May I Have Your Attention Please

Due to the climate of political correctness now pervading America;
North Carolinians, Kentuckians, Tennesseans, Virginians and West Virginians
will no longer be referred to as "HILLBILLIES."

From now on, you must now refer to us as: APPALACHIAN-AMERICANS.

Thank you.

Now if you'll excuse me; I got possums to fry...

Mountain Laurel

The Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia, is in full bloom throughout the Appalachians May through July. This beautiful evergreen shrub, in the Heath family (Ericaceae), has broad, glossy leaves and a fibrous crooked trunk. Growing in thickets, they were once described by North Carolina poet Fred Chappell as "laurel hells," and are found on rocky slopes, balds, and in deciduous forests. In the Carolinas, Laurel will grow taller, forming small trees, while in more northern climates, they grow as shorter shrubs.

Laurels are long-lived: as many as 100 tree rings have been reported on larger specimens. They are also relatively tolerant of fire and come back even when the stems are cut to the ground.

The bell-shaped flowers grow in clusters, range from white to pink with deep rose stars inside.

Known to my grandparents as Mountain Ivy, Mountain Laurel is also known as IvyBush, Calico Bush, Spoonwood, Sheep Laurel, and Lambkill. Although all parts of the plant are poisonous, the native Cherokee used and infusion of its leaves for a liniment. The trunks were used by Native American and the early mountain settlers to carve tool handles, spoons and other utensils. The burls were used to carve tobacco pipes.

The Mountain Laurel is the state flower of both Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It will always remind me of my grandparents, who every year made a pilgrimage along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina to see these beautiful blooms. Today, I'm lucky enough that I only have to walk up the hill from my house to be blessed with the lovely sight of them.

Sources: The Native Plant Information Network of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers.

Photos by and property of Wesley J. Satterwhite.

Rivanna River Regatta and Festival

Photo: Rivanna River, Courtesy of the, Rivanna Conservation Society

Rivanna River Regatta and Festival

For more details or call Mary at (434) 977-4837

Saturday, June 9, 2007

This event will happen Rain or Shine!

Safety First - Thunder/lightning storms will delay events until they pass

9:00 AM Open Class Speed Race Begins

Noon Exhibitors and Vendors at Darden Towe Park

Noon to 6 PM Kayaks at Darden Towe Park available to Test Paddle

1:00 PM Long Flotilla and River Clean Up – Begins at Route 29
Tubing Trips Begin at Pen Park Swiftwater Rescue and Recovery Demonstration by the Albemarle Co. Fire and Rescue Crew

2:00 PM and 3:00 PM Guided Hikes Begin on Rivanna Trails

3:00 PM Short Flotilla Begins from Key West Final Tubing Trip from Pen Park

4:00 to 6:00 PM Main Event at Darden Towe Park
(Music, Exhibits, Food and Beverage Vendors)

Rivanna River Regatta Races

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Summary of Events
9:00 AM The first races of the day will be the “Open Class” which will feature regional “Olympic Class” whitewater paddlers, both solo and dual in either canoes or kayaks.

9:30 AM This second race will be the “Parent-Child Division” Dual both kayak and canoe paddlers. The parent child division will follow immediately after the last of the Open Class, hopefully at 9:30 AM.

These races will be conducted on a lapse time basis with launch times
forwarded to the finish line. Paddlers will be launched on five-minute
intervals. This is an 8.5-mile whitewater and flatwater course involving
a dozen rapids, two of which are Class II requiring skilled handling. All
paddlers are expected to wear PFD and helmets are a good idea.
Referees will be monitoring both the Class II rapids to insure both
sportsman like conduct in these tight spots and assess time penalties
for offenses. (See rules)

12:00 NOON This is only open to solo kayak or canoe, paddlers ages under 14. This is a 2.2-mile race will launch from the sand bar at Key West Swim and Tennis Club (just off of Rt. 20 about 3
miles north from junction of U.S. 250.) All participants will
start at the same time. This route has only three rapids with a
minor degree of difficulty. A safety patrol crew will monitor.

