From The Air

From the Air, Pentagon

In what is probably my flight last flight to/from DCA, I was excited to have a window seat to have my last look at DC from the air. But, things weren't going my way. Today has been incredibly rainy. And, we had seats on the wrong side of the plane...the Virginia side. The only good thing, though, was that I got a shot of the pentagon from the air. 

I would have muchhhhh rather been able to see DC. Oh well...

Rainy DC

Whooping Crane Tour

After our visit to Patuxent Wildlife Refuge with Smita, Akshu and Anand, we returned today for the Whooping Crane Tour we found out about then. I had heard about the whooping cranes on a Radio Lab podcast. They go into great detail in the podcast about how only about 17 whooping cranes were left in the wild. At Patuxent, they started breeding them, to release in the wild. Now, there are hundreds in the wild. They still need our help and Patuxent continues to raise and release them. Many nests are abandoned, because the egg laying season of the whooping crane coincides with black fly season and they bother the cranes, who then abandon their eggs and nest. These eggs are brought to Patuxent so that they can be raised and released. 

First, we went and looked at the exhibit in more detail. They had furs of some animals out for people to touch in the main visitor center area - amongst others (young rabbit, skunk etc), there was the fur of the river otter. The furs were all, pretty similar to touch, in my opinion.

The exhibit is really well done. I like how they have displayed different animals in glass vestibules that had leaves and vines painted on it.

They have larger exhibits on whooping cranes, wolves and a couple of other animals. They are done beautifully!

Once it was time, everyone in the tour group piled into 2 vans and headed to the cages to see the cranes. We drove to the restricted part of the refuge. There are a lot of buildings there, that I assume existed before the area was designated as a wildlife refuge. 

Snowden Hall - Has Crumbling Chimney from 2011 Earthquake

The roads are made narrow between the trees, so that as the trees grow, they can create a thick canopy over the road and reduce fragmentation of forest which is dangerous for species as it opens them up to predation. 

Patuxent Wildlife Refuge

When we got to the enclosure, one of was sitting on its nest. While this pair isn't used for breeding anymore, the female still lays eggs. As we stood around listening to more about whooping cranes and and the refuge, the sitting one got up, and they started walking around

Approaching their water hole

Drinking Water

They volunteers/tour operators talked a lot about the refuge, the work they do there, and the whooping cranes. We spent a lot of time at the enclosures. I love the red on top of the cranes' head. I am excited that we got to see them, though not in the wild and not in the breeding and raising enclosures. But, knowing the story of how they are bred here and then released into the wild is fascinating enough, and I am glad we got to see 2 cranes now retired from the breeding program.

I have my own Whooper.

Thomas, A Much Needed Dose

Thomas :)

After wanting to go to Thomas for so long, it was finally that weekend. Our trip to Fallingwater and Ohiopyle State Park had gone splendidly, and it was now time to do nothing in Thomas! :)

Cooper House and Purple Fiddle

We got there early Friday evening and had a drink at Joy's. Scruffy had his fur cut, and when we walked in, I was afraid to call him Scruffy, incase he was another dog and Scruffy had passed away. Joy remembered our Christmas card and thanked us. I think she was quite pleased with it, because she mentioned it a few times over the weekend.

After drinks, bread, different types of goat cheese (from a farm in WV) and catching up, we headed for Burger Night at TipTop. They were open this time! Thankfully! :) But, Salud has closed down. Justin and Trevor have taken it over and plan to open an organic grocery store that also sells prepared food, and maybe alcohol. When we met Justin the next evening at drinks, he told us to sell alcohol in WV, you need to have two bathrooms, specifically designated as men's and women's. WV has weird laws. 

Tip Top

Burger Night!

We enjoyed our burgers at the table by the window, quite content at being there. The next day, while we were talking to Seth and he was talking about his crayon art and its melting potential, he mentioned he had one piece up near where we were sitting for dinner the previous night, and the sun didn't affect it. But, he noticed, and remembered us! Man, I love Thomas! :)

After dinner, we went to Purple Fiddle to get chocolate ice cream! With chocolate cones in our hand, we walked along Thomas, and for the first time, canvased the route behind the houses. When we returned to Joy's, John was having a drink with her. John is the owner of Purple Fiddle, and this was the first time we met him. We saw him a few times through the rest of the weekend, and talked to him a bit on Sunday again, when we were lunching at Purple Fiddle.

Chocolate Ice Cream at Purple Fiddle

On Saturday, we slept in, and then, while Saurabh was getting ready, I took my notebook and walked to the benches below Front Street, and wrote a little. 

Scruffy must be petted as soon as he sees you

Once Saurabh was out, we ambled along to Flying Pig for our Thomas Breakfast staple - Karlwich (without bacon) and garlic potatoes. mmmmmm Katie, remembered us, and when I asked for the Iguana hot sauces to accompany our meal, she asked if I had bought them from the place she told me about the last time we were there. hah! :)

Karlwich

Hot and Saucy. Which is which?

