Shots From Around Town

When I first moved to Marlinton, I took my huge secondhand Canon DSLR out and walked around the town snapping photos.  Today, since it's beautiful, I have a new secondhand camera I'm trying out, and my dog is a canine perpetual motion machine, I decided to recreate that walk.  Here are the shots I got, as well as two from another walk yesterday.  They're far from professional-looking since my trial-and-error method of figuring out cameras is often more error than trial, but I'm getting there.

The camera is a Polaroid Colorpack II, which was produced from 1969-1972, so mine dates from sometime in there.  It originally came with a detachable flash, which mine lacks.  I'm using Fujifilm FP-100c film.

This is Michelle, the Pocahontas County Convention & Visitor's Bureau VISTA who is often dragged along on my pretty day treks.

Musings on Sun and Slush

Some snapshots from the past week.  Last week, we decided to walk in the other direction than usual on the Greenbrier River Trail, which took us by this old tower which provided water to the engines on the steam locomotives, back when the trail was a railroad.  I love that the sluice is still in place.

Then, over the weekend, it rained.  And rained.  And rained.  Then, for good measure, it snowed, too.  To say that Knapps Creek swelled a bit would be something of an understatement.  This photo was snapped of the exact same spot as this one.  Goodbye, little island.

We met the town's wandering pup (who I call Gypsy because I am mad creative) along the trail.  I adore this guy.  To pieces.  He's got an owner somewhere, though I don't know who it is, but if I thought I could get away with it, I'd scoop him up and abscond in a second.  Vista loves him, so no complaint there.

We held part one of a two part youth class last evening.  Mikey's daughter attended, and felt that Vista should be wearing her heart on her collar.  When that didn't work, she settled for her chest.

Mikey and Elizabeth jamming on the band saw.

So that's been the week.  My body can't seem to decide if it wants to be sick or not, and I've been sleeping badly, dreaming weirdly, and waking up feeling like someone beat me with a 2 x 4.  Added to that, it's been slushing all day.  Like, slush is literally raining from the skies.  That's about the definition of unpleasant right there.

In conclusion, today's personal struggle:

I'm stronger than the cookies.  I am.

In Which Spring Is Creeping In

If spring isn't actually here, then winter is doing it's very best spring impression because MAN it is gorgeous out!  Vista and I have decided that daily walks on the trail are the thing, just the best thing, and we aren't letting the fact that I forgot somebody's leash in Virginia stop us, no sir.

Outsiders' Thoughts On Snow

A few months back, after we got our first big snow, Roxy (who you may recall is a VISTA working on the Writer's Project) sent out an e-mail asking us VISTAs for a little written reaction to the snow.  She's since created a wiki for the project, and included all the stories on one page: right here.  I contributed, of course, but the entries are anonymous.  If you decide to read through them (and you should, they're lovely) and you see one that you think MUST be mine, be sure to leave me a comment!  I will tell you this much.  I wrote about a specific incident rather than general observations.

Photo by Go Marlinton!

Walk In The Rain

Once upon a time, I would have balked at taking my dogs for a walk in the rain.  And then I got a job walkin dogs and realized that there are many worse conditions in which to walk dogs.  Rain is actually pretty refreshing!

So I took Vista and Summer a little ways along the Greenbrier River Trail, which we had all to ourselves.

I love the bridge over Knapp's Creek.  I really, really do.  During the walk, we discovered that Vista had absolutely no traction on it in the rain!  It was like canine bumper cars!

This was actually taken the day before on another walk.  All that's left of the thick ice that covered the creek.

When we got home, I realized how spoiled I'd gotten owning a water dog.  Vista is a no-hassle, drip-dry model.  Summer is a sponge.  A sponge who jumped out of the car and immediately stuck her face in the mud.  After I attacked her with a towel, she looked like she'd just had her hair done by a punk rocker.

She looks contemplative, doesn't she?  She isn't.

Later on, I left them to run some errands (I usually cart them with me, but one drying experience was enough for me), and returned to discover that Vista had removed four pairs of my pajama pants, which live in a cloth basket on a bottom shelf, and placed them randomly around the room.  Two pairs were still folded.  Thank you, Vista?

And so ends today's edition of Life With Beasts.  Two of them are going back home this weekend, but it's been fun!  Everything smells like dog and if I died tonight my autopsy would show massive amounts of black fur in my lungs.  But other than that, fun!

