...Exploring W.V. ...the Midlands Trail...

...it's always so interesting to learn about your state's history by visiting the actual sites involved...

...The Midlands Trail runs through the city...and along it is this little park/memorial... ...it's right off the main road... ...I love the historical markers too...I always want to pull over and read them when we're driving as they almost always have too much information to read when you're whizzing by... ...an article about the Kanawha Riflemen...(I left it big so you could read it)... ...the Memorial... ...a closeup... ...Thomas Bullitt's grave...he lived a long time ago and fought in a bunch of wars...not sure what that has to do with the Riflemen...but there it is... ...pretty azaleas... ...weird mushrooms... ...all of the trees are labled...and although I've seen poplars all my life...I'd not seen any with this rough of a trunk...not sure I would have recognized it by it's bark...but by it's leaves... ...a huge poplar... ..sycamore...reminds me of the Baptist Church where I grew up...as people often called it Sycamore Baptist although that was not it's name... ...a big Black Maple...I would recognize it as a maple from it's leaves...but probably not know that it was 'black'... ...this one was new to me though... ...a pretty spiky bluish cedar... ...a huge hickory tree... ...wondering if there'll be nuts this fall...probably not...there are a lot of squirrels around... ...continuing up the trail (on the riverwalk)...you can see U.C. (the University of Charleston) across the water... ...a boat speeds past... ...such a pretty setting for a university... ...the historical marker for the Governor's Mansion... ...the Mansion...pretty eh?... ...the gold topped dome of the State Capitol Building...also pretty... ...the only state formed from the Civil War...the 35th Star... ...a pretty view of the State House... ...it's historical marker...

...there is an overwhelming scent of roses here...where is that coming from?... ...down the steps to the riverwalk...and there is a huge rose garden...called the Rose Wall... ...hundreds of pink and yellow roses...so pretty and fragrant...

...what a nice surprise!... ...and on the walk back to the car people were playing in the water..

~Have a lovely weekend...