As this is written, we are parked in Western Pennsylvania where we have been for about two weeks. Our travel from Wisconsin to Pennsylvania has been over previously visited familiar places and very few photos were taken as we mostly relaxed when we were not dodging thunderstorms.
We arrived at Mountain Top Campground in Tarentum PA which is about 18 miles from Leechburg where Larry grew up and where he still has family. So we have been doing some visiting and will include some pictures.
Mountain Top is a rather interesting place as it is the site of the spoils pile from a former coal strip mine operation in the area. The overburden that was removed to expose the coal was piled here. When mining was finished the pile was leveled leaving a large flat-topped "mountain" upon which the campground was established. Former owners were Blue Grass Music enthusiasts and held regular festivals here attracted large crowds. Sadly one of the owners passed away 2 years ago and his wife finally sold to new, younger owners. It is unknown if they will continue the concerts.
At any rate the elevated location has afforded us some lovely and vibrant sunsets which I have tried to capture for your enjoyment. I realize the photos do not do justice to the vastness of some of these backlit cloud formations, but here they are!
I don't have words to add to these so they will stand on their own.
We had an opportunity to visit with Larry's Aunt Betty Knell who in turn was being visited by her daughter and grandchildren from England. My Uncle Walter Knell died in April of this year at age 85 after a long illness, so it was our first chance to see Betty since. It is a strange feeling conversing with one's cousin who speaks with a distinct British accent though she was born here in Pennsylvania. Amanda (Mandy) moved to England quite a while ago and has developed the speech of her new country. Her children, twins Annabelle and Jack, having been born in England know no other speech. We were reminded that Jack is senior to Annabelle by one minute.
We arrived at Mountain Top Campground in Tarentum PA which is about 18 miles from Leechburg where Larry grew up and where he still has family. So we have been doing some visiting and will include some pictures.
Mountain Top is a rather interesting place as it is the site of the spoils pile from a former coal strip mine operation in the area. The overburden that was removed to expose the coal was piled here. When mining was finished the pile was leveled leaving a large flat-topped "mountain" upon which the campground was established. Former owners were Blue Grass Music enthusiasts and held regular festivals here attracted large crowds. Sadly one of the owners passed away 2 years ago and his wife finally sold to new, younger owners. It is unknown if they will continue the concerts.
At any rate the elevated location has afforded us some lovely and vibrant sunsets which I have tried to capture for your enjoyment. I realize the photos do not do justice to the vastness of some of these backlit cloud formations, but here they are!
I don't have words to add to these so they will stand on their own.
We had an opportunity to visit with Larry's Aunt Betty Knell who in turn was being visited by her daughter and grandchildren from England. My Uncle Walter Knell died in April of this year at age 85 after a long illness, so it was our first chance to see Betty since. It is a strange feeling conversing with one's cousin who speaks with a distinct British accent though she was born here in Pennsylvania. Amanda (Mandy) moved to England quite a while ago and has developed the speech of her new country. Her children, twins Annabelle and Jack, having been born in England know no other speech. We were reminded that Jack is senior to Annabelle by one minute.
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| Jack and Annabelle Baggaley |
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| Annabelle and Jack with their Grandmother, Betty Knell |
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| Mandy and her children and her Mother.
The great variety of wildflowers around the edges of the campground were an unexpected treat from our stay here. They have given me an opportunity to practice my macrophotography, and believe me I need practice. I cannot identify them all, but I offer the photos for your enjoyment.
I got a bonus with the Bee doing his work on this one.
This is the ubiquitous Goldenrod.
These are tiny, perhaps an inch wide.
   
The two above are Thistle in bloom.
Each of these clusters above is only about a quarter of an inch across!
We purchased a new piece of lawn art to put around our site. A fellow camper in Batesville Ohio makes these from a section of PVC pipe. And since we are heading to Florida we thought it would be right at home.
We had it displayed while parked near Ashtabula Ohio and one morning I noticed something had been added to it! When I went out to investigate I discovered that someone had left the little hand-carved egret shown below sitting on the PVC versions's back.
And finally I have to include a couple of recent pictures of Dixie being herself!
I call this one, Princess Dixie as she reclines on a pillow on top of the sofa.
Yummie!
That is all for this time.
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