We wandered some country roads this weekend- 
                crisscrossed the borders several times between Maryland,
                Virginia and West Virginia between Frederick, MD, 
                Harper's Ferry, WV and points north of Winchester, 
                Virginia (mainly in the Eastern panhandle of WV).  It 
                was a brilliant blue sky, NO clouds- almost 
                oppressively blue. It was hot in the sun, a bit cool in
                the shade.
                         We stopped at flea markets, yard sales and scenic 
                points (one, near Berkeley Springs, WV has a sign 
                touting itself that National Geographic Magazine named 
                it one of the most scenic spots in the U.S.- my guess 
                is the restaurant that sits right there paid for the 
                sign). Berkeley Springs has a small state park right in
                town where guests can soak in mineral springs. New-agey
                Berkeley Springs, looking a little run-down - perhaps a
                post nineties let down? Massage parlors of the non- 
                red-light, respectable variety (I think!) and shops 
                that wear their New Age designation on their sleeves- 
                aroma-therapy, music for aroma-therapy, knickknacks for
                feeling good. You know the drill. Near a couple of 
                high-class resorts, built around the availability of 
                the mineral springs. The silica mines, tearing up the 
                northeast corner of WV just beyond Berkeley Springs.
                You see lots of confederate flags. One had "Heritage, 
                Not Hate" emblazoned across it.

                         The winding roads, the forests, the cow farms, the 
                trailers with milliion-dollar views. Heather wonders, 
                what about all the squirrels with butts glued to 
                asphalt...? (Why do they seem to sit in the road and 
                wait for cars?)
                There was  "the moment of insanity induced back 
                tracking when you had to verify that your mentally 
                questionable girlfriend had NOT, in fact, seen a two 
                headed calf."- Heather's words. It was a 
                riding-in-a-speeding-auto-induced illusion created by 
                two like-sized calves standing close together. 
                        We had an  impromptu picnic in someone's backyard with
                a view of a horse pasture with eight horses- (with 
                payment for such use in the form of patronage of their 
                yardsale ...already in progress...) It was marked free 
                parking area on grass between a house with a boy in an 
                above ground pool, with his grandparents looking on, 
                and this horsepasture. It was parking for the yard 
                sales on the other end of town from the Boonsboro, MD 
                city park, where "Boonsboro Days" was going on.
                         Another highlight- finding Teaberry Gum  which 
                Heather heard is now a limited seasonal production out 
                of Mexico by Clark, just after we were talking about it,
                at a little roadside general store in WV. Both of us 
                loved it as kids and hadnt seen it for years. And it's 
                still great! 
                        "Might want to mention that I loudly squealed OH MY 
                GOD! I'M BUYING ALL OF IT! as the townfolk looked on 
                with wary interest...," Heather adds. You could tell 
                certain locals came and just hung out at the store for 
                something to do. We gave them something to talk about, 
                I'm sure. "THAT after ogling the wine and expressing 
                DISGUST that they sold nothing more than MD20/20 and 
                Gallo.". "Momentary consideration of the purchase of a 
                six pack of Budweiser (though not carried out) was 
                probably enough to peg us THOSE BOOZING CITY DWELLERS 
                in this quiet community of church suppers and fall 
                turkey shoots." (They didnt have any better beer)  
                        The strong mountain accents contrasted our own, even 
                though we come from a mere hour or four, in my case, 
                away.