Laurel Falls

 A quick text after church, a quick lunch, a meet up, and a short hike to the falls. The creek is in such a narrow, deep draw and given orientation that the winter sun doesn't reach the creek or creek bottom in most places. Given it was nearly 3 PM by the time we started, you could feel the cold drainage and the snow was persistent while gone other places.

If you care to look it up, you can find where this hike is.

I had intended to take several pictures of my son and daughter-in-law, but they turned back before we reached the falls due to prior engagements.

Most of the hike was a nearly flat stroll creekside, but a little at the beginning and more so one place about 2/3 in was rather steep up over cliffs. The following picture shows how fast the trail rose above the creek in an 1/8 of a mile. The little ridge was narrow, rocky, and steep on both sides. Just where we were supposed to turn down, my hiking partners decided that they needed to turn around. I understood and was glad that they think it important to be on time to things.

I like to hike with people, but I also like to hike alone. The light was getting a bit dim, everyone else had headed towards their cars, and the creek was the only sound to be heard. The solitude allowed me to think about life beyond the immediate and pray about many people and circumstances. The water, snow, and shadows added a chill and melancholy air to the surroundings and soul. Reflection and quiet are good for the soul and the body. Nowhere to be, no need to hurry, no one to answer to save my Lord.

The trail is quite near the creek at times. Only on the hottest of summer days would I venture into that water, and even then, I would look for a sunny rock upon which to warm up afterwards.

This section of trail has a few problem areas. As you can see from the following picture, the water would not need to be very much higher to cover the trail.

From the heavy rains the day before and snow melt, the falls was higher than usual.

You can see from the dark of rock and white of icicles on the right that the water had been much higher.

The spray and splatter in the splash zone coated many a branch and twig.

One of the reminders this few hours in the woods gave to me was that not all that chills the body chills the soul. In fact, the beauty and solitude can quite warm one to deeper consideration. I am thankful to God for these little jaunts in the forest. I am never alone because He is near, and I must confess that my most lonely feelings, though infrequent, occur in crowds where everyone's a stranger. The trees, sky, and ground are supposed to be quiet, but they resound with the glory of their Creator.

 

Conciliatory Surrender

 I appreciated how the National Park Service represented the surrender and interactions between Grant and Lee and all of the troops at Appomattox. Based on Lincoln's sentiments, the surrendering combatants laid down the arms and were given a parole pass to go home. Since they were farmers, Grant allowed them to take their horses, too. Following is the rebuilt courthouse after which the town was named, this one being constructed in 1892.

It is interesting that mementos of the surrender were still being passed around in 1908 and beyond.

I am amazed at how little war medals have changed. My father's medals from WWII look very similar to these.

How did that get through so much battle without a hole in it?

A stolen bit of history:

Even ceramic candle holders that were in the room were considered significant.

A battle saber and the amazing final count of cannons and colors taken

The lanes are no longer muddied, manured, and bloody, but the history oozes out of the surroundings.

The jailhouse is one of the original buildings. The second and third floors have bars in the walls, floors, and ceilings.

Putting pictures online makes them beyond reading fine print. All five sons served, two died, and the family was changed forever.

Can you imagine raising five sons and presumably daughters in a house this size?

The only civilian to die in the Appomattox battle was an enslaved girl who chose to stay in this house.

In the tavern they set up hand crank printing presses to print 22,000 parole passes.

Hanging out with my two little buddies at the store.

Growing out of a stone wall

The Mclean House where Grant and Lee along with their officers met in the parlor to write surrender concessions and sign the ending of hostilities with the Army of Northern Virginia. I regret that I didn't get a picture of the parlor, but you can Google paintings that accuratedly show the positions of each person and the furnishings of the room.

Most of us were happy!

If you know me, then you will know that I am fascinated by wood. The top of this bench is made of two boards, one about 4 inches wide and the other about 12 inches wide. They are about 21 feet long and a solid inch thick and there is not one knot on the whole thing. The sister bench did not have as pretty of grain, but it was also without a single knot. I dare say that no such tree exists now.

Speaking of trees, here stands a Southern Red Oak. I noticed that it was rather large, being over four foot in diameter. I wonder if it could have been there during the Civil War. I think someone else thought so, too, because it had about a half a dozen bolts through it to try to prevent splitting, since it has evidence of a rotten core and a major split in the trunk.

