Last Weekend of Summer

This weekend Claire and I went up to Front Royal to spend some time with my Dad and KC and to get out of the city. We went up Sunday afternoon and let Monday afternoon. Spent some time on the Shenandoah River and did a lot of eating and drinking!! We also saw my Dad and KC's new place out by Skyline Drive. We did a little hiking and I took this picture of Claire and Champ together. If you look at the Mountain in the background you can see a section where there are no trees. That is Skyline Drive...as seen from their new place.
Anyway...I had a really nice time and I think Claire did as well. I hope I can get back out there again while the weather is still warm ans get in one more swim this summer.

Spiders Freak Me Out

I was up in Front Royal this weekend to visit my Dad and Step-Mom and while we were playing this string golf game I went to set my drink down and sawe the biggest, brightest colored spider I have seen so far in my life. Apparently it's of the "garden variety." At any rate...spiders freak me out but I had to get a picture of this one. It was pretty cool looking. It has 8 legs but the are grouped together in sets of two making it almost seem less spider like.
By looking at the picture to the left here, you can see the body in the center and then 4 yellow legs coming off the body forming an "X". Under each of the yellow joints there is another full size black leg behind it.
It was a really odd looking spider...and I figured I would share it with who ever actually reads my never updated blog.
If you can see the zig-zagging white under the spider...that's actually how it weaves the center part of its webs.
Pretty interesting spider and generally spiders freak me ouy!