ElmwoodEstate

02/04/2025

Awwwww. Love it! Thanks Bob Bell. We need to get together again soon.

A shot from a while back. One of Union, WV's great historic landmarks, ElmwoodEstate (c. 1838). Driving Backroads.

01/26/2025

January 26: After 21 days of snow-cover, temps are warming above freezing today which will begin exposing the ground. It’s been a magical wintery January in Monroe County West Virginia.

01/22/2025

It’s been a cold January here in Union West Virginia and we have had snow covered ground for the past 17 days. But it’s warm and bright inside the Stella Campbell house sunroom where we are wintering over tropical plants. This room was once a set of steps leading to a back porch on the house. Stella created this room many years ago and we improved on it by adding large windows and beadboard walls.

01/12/2025

Moonlight on a still January night. As I took this there were loud crunching sounds from the left as a buck down below in the grove was pawing holes through the ice encrusted snow to get some grass.

01/12/2025

A view of the sunflower forest in January. Getting a load of cured sugar maple for a fire. Dusk, Jan 11

01/12/2025

It’s above freezing for the first time in ten days. We are taking the opportunity to stow away a few decorations. The ranch house in the background is cozy in the snow.

01/10/2025

Dawn, January 10, 2025. It’s going to be another beautiful day.

01/10/2025

Am sure we are not alone in needing to delay the disassembly of our Christmas decorations. It’s nearly impossible while windchills are below zero. And anyway, they look beautiful in the snow that has been falling here all week.

01/07/2025

In between snow showers.

01/07/2025

January 7: It’s going to be a beautiful day. Happily the thick layer of ice on the trees, melted yesterday before temps dropped and winds picked up. Overnight we received an additional two inches of fluffy windblown snow.

01/06/2025

Dogwood twigs and flower buds cling to life this morning. Many trees are damaged and broken. Many trees will be gone today.

01/06/2025

Bickett’s K**b. Jan 6, 2025

01/06/2025

Five a m Jan 6

01/06/2025

This double exposure taken about 8 pm on Jan 5 shows snowy conditions in the barnyard with the stairs and upper hall showing in the background. As of now, it’s 21 degrees outside and raining. A thick crust of ice has formed on about 3 1/2 inches of new snow. Lots of ice shows heading this way later this evening. We do very much hope that the winds stay fairly calm and that the power may remain on.

01/05/2025

Snowfall at Dusk. It’s beautiful and peaceful out here. 164 years ago to this day, Mary Caperton married Tomlin Braxton in the parlor.

01/05/2025

Snowfall beginning. Sunday Jan 5

01/01/2025

Happy 2024!

01/01/2025

I got soaked as it poured cold rain while I picked a last large basket of fresh kale and spinach, and collected a bushel of beets from the cold muddy soil. As we anticipate frigid conditions for the month of January, this dusk December 31 visit would be the last of the season. Looking back, it has been a long and very productive one in this family garden. We wish for everyone everywhere a happy and productive 2025, which begins here in a mere few hours.