Norma and I got a late start because I wanted to finish working on my latest project...garden defense.

Groundhogs eat approximately 1/3 of their weight in plant matter each day. For a someone growing a vegetable garden (i.e. Norma), these pests can ruin weeks of hard work in just a few hours. In 2016, we caught and relocated ten groundhogs. In 2017, there were four groundhogs and four racoons. Thus, for Norma's Christmas gift this year, I promised to do what I could to solve this problem.

In November and December 2017, I built a groundhog-resistant fence to protect a 1,420 square foot area in our back yard. This fence is five feet above ground with the top 18 inches left unsecured to discourage the groundhog from climbing over since they don't like scaling something unstable. Velcro keeps the top part of the fence from sagging but will release if the groundhog tries to climb up. To prevent groundhogs from digging under, a 2.5 foot section resides underground, running parallel with the ground. At ground level and slightly below, a heavy wooden base borders the fence and ensures I can quickly cut a neat edge with the weed whacker. Two gates were installed with easy one hand opening/closing latches. Corner and gate posts were set in concrete while the others were simply pounded in.
All wooden parts were stained or painted. Fence material is 2"x3" mesh PVC-coated welded wire secured by screws and fender washers at the base and gates. The fence is secured to steel posts with rebar wire. I managed to use a lot of material recycled from the previous crude garden fence which was only designed to keep out chickens. It took a total of about $600 and 75 hours to complete this task. As one of my co-workers said, "For that much money, it is cheaper just to buy vegetables." That is true. But if vegetable gardening is your passion, then it is worth every penny.
On March 10, 2018, I started seeing the fruits from my labor. We saw a groundhog scoping out the garden. Then it ran behind the shed. I went to investigate and found that it tried to dig under the shed, only to be stopped by the welded wire I put in place.

The following provided very helpful information and suggestions.

Our Edible Garden - The Solution

Penn Live - Fencing out groundhogs

Love to Know - How to Get Rid of Groundhogs

Terrier Man - Groundhog Life and Habitat

We were on the road in the early afternoon and arrived at our destination a little before dusk. For our first night, we stayed at an AirBnB at a farm near Churchville, Virginia. The woman who owned the farm is Japanese American and she said I was the first Japanese American she had stay at her farm. No surprise there. There aren't many of us on the east coast.

Our whole weekend was spent in Virginia near the southern end of Shenandoah National Park, though we did not enter the park.

Norma and I ate stuff we brought from home and then spent much of the evening making conversation with our host and her boyfriend.

After a nice pancake breakfast with our host, Norma and I paid a visit to Polyface Farms in Swoope. We walked around the farm, escorted by a very friendly dog. The farm was home to pigs, geese, cattle, and a LOT of chickens.
The owner, Joel Salatin, actually has about four times the number of chickens seen in this picture. Much to my surprise, many looked like my chickens in that they weren't the typical leghorn breed that one finds at a factory egg farm. I was impressed with the fact that despite so many chickens in close proximity to each other, they looked healthy, their living space was fairly clean, and there were no strong odors.

Norma and I explored Staunton and caught a light lunch.

Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, we started our first hike. Neither of us had done much hiking for awhile, my knees were not in the best of shape, and it was late in the day. So Norma picked a short but scenic hike.

The two of us walked through the Mountain Farm Trail where we saw many pioneer structures built like back around the turn of the century.
Next, we commenced a 700-foot climb to Humpback Rocks on Humpback Mountain. We saw a few witch hazel trees, which Norma taught me to recognize. There was no snow but there was ice on some parts of the trail.

On Humpback Rocks, we had views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Rockfish Valley, and the Shenandoah Valley below.

In the below snapshot, the little triangular patch of cleared area just to the right of Norma's head is where we started.
We stopped briefly at the Appalachian Trail. Near there, we found a big cairn, where Norma made her contribution.
We never made it to the peak though I don't think there was a vista so we probably didn't miss much.

Being winter, there wasn't a lot of greenery. But there was moss.
We finished a little before dusk, having walked ~3.5 miles.

For the next two nights, we would stay at the Days Inn in Waynesboro. We selected this place based on its price and proximity to the Waffle House, which we both enjoy.

After getting cleaned up, we explored the town and heard some live music at the Green Leaf Grill where we ate dinner. We were really hoping to hear bluegrass which would have been fitting given our location. But there was none to be found.

The day was calling for rain though you wouldn't have thought so early in the morning. But eventually, clouds rolled in and let loose. But that didn't keep us off the trail. We donned our rain gear and waterproof boots, and then set out a hikin'. I wore my new Rothco M-65 Storm Jacket.

The two of us walked up Crabtree Falls Trail in George Washington National Forest. Crabtree Creek feeds Crabtree Falls which is comprised of five major cascades and a number of smaller ones that fall a total distance of 1,200 feet. It is the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River.

It rained off and on (mostly on). But despite the foul weather, there were quite a few people out on the trail. I imagine if it were a really nice day in the spring or summer, there would be far too many people for my taste.

We walked about 3.5 miles.

After our hike, we stopped at Edible Landscaping. This place is famous for their persimmon trees. Norma bought three kiwi saplings to plant near our deck.

The two of us ate an early dinner at the Waffle House. The employees seemed pretty happy.

Later, we returned to the Green Leaf Grill but just for dessert. A different musician performed. Still no bluegrass.

On our last day, Norma and I drove to our final trailhead. We parked near the Charlottesville Reservoir and then hiked up Moormans River to Big Branch Falls. The falls was just a trickle.

This was the easiest of the three hikes. There were two or three simple stream crossings and a good bit of rocky scenery.

We walked about 4.5 miles.

Norma and I drove through Crozet. There were lots of wineries in the area.

Driving home was easy. Not a lot of traffic.

We made it back in to eat a delicious Christmas Eve dinner with our good neighbors Don and Sara.

We didn't get a chance to do any hikes in the southern part of Shenandoah National Park. The park pass is good for a few days so it makes sense to do all your hikes there or none if you're staying for a few days. We'll save hiking in the park for next time and hopefully also find some bluegrass venues. It felt good to get out, walk, and see some nice views. I was reminded of why I enjoy hiking in the wilderness.

Regarding hearing local music, next time we'll have to check out
The Crooked Road, a 333-mile cultural heritage trail that winds through southwest Virginia bordering Appalachia, spanning the Blue Ridge to the Cumberland Mountains. It links the original music venues, festivals, historic sites and towns where American music first took root, and the culture that sustains it.
Bristol, the southernmost destination along the Crooked Road, is a good place to begin. In 1998, Congress declared Bristol "The Birthplace of Country Music."
- from "Country's Cooked Road" in The Baltimore Sun, Sunday, May 29, 2016

On the Crooked Road, we should also consider

Abingdon

Galax: The World Capital of Mountain Music

Floyd: The Floyd Country Store has a near constant lineup of music from touring acts and local musicians

Ferrum: Host of the annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival

Rocky Mount: Among more than 60 affiliated venues and festivals is an every-Thursday bluegrass jam at a Rocky Mount Dairy Queen.