Snapshots of December

I have been scolded for neglecting this blog.  And Jamie shamed me by posting a whole bunch of December-in-Marlinton photos last night.

(Random side note: before moving away, Jamie kept a blog about her home town, Los Angeles Love Affair, and it's my new favourite thing online.  Whether you've been there before or, like me, have never even been to the state, it's a great read.)

I haven't done much wandering this month, as it has been cold, and snowy, and COLD, but I do have a few to share.  They are completely unedited, just snapshots.

The lovely signs we made for the Opera House float in the Christmas Parade.

The float ahead of us in the parade.  It was from the Gesundheit Institute, and you can't see them well, but it had great, flapping wings.  Very cool.

The woman of the hour, Opera House VISTA Jamie, treated her carolers to homemade cocoa generously laced with Peppermint Schnapps.

Then it snowed!  This is from the first snow, which you can tell because the tops of my shoes are still visible.  We got a good foot of the stuff a week later.

Vista looks quite lovely in the snow.

So, we've been keeping warm.  I baked cookies for six hours the other day, but that's pretty much the most physically exerting thing I've done in weeks.  Mostly, Vista and I are staying bundled up inside, watching movies, writing short stories, and listening to music.  I've been loving "Treats" by Sleigh Bells, "Doolittle" by the Pixies, and "Oracular Spectacular" by MGMT.

In Which There Is (Debatably) Roadkill

Saturday was the second of Marlinton's two annual festivals, the Autumn Harvest Festival and Roadkill Cookoff.  I've been assured that no actual roadkill was consumed, though I did not make it close enough to the mobbed food tents to determine for myself.  I should note that I do very poorly with crowds, and MAN was there ever a crowd out there!  So these photos are all from the hour or so I managed before running home in a panic to hide.

See?  Crowds.  This was taken from outside the Pocahontas Woods booth.

One of our board members, Ernie, with the booth.

Inside the booth.

There was axe-throwing outside of the Opera House!

Opera House VISTA Jamie showing us how it's done.

Before handing the axe off to Kate.

Who also showed us how it was done.

So much fun!  Vista was with me, and completely in heaven.  Folks were walking around with big bags of pork rinds and kids were running about toting spray-painted "guns" made of PVC pipe, shooting marshmallows at each other.  It was a good place to be a dog, although--unfortunately for Vista--not one with an agoraphobic owner.  Hopefully her evening playdate made up for it--photos soon!

In Which I Am Famous

The local paper, the Pocahontas Times, has been running these columns for the last few weeks.  Each week, they run a little bio piece on each of the VISTAs working in Pocahontas County and this week it was my turn!  So, here I am.  I should point out, however, that while I may have balked initially at the question about my goals, I did answer.  I have no idea why it's blank.  So, for the record, I do HAVE goals.  They're just a bit more amorphous than other peoples' might be.  (Be happy, own a used book shop by the sea, marry a fabulously wealthy man, etc.)

A Visit To The Humane Society

Just a little friendly warning: if you don't like dogs, turn away now.  This post is ALL about dogs.

My boss, Mr. H, and his wife love Vista.  Like, they offer me large amounts of money and threaten to dog-nap her love.  Since I'm clearly not giving her up, we took a little walk over to the Pocahontas County Humane Society (where Vista originally escaped from, if you recall) to visit the dogs.  Because the PCHS doesn't have its own building, just space in the local rec center and a trailer for offices, the dogs are kept in runs when it's nice outside.  They were still outside when we arrived.

I didn't get photos of all of the dogs, but I did get a few.  Aside from one frightened fellow, every one was good-tempered and friendly.

 This dude was young, enthusiastic, and SO sweet.  Reminded me a lot of Vista, actually.

Sorry for the blur--this guy was hard to snap a photo of, he couldn't keep still!

This pretty girl was so calm and sweet.  She's clearly a lab mix, but much shorter and stockier than a lab.

And this is a rotten photo, but it's the only one I got of Gizmo, and I had to include her.  I am a big dog person.  I think large dogs generally have much better personalities than small dogs.  However, Gizmo is as sweet, calm, and un-yappy as they come.  She looks like a beagle, only miniturized, and is the smiliest little thing.

Another sweet girl, with the bluest eyes and prettiest brindle coloring.

