lakes a gazillion times. Yesterday we took a trip to see this one out past Sandyville. I had never been to it before. It is easy to get to. Stay on Rt. 21 going out of Ripley. Go past Gilmore Elementary School just a little ways and you are there. Watch for a sign that says Sarvis Fork Road and turn down it. Go a little ways down that road and you can step back in time for a little while.

I am from days gone by

come through me and
step back in time

Why were they covered?
A romantic place to 'steal' a kiss. . .
A place of shelter for people and animals. . .
No, it was simply to protect the bridge from the elements of the weather.

Why were most painted red?
It made the bridge appear more like a barn
to skittish horses and cattle when crossing over the flowing water.

It is sad that so few of these are left.

Before you turn off at Sarvis Fork Road there is a Mail Pouch Tobacco barn on the left of Rt. 21 that is in need of repair.


We missed the turn off and I am glad we did. On down the road where we turned around is another Mail Pouch Tobacco Barn, and it is so pretty. . . I had to take a picture of it, too.



Hope you enjoyed Traveling West Virginia and coming with me back in time.

Are there any covered bridges in the county or state where you live?

Strange Mushrooms!

I walk just about every evening with my neighbor, her dog named Tillie, and one or two of my sons. Last night we saw these mushrooms in our neighbor's yard. I thought they were the neatest things, so my son got his camera and took pictures.

they look a little like golf balls on tees

This evening on our walk, they looked like this. . .

wow! they look like three flying saucers, all in a row!


Here's one, all by itself

they are larger than they appear in these pictures

Have you seen mushrooms like this before? Do you know what they are called?

They have me wondering. . . what will they look like tomorrow.

Butterflies and the Hummingbird Moth

My husband and I were down at the garden trying to pick squash, tie up tomatoes and snip out dead berry vines, but we kept getting distracted. . .

. . . by butterflies! They are so pretty and delicate. I love watching them fly from one flower to another. If you love butterflies, you should plant a butterfly bush in your yard. The blooms of a butterfly bush smell heavenly, no wonder the butterflies are attracted to them. We have a bunch of butterfly bushes and they are being visited this summer by lots and lots of butterflies.

they also like these tiger lilies

But, what is this? It certainly is not a butterfly! How about a Hummingbird Moth. That's what I call him. Isn't he just the neatest little critter?

When in flight, his wings go so fast, you can't see them!

His wings are clear!

Have you seen one of these on your flowers this summer?

Neat Gadget!

My son, Andrew, got me this neat juice extractor for Christmas. I thought maybe it would be complicated and all, but it is the easiest thing to use.



I picked some berries.


We put the extractor together. Bottom is filled with water, middle section collects juice and top section has holes like a strainer and is where you put your fruit.


You turn on the heat to get the water boiling. There is an opening in the middle section where the steam rises. The juice comes out of the berries and falls into the middle section. When it reaches an inch or so up, it comes out of the tube.


There is an instruction sheet with a time table as to how long you steam your fruit. We did it for longer than it said. Just make sure the water doesn't all evaporate from the bottom container.
It makes more juice than the old fashioned way. It is so easy, too, no more cooking and straining through a cheesecloth.


I didn't make jelly with it, though I had more than enough juice to do it. I just poured it into a container and added sugar.


You can use it with vegetables and herbs, too. It would be great for when you make grape jelly, but for some reason our grapes are not producing hardly any grapes this year. It would be great for making tomato juice, too, or even apple juice.

On another note. . .

I haven't been on the computer much lately. I've been suffering with tendinitis in my upper right arm and shoulder. I let it go toooo far before going to the doctor. I couldn't move my upper arm more than an inch or two away from my body and I couldn't sleep at night, because it was so painful. I think I got it from pulling weeds almost all day a couple of weeks ago. The computer aggravates it, so I've been trying to stay away from it as much as possible.

