Out At The County Fair

Going to the County Fair is an American summer tradition. 

The County Fair is a celebration of agricultural heritage and in rural areas 

it is an event that is not to be missed!

Summer afternoon thunderstorms are to be expected in this area.

While the rain poured down outside, we explored the exhibits inside.

This display shows off ribbon winning local produce.

Fresh tomatoes from the garden are one of the best gifts of summer.

Here are this years first and second place winners.

Half the fun of going to the county fair is seeing the animals.

 I always find my way to the bunnies.

This lovely lop is one of the most unique rabbits I have ever seen.

It was the grand champion.

Sitting on a wire floor cage will hurt a rabbits feet.

This smart bunny found a comfortable alternative.

This little rabbit took first place.

Truth be known, I really like chickens.

Someday I hope to have a few egg laying hens.

The plumage on this chicken is my favorite.

We followed the sound of music to find Linda Lay and The Springfield Exit

 bluegrass band preforming.

I was impressed with the way they all harmonized together in song.

They are extremely talented musicians.

Instruments have always fascinated me.

I really liked the simplistic design of this electric standing bass.

After the sun had set and music had faded away, we made our way back to the car.

Going to the County Fair shows you the true heart of a community.

The experience also offers a connection to a greater tradition 

that is shared by many. 

I hope this post inspires you to enjoy a summer tradition of your own!

Monday Motivation

A new week calls for a new and fresh perspective. 

You cannot always change the world, but you can change the way you choose 

to perceive the world. After all, we are what we think. 

Use your thoughts to change your world.

On Little Wings

This is the time of year that butterflies are numerous in many places including

 Shenandoah National Park.

On my recent hikes in the park I have taken many butterfly photos. 

Here are a few of my favorites!

The Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly is extremely striking.

 The bold orange and black pattern demands attention.

The male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail with a wingspan of 4 to 5 inches  is slightly smaller 

than the female.

The female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is distinguished by the blue coloration 

on the bottom portion of the hind wings.

The female Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is also distinguished by the 

additional blue coloration. 

If you look closely you will see the faint under markings on the wings of the 
Spicebush Swallowtail.

Slightly smaller than the swallowtails, the Red-Spotted Purple butterfly 
is one of my personal favorites because of the brilliant blue coloration. 

The little Summer Azure butterfly barley the size of a dime,

 also has a beautiful blue coloration on the top side of its wings,

this is best seen when the butterfly is in flight.

Many moths are also out in the woodland at this time of year. 

This Lichen Moth is not a typical moth, 

the bright orange coloration gives it a more butterfly like appearance.

This little brown moth has more typical characteristics.

This moth belongs to the "Drepanidae" family.

This family contains about 660 species worldwide.

The Luna Moth with a wingspan of 4.5 inches long, is the king of the moths.

Luna Moths use black walnut trees as a preferred host for their eggs.

As soon as the caterpillar turns into a moth, it will no longer eat. 

The moth will live in this winged state for only about a week,

 flying at night in search of a mate.

I hope you enjoyed these photos, and they inspire you to take a closer look at the

 little winged creatures around you.

Time Of Transition

Moving into the second week of August, I am starting to see hints of autumn.

The days are becoming shorter and the nights are cooler. 

Black berries are ripe on the vines, while acorns are falling from the oak trees.

Soon the leaves will be displaying the bright colors of fall.

This transition from summer to winter is a welcomed change.

 Autumn marks an end, and celebrates a beginning.

Eastbound USA Cross-Country Adventure *Part 3*

Homeward Bound

Eastbound USA Cross-Country Adventure *Part 3*

A new day begins in Iowa, moving East on Interstate 80.

 Once you hit Nebraska the scenery on I-80 becomes flat and full of corn fields. 

This flat open land makes Interstate 80 a great passage for quick travel.

I will also add, I-80 also has the nicest rest areas.

At a rest area in Iowa, these great sayings brightened my day. 

Such a clever thought to incorporate typography into picnic shelters. 

They had sayings from many people.

I liked this one by Tennessee Williams.

On the road there are many truckstops that offer amenities to travelers. 

I have been to many road side stops , but nothing compares to the 

World's Largest Truckstop in Iowa.

This place is huge. It is about four times the size of a standard truckstop. 

They have full sized vehicles on display inside! 

The food options here are like those at a food court found in many shopping malls. 

You have the choice of seven different fast food restaurants to choose from, 

and a full service restaurant that can seat over 350 people. 

If fast food is not what you have in mind, 

you will find something in the grocery section.

Souvenirs here range from standard...

... to strange....

(What says "America" more than a bald eagle guzzling a bottle of wine?)

.... and bizarre.

(This salt and pepper shaker set features a dead deer.)

The World's Largest Truckstop has two floors.

On the top floor you will find the movie theater.

 The top floor is also where you will other offered services such as
 laundry, showers, a barber, and a dentist. 

This is a place you must see to believe. 

Back on the road we soon pass over the Mississippi River.

This point marks a full circle on the road. From now on our Eastward travel 
would retrace the steps we first took traveling West.

My mind was full of all the things we had seen and experienced on this travel adventure.

I somehow felt like something was missing. Like, I was traveling in the wrong direction.  

This trip reminded me just how large the USA is. There are so many unique places to live and explore. With so many options, finding one place to stay can be difficult.

In a few months I will be returning to life on the West Coast. 

And this time, there will be no Eastbound return trip.

DeFreesProductions

Thank you for following along on this Cross-Country Adventure!

Eastbound USA Cross-Country Adventure *Part 2*

Eastbound USA Cross-Country Adventure *Part 2*

 Moving East from Oregon, we start a new day on the Snake River in Idaho.

This area on the Snake River has been used as a travel route for thousands of years.  

Interpretive signs found along Interstate 84, give information on the history of the 

travel in the area.

Rolling green hillsides like this soon become a distant memory.

As we pass into Utah, red rock formations take over the scenery.

This arid landscape bare of any vegetation seems so desolate. 

The sedimentary rocks show bands of mineral deposits, telling a story of creation.

Weathering and erosion expose these rock formation that once, lay covered by earth.

We continue Eastward cruising down I 80.

Arriving in Wyoming, characteristics of the Great Plains begin to take over the landscape.

It was an incredibly hot day. The car began to overheat.

We had to pull off the the Interstate and take an unexpected break from the road.

Here we were joined by a curious pronghorn.

Theses creatures live only in grasslands like those of the Great Plains.

After a few moments the pronghorn had seen enough,

and went back on his way into the sagebrush.

We got back on the road just as large thunderhead clouds started to drift over the horizon.

Thanking back to the night we spent outside of  Theodore Roosevelt National Park

I was relieved to be back on the road and heading in the opposite direction of these 

large storm clouds.

We arrived in Nebraska, and stopped at a rest area for a little break.

The area was apparently a hot spot for rattlesnakes.

We looked around, but could not find one in sight.

This is an example of a great cross-country vehicle!

Life on the road would be comfortable in something like this.

The Great Platte River road archway is located in the geographic center of the USA.

This area was a major stop for travelers on the Oregon Trail.

Passing this archway, we had officially made our way to the halfway point 

on this leg of the trip.

As the sunset on another day on the road, we continued on our way East.

Follow along as the adventure Eastbound rolls on!