Race Card & Schedule

Race Category Who and What Prize
Under Teen Solo Kayak or Canoe, solo, pre-High $25
School, 2.2 mile course only
Parent-Child Father-son, Mother-daughter $50
Or other similar combination,
All ages. Kayak dual and canoe
dual in separate races. 8.5 mile
course. No Assistance in the rapids
Open Class Veteran Whitewater Paddlers in Separate $100
solo and dual categories for kayak and
canoes.

For more details or call Mary at (434) 977-4837

Rivanna Conservation Society

The Rivanna River and its tributaries flow through the Counties of Greene, Albemarle, Louisa and Fluvanna, Virginia. This river also defines the eastern limits of the City of Charlottesville.

The mission of the Rivanna Conservation Society (RCS) is to protect and enhance the Rivanna River for public use. RCS is dedicated to safeguarding the ecological, scenic, recreational and historic resources of the Rivanna River and its tributaries.

RCS, PO Box 1501, Charlottesville, VA 22902-1501, Phone: (434) 97-River (977-4837)

Photos-Moody Days on the BRP

These images depict some of the more moody days on the Blue Ridge Parkway thus far this spring, 2007…I hope you enjoy them!


A Magical Day

The James River in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and a very pretty day…Taken from the Blue Ridge Parkway…


Meadow Croft

A meadow in Snowden Pass looks to the mountains beyond…


As the Clouds Devour the Mountain

Taken on the Blue Ridge Parkway on a stormy day in Virginia…


Blue Mist and May Apples

A misty evening on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia…


The Mayapple Forest

A misty evening in the Jefferson National Forest, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the woods where mayapples carpet the forest floor…


Only Three Steps to Heaven

Take the three stone steps and follow the trail to the Appalachian Trail which in this area runs along a 100 ft. cliff over looking the valley and the Allegany Mountain range to the west…Of course, on this day, the view would be obstructed by the intense fog and mist!


Misty Evening Mountain Café

A misty evening on the summit of Thunder Ridge, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where you can dine with black bear and raccoons…


Click on any image to see a larger version…

To see more of my images of the Blue Ridge through the seasons click here.

Prints are available for purchase…for more info click here.

All images are copyright © 2007 D L Ennis

15th Annual Monacan Powwow

Image: by D L Ennis, taken at the first Monacan Powwow

The Monacan Indian Nation of Virginia is a small tribe today, composed of about 1,400 people, located in the Amherst County area near Lynchburg and recognized as a tribe by the State of Virginia. Their culture in this region dates back 10,000 years, and the original territory of the tribe comprised roughly half of the state of Virginia, including most of the Piedmont region. They are one of the oldest groups of indigenous people still existing in their ancestral homeland, and the Monacan’s are the only group of Eastern Sioux in the state.

This weekend, May 19-20 in Amherst County, Virginia is the 15th Annual Monacan Powwow.

Spend the weekend visiting with some of the finest NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFTS PEOPLE AND ARTISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. All art and crafts are for sale. A time filled with native drums and dancers in full regalia.


Image: by D L Ennis, taken at the first Monacan Powwow

SHARE A SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY NOT OFTEN FOUND. TREAT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY TO A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR AND SEE:

STORYTELLING - TO ENTERTAIN AND EDUCATE PEOPLEWITH THE STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWNBY ANCESTORS FOR GENERATIONS.

BIRDS OF PREY - SEE LIVE EAGLES, HAWKS, FALCONS AND OWLS. LEARN AND LAUGH WITH EARL SCHRIVER,WILDLIFE REHABILITATION EXPERT.

PAINTERS, CARVERS, BASKETMAKERS & OF COURSE...GREAT FOOD!!

ADMISSION:
Adults $7.00
Seniors $5.00
Children 12 and under $5.00
5 and under FREE

For more information click here.

