September 25, 2025. Charleston West Virginia
Today was an adventure packed with surprises! We zipped through one of the fastest Capitol tours ever at the West Virginia State Capitol, spotted an incredibly rare melanistic (black) eastern gray squirrel, explored the free State Museum, and later trekked around New River Gorge National Park—my exercise rings are officially conquered. In this blog are a few highlights that made the day unforgettable.
But first, let me show you where we stayed. We parked our rig in Beckley, WV, at the Coal Miner’s Exhibition. This was the first time our truck and trailer slid backwards while trying to get into a campground. It was a very steep hill, covered in wet leaves. Not a good combination! But we finally got into our very tight spot after using 4WD, and set out to enjoy the surrounding area. We were sweating bullets for that one.
House and Senate Chambers
If you ask me, the real showstoppers at the Capitol are the chandeliers—each chamber sparkles with them!
Speaking of rare sights, meet the melanistic eastern gray squirrel—splooting right in front of us! Only about 1% of these squirrels are melanistic, so seeing one up close at the Capitol was a treat. Apparently, they’re local celebrities here.
The State Museum? Absolute gem! It’s free, bursting with stories, interactive exhibits, and a sprawling maze of history downstairs.
And don’t skip the gift shop—it’s one of the best we’ve seen.
We stumbled on ramp jam for the second time—have you ever heard of ramps? They’re wild leeks famous in Appalachia, full of savory punch. Ramp jam is the star of the show: spread it on toast, dip it with cream cheese and crackers, use it as chutney for meats, or glaze veggies and grilled treats. It’ll wake up your taste buds!
This tickled me! 😂😂
But only after I gagged a bit. 🤪🥴
And, of course, there was a giant lump of coal—Tim found it in the WV Museum. You can’t visit West Virginia and miss out on the coal!
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
“I am the Lord, who heals you.” ~Exodus 15:26
My relationship with Jesus Christ motivates me to keep blogging. Though I have metastatic breast cancer*, my faith helps me survive, thrive, and feel alive while staying active. Without Him, I couldn’t achieve anything. With His help, well, my accomplishments speak for themselves on my blog. If you’re interested in learning about building a relationship with Jesus, feel free to comment below. I will never sell or share your email.
*Metastatic breast cancer is Stage IV cancer. Metastatic, or metastasis, means the cancer has spread beyond the original location (breast and immediate lymph nodes). In 2016 the doctors found significant metastasis to my bones, skull, liver, and lungs; then in 2018 to the brain. However, with chemo, immunotherapy, gamma knife, and of course my faith in the Lord, it is all undetectable at this point. I continue in treatment every three weeks via infusions, and receive multiple scans on a regular basis. If you or someone you know has metastatic breast cancer, I recommend these organizations for additional support:
Metavivor and Unite for Her (also for ovarian cancer)