With our bellies full, we walked to White Room, where Seth was just turning the sign to open. We said hi and I asked him if he was open, he turned his sign and said "Now I am!", and in we went! He has a lot of new prints of his up this time. And we noticed, the print we got for Saurabh now has a new name. We didn't ask him why he changed the name (to Casper, from Saleh), but maybe we will ask him next time. The square crayon boxes he was working on last time, are now all complete and displayed. They will be ready for sale memorial day weekend. There was no way we were leaving Thomas without anything. Saurabh got a couple of prints, I got a small one, and we got a few greeting cards. I also picked up a few free small prints/cards that were blemished, so he couldn't sell them. YAY! :D

Seth's gallery ♥

When I saw this in November, I loved it! It made me think of Geysers in Iceland

This was not ready in November, and it might be our favourite of the collections

I really like this exploding wine glass. I hadn't seen it before, Seth said it was displayed in TipTop, Now it is in White Room, and I saw it this trip.

Print for me

Saurabh's prints

Random Seth Print

Random Seth Print

We were far enough into our day in Thomas, and we still hadn't had any TipTop coffee. We headed there next, and got ourselves cappuccinos. I remember it was delicious coffee, but man, had I forgotten how delicious! mmmmm

Cappuccino at TipTop

I wrote some more while we were there, we talked, we sipped, we looked out, we basked in Thomas bliss. 

We went to the General Store to see if we could find old photo of Thomas that John had mentioned the previous night. We didn't, but we found a box of random old documents and papers. I read a story written by a kid back in the 1930s or something. So random. The lady at the General store looked at us and said, weren't you guys here some time back? :) 

Lunch was thai curry and chocolate ice cream at purple fiddle, while listening to Carly Clark perform. Her voice was beautiful. You could tell she was new at performing live, she kept looking at her friends when she talked and in between songs. It was adorable. 

Carly Clark

Wine and Beer in Mason jars, and a purple fiddle order paddle

Thai Curry

The previous evening Joy has mentioned Thomas trails, once you cross the bridge before (or after, depending on what direction you are coming from) Thomas. We walked there that evening, in the gentle drizzle and explored. They have a 'yellow brick' trail! :) We walked along a gurgling stream for a while. At one point there were wooden slabs hammered onto fallen tree trunks to the side of the trail. Of course, we climbed and walked the length of those. On our way back, we sat on a small bridge, our legs hanging over the river and talking, a childhood dream of Saurabh's. :)

Thomas, from the other side of the river

Thomas, through the trees

The wooden slabs on fallen trunks

Sitting on the little bridge, and looking over at the stream

In the evening, we had drinks, bread, cheese, and delicious spicy peanuts at Joy's. Hung out with the guests that had come that day and Justin. Just was really fun to talk to. He had lots to tell us about his plans for Salud, the garden/backyard, his new rabbits (5! The lady who works at the General store found them abandoned in a box on the side of the road. He took them because they are great for the garden - he explained in great detail about how they eat the weedsand their poop isa great fertilizers because it isn't acidic or something. He also showed us a video of them and told us their names - I remember none) and other thises and thats. 

That night, we had dinner (more Thai curry) at Purple Fiddle and listened to the band, River Whyless, perform. They were different and excellent! :) More ice cream was devoured before we turned in for the night. 

River Whyless

Sunday morning was lazy again. We repeated breakfast and coffee, before we came back to Cooper House to go with Joy to see her Billy Motel. It was not what I was expecting. For some silly reason, I expected it be typical motel-ish. But, it is Joy, of course it wasn't. The reception area is so warm and cozy. It will be fun to drink and chill there, if you are staying at Billy's. She has a print of a painting, 'The Chinese Girl' by Vladimir Tretchikoff, popular in the 70s, in the reception area and has used that as her theme for the colours - deep, dark blues and greens, a little red and yellow/mustard. She has painted vines on the floor corners her self. She showed us the space behind that will be their kitchen and dining area eventually. We also saw one of the three (there will eventually be 10 rooms) rooms that is ready. We loved it all and are so excited for her! 

Scruffy in Front of Billy Motel

Back at her house, we packed, got another coffee for the road, a latte this time (SOOOO GOOD!) and then headed to Davis to get natural mountain spring water that Joy told us about. We filled the two bottles we had and drove back to DC. 

Spring Water! SO Delicious

Highway 48 was gorgeous and empty, as usual. My favourite highway. The grey clouds and the white road made a great view as we drove back, away from our lovely Thomas.

All the way back home

Ohiopyle State Park

After Fallingwater, we made a couple of stops at the waterfalls in Ohiopyle State Park. 

The first was the Ohiopyle falls. They are pretty, wide, have rocky formations over which the water flows, and also visible from the main road. The visitor's center is near by and with the viewing platforms built to enjoy it, it seems a little detached from nature. 

Youghiogheny River Leading to Ohiopyle Falls

Ohiopyle Falls

Ohiopyle Falls

Youghiogheny River flowing away from Ohiopyle Falls 

The Cucumber falls, a short 2 minute drive away and slightly off the main road, was just lovely. These falls are small, but beautiful. Watching water fall into an emerald pool, listening to the sounds of the falls, enveloped in its mist, is all so mesmerizing, I just sat on a rock at the base of the falls, enthralled. I could have sat there for hours. 

Cucumber Falls from the top, before we climbed down the hill

Getting closer to Cucumber Falls

At the Falls! :D 

Water from Cucumber Falls heads this way