About a year later, women had bodies of fallen soldiers randomly buried, reburied in this memorial cemetery. 18 were Confederate and one was Union.

At the time of the battle and surrender, there were about twice as many structures as are found in the town now.

The two leading generals tried to set a conciliatory tone for the cessation of aggressions. Civilians should have followed their lead and laid down bitterness. Many of the opposing soldiers showed each other honor then and in years to come. Had these sentiments been more widely shared, the strife in the nation would have subsided and brought more peace to the nation. Tensions prevailed between North and South, White and Black, even up until now.

After we arrived back at the house, did chores and ate supper, we burned a brush pile in the fire pit in their backyard. It was a good ending to a reflective day.

God's GravelYard

She had been to this place before and it turned out to be extra helpful since I did not know where the trail starts. I went past it, her telling me she thought we had passed where the trail starts. I said I wanted to be sure by going on up a little. It was silly but I'm glad that I did anyway. We found this interesting rock outcrop and cascade along the creek. The area has copious amounts of limestone.

The water was too cold to wade, but it was pleasant with the sun coming out warming the air.

The creek was fringed with multi-colored pebbles and stones.

After that little detour we went back to the trailhead. The trail begins by crossing a creek.

I didn't know what the stone pillars were for until a few hundred yards into the woods. There was the faint outline of a foundation and a sign describing the first Boy Scout Camp in this part of Virginia on this rather large, flat creek bottom.

Only a little way into the woods was there a sign revealing the destinations.

The trail crossed the creek several times as it wound gently upslope through an open woods.

You can begin to see the marbleyard as you approach, but nothing prepares you for how large it is.

To the right of the boulders is a creek and falls of no impressive height or flow.

If your goal is to walk up the boulder field, there is little way of knowing what a task it will be. For one thing, what appears to be the top in this picture is not more than about 1/4 of the way up.

Check out as we go up how the boulders get larger. At the bottom they are the size of a night table or desk. As you go up they increase to minivan size and then to room or small house size.

Finding a reasonable way through the field for my smaller companion was quite the challenge. There is real rock scrambling in places.

In fact, we came to two places where it was easier for her to go under the boulders than over them. It was more fun, too.

At about the 2/3 distance we caught up with a family of 6 lounging on this large boulder. We exchanged photo taking duties. It is enjoyable to take pictures for someone else and makes for much better shots than selfies.

The rock is predominantly quartzite and would be gleaming white in the sunlight were it not for the lichen.

We took a lunch break at about the 3/4 point.

The boulders just get larger and larger, like you are in a raging sea of stony foam.

I believe that the next picture reveals the origin of the marbleyard. On the right is a 40 feet high cliff that runs along the top and down more than 1/2 of one side of the field. Between it and most of the boulders is this gap. The rock changes composition to a more platy and brittle rock that is not as white. It seems reasonable to me that an earthquake caused the rock outcropping to split so that the part on the left started shattering and bouncing off downslope.

When we finally reached the top, we sat down to finish our food and read Genesis 1.

Back down slope a hundred feet from our above food stop is the top of the cliff. We exchanged picture taking duties with two young women. Some of the upper boulder field is obscured by trees, but you get the idea of how large it is. I would say that it is easily 1/2 mile long.

There is a trail along one side of the boulders which is much quicker for regress. I pointed out this Table Mountain Pine cone growing out of the trunk.

My granddaughter was not so occupied with climbing and wanted to take pictures on the way back down. That allowed me to get in the picture more.

She got warm, so she splashed creek water on her face.

We have come full circle.

I also pointed out Chestnut Oak to her, of which this is a particularly large one.

We are back at the car crossing the creek.

Down the road a short way is this curious historical site. Making anything, including war requires infrastructure. Check out the details.

Pretty impressive that it stands since 1853. The iron lentil plates holding up the stone over the entryways are set to collapse in not too many more years, but it is hanging on for now.

The mountains of Virginia are not so tall as those in ETN and WNC but they sure are steep-sided. The James River cuts right through the middle.

We had left the house at 9:30 and arrived back just in time for sunset, weary and satisfied adventurers.

Can you think of a better way to spend your birthday? I am not rich or especially strong to go on far flung or difficult adventures, but I am blessed to have small and beautiful challenges, frequently with those I love. Life is good because God is good.