Wednesday preview

Your guide to what's coming up on the stoop this weekend

Remember me? The guy whose dog has that elaborate routine he MUST go through before he poops? And you somehow subscribed to this newsletter anyway?

Don't worry. People have done sillier things.

In case you've thought twice about whether you really want to clog up your inbox with missives from me, I'm sure there's an unsubscribe button around here somewhere. Sorry, I'm new here too. Not quite sure where it is … ?

Oh hey! Still here?

Great!

To show my appreciation for sticking around and indulging me, here's what I'm cooking up for you this weekend.

My wife and I decided to get up off the stoop and hit the road this week. We're in West Virginia's Canaan Valley, the state's high mountain playground. We're staying just outside Davis in Tucker County, not far from Blackwater Falls State Park.

The above is an illustration of the iconic falls created by our once famous friend Porte Crayon, whose real name was David Hunter Strother. It was included in his series of travelogues “The Mountains,” published in the 1870s in Harper's New Monthly Magazine.

Planning to put Porte's illustration alongside a fresh pic or two of the falls so you can do a “then and now” sort of thing.

By the way, Ornery Dog Jasper is with us and I'm starting to think he's one of those dogs who prefers his own throne. He has yet to sniff, circle and poop. Not sure I want to be around when he finally cuts loose.

How does that old saying go? Something like “You can take a dog out of the neighborhood, but you can't make him …?”

Anyway, see you back here Saturday morning. Or maybe Sunday morning? Definitely Monday morning.

Okay fine. It depends on how energetic I am when we get back home to Martinsburg.

ggs

PS: Never heard of Porte Crayon? Here's a quick bio from my friends at West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where I used to work.

PPS: Is a newsletter really a newsletter if no one subscribes? Please help me spread the word.