The Least First Blush of Spring

I’ll have Ann’s usual schedule today: up and outta here by quarter til six, off in the dark cold. Destination: WXBX in Wytheville, our hometown for twelve years, and the setting for more than a few of the pieces in Roads Remembered section of Slow Road Home. I’ll be done with that live interview by 7:30, and hope to find the choicest local Greasy Spoon Diner for hot coffee served in an infinitely-refillable heavy white mug, bacon and eggs, toast and jelly, and a good magazine.

Then by no later than 9, I’ll need to be back on the road to I-77 south to the Parkway and 13 miles west to the Blue Ridge Music Center. The local trail club (chapter of Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway) have constructed several miles of trail, but until there are two footbridges in place (30′ x 4′) the trails can’t be opened to the public. I’m hoping to write a bit about the current needs, in hopes that private, corporate or government funds will be forthcoming.

From there, I’ll find Chapters, the local bookstore in downtown Galax and see if I can leave a few books shelved there. And finally, I hope to meet up with a couple of folks who were part of our Wytheville gang back when. They owned the bookstore on Main Street, a favorite gathering place, until B decided in his early thirties that he wanted a life change. He left for medical school when I left Wytheville for PT school. Chances are, he’ll be too busy seeing patients to do more than chat briefly on the phone. But it will be good to renew old friendships.

The picture above, from last week–a grab shot on the return leg of our morning walk. I want another shot at it, next time in RAW, on the tripod, and with the 80-200 lens. Man, I’m a sucker for backlighting! And here is where we’ll see the very first hints of spring: in the tinge of color that comes to the tips of twigs well before the weather warms. Against the dark blue of morning shadow, every trace of color shows up! And look at how different in form these two clusters of trees are–something you’d easily miss in even lighting.