For the last three weeks it has been so hot, humid, and hazy that the sky has been a dull, moist gray. No clouds, no color, no blue...South Mountain had vanished in the haze.
Today the temps finally dropped and we were treated to a beautiful blue sky with billowy clouds. It was altogether a beautiful and pleasant day which I'd like to share with you in pictures.
Here, then, Is Saturday August 11, at Antietam National Battlefield. I wish you could have been there with me.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4bMHhWuvwo5UDSO1F1RHFjaaP-dq0QBOzZFXXObH-jxH-5-lxuslNbj1_1CUb8s022XvVibRgqHvJ1zYMxU0927oeMX_R6oNn2XwkRRMV-upeXmNCuAcW8iSDMHIAbYEYpA8/s400/IMG_0609.JPG)
Finally a blue, non-hazy sky for the tower to rest against.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MN7i0y99wq_JxZ493PUv5JTfpEP0YPJodLNdIr1cvnm9rqoFpmkX2dagLpLlZ6KaM047sCCXW37I17sfmS6SOulyOZxq5mGwwUwhqpcMEVkvGksWoCJYw6v4ASJO37p02vIk/s400/IMG_0553.JPG)
The Last of the mimosas on the Hagerstown Pike. Like little tufts of cotton candy they have weathered the drought and brought color, butterflies, and hummingbirds to our valley.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rMoxcy96JgL2S6kS19AzegDPWZNzynAc47CHyKFpUWMjxXrnMGpmQxloaMHKdEAsPqk1zx5rx9439ROtYYbHta-rUbg8Dz3HxPfQN02WEPw9KVxHtDRJMT0x0AKP5873KTYi/s400/IMG_0649.JPG)
Living History at Antietam. The 27th Virginia infantry Regiment is on hand this weekend. Click on the title of this post to view a Youtube movie of them in action, or go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hco4WWfjVyA.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgPCTbfNrCNCW0Nvf925Ne7PsFzPVYcvtxr7Wi44DaCM-mrZO6K3f8pBXh3S0rmkZMuYPXIew6fzmoy7QZVSN8Xo7OpC8aitXxQRWJ8-RiHrkMM8K2lMxIUrpNu-6b7VrLgvo/s400/IMG_0562.JPG)
The 27th VA is looking good as they prepare to march over to the visitor's center for a demonstration of infantry tactics.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEuo9t9cXl-PXsxz8NH2Ifa_B46AiQQS3OlmedDQZFUbYxZDhphhTJCvhEV-8wkf4HZYVhnGRyzBEPTayitTbHpiKktkEHFIG8_0sEWu8av4lpwL31XJm_Z_Ryp7W8NBjWckpC/s400/IMG_0581.JPG)
All of us who were once little boys can relate to this.
For those of us who are veterans... it gives us pause.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIX5z_k6Uwy0-I0OHz-Au4ZLKvdiNBUCXKc4EyJ1oevCcXF1oczr4dg-pAXwrXLu_8ZprQwKNLmcbZci5H5bcxh7Ppr5l0MIe7qHMW2Mie-CGFStmNhRWngxQW2CxY9A3zr68-/s400/IMG_0629.JPG)
CHARGE BAYONETS! I don't know about you, but this here yankee is ready to skedaddle!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9_fyStBBGOsTj013eb8fOpyWewgCtitB8YoA_ZOOq-mloP-bv9IFZGfVisc7JQeb5Vo4Bnx8-lEm1mrN7LOzMQghHxx7QUYxs_CW8wWzlSJ7NPjOaBBT0Snq14GmNK53tDJD/s400/IMG_0633.JPG)
I got Ranger Hoptak to reveal his Lincolnesque side.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWUdiWENiA9EihpcY0qMx3c2nlC_ZY9OJP93wzoXbsiX9SgdZSdSybvNrAqgpgiMVjEHsKa2y1LvDy6eimO6MAjaHdX-7zc03nPvJ4EWIcHV0kQx4PQEPFs81DKSX1LfIkpnW/s400/IMG_0628.JPG)
Someone spotted me taking pictures.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgASFR6JO6PuMy1isdmqwI6_gyUWtSwHaqxo74TCWrlnvVEw3mMnJC9SG8fUOf0sbnzntQxrb-s0QyzaJyWGcmawwvJxvGIcXZvwNMfI5aWaOAWSxUfj6xfGFjpBWEphS10IZE/s400/IMG_0626.JPG)
Say it ain't so! It appears that Capt. Tomkins battery has been taken by the rebs.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoUCBUW-FtmwmyQue-8SRuWn4vwq3w12YaVo7aedIgrOPRsXQcXySi208zGoTNNpJc4TpsgW9KUFy-b0jwmgppNwS_UpG-5vtAaM2JlbbL_Zunn13PSnzVeCWpTAv7gOdoCoe/s400/IMG_0668.JPG)
Late summer's got this little dude pretty jaded. He quickly sized me up as a non-threat and refused to budge. This is called "merely annoying a grasshopper".
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FGfZypkYKnvHIhmlusAwxRYYxARnhISY6YSH9sXI8eesYH2DjA7r7UFTNg-axZYAZPv_k4PfJSrMGmpiRo3RyM9cz4vPdKXrly25vbm_P-TEu53ixVcqM7bsKvSQetUru4FQ/s400/IMG_0673.JPG)
The late summer cosmos tower over the gun (and Ranger Mannie).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9UvYQRbJ1oebVKSw4m5qQ6Emtn5uVLhVV-_Np9uLBTCAvfZT1X3nggskaxP5sD9mHOkGTrkARyuUwsxK5xmIBYdXcqwcyTU-M_bmsx5afwgFB9rfEvLpA89mgtVvNmP2LFFd/s400/IMG_0642.JPG)
A day of shooting means an evening of cleaning. Our friends from the 27th Virginia clean up before supper...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T-RubHTQrGIesFRGkGjJnqK0ZU_-KwCZCnP0naKgElbUxpvTrpayd5b6vDvaKsa7wDwADC3sKGZ1ypFfdkn3Nk3vAOt35SwGTuwggLuigfG0vzegicP41QBcwNNMGx2MPsNC/s400/IMG_0676.JPG)
...as I take down and fold up the flag, at the end of yet one more, of the best days of my life.
Just north of Sharpsburg
Ranger Mannie