We camped at Loft Mountain at milepost 79 along the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park this past weekend. We have not been for a long time…we camped there the first night of our Lewis and Clark trip but that was 1997 or so. The campsites were nice and secluded although it was an uphill trek to car and bathroom. Good exercise especially since all the food had to be stored in the car when not in use because of the bear problem. The wildflowers were in bloom: smiling ox-eye daisies with yellow centers, long plumes of goat’s beard waving from the hillsides, and wild blackberries covered by white blossoms that promise tasty fruit later. There was bladder campion, showy skullcap, and white waterleaf with its fringed blossoms hanging below the foliage in small clusters. But it was the mountain laurel (mixed with some wild rhododendron) that was most beautiful, covering hillsides and peeking from tree lines, the white and pink blossoms catching the sun.
As we drove south on Sunday morning, we saw a peacock on the side of the road. He let us back up the car, roll down the window, and take several pictures. We also saw white tailed deer, an adorable chipmunk stuffing its mouth with pieces of dog food, and lots of little brown birds.
