January 2014 Lee County Events

There was just enough touch of fresh snow on the ground to add that delightful "Winter Wonderland" feeling, here in Lee County this January morning.  Although we don't traditionally plan a lot of big events and happenings during these wintery post-holiday months of January and February, since the weather can create some haphazard road conditions, there are still places to go and things to do, to prevent "cabin fever."

Unless the road conditions are hazardous, Wayne's Music Place continues their delightful Friday nights of down home musical performances right on through the winter months. 

Photos and information are available at

http://www.virginia.org/Listings/EventsAndExhibits/FridayEveningsatWaynesMusicPlace/

and https://www.facebook.com/waynes.place1.

Lee County continues to celebrate the recent grand re-opening of the historic Lee Theatre in Pennington Gap.  Lee Theatre is offering adventure, comedy, drama, romance, action, and animation at the movies this month.  Admission is $5 at the door.  Lee Theatre will show "Despicable Me 2" on  Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 7:00pm.  "Smokey and the Bandit" will be shown on Friday, January 24, 2014 at 7:00pm.  On Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 3:00pm, Lee Theatre will show "The Emperors New Clothes."  For the latest updates on happenings at Lee Theatre, visit their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lee-Theatre/215374055288705.

Two special events will take place at Wilderness Road State Park in Elydale on Saturday, January 18, 2014.  From 2:00PM - 3:00PM, Wilderness Road State Park will host a Valentine making party.  Participants will create Valentine Cards for deployed military men and women.  The Valentine making party will be held in the beautiful Karlan Mansion on the grounds inside Wilderness Road State Park.  Light refreshments will be available for participants.  The park's Educational Support Specialist Olivia Marcum explained in a recent a Powell Valley New article promoting the event, "I am looking forward to this heartwarming program and have hopes of sending dozens of heartfelt sentiments to those whose sacrifices are unmeasured." 

An event listing at http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/park-event-info.shtml?id=585D0E61630807060109071B0109 also reports, "Join Wilderness Road State Park for a Valentine making party to create cards that will be sent to deployed military men and women as part of Hugs for Soldiers. Light refreshments will be available for anyone who wishes to participate. Cards can be made onsite at the park, or they can be made at home, school or church with the park acting as a drop-off point. Cards must be received at the park by 4:30 p.m. The Hugs for Soldiers program is dedicated to offering comforts from home and brightening a Soldier's day with a care package, card or letter of encouragement."  For more information or to register, call (276) 445-3065 or email the park at wildernessroad@dcr.virginia.gov. 

Also at Wilderness Road State Park in Elydale on Saturday, January 18, 2014, beginning at 3:00pm, Lee County's award-winning photographer, Harold Jerrell, will be providing a photo presentation and tips on digital photography.  According to a January 11, 2014 article in the Powell Valley News, Harold Jerrell's photo presentation will include, "his Capturing Light show which showcases images he has taken from the mid-Atlantic region and beyond."  Harold Jerrell's photography focuses on landscapes and wildlife and has been featured on the cover of Virginia Wildlife magazine.  Here's a link to a Middlesboro Daily News article promoting the event: http://www.middlesborodailynews.com/news/news/3326615/Jerrell-offers-digital-camera-workshop-at-WRSP. 

Want to enjoy some stunningly beautiful Harold Jerrell photos?  When I wanted to see some Harold Jerrell photos as I typed this blog entry, I googled "Harold Jerrell High Knob Landform" and VIOLA!!  top google listing: http://www.highknoblandform.com/ and right now, his posting from Monday is still at the top of the page and WOWEE!!  He's been out there doing his thing at the right spot this week!  MY!!  What photos!!  His photos from two days ago offer a cloud immersion.  Instead of using the bubble bath advertising phrase,  Take me away, C-----!,  I'm thinking, "Take me into the clouds, Harold Jerrell photos!"  No time for a relaxing bubble bath?  You can immerse yourself (right here at your computer) in the clouds through Harold Jerrell photos at http://www.highknoblandform.com/. 

A description about what inspires Harold Jerrell to take all these glorious photos, along with a list of his photography recognitions (including a cover photo for Virginia Wildlife Magazine), is available at http://www.swcenter.edu/content/press.asp?PressID=160.

Harold Jerrell photos are featured on the front page of Rose Hill's website at www.rosehillvirginia.org.  Addicted already?  Want some more?  I know where there's a WHOLE bunch of Harold Jerrell photos!  In September 2009, they were celebrating "God's Green Earth," I'll call it, in that first post on their blog about High Knob Landform, as the introduction to High Knob Landform, which includes Lee County, Virginia. 

Their first blog entry is a nearly bottomless treasure chest (you can keep scrolling way down down down past the salamanders and into a cave) of absolutely amazing photos of land, water, plants and critters -- scenery and wildlife.

Parts of High Knob Landform is in one of The Nature Conservancy's "Last Great Places on Earth," which includes Lee County, Virginia.  Want a relaxing and inspiring "pick-me-up?"   I particularly recommend their first entry (the treasure chest of beautiful photos, many of them by Lee County's award-winning Harold Jerrell), posted back in September 2009 as an introduction to High Knob Landform at http://www.highknoblandform.com/2009/09/high-knob-landform.html.  Enjoy!!