Watching a bewildering world from the middle of nowhere
I’ve mentioned before how difficult it is to photograph the sky. Conditions have to be just right, and better equipment than I have really helps. But the color of the light at yesterday’s sunset was so unusual that I at least had to try to capture it. There had been storms all around before sunset, though unfortunately most of the rain missed me.
Near Westfield on N.C. 89
The Dan River begins in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. The area includes Stokes and Surry counties in North Carolina and Patrick County in Virginia. I took a little road trip through this area today. It was hot, but I just couldn’t take another day of sitting inside with the air conditioning running. The Jeep has no air conditioner, but it’s nice and cool if you take the windows out and keep moving.
The Dan River headwaters in Google Earth
A farmstead near Claudville, Virginia
Outbuilding near Claudville, Virginia
A cherry tree near Claudville, Virginia
A church near Claudville, Virginia
Theological innovation near Westfield, North Carolina. If you can’t read it, the sign says “Chestnut Ridge Progressive Primitive Baptist Church.”
Artistic innovation — a yard art factory near Mount Airy, North Carolina
Butterfly weed near Claudville, Virginia
A majestic poplar, as big as an oak, near Francisco, North Carolina
A cottage on Virginia Route 103
A cottage on N.C. 8 near the Virginia line.
Hay work is going on everywhere right now. With the price of grain sky high, the hay must be really valuable to the local farmers. These days, most of the hay goes into big, industrial-size bales.
Still, some people still make old-fashioned hayride bales, and boys still learn how to do it.
The big ones would be useless for hayrides!
Do you know where the Dan River begins and where it goes a few counties downstream?
The Dan River Basic Association‘s web site is a good source of information on the Dan River — including its history, geology, and the way the river is today.
Their free PDF book, “Adventures in the Dan River Basin,” also is quite good.
The Winston-Salem Journal has an article today on the restoration of Davis Chapel near Danbury. This was a community project by people who wanted to save a charming piece of Stokes County history. I believe the plan is that the church will now function as a historic site and a place rentable for community events.
I believe this reaffirms my view that Stokes County people have a strong interest in preserving the best of their past.
By the way, notice the carpenter gothic windows.