October 28,2026- Hana waved me off, as she was scooting along the perimeter of the playpen. She hadn’t done that before, so I sense she is building up a reserve of self-confidence. She has also been standing up without support, more readily. Taking steps independently is likely not far off.
She is adapting to the change in seasons, by taking longer naps in the afternoon, just as she did in the Spring. Of course, she is bundled up for morning walks and in the relative afternoon heat, we take her out in lighter clothing. The rainy season is about to return, so outdoor activities will be even more limited on several days.
HANA’S NOTE- Mommy ate the rest of her ice cream, and I still didn’t get any. I hope I can have some soon.
EXPANDING CIRCLES: West Virginia- The Mountain State has seen me pass through and make overnight stops, ten times. My first stop was in Morgantown, in 1972, for an overnight at West Virginia University. I have passed through the northern Panhandle, five times and the eastern Pothandle, on four occasions. Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry were focuses of a couple visits. I drove through Charleston once, in 2017, en route to visiting family in Indiana. Each time, I was well-received. West Virginia’s scenic beauty and historic landmarks are likely to draw us back.
The turf- Eastern West Virginia is covered by the Allegheny Range, of the Appalachian Mountains. The southern part of the state features the Cumberland Mountains. The rest of the state is covered by the Allegheny Plateau. New River Gorge, Cheat Canyon and Blackwater Canyon are among the most striking landscapes in the eastern U.S. West Virginia is drained by the Ohio, Potomac, Kanawha, New, Bluestone, Shenandoah, Gauley, Monongahela and Cheat Rivers, along with their tributaries. West Virginia has a healthy portion of the Appalachian Trail and Harpers Ferry is the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Association.
First Nations- West Virginia is the ancestral home of the Cherokee, Shawnee, Monacan, Meherrin,Manahoac, Nottoway Occaneechee,Tutelo and Saponi peoples. The Mingo, an Iroquoian tribe, moved to the area after Europeans began to push westward. As part of the Commonwealth of Virginia, until 1863, West Virginia was affected heavily by the continuous conflicts known as the French and Indian Wars, from 1688-1763. Part of these was the Anglo-Cherokee War (1758-61), which ended in defeat for the Cherokee, and the Treaty of Long Island. The Shawnee were also defeated, in Governor Dunmore’s War (1774). Most of the First Nations people moved westward, during the Trail of Tears, from 1836-38. There are no Native American reservations in West Virginia today.
Where I feel most at home- Martinsburg, Charles Town, Harpers Ferry, Morgantown
Where I feel most at peace- Harpers Ferry, New River Gorge
NEXT: District of Columbia