RGS to hold fundraiser dinner in Bristol

451 McCormick Road, Coraopolis, PA 15108

(412) 262-4044 www.ruffedgrousesociety.org


May 7, 2007
For Immediate Release

RGS to hold fundraiser dinner in Bristol
Proceeds used to restore and protect grouse and woodcock habitat


The Appalachian Highlands Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society will hold its 13th Annual Sportsmen’s Banquet on Saturday, May 19, 2007 at the Holiday Inn and Suites, Bristol Convention Center, 3005 Linden Drive, Bristol, VA beginning with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m.
As is the custom at this event, the evening will feature a live and silent auction, games, drawings and door prizes; highlighted with the finest selection of quality firearms, artwork and collectable’s.

According to Jaime Helton, tickets are $20 for RGS members, $40 for member/guest and $45 for non-members, the latter of which includes a RGS one-year membership. Habitat, Conservation and Sustaining sponsorship packages are also available at $275, $500 and $1,000 respectively.
And, in the spirit of the outdoors, youngsters under the age of 16 who recently took and passed a hunter education course and/or women who have participated in an Outdoors Women program, and can verify same, will receive a complimentary dinner ticket when accompanied by a paying adult.

As with all RGS fundraiser’s, proceeds from this event will be used to restore and protect grouse and woodcock habitat.

For more information and/or tickets contact Helton at either (423) 246-2573 or (423) 863-7569, or by email at nuttybear31@yahoo.com .

An Exciting New Internet Project!

There is a very exciting new internet project about to begin…it will take ten years to complete, be a wealth of information beyond compare, and free to all!!!

This from the Discovery Channel:

"'Encyclopedia of Life' Effort Launched"

By- Seth Borenstein, Associated Press


"May 8, 2007 — In a whale-sized project, the world's scientists plan to compile everything they know about all of Earth's 1.8 million known species and put it all on one Web site, open to everyone.

The effort, called the Encyclopedia of Life, will include species descriptions, pictures, maps, videos, sound, sightings by amateurs, and links to entire genomes and scientific journal papers. Its first pages of information will be shown Wednesday in Washington where the massive effort is being announced by some of the world's leading institutions. The project will take about 10 years to finish.

"It's an interactive zoo," said James Edwards, who will be the encyclopedia's executive director. Edwards currently helps run a global biodiversity information system.

If the new encyclopedia progresses as planned, it should fill about 300 million pages, which, if lined up end-to-end, would be more than 52,000 miles long, able to stretch twice around the world at the equator."


You can read the rest of the story here...

Spring Wildflowers in the Blue Ridge

There are many spring blooming wildflowers in the Blue Ridge Mountains…this is just a small representation that I have run across this spring on roads and trails.


Wild Pink (Silene carolliniana)

This beauty grows 2-8 inches tall on open rocky banks and open wood borders in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.


Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

This pretty little wildflower grows 2-8 inches tall and is found in the rich woods and steep slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This one was about 4 inches tall...


Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

This pretty little wildflower is supposed to grow 6-12 inches but I have never seen one over about 6 inches. It grows in the rich woods of the Blue Ridge Mountains and blooms April-May.


Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

This is the flower of the Mayapple. It grows beneath the large single or double leaves, and is usually hidden from the casual observer…Grows in the moist woods and along roadsides in the Blue Ridge.


Crested Dwarf Iris (Iris cristata)

This tiny beauty grows 1-3 inches tall in the rich woods, slopes, and along stream banks in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia…


Trillium grandiflorum (white)

This large-flowered trillium grows 8 inches tall in the rich woods, coves, and slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia…


Trillium grandiflorum (pink)

This large-flowered trillium grows 8 inches tall in the rich woods, coves, and slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia…


Pink Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium acaule)

Grows 6-18 inches tall and has only basil leaves. It is in the Orchid family and grows in dry or wet woods in the Blue Ridge Mountains…


Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

Blooms in April and May as do most of the above, and grows from8-18 inches tall. The leaves are deeply cleft into 5 to 7 segments with fernlike lobes. Can be found in the woods and along roadside banks in the Blue Ridge…


Click on any image to see a larger version…

To see more of my images of the Blue Ridge through the seasons click here.

Prints are available for purchase…for more info click here.

All images are copyright © 2007 D L Ennis