Anyway I did finally go to the doctor. So glad I did! In addition to pain pills, muscle relaxers and pills for inflammation, he is also treating me with what he calls a hammer. It's a little complicated to explain, but it does look a little like the end of a sledge hammer and he puts it along your shoulder and upper arm. It vibrates up and down on you and when it hits the affected area, boy do you know it. But,let me tell you, he's made a believer out of me. I am almost back to normal. One more visit this week with the hammer should do it. He said it also works for carpel tunnel syndrome.

Hope everyone's having a nice summer and don't work too hard!

Happy 4th of July

I would like to wish you happy 4th of July on the 3rd.

Here in Ripley, we are celebrating today.

I got up early, dug our first red potatoes from our garden and made potato salad to go with our hot dogs and hamburgers.

Went to Ripley to watch the parade. Kind of a family ritual, I guess. The entire town and more visits Ripley on the 4th of July.

Happy 4th from me. . .


my husband, Charley. . .


our mayor. . .


our congresswoman. . .


Ronald McDonald. . .


and, I don't know who these guys are, but they look like they are enjoying themselves.


and we have to fly the colors of WVU. . .



Happy 4th...and God Bless the USA!

B-utiful!

I took some pictures of some B-UTIFUL things around our house.

My blueberries are ripe, I picked 2 quarts today!

The bees are on my blackberry blossoms!

I love my Black-Eyed Susan's!

The butterflies are flitting around all my flowers!

The bees are on my butterfly bushes!

What B-UTIFUL things are around your house?

Trip to Glenville

This past weekend Charley and I traveled the long and twisting road to Glenville. We went to the West Virginia Folk Festival.

On the way there we passed by this neat little church. I love the shape of it.


Here I am with a few children in the Storyteller's Tent. I read one of my stories and the kids acted out the scarecrow and the farmer. They had a ball! I enjoyed myself, too. I found out that talking in front of people is not as hard as I thought it would be. I was there reading my stories from 4-5 pm on Saturday. In addition to my children's stories, the audience and I also talked about superstitions. I love to write about Appalachia and two of my fictional children's stories take place in West Virginia. One of them in 1908 rural West Virginia. It is filled with superstitions.


I had to take a picture of this window when I saw it. The sign said it was Akro Agate - made in Clarksburg, WV.




On the way back from Glenville, we stopped at Cedar Creek State Park. We used to go camping there and we wanted to drive through the park while we were in the area. Here is an old one-room school house surrounded with geese.



I though I'd sit for a spell while there.


In Spencer we drove past the Robey Movie Theater. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. It opened in 1907 as a vaudeville house. In 1908 it showed motion pictures. Alias Jimmy Valentine was the first talkie it showed. The Robey Theater still shows movies in Spencer.



And you know, I had to take a picture of this barn.


I love traveling West Virginia.

Traveling West Virginia - Pt Pleasant

A few weeks ago we went to Pt. Pleasant for business and ended up sight seeing.

It's a beautiful little town to visit. Find you a place to park and take a little stroll.

You will find Mothman!

Chief Cornstalk and Gen. Andrew Lewis.

Don't forget to visit the southside of the flood wall. There is a painted mural 150' long and 15-18' high. The scenes depict the Battle of Pt. Pleasant fought on October 10, 1774.

the Silver Bridge collapsed here on December 15, 1967.

We went to Tu-Endie-Wei State Park. It is only 4 acres in size.

There is a Mansion House Museum in the park. It is the oldest log hewn structure in the Kanawha Valley.

This obelisk was erected in honor of the Battle of Pt. Pleasant. It was the first battle of the American Revolution.

Here is a plaque on the side of the obelisk. It is in memory of Revolutionary soldiers buried in Mason County, WV. See any of your ancestors listed here?

And this was erected in honor of Chief Cornstalk. His remains are buried inside.

Here is the story of the famous chief.

For more of the sad story of Chief Cornstalk go here.

Pt. Pleasant is located on the Ohio River. It is a quaint little town. If you are ever in the area, slow down and visit for a while. You won't be sorry.

I love barns. On the way there I took a picture of this one: