A look at Interstate-81

Motorists pass along Interstate-81 Wednesday evening in Rockingham County.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, most Virginia sections of I-81 were constructed between 1957 and 1971, covering a total area of 325 miles.

Four dates left in 2008 Spring Walking Tour series

The 2008 Spring Walking Tour series is still underway on weekends in downtown Harrisonburg. Four more dates include topics such as “Franklin Street: Harrisonburg’s Most Beloved Street,” “Horses, Livery Stable, Saddlery and Blacksmiths,” “The Civil War in and around Harrisonburg” and “1850’s Harrisonburg.”

‘The Wind in the Willows’ opens next week at JMU

“The Wind in the Willows,” a play by R. Eugene Jackson, will be the first JMU Children’s Playshop production of the summer. Performances will run May 22 - June 1, Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and Sundays at 3:30 p.m.

Cookout honors local law enforcement

Tuesday afternoon hundreds milled about the plaza in front of the Public Safety Building in downtown Harrisonburg during a community cookout. The annual event honors local law enforcement during National Police Week.

Wildlife collection in the works

I always make small goals for myself. Here’s a current one - One of my interests is wildlife photography. Thanks to a promising bookmaking operation that I’ve been made aware of, it’s now possible for me to produce books. I’m working on a collection of wildlife images that will eventually be made into a book that can be bought online. In the meantime, if you know of great places in the Valley for spotting wildlife, leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

Clouds drift over Massanutten

Low-lying clouds drift over Massanutten Mountain Sunday following an afternoon rainstorm. The highest point of the mountain is 2,922 ft.

Gas prices on the rise

For motorists in Harrisonburg, gasoline prices are on the rise. Saturday evening on Port Republic Road, regular unleaded listed at $3.65 per gallon, which is still below the current national average of $3.69. Elsewhere in the city, some stations are slightly less, at $3.59 per gallon.

A car passes the Exxon station on Port Republic Road Saturday evening.

What’s up, Doc?

I spent Saturday morning in Blacksburg watching my sister become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine commencement ceremony. To those interested, here are a few images that I like from the day. Congrats, Doc.

Light, light, light!

One of the biggest considerations I’ve come to know in photography over the years is light. Light often establishes the mood and affects the quality of the colors, in addition to a host of other things. When I’m not running around with wireless flashes (that’s a story for another time), just picking a specific time of the day to shoot can dramatically change the way your images look. To demonstrate what I mean, check out the four images of the Rockingham County Courthouse below. All were shot roughly a half hour from one another before and after sunset.

Lightning comes to the Valley

Lightning lit up the skies of Harrisonburg Thursday night as storms moved through the area. Rain is expected in Rockingham County through much of the weekend.