Friday, June 22
The birds were a bit uncooperative on our morning birdwalk as they were cold and wet and we were birding in the shade. We heard a chestnut sided, but didn't see him. Had a great view of a scarlet tanager.
Breakfast: oatmeal, pancakes and bacon.
After breakfast Stephanie found a hummingbird caught in her tent. Bill was able to catch it and held it so we could get a close look.
I have to admit, as everyone else headed out for a variety of "choose your own" field trips, I took the morning to read and nap. The camp was so quiet and peaceful with everyone gone!
Lunch: Soup beans and corn bread, pasta salad, ambrosia salad, cookies.
After lunch some people went to the Kindness Trail(?), some went to Cranesville and a vanful of us went to Davis and Thomas to do some shopping. When we got out of the van in Thomas, a red breasted nuthatch was signing to greet us!
It was a diverse shopping experience - from antiques and collectables to artisan crafts. I bought two CDs of West Virginia music and had a beer at the Purple Fiddle.
We arrived back to camp just in time for dinner and to greet Don Altemus who had come up to visit and attend tomorrow's celebration.
Dinner: beef stew, bisquits and coleslaw. For dessert, we had stopped and gotten an icecream cake from Dairy Queen to celebrate Jane's retirement from teaching.
After supper, Michele, Cindy, Bill, Larry, Ashton and I hiked to the top of Glover's Knob. It was wild and windy, with a spectacular view! We could see Alpine Lake and Lodge. With binoculars we could see the wind turbines in the distance along the ridge. Larry counted 40 some. We heard a Savannah sparrow, veery, chestnut sided and wood thrush among others.
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resolution. Will be slow with dial-up connection.
We arrived back about 9:00 just as campfire was starting. It was our best campfire yet. We had extra songs, extra stories and Tony played his banjo. I told the Japanese tale of "The Rolly Poly Rice Ball". We ended with the final campfire song and some people stayed on to toast themselves at the campfire along with marshmallows and s'mores.