Richwood: Driving Through

61°f/16°C, cloudy start after a night of thunderstorms. Later clearing and nice.

I snapped a few photos as we drove through the small town of Richwood, WV. 

The row of homes were likely built for workers in the town's wood industry. Richwood once manufactured all the wood clothespins used in the US, but the advent of dryers did away with that.

Home and businesses line a narrow main street, with hillside or cliff on either side.

The fancy brick and glass work testify to the town's former boom days, and the mobile home barbershop and barber pole with its deteriorating red stripe is a sign of later hard times.

The most unusual screened porch I have ever seen.

This beautiful church has always fascinated me. One day maybe I will get to see the inside.

In recent years several new businesses are giving it a try in Richwood. Often called the gateway to the national forest that borders the town, Richwood attracts outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and these days a growing number of arts-related businesses have opened their doors.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Garden Time

Yay Canada! You guys have some sense up there!

Popping back in for a quick post. Since coming home the grass and weeds seem to have grown like, well, weeds. So mowing, trimming, etc has been on our to-do list. But yesterday I copped out and instead went to visit a greenhouse just over the river in Ohio. 

While driving through Richwood on the way home Sunday, we stopped at a store that had lots of nice-looking plants. I was surprised though, when I looked at the label. Those plants had come from Norris Greenhouses in Racine, Ohio, just 30 minutes or so from home! 

So Lainie (granddaughter Sarah's visiting friend) and I toodled on across the river and came home with my van full of plants and my wallet significantly lighter. 

We bought about 8 kinds of tomatoes, 3 kinds of peppers, a dozen different herbs, and who knows how many annuals and perennials. We ended the day with dinner and firepit time, listening to whippoorwills and watching the dogs play. Perfect.

This morning Larry and I weedeated the garden and began planting the tomatoes; we are about halfway done. Then I worked on the flowers and herbs. I am nowhere near half done, but I've made a dent. 

Volunteer columbines pop up everywhere.

Right now I am just taking a break and working on painting a little cabinet--this time a pretty yellow. Not a color that sells well, but I really like how it will look on this piece.

Lainie flew out this morning, back home to Colorado. Sarah is working on plumbing during her last 2 days here before she starts the long drive home. We sure will miss her. There is something about having young energy about that just lives this place (and these two old people) up.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

In POCO

57°f/14°C, light breeze, mostly clear.

POCO is the local slang for Pocahontas county, WV. It is one of the most rural and most picturesque areas of our state.

Below is the cabin my son rented for last weekend.

And inside:

and looking outside:

Just a charming place, well restored and modernized.

These are scenes from the road leading to the cabin.

The fish hatchery:

The Rev. Bernard Coffindaffer apparently passed through on his mission to put three crosses on prominent hills throughout the state. While many have fallen into disrepair,  these are still in good shape. 

Offices of the fish hatchery:

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

More Race Photos

49°f/9°C, clear, light breeze.

A few more photos from Saturday:

Above, Aaron in the center, with his team members. One is a preacher, the other works for the power company. So, power and "higher power"! 

Below, granddaughter Grace (very bad photo, sorry, Grace), daughter-in-law Jaime,  and granddaughter Sarah sport their medals.

Granddaughter Haley used to compete when she was a teenager and would like to get back into it, but an ankle injury sidelined her this year. On her shoulders, maybe a future competitor, her nephew and my great-grandson Ryland.

In the beginning...

Nina drove all the way from Colorado to be in the race, and did pretty well. She is a good friend of Sarah's,  and used to live in West Virginia.

Sarah, after race refreshment!

The Greenbrier River looks so calm, the kayaks like a shoal of bright minnows. There were other craft in the race, too---I saw canoes, a rowboat, and even a paddleboard. There were two-man kayaks, an inflatable kayak and a homemade wood one. And regular kayaks of every size, from long and thin to short and wide. With over 400 competitors,  I guess there was something for everyone!

Son Derek came to cheer on his brothers. His daughter Hannah was there too, and that's her boyfriend and her son beside Derek.  Derek is a pretty good grandpa--I think it's a role he loves. He used to compete too, and maybe one day he'll do so again. 

The racers gather before the start. Quite a crowd! Competitors ranged in age from 13 to 79. Some parents had their children with them. One Dad ran the whole 3 miles pushing his 2 children in a stroller. Others had their children as team members riding in the kayaks or on the bikes. There were many who, like my nephew, were not there to win but to just do it. Which I think is pretty cool.

Nephew John crosses the finish line. What an accomplishment for him.

And here comes Nina!

Grace cruises in.

Jaime was completely intent as she finished up.

I almost missed George's finish, he was there so soon after the first few finishers. Sarah was only a few minutes behind him and I did miss getting a photo of her finishing up.

This makes the 15th year our family has been in the race. Sometimes it was just one or two, other years, like this one, there are quite a few. Next year, who knows? There may be more, but I know one thing for certain: I am perfectly happy to just cheer them on and take photos. 

GGRR Day

30°f/-1°C in POCO (Pocahontas county) this morning. Brrr.

What a day! We had a fantastic time at the Great Greenbrier River Race yesterday, the best part being so many family members there. And friends too. We were quite a crowd!

Family include three of my four sons, two of whom were competing, 4 granddaughters (2 competing), one daughter-in-law (also competing), a great-grandson, two granddaughter' partners, a nephew (competing), his wife and daughter, and of course me and Larry.

Then there were granddaughter Sarah's two friends who came all the way from Colorado, my oldest son George's good friend from college days (he and his daughter competing), son Aaron's friends from a running group who competed with him as a team, and a few other various friends. 

So, how did they do? George came in 5th in his age group, and 22nd out of 209 male competitors. His daughter Grace was 3rd in her age group, Sarah was 3rd in her age group, daughter-in-law Jaime was 2nd in her group, and Aaron's team took 2nd in men's teams. Not bad!

The competitors:

Nephew John Boyd was the most inspirational of all, though. In the past year he lost 80 pounds and has worked hard to get in shape. He finished in about the middle of the pack, which wZ an amazing accomplishment coming from where he was a year ago. What a guy.

The rain stopped just before race time, and it was a beautiful day all round. Can't wait for next year!

More photos tomorrow!

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Road Trip West Virginia

59 this morning, about 15C. Raining.

Looking back to our trip across West Virginia a few weeks ago.

In Elkins, a statue of Henry Gassaway Davis, one of the founders of the town.

Also in Elkins, I think this is supposed to be Sacajawea. 

View from my son's front porch.

And from his driveway.

Unfinished bridge on Corridor H, a highway meant to open up some of West Virginia's most mountainous regions. One of these pillars was defective and had to be replaced,  slowing down the project. 

Somewhere along the way.

Outside of Westinghouse, this church has been converted to a home.

In the tiny community of Cox's Mill.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.