THE KITE FESTIVAL

For the past several years, near the middle of October the international Kite Festival comes to Ship Bottom, the community just south of us.  I took my camera, parked the car and went up the dunes to see what was happening.  NOT MUCH!  The sky was empty except for a few kites with long tails streaming down to the beach.  Not much wind!

This farmer could barely get his feet off of the ground, nor could he lift the egg . 

 This little chick lay on his side on the beach looking for-longingly at the sky where he wanted to be.

 This man ignored his purple people eater lying on the beach while he relaxed and read his book in peace.

 In fact the only activity seemed to be around the bubble maker, so I captures this heart shaped bubble that seemed to be hanging around some adults while a child reached up to break it.

The following day it rained, and Monday, returning from shopping on the mainland I saw some activity in the sky over the dunes.  I took my groceries home, grabbed my camera and hurried back.
Seeing that a pig could fly I continues down to the beach.

Though many of the contestants had departed, there were astronauts souring up to the sky

 Dragons of all shapes and colors.

 A frog being chased by a monster.

 And a large woman diver lying on the ground trying to get in the swim of things.

She finally succeeded and floated above in the beautiful blue sky trailing her fish. 

 Though there were still kites on the ground when I left, seeing the flying pig I had faith.

 And as I crested the dune I turned around to see this giant pig lift its feet off of the sand.

Looking back, I know I will return next year.

LURAY CAVERNS AND THE SKYLAND DRIVE

On our way home from visiting our friends in North Carolina I prevailed on my husband to make a stop at Luray Caverns in Virginia since they were almost on our route.  Having been there in my childhood with my parents I had very fond memories of the place, and hoped I would still be as impressed.  I was!!!  Discovered in 1878, the caverns, just West of Luray are the largest series of caverns in the East and have been designated as a U.S. National Landmark.

The giant chambers of Luray Caverns are filled with towering calcite columns, draperies, stalactites, and stalagmites of different colors creating an unbelievable fairyland.

 This series of stalactites coming from the ceiling has been designated "The Fish Market".

 Dream Lake is an "Other Worldly Optical Illusions '
.

These pure white formation appeared to be a ghost when encountered by the first explorers, and so have been named.

As quoted from the Smithsonian report of 1880 about the room called Saracen's Tent- "there is nothing more beautiful in the cave than the scarves, shawls, lambrequins of translucent calcite, some white as snow, falling in graceful folds, fringed with a thousand patterns, and so thin that a candle held behind one of them reveals all the structure within."

 Dominating Giant's Hall Is a spectacular column towering 47 feet, the tallest in the cavern.  The double column is an example of two basic formations, the stalactite and stalagmite coming together as one massive wonder of nature .

 Looking down at one of the many pools from above one is temped to dive right into its crystal waters.

Exiting the cavern at the end of the 45 minute tour, I found these "fried Eggs" fascinating -in reality the center of two columns that had broken off and been carried away.

 We finished our drive through Virginia on the Skyline Parkway, where we stopped so I could snap a photo of these swallowtail butterflies.  This one I have identified as a Pale Tiger Swallowtail.

This one is a Spicebush Swallowtail.

 Though the air was filled with dust in some places. the mountain layers still stood out.  It would have been a lovely sunset view.

 But I did enjoy seeing the layers of mountain flowers, so different from those in Colorado.

And the path below beckoned me, and given more time I would not have resisted.

OUR VISIT WITH THE BRADSHAWS IN TOXAWAY, NC

To go back a bit to earlier in the summer, we had a delightful trip to southern North Carolina to visit friends who spend their summers in the mountains there.  It was the first trip away from the island and a treat to get away from the confusion of the move from Colorado.

 We Drove past wonderful green fields of corn.

 And beautiful Rivers reflecting the blue sky above.

 This Giant guitar as we entered the state of Tennessee,

And past rock walls that seemed to reach the sky.

The Smokey Mountains of North Carolina showed that they deserved their name.

Till we found the little Village of Toxaway Falls, high in the mountains almost to the boarder of South Carolina.

The mountain flowers were beautiful.

The falls from which the village got its name was right outside out friends condo.

 
                   Knowing how much I like waterfalls
                   and enjoy photographing them, our    
                   friends took us to see several others.
                   Though this part of North Carolina                    was  experiencing a drought and
                   "Big Water" Falls wasn't living up to its                     name it was still beautiful.  We walked
                    could take this composite of 3
                    photos.






 
 

 From the top  we could see Toxaway Lake in the distance.

And "Dry Falls" despite the drought did not deserve its name either, unless it got its name from the fact you can walk behind it and stay dry.

    

We visited antique shops in near-by towns, while our husbands showed great patience.

And had a lovely lunch in this beautiful Grove Park Inn in Asheville, filled with history.  We sat on the porch overlooking the golf course and countryside, a beautiful setting!

I enjoyed browsing the antique vehicles  displayed inside.

SUMMER'S END

After Labor Day at the New Jersey Shore, life returns to normal for the local residents.  School has started and the beaches are quiet, except for the lonely lifeguard, for whom college has not yet begun.

The waves pick up, often a boon for local surfers.

Sailboats head South, and the ocean glistens in the early morning light.

 Back at our house a pair of cardinal parents brought their two young fledglings to the feeder to try to teach them how to fend for themselves.

 Having watched  his parent enjoy the grapes Scott threw out for the birds, this little guy decided to try it for himself.

 Giving up, he returned to dad for a some help. Being a good father, he patiently tore off bits of the grape and fed it to his son.
                                                          
Dad then left to ground to enjoy a bit of gird seed in peace,
           

In the meantime a baby Mockingbird decided to try the grape left by the baby Cardinal.

Dad watched from above, but refrained from interfering.

Back on the beach that night the fall full moon shone over the ocean, while the work boat for the beach replenishment lightened the horizon.