vastateofmind

Same. Except in my case, I'm hardly ever in a Virginia "state of mind" any longer...more like South Carolina. Ooooh, yeah. It's 59 right now and I assume it's the same temp at the other end of the cul de sac...even though I can't really see that far.

With a bonus fly and a couple wasps! It's 61 at Fort Belvoir this A.M. and feels refreshing out. Looks like a gorgeous day coming up.

Yeah, WTAF is up with THEM all of a sudden?? Yesterday alone, we found at least 3 or 4 in the house, and a dozen or more while sitting out on the patio. UGH.

Wow, just looked at that Oceans Calling music festival lineup, if that's what mappy and CAPE are discussing -- I would personally LOVE to see Third Eye Blind, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Gin Blossoms and Fitz & The Tantrums. Not necessarily in that order. Have always wanted to see Gin Blossoms live, one of my fave bands of all time...

Yeah, turned out pretty darn nice today. Opened most of the 2nd floor windows in the house...67 here.

I've noticed a LOT more monarchs flitting about over (at least) the past month or so...like, so many more than in previous years. We have two huge butterfly bushes in front of our home, but I don't think that's why there's so many more. Also, they are apparently getting more domesticated...a couple of have flat out landed on my hands or arms lately!

You surely did....plz share more pics if you get the chance! We miss our "future home."

Aaaand, again this morning! Heavy drizzle and 56. First morning since spring I've had to yank on sweats and the fleece zip-up just to be comfy IN the house. We may have had this convo in recent years...but I like this kind of weather, at least for a day or two. Folks are probably getting cabin fever after being confined by Ophelia last weekend...but I still like it.

As a lifelong Dolphins fan, who's been used to disappointment more than the alternatives...I approve of this assessment.

I know it's in your profile name....but DUDE. You take THE MOST AWESOME pics, like EVER, in this entire sub. Probably in all of the AmWx subs. I so love your work. I aspire to your level of photographic skills (with my various Google Pixel phones). So for that....THANK YOU for sharing!!

100% agree. Except our 26 year old son visiting from Austin is all, "Hey, let's go downtown and visit some museums and bars!!" And my wife and I are all, "DUDE, have you LOOKED OUTSIDE??"

EXACTLY this...so very nice to have the windows open most of the evening! Also, this isn't as good as the rest posted earlier...but the "hurricane sunset" from our backyard earlier.

I was just wondering about this...my family is bugging the crap out of me to start the wood firepit for a few hours before the rain arrives....but the rain looks to be pushing up from between RIC/FXBG right now? I'm thinking a firepit will need to be put out within an hour or two? #HELP Yeah, winds are noticeably stronger within past hour or so....gonna put on a sweatshirt.

Not cocktails -- not yet anyway! -- but Mrs. VAStOfMd made a Wegmans run and picked up some Southern Tier Warlock and Pumking beers for the weekend. Our absolutely TOP favorite autumn timeframe IPAs in the whole wide world.

Walked into the VA ABC store to browse yesterday...and was honestly surprised at all of the flavored options for whiskey now. I mean, there's been a lot of options for flavored vodka for sometime now, but WOW. I'm intrigued by your Jim Beam homebrew option...

Well then I am doubly happy for you all, if you've never visited MB! I think you will really enjoy the variety of eating and entertainment options, and if you're seeing family...ALL the better!

But...if y'all leave early enough, you SHOULD clear the worst effects of Ophelia by midday to mid-afternoon. I mean...it WILL suck with windshield wipers doing double-speed, at least some of the time. But just remember the prize that awaits you at your destination...and enjoy. My wife and I are heading to MB the week of Thanksgiving, to make some of our final "neigborhood shopping" decisions, prior to a final move there in the next 1-2 years. We've been making that Thanksgiving week trip for the past several years and as always...CAN'T WAIT.

There's no other member on this board than @Scraff (well, @CAPE, too) when the power fails, and we NEED to empty out the beer fridge before it all gets warm...or, alternately, transfer it to the ice chests.... That is a REAL pretty sat pic right there. So, for those who were here back then...does Ophelia fall just short of being as impactful as Isabel in 2003 in terms of rain or wind? Or not even close? I've seen a few historical charts that showed Isabel dropped 1"-3" in the metro area, but the winds (I think, or at least remember) definitely had in impact in the area.

User name checks out... Now getting wind advisory for my neck 'o the woods. Interesting.

Things heating up down there at the Frying Pan Shoals Light...

That's it! I saved the label, too...just can't remember where I put it.

I was thinking earlier that you live in a spot that might get a good show out of the incoming storm...

Damn! That's tall! And now that you've mentioned that, I've got a couple butterfly bushes on the front of the house almost that tall that are gonna be laid out flat tomorrow between rain/wind, if I don't shore THEM up somehow. The forecasted northern reach of the wind field, which someone also mentioned a page ago last evening, is impressive.

Yeah, forecasting on Baby Ophelia has been pretty solid for the past 24-36 hours, just did a lot of catching up on NHC's discussions and graphics. It does indeed read like we're going to have some moderate impact here in the metro areas. Between lurking here, finishing some taskers at work, and squeezing the weekly mowing in...gonna be a busy day!

Ocelot is one of my favorite local brewers....one of their best recent offerings was an excellent IPA collab with Solace (another awesome local brewer) last year, for which they secured the rights to use the images of Sterling Archer and one of his regular nemeses, Babou the Ocelot, on the can label...