It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

It IS a beautiful day in the neighborhood!  Luke took me bye-bye in the car this afternoon, to get some fresh air and appreciate the beautiful mountain area where we live.  It could not have been a clearer, more beautiful day. 
Everything is that new green color that just screams "spring!!!!!" From the fields to the hills, it's green, green, green. That's Smith Mountain in the background.

Virginia's state flower, the dogwood, is in full glorious bloom.  The white flowers are eveywhere along the roadways and forest edges.  Do you know the legend of the dogwood?  Legend is that the dogwood tree was used for the cross for Jesus' crucifixion.  The "rusty" ends of the pedals are from the nails and the green cluster in the center represents the crown of thorns.  For a full story on the legend, check out http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/h034rpLegendDogwood.htm .  This version is a little intense for me, but whatever your beliefs or legends, the dogwood is one of the most beautiful trees of spring.

The country roads are full of old tobacco barns, memories of the crops of the past.  They are rather pretty in their own way.

The last stop on our little afternoon ride was the park at the hydro-electric dam on Smith Mountain Lake.  We've seen this many times from the other side of the dam, day sailing on Lukes little old sailboat.  I don't think I've seen this side for many, many years. 

I'm doing ok - I just might get this cast off on Tuesday and go to the air cast instead! That would mean some walking!  Fingers crossed!