Valentine at the Hermitage

My valentine's gift turned out to be a spring-like afternoon and a few free hours before karate.  I went to the Hermitage, a gorgeous home and grounds on the Lafayette River in Norfolk, VA.  The sun was strong enough to hold its own against a brisk breeze (or wind - sometimes it blew pretty hard) and the afternoon was advanced enough to make for lovely light and shadows.

The lines of this crepe myrtle reminded me of the iconic Lone Cypress at Cypress Point near Monterey, CA - it made me think of the last time I saw it, on a trip with my dear friend Carol.

The tide was low enough to reveal this channel - I don't know if it's visible at high tide.

I feel foolish not knowing the names of these flowers  - but I do  know that I've never seen a leaf impaled quite like this before. 

Before I moved east of the Mississippi, I'd only ever seen yuccas and prickly pears in desert settings.  I'm still disconcerted when I see them thriving elsewhere.  

I was only at the Hermitage for about an hour, but it was the kind of hour that provides grounding and centering for the rest of the day.  Which was good, as life got a little rough on the back end of the day. I'm grateful for this time and for the excuse of the camera to spend it seeing what I might otherwise have missed.