Home Sweet Homewood

Posted on December 12, 2012 by theblondecoyote
My Office in Virginia

My office in Virginia. Of course, the view out the window is more brown than green these days…

After a month away, on the road and housesitting a place in Vermont, it’s nice to come back to a place I know: Homewood, Virginia, population 9: 5 dogs, 4 people, including me and the boys. I’ve only spent two months here so far and I’ll probably be here for another two months or so before heading back out West, but this place is starting to feel like Home, mainly because I’ve gotten to know it thoroughly, on foot, my favorite way to travel.

I’ve only been back here for a few days, but I’ve already covered a lot of ground. This past weekend, I took two hikes, one revisiting “my morning commute” a 7-mile section of the Appalachian Trail and another on a new path: the Belfast Trail to the Devil’s Marbleyard. Every day this week I’ve spent mornings working in my office, at my grandmother’s desk, afternoons hiking along the James River and evenings reading The Forest Unseen by a roaring fire. Life in Virginia is good.

Afternoon by the River James

Sunny December day by the River James

Stay tuned for a post on the mysterious geology of the Devil’s Marbleyard!

Devil's Marbleyard D.O.G.

Devil’s Marbleyard D.O.G.

About theblondecoyote

Mary Caperton Morton is a freelance science and travel writer with degrees in biology and geology and a master’s in science writing. A regular contributor to EARTH magazine, where her favorite beat is the Travels in Geology column, she has also written for the anthologies Best Women's Travel Writing 2010 and Best Travel Writing 2011. Mary is currently based in western Colorado. When she’s not at the computer she can usually be found outside -- hiking, skiing, climbing mountains and taking photographs. Visit her website at www.marycapertonmorton.com.
This entry was posted in Appalachian Trail, Bowie & D.O.G., Hiking!, Photography, Road tripping!, Sustainable Living, Vagabonding 101. Bookmark the permalink.

5 Responses to Home Sweet Homewood

  1. Elisa says:
    December 12, 2012 at 1:55 pm

    There is a huge part of the side of the mountain that looks like this in Ravensburg State Park! I wondered how it got to be that way, it looks more like dumping from something than from nature. I’ll be interested to find out how yours came to be.

  2. Alice says:
    December 12, 2012 at 2:48 pm

    A place to hang your hat I see.

  3. David George Haskell says:
    December 12, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    Mary,

    I am so happy that The Forest Unseen is part of your wintertime reading. Thank you. Your writing and photography is fabulous — so I am particularly honored to have my work in your library.

    With best wishes for the solstice season, David

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