The larger dogs are mostly kept in the runs.  There are a lot of gorgeous hounds, like this fellow!  He and his companion were so sweet.

These guys were obviously siblings--a boy and a girl, both short, stocky lab mixes with sweet personalities.  Amidst the mad barking of their neighbors, these two were nice and quiet.

I believe this is Jasper.  Such a handsome boy!  He was very enthusiastic, but responded promptly to my "down" command.  All of the big hounds did, actually.

Finally, Everest.  Everest is, as you might expect but probably can't tell from the photo, huge.  Huge, happy, friendly.  He likes to jump, and his size makes that a dangerous prospect, so whoever adopted him would need to correct that right away.  But oh, he was so sweet.  He and Reesie, another pit mix, just about stole the beating heart right out of my chest.  I have a weakness for big, sweet, block-headed dogs.

If you are in the county or environs and are on the lookout for an ideal canine companion, I highly recommend checking out the dogs at the PCHS.  I was so impressed with their temperaments--each and every one of them is so deserving of a forever home.

As for Mr. and Mrs. H, they're considering.  We'll see how it goes!

Pioneer Days

Here in Marlinton, we've got two big events: Pioneer Days, and the Autumn Harvest Festival and Roadkill Cook-Off.  No, I am not making that second one up.  Promise.  As the name implies, the Autumn Harvest Festival doesn't occur until September.  But last week, ah, last week was Pioneer Days.  They technically began on Wednesday, and by Friday, the town was in full fair mode.  A big flea market popped up next to the trail, a carnival appeared by the Humane Society, and all down Third Avenue, it was corn-dogs and fries, far as the eye could see.

Tamar came up Friday night and brought Jake, a VISTA from further afield in West Virginia, who we hadn't seen since PSO.  Friday night was all about shenanigans, first in our house, then up the mountain a ways at another VISTA's house.  Much trouble was gotten into, and fun had by all.  Saturday was our fair day.

First up, after a pancake breakfast, we went to the library to see if I'd won anything.  Guess what!  Unfortunately, there was nothing saying just WHAT I'd won the ribbon for (there were several categories).  I can only assume it was in the black and white category, but I didn't see any other black and white photos with ribbons.  Ah, well.

On to the flea market!  Tamar and Jake were completely perplexed by this pen holder which may or may not have shown the World Trade Center in flames.  For my part, the flea market was good to me.  I scored a vintage Rock City commemorative plate, a Pyrex bowl in a pattern I love, and, wonder of wonders, the holy grail of my growing globe collection: a light-up globe (which I have always, always wanted).

On to the craft hall (housed in the opera house).  Tamar had tons of quilts to look at, while Jake debated the merits of buying a mushroom log.  He decided in favor of mushrooms, then carried the log around for the rest of the day, prompting many looks and explanations that it was a MUSHROOM log, no, not just any log, it's going to sprout MUSHROOMS.

After a return home to rest, hydrate, and abandon Vista, we returned for the parade.  It was supposed to rain, so I didn't think much about how much skin I was showing.  Now I am just very grateful that my skin fades sunburns very quickly.  Still, ow.

This year's Pioneer Days theme (which baffled me a bit, since I assumed that PIONEERS were the theme) was the 1967 Marlinton High School football team, who had been the state champs that year.  Here the guys are on the float.

We ended standing behind Patch Adams at the parade, who was all decked out.  I liked the dude with the spoons best, however.

Finally, finally, Kat's float arrived, and she was...on a horse?  Surprise!

Apparently there was an extra horse hanging about, so Kat got to ride him!  Emily got recruited to be on the float as well.  Here she is tossing out candy!  The girl on the left is Ashely, another VISTA.

Best part of the parade?  I think so.

Renee arrived in the late afternoon, and after a pizza dinner, we headed out to the evening concerts.

Renee also wears TOMs, stylish girl that she is.

She was also pretty excited to be here!

As it got dark, I finally walked over to check out the carnival.

I grabbed a cotton candy here, then headed home, whereupon I collapsed and did not move for over a day.  Or so.

My crippling exhaustion aside, Pioneer Days were wonderful!  We had a full house of folks from all over, and so much fun.  So glad I got to experience this event, in this town.  The Autumn Harvest Festival will have to do some fancy footwork to measure up, that's for sure!