Shortly after 6:00 PM, Tuesday, July 16 a line of thunderstorms moved through our neighborhood complete with lightning, thunder and 0.3 inches of rain.
After the rain cleared a huge double rainbow appeared that was visible for 45 minutes before fading at sundown.
Above the primary rainbow is a second rainbow, actually a reflection of the main rainbow on clouds above the primary rainbow, hence the name “double rainbow.”
At a meeting early this year, the PBE Board of Directors approved a test Native Plant and Pollinator Garden plot near the entrance to our neighborhood on Newman’s Neck Road.
The plot selected by Sue McKee, the Native Plant Garden Project Manager, is approximately 44 ft X 12 ft and is located on the left of Newman’s Neck Road as you enter the neighborhood, before the intersection with Potomac Drive.
The plants selected for the space features low-, medium- and tall height native plants that attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators. Sue and her team purchased most plants from the well-known Colesville Nursery in Mechanicsville.
Here are photos of the Native Plant and Pollinator Garden
The photo above shows the garden plot after tilling by Jim Robinson (who cuts the big common area), plant purchase, planting and weeding cloth installed with mulch to retain moisture and keep maintenance to a minimum during the crucial first year of plant and site development.
The next photo (below) shows Sue McKee, Dave Williams, and Corbin the Wonder Dog working on the garden.
THANK YOU to Sue and her Native Garden Team for the great start and completion of Phase I.
Phase II will include continuing gardener duties such as watering and weeding, which will be supported through the growing season by the six person gardening team of volunteers.
The horse trough (shown in the photo above) is filled with water that is used to water the plants.
Everyone is invited to come by, visit the garden, water a few plants and admire our newest community beautification project.
Here is a link to the page about our Native Plant and Pollinator Garden . . . this page will feature updates and more photos as the garden develops.
And here is a link to a page with photos, names and descriptions of the 15 plants in our neighborhood garden.
We will hold our annual Memorial Day picnic:
The Association will provide:
Please bring enough to share:
Also — please bring:
Look closely at this photo — see the tiny fawn in the center of the photo?
This photo was taken on Wednesday, May 8, around 11:00 AM along Newman’s Neck Road about 1/4 mile before the entrance to our neighborhood. The fawn was observed the day before in the same spot, grazing and later lying in this spot. Late Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after this photo was made, the fawn was gone and has not been seen since.
White-tailed deer fawns are born April through July, with the majority of fawns born in June. Most does will have one fawn the first year they give birth, then, twins or triplets are typically seen thereafter. Until they are strong enough to keep up with their mothers, deer fawns are left alone while their mothers go off to feed.
This fawn likely was left there by his/her mother while the mother doe went off to feed or find water.
We are posting this information here to remind everyone to please do not touch any fawn you may find in the neighborhood or anywhere else.
Until they are strong enough to keep up with their mothers, deer fawns are left alone while their mothers go off to feed. Mother deer will stay away from the fawns to avoid leading predators to their young. Does return at dawn and dusk to feed and/or move their young.
Fawns are typically left in an area with tall grass or bushes, but sometimes they are left in more open areas, including backyards. Older deer fawn may wander short distances.
Well-meaning humans often assume that because a fawn is alone it must be an orphan, leading to numerous fawn “kidnappings” each year.
A fawn has the BEST chance of survival when cared for by its mother. Typically, the best option is to leave the fawn alone! Also, remember to keep your dog or children away from any fawn you may find — or any other baby animal for that matter.
Here is a website with more information about what to do if you encounter a fawn. Notice that if the fawn is injured, you should contact a wildlife rescue agency. In our county, call the Northumberland County Sheriff — 804-580-5221 — and ask for animal control.
There are no licensed wildlife rescue agencies in our county; the nearest are in Gloucester, about 45 to 60 minutes away.
| Stephanie Booker | Gloucester | (804) 815-2042 | Fawns, Small Mammals |
| Carolyn Vavala | Saluda | (804) 694-6722 | Fawns, High Risk Rabies, Opossum |
You also can contact Wild Bunch Wildlife Rehablitation in Warsaw — 804-313-2240. They deal mainly with birds and small animals; sometimes they are able to help with injured fawns.
We did a lot of work to ensure the safety of the dock in Presley Creek. All the bolts holding the stringers to the pilings had rusted badly, some even disintegrated. This created a dangerous situation in which sections of the dock were in danger of collapsing. Every bolt was replaced, and, some of the support stringers were replaced. We also cleaned out a lot of debris around the fire department dry hydrant.
Replacing the bolts will ensure the dock is safe for many years.
We did not experience any damaging weather, though a heavy thunderstorm with high winds and heavy rain passed through our neighborhood between about 8:30 PM and 9:10 PM Friday night. According to our neighborhood weather station, during that half-hour, almost 2/3 of an inch or rain fell (0.64 inches) while wind gusts reached only 12-14 MPH.
Tornado warnings were issued for the period 8:15 to 9:00 PM, but no tornadoes occurred.
The National Weather Service in Wakefield VA has issued a tornado WATCH and flash flood WATCH for our area.
TORNADO WATCH in effect until midnight, Friday night, April 19.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH in effect until 3:00 PM, Saturday, April 20.
A WATCH means conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather — such as a tornado.
A WARNING means that a severe weather event — such as a tornado — has developed, has been spotted on the ground, or, has been spotted on radar.
Monitor local radio stations, Richmond TV stations, or your weather radio if you have one.
A tornado touched down around 11:00 AM, Friday, April 19, near Smith Mountain Lake, in Franklin County, about 175 miles SW of us. The storm front that spawned this tornado is moving in our direction, expected to arrive in our area late Friday afternoon.
Here is a link to weather radar that covers our area.
