Tag Archives: photos

Yorktown waterfront…. a pub, good food, some feral cats and a view.

March 6, 2020 Rivergirl 37 Comments

In case you haven’t already guessed, there was not a single wine filter gift to be had in the entire state of Virginia…. so the only thing left to do was drown my sorrows at the Yorktown Pub.

This unassuming little place got great reviews and had been recommended to us by numerous people so we gave it a try.

While it’s definitely a no frills local hangout….

The riverfront views were lovely.

The feral cats were friendly….

Plentiful, and well fed by the bar owners and staff.

And while the cocktail list was basic?

The drinks were tasty, potent and cheap.

What more can a girl ask?

Good food.

The husband’s weird combination of chicken fingers and mixed veggies looked odd but he was happy with it…. and my fried shrimp were quite honestly the best I’ve had in years. Fresh, juicy, and perfectly cooked with a light crisp batter. Add homemade tartar sauce, some marvelous fries and another cocktail?

And River was a happy camper.

Long live beer diversity!

And cheap meals.

Since the sun was setting…

We took a stroll along the water.

Hand in hand…

Enjoying the scenery…

And the non traditional ways we choose to spend the holidays.

Different places.

Different sights.

Different sounds.

Different experiences.

And never a dull moment.

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Yorktown National Cemetery

March 3, 2020 Rivergirl 21 Comments

The next stop on the driving tour was a solemn one.

Where I found it a sad statement on today’s society that this sign even needed to be posted.

Silence and respect is the very least we can give them.

I’ve always found cemeteries to be beautiful places.

And never fail to become emotional…. constantly close to tears.

It doesn’t matter that none of my people were here…..

They’re someone’s people.

Someone’s son, husband or father.

And they made the ultimate sacrifice for a country we all share.

Cemeteries are a perfect place for personal reflection.

And I made sure to give my veteran husband some time alone with memories of his war… and those he lost.

I have to admit I was ignorant of the tradition of coin laying. You don’t see this up our way, but almost every grave had coins on it in Yorktown.

According to legend, the coin left belongs on the gravestones of U.S. military veterans. Visitors who wish to show their respect leave coins on the headstones in different amounts. It shows their loved ones of the soldiers family that someone has come to visit the grave.

Leaving a penny means you visited and want to thank the veteran for their service. A nickel means you trained at boot camp with the deceased, while a dime suggests you served with him or her. Finally, a quarter signifies you were with the soldier when they passed away.

The origin of the tradition, like the meaning behind it, is still up for debate. But many people believe it started in America during the Vietnam War. America was having a crisis of conscience. Any discussion of the war usually devolved into a more significant discussion about politics. Leaving a coin was a way to say you appreciate the soldier’s service while avoiding an inevitable uncomfortable conversation.

I really wish I’d known this before our visit.

I would have broken my piggy bank and put a penny on each and every one.

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And speaking of ice….

March 1, 2020 Rivergirl 19 Comments

Oh, we weren’t talking about ice? Well, I am now.

We had ice this year.

Lots and lots of ice.

The shovel the snow off the driveway, watch your feet slide out from under you and land smack on your ass kind of ice.

Everything was covered in sheets of ice for weeks on end.

Of course this made for some pretty fabulous icicles.

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On the garage, they started out small.

But then they grew.

Which made getting in and out of the garage rather perilous.

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Did I mention this was the section of the garage I was nagging the husband to put a new gutter on all last summer and fall?

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Maybe now he knows why.

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The one thing you definitely don’t want to see in the winter in Maine.

February 29, 2020 Rivergirl 24 Comments

Even with the milder winters we’re having, we still see our fair share of snow, ice, and sleet. But temperatures are warming and we’re not seeing those epic dumps of the white stuff like we used to.

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This used to be a normal February.

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Tunneling was a way of life.

Now? We get a few inches and it melts.

Then it freezes.

I am so done with ice.

Yes, it’s pretty.

But when walking to the mailbox means you might slip, fall and crack a rib?

You can have it.

Give me a foot of snow over pretty shining crystals any day.

And with all that snow, melting and ice?

This –

A leak in the roof.

And what looks like an expensive repair to the ceiling.

It’s the worst possible time of year for it.

So from now until spring, when we can get it fixed, I’m going to cringe every time it rains.

Good times.

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Yorktown, the Riverwalk, cocktails and finally…. some food.

February 18, 2020 Rivergirl 25 Comments

After our long day at Historic Jamestown, it was time for some refreshment. Liquid and otherwise.

So we headed to Yorktown…

And their popular Riverwalk Landing.

I had planned to leisurely stroll around, check out the cute little shops…..

And walk the waterfront.

Until a stiff wind blew in and made it feel like -10 degrees.

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New plan?

Drinks and dinner.

This place looked promising from the outside….

From the inside? Not so much.

And while the cocktail list was interesting…..

And the Mulberry Muddler quite tasty, it was basically a loud sports pub with a menu that didn’t satisfy the husband’s cravings.

So one extremely large soft pretzel later, we left…. and went next door.

And were very glad we did.

Ah, much better.

It was a lovely place, and practically deserted off season.

