Fired Up Glutes and Movies

One of the best things to do in Virginia is hiking. And it is easy to find numerous places to do that here, whether up and down our hills, through the fields, along the private drive to our cabin, through the Jefferson National Forest, or on the Appalachian Trail. Actually just walking up our driveway will fire muscle groups in your glutes that have probably gone dormant unless you mountain climb on a regular basis. And wherever we decide to hike, we always have to pull that hill on the way back.

Have mercy!

It’s a good way to start the day and afterwards I feel like I am justified to do anything I please. Sometimes that includes watching a few movies. Unfortunately, we don’t have satellite service here. So our little receiver only picks up a few channels and only when it wants to. There’s no predictability to it unless you predict the unpredictable.

But, a few minutes up the road, on the other side of the East River Mountain Tunnel in West Virginia, is Mercer Mall and Theater. The movie theater usually has eight shows running. But if – like yesterday – they don’t appeal to you, just go over to the mall and select a few from the FYE (For Your Entertainment). We found several at good prices and now have a new selection to choose from when our pickings on channels 7, 10, 39, and 52 are slim.

The mall is not large, but it has some of everything you could need and most of the major store names that anchor malls as well as a few that are truly unique to Mercer County. And they have a few places to eat including a K & W. Of course you can go on over to Bluefield or Princeton and find even more options. But usually we get everything we need right there.

Bland, Virginia can be counted on for many wonderful things, but shopping isn’t one of them. We have a Dollar General, an Auto Parts Store, and a tiny grocer. We usually count the Nature’s Way Amish Store as being in Bland, but technically it is just over the line in Giles. And it isn’t open on Sundays of course.

However we can usually count on a nice sunset and last night’s was another pink beauty. If you think it looks nice in the photo – should be here in person. The spectacular sunrises and sunsets are worth getting up early and staying out late for. Plus we are serenaded as the whippoorwills are out tonight. Earlier we saw crested grouse, turkey, deer and our now infamous cow. No bear yet this year. Will let you know as soon as they surface!