Dad and I went up to Morgantown to visit our cousins for the twins' birthday (see last year's post on this subject here). They were moving around a lot more than I would consider normal for nine-month olds--technically it's their first birthday, but developmentally they're considered to be about nine months. It's pretty cool to watch them crawling around, getting into things, making babbling noises, etc. After what they went through it's a miracle of sorts that they made it this far. And so far they're advancing by leaps and bounds--I wouldn't be surprised if they were taking their first steps before autumn is over.

The twins with two of their grandmothers (they have four total, lucky them). Their older sister is in the bottom picture as well.

In order to add a little flavor to the trip, my dad and I traced Stonewall Jackson's 1862 march across Massanutten Mountain to Front Royal. On the way back, we also went through Fort Valley, which is in the middle of Massanutten. It's kind of a "hanging valley"--I'm not sure of the numbers but it's probably about 100 feet or so off the floor of the Shenendoah Valley proper. It's a really lovely, picturesque place, and I wish I had some pictures of it, but by the time I remembered the camera we were going back up one of the rocky walls of the valley. Next time, perhaps.

Instead, there's this:

A great view of the Luray Valley from near the summit of Massanutten.

And this...

Perhaps the only picture you will ever see of me with a toothpick hanging out of my mouth.

POSTSCRIPT: It has been brought to my attention that there are quite a few people passing through here, usually with a stop at Gates of Vienna. Far be it from me to demand that y'all comment on here...but I would appreciate it, since the comment boards on here are a bit sparse. Especially those of you from W & M--every now and then I find out one of you is reading this but you never leave a note. Please do...