It doesn’t seem to take more than a week or two of mild to warm weather for the Bradford Pear trees to start blooming. When they do, I consider it to be the unofficial start of Springtime in Roanoke. Though, as a testament to the particularly harsh winter we had, they do seem to be blooming just a little bit later than in recent years. (In both 2008 and in 2009 I thought the trees seemed to start to really bloom a bit earlier in the month of March.)

The trees are easily noticed at various places throughout downtown Roanoke as the white blooms are visible on corners and along streets. As I was out to lunch downtown today I snapped a couple photos near the intersection of Jefferson Street and Church Avenue.

Bradford Pear trees bloom in the background at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Church Avenue in downtown Roanoke.

Bradford Pear trees as seen walking along the sidewalk beside Church Avenue in Downtown Roanoke.

In contrast to another post several days ago, I was faced with a different scene this morning while walking across the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial bridge towards downtown Roanoke.

Downtown Roanoke as seen from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge.

This past Saturday was pretty sunny but there was still a chill in the air. And yesterday the weather was even colder, gloomy, and rainy. It seems as though the April showers (the ones that are supposed to bring May flowers) have started a few days early this season.

Some of Sunday’s gloom seems to have been held over until the first part of today. But, by now things have started to clear little by little. Sunshine is starting to peak out just in time for lunch. And I heard that temperatures reaching the 80s is in the forecast for the upcoming holiday weekend.

Yes, I admit it’s only Monday and I’m already thinking about the upcoming weekend!

Not long ago I finally took the plunge and purchased a new HDTV for my living room. Before this time I had been using an old tube TV for several years. But, when the tube TV finally stopped working, I decided to see what all the fuss was over this HDTV stuff.

First things first, though, I needed to dispose of the old TV which I considered too large to just put out on the front curb of my house. Even after living in the city for years I had no idea where to take and dispose large appliances in the Roanoke area.

I have always known to put modest piles of brush and other smaller items either in the garbage container or out on the front curb. But, what to do with big stuff that I want to get rid of? The answer is to take it to the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority which I learned about after inquiring with the City of Roanoke. (I suppose as a citizen I should have known about it already, but I honestly had no idea about the place.)

So, I called a friend to help and we loaded the TV and headed out to Hollins Road off of Route 460 to the RVRA. I went this past Saturday and there was a little line waiting to get in but things moved pretty quickly.

Entrance to Roanoke Valley Resource Authority

The whole process there was fairly easy. Just pull up, get in line, drive onto a scale, and then drive up and into a building where all of the stuff is dumped. We just drove inside the building and unloaded the TV and that was that. (I took pictures of everything but I thought it was awkward to post pictures of garbage!)

Roanoke Valley Resource Authority

Apparently trains run underneath the building and all of the stuff is dumped into them and then hauled away via these box cars.

Roanoke Valley Resource Authority

So, after bidding farewell to my old TV I was able to check out what it’s like to have HDTV in Roanoke. I’m going to talk about that in a future post.

Have a good weekend!

Usually at least a few mornings during the week I walk across the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge in the direction of downtown. So, I admit this is a fairly common scene for me except on mornings when it’s particularly clear and sunny like it has been lately.

Have a good weekend.

Approaching Downtown Roanoke via the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge.

Just a week ago or so I was hearing talk about an impending snow storm that is to occur sometime during the second half of this month. I think that the idea may have originated in a Farmer’s Almanac but I’m not sure.

Now, it’s not completely unusual for Roanoke to receive snow during this time of year. But, when the temperatures are in the 40s (or much higher as the case has been lately) than that makes the notion of snow falling about as close to impossible as could be.

However, the past few days I haven’t heard anymore talk about snow. And with the official first day of Spring right around the corner it seems increasingly unlikely that Roanoke will get anymore snow this season.

The white stuff didn’t really bother me too much this year. While shoveling my driveway after the 2nd big snow storm, I kept reminding myself that in just a matter of months we would be back in the 70s, 80s, and 90s again. And then when that time comes I would be replacing the snow shovel with a lawn mower. I suppose that’s just the cycle of things.

Here are a few things I’m looking forward to in the warmer weeks ahead:

Visiting the greenways more often

I haven’t been down to a Roanoke greenway in a while but I’m looking forward to going for some greenway bicycling in just a few weeks. Throughout the colder months I usually manage to go for a ride around the neighborhood at least once a week or so, but I much prefer the greenways.

Festival in the Park

As soon as it starts getting warmer I begin to think about the annual event of Festival in the Park in downtown Roanoke. I consider it a great way to spend time with family and friends over Memorial Day weekend. Shopping at vendor stands and other activities during the day and great concerts at night.

Venturing downtown during lunch more often

I work in the downtown Roanoke area. And during the colder months I tend to bring my own lunch partly to save money but primarily because I don’t feel as inclined to venture out in the cold. As the temperatures warm up I plan to eat out a little bit more often, as well as take a mid-day walk around downtown or Elmwood Park at least a couple times a week.

These are just a few things that come to my mind today and I’m sure that I’ll be writing more about them in the weeks to come.

Are you in the mood or mode for Spring?

I’m back.

Over the past few months, I can’t count the number of times I have experienced something around town or been in a situation when I wished that I had my camera. (Who’s going to say it never snows in Roanoke anymore?) During my time away from from this blog the past few months my mind still frequently filled with things I wanted to write about, as well as pictures I wanted to take.

However, for one reason or another my busy life took a greater hold of me and everything related to Noke News went on hiatus. But, I’ve missed blogging and I’m coming back. I hope those of who followed the blog in the past will consider following again. So, without further ado…

As far as weather, today wasn’t exactly the best day for me to begin blogging and taking pictures again. The sunny skies early in the week have passed and now there are plenty of clouds, and it’s a bit gloomy outside. Where there are plenty of clouds, there is usually rain and I think Roanoke is in for a decent soaking over the next several hours.

Nonetheless, I went out downtown during lunch and managed to snap a few photos:

A mist hangs over the top of Mill Mountain.

Benches in Elmwood Park seem worn and weathered from the particularly harsh winter this year. I doubt that will stop them from being occupied during the warmer months ahead, though.

During a rather gloomy day I did manage to find some color courtesy of the cars on this train and buildings in the background.

Have a great weekend!