It was 90F (32C) and humid at home. 2 hours away in the mountains of Shenandoah National Park, it was 75F(24C). I sat behind that camper and read for 4 hours yesterday. It was glorious.

#camping #virginia #shenandoah

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June 7, 1983, 43 years ago today: The trail gradually descended along the ridge into the green valley where Damascus lay nestled among the mountains. The late morning sun had finally burned through the clouds as I followed the Appalachian Trail along the main street of this small southwestern Virginia town.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #mountains #Tennessee #Virginia #AppalachianTrail #outdoors #AppalachianTrail

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June 7, 1983, 43 years ago today: My last night in Tennessee was a stormy one, and I awoke this morning to fog and drizzle. I left the shelter at 7:40 and walked the ten miles of the Appalachian Trail to Damascus in less than four hours. It was easy trail, and I was feeling strong and confident.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #mountains #Tennessee #forest #Virginia #AppalachianTrail

"What would happen if you treated the #DeclarationofIndependence the way #Jewish tradition treats its own foundational texts — as documents to be pored and argued over, and put in conversation with ancient sources?

That’s the idea of “#Talmud of #America,” a collection of four #essays #published by the #PardesInstitute of #JewishStudies, and #Faith250, the brainchild of #Rabbi #MichaelHolzman of Northern #Virginia.

“The #Torah is a living document,” Rabbi #LeonMorris, president of #Pardes, told me recently. “Classic Jewish texts have something fresh and relevant to say about everything — including the Declaration of Independence.”

The four essays in “#TalmudofAmerica” — on equality, on “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” on the right of rebellion and on ideas of sacrifice and civic engagement — are written by Pardes #faculty members #YiscahSmith, #LeahRosenthal, #DavidIBernstein and Rabbi #RahelBerkovits."

https://www.jta.org/2026/06/07/ideas/as-america-turns-250-a-talmud-of-america-reads-u-s-history-through-a-jewish-lens

The three things Democrats must do to regain rural America’s trust | Anthony Flaccavento

After decades of alienating working-class and rural voters from the Democratic party, it’s time the left bridges the divide

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jun/07/democrats-voters-rural-america

#TopNews #News #Democrats #Republican #Virginia