Cocktail?

Well, if you insist.

While I’m generally not a wine drinker, I do occasionally like Sangria…. and this one had apple brandy. Scrumptious.

We relaxed. We watched the sun set. We drank….

And yes, food picture screamers… we ate.

The menu was intriguing….

The food marvelous and artfully prepared.

Husband had the catch of the day…..

While I opted for the lamp chops.

Were they good?

I picked them up and gnawed the bones…. so in a word, yes.

Full, but never too full for dessert… we split this, which almost put me in a chocolate coma.

Day 7, done.

Only 8 more days to go!

If that helps?

Sure, be my guest.

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Museum oddities, death, Pocahantas, a scenic drive and some vultures.

February 17, 2020 Rivergirl 23 Comments

I could bore you to tears with all we saw that day, but let this suffice..

A portrait of an evil cherub who looks like she’s ready to stab Fido with an already bloody knife.

But no.

It’s just a 17th century pacifier. “Your mouth is sore sweetie? Here… suck on this metal and coral pointy thing.”

No wonder she looks pissed off.

“Inveterate dysenterical fluxes”.

Doesn’t that sound like fun?

The museum was filled with artifacts unearthed from the original site.

And things thrown down the communal well.

Naturally, the husband was appalled at the waste of all those perfectly good rusty tools.

The takeaway from most of the history we read?

We might romanticize the idea of the first settlers… opportunity, adventure, a brave new world etc., but in reality? It was starvation, illness and death.

And Pocahantas…. of whom much is written and little is really known.

The only actual image drawn during her lifetime is this English portrait:

A much later Anglicized version of her true self.

Child trading. A fact of which I was heretofore unaware.

So there you have it, historic Jamestown.

Where a t shirt we saw in the gift shop said it all…..

Leaving Jamestown, we got back on the Colonial Parkway…..

And saw some deer.

Some swamps.

And a whole bunch of these strange mounds.

Too small and numerous for beaver.

Any southerners care to weigh in on what constructs them?

The Parkway slides along the James River….

And was a lovely, peaceful, traffic free drive.

Except for the black vultures.

Which are neither lovely nor peaceful….

And often cause their own traffic jams when they discover a fresh kill.

And no, I didn’t include a photo of the canine corpse.

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Day 7…. Historic Jamestown

February 15, 2020 Rivergirl 11 Comments

Part 2 of the historic triangle in the Williamsburg ,Virginia area is Jamestown. What I didn’t know before arriving was that there are 2 distinct ways to experience it…. the National Park site and the more touristy recreation.

We opted for the National site first, by way of the Colonial Parkway.

The Parkway is a beautiful 23 mile road that runs along the James River from Williamsburg to Yorktown.

We jumped off at Jamestown and drove the 5 mile Island Loop, a self guided tour that explores the natural environment and history of the area.

Then it was on to the visitors center.

I won’t bore you ~~more than I already do~~ with the story. You can read about it here. Suffice it to say Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement, the birthplace of Virginia… and basically, America.

There was a wonderful theater…

With multiple screens… where we brushed up on our high school history.

Outside there was a long boardwalk…

That led to a monument…

Which I’m sure the husband was glad he didn’t have to climb.

It was there we waited for our Park Ranger tour guide.

Who led us to the original settlers’ site.

That’s Pocahantas to the right… and yes, there was a Mockingbird on her head. A real one who proceeded to poop on her nose.

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The only thing left from the original settlers’ buildings was one crumbling wall of a church.

But archeologists have been actively digging here for years….

Removing thousands of artifacts from the fort….

And various other buildings.

Here, the husband checks out a model recreation of the site.

The soldiers barracks.

Where the Queen visited a decade ago.

And the required selfie by the water.

There was an outline of a church with markers for the identified graves.

And a graveyard for unidentified remains.

It was a lovely spot.

But the history of the hardships the colonists suffered sure made you appreciate the wealth of opportunities and conveniences we have now.

Famine, civil unrest, severe weather, murder, Indian attacks…. even cannabilism. They experienced it all.

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Second required selfie by the water to lighten the mood.

It was a fascinating tour…

And we learned a lot.

But it was lunchtime…. and the husband’s stomach was growling.

Not wanting to waste time and drive back to town, we were glad to find a small cafe on site.

You couldn’t beat the view.

Chicken salad spinach wrap with potato salad for me…

Tomato bisque and a Sloppy Joe with potato salad for the husband.

Thus fortified, we headed for the museum.

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When in Manteo…..

February 14, 2020 Rivergirl 33 Comments

Granted, it’s not Rome.

But Manteo, North Carolina has an interesting history all it’s own.

Manteo is located on Roanoke Island, site of the famous Lost Colony.

A very brief history is here.

Living in North Carolina you encounter cities, towns, streets, schools, sports teams, forests, streams, hospitals etc. etc. with the names Raleigh, Virginia Dare and Croatan. Do we know for certain what happened to those early colonists?

No, we do not.

But after visiting this National Park, reading the history and having one extremely long conversation with a Park Ranger…. I wondered why it was a mystery at all.

We stood at the exact site of that early fort.

Granted, there wasn’t much to see.

A few humpa humpas and a sign.

There was also a squirrel with a very large nut, but I’m guessing he wasn’t an original 16th century squirrel.

Walking around the park we did find a theater where they hold seasonal plays.

Weird diving board not withstanding…

It didn’t hold our attention for long…..

Even with the interesting tree branches….

And lovely old live oaks.

Back at the visitor center I learned the whole story and basically, it goes like this.

The first English settlers arrived in 1585. They were a military group sent by Sir Walter Raleigh to colonize the New World. They built a fort, the effort failed, they returned to England.

The second group of settlers landed in 1587. This consisted of approx 120 men, women and children. They figured they would fish for food…. but none of them were fishermen. Great plan!They met friendly Indians who totally supported and fed them for 2 years until a drought in the 3rd year left the Indians barely enough to feed themselves. The English were ticked off that the gravy train had run out, so they slaughtered the chief and stole his food. Thus ending the friendly relationship with the native population.

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Disease, famine, and a harsh winter all took their toll. When Governor John White sailed back to England for supplies, he had no idea a war with Spain was about to start…. and didn’t make it back for 3 years. When he returned, the colony was deserted. The only clue? The word Cro scratched into a tree and Croatan scratched into a post.

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Did the Indians kill all the colonists? Maybe… but I doubt it.

The Croatan were a local tribe with a history of assimilating other peoples into their society. Later English settlers spoke of meeting blue eyed Indians.

Where’s the mystery? Sick and starving, the remaining colonists set out to find the friendly Indians and scratched Croatan as a message to those who followed.

Blue eyed natives?

What do you think they were doing for those 3 years.

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See? There are memes about it…

It must be true.

Anyway…. the visitor center had some interesting items.

And I adore old maps. This way there be monsters….

Liz was there.

As was Walt….

But how about that ceiling?

Made my neck hurt just thinking about painting it.

And the walls?

Were not just any old walls.

Yes, I’m really blogging about walls.

Just go with it.

A pineapple…

And a flying fish (painted by none other than Governor John White, the only unlost member of the Lost Colony) later…..

We left Roanoke.

Drove back through the Outer Banks…

Just in time for me to try and snap some sunset pics at 85mph.

That didn’t work well.

But the sun was perfectly poised on the horizon…

As we went over the bridge…

And headed back to the mainland.

Two hours into the 3 hour trip back we stopped at Cracker Barrel for a quick dinner. You’ve all been there, no pictures required.

But country fried turkey? Definitely reminded me we were in the south.

They’ll fry anything!

Last photo of the day is that weirdo building in Virginia I asked about previously.

Although this time it was quite colorful as we went by.

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Elizabethan Gardens… Manteo, Outer Banks North Carolina

February 13, 2020 Rivergirl 28 Comments

Next up on our Outer Banks day trip? The Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo.

But first?

Some rocks…

You’re welcome.

From Nags Head to Manteo?

Scenery.

Scenery from a bridge.

More scenery.

How’s that for detailed description?

The Gardens were recommended to us as a must stop… so we did. Even though it was off season and very little was blooming.

Gardens without flowers? Let’s go!

It was a pretty spot… with lots of different areas to explore.

They were in the middle of their annual Christmas light show….

So of course we went in the middle of the day when the sun was shining.

There was an impressive set of gates.

Neatly trimmed boxwoods…

And Queen Elizabeth I.

There were paths with balls…

And paths with statues.

And some extremely large butterflies.

Funky Christmas lights were everywhere.

And I’m sure it would have been quite pretty….

Had we been there at night.

Okaaaay.

Not sure what that was all about, but I don’t like peas either….. so, huzzah!

There was a lonely ruin of something.

And a man shivering in the cold wind.

Oh, wait. That’s the husband…. I didn’t recognize him from the front.

There were fountains.

And ass ends of statues.

Surrounded by tightly trimmed bushes.

Stop snickering…. I know where your mind went.

There were creepy garden gnomes.

And an indoor butterfly garden…

With no butterflies.

But plenty of fluffy gnomes.

Garden path U turns…

And yay!

Finally something was blooming.

There were also the type of Christmas decorations you only see down south.

Wouldn’t be much point of laying these on the ground up my way.

But there was an impressive old tree.

And yes, I do mean old.

Now that’s a senior citizen!

More paths…

More decorations….

A courtyard….

A gift shop….

And a fellow with a wilder hairdo than me after the windy pier.

By this time we’d looped back around to the beginning.

But not before we learned a few things…

About bees.

In case you’re wondering, Maine’s state insect is also the honeybee. Although we designated it as such in 1975.

Long live the bee!

And plagiarism apparently.

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Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head North Carolina…. cold wind, cursing, birds and the death of a hairdo.

February 11, 2020 Rivergirl 28 Comments

Continuing farther down the coast of the Outer Banks, I wanted to stop and walk out on a pier.

(Have I mentioned that I have a knack for picking the coldest, windiest, most frigid days to do this? Seriously… it’s a gift. If there’s one bitter cold day on an otherwise delightfully warm 2 week vacation? That’s the one I’ll choose to walk out on a pier.)