Entranceway Park, Roanoke, Virginia. The butterflies were monarchs, I think.
Why are they called “butterflies,” anyway? Did some weirdo try spreading them across a slice of bread at one point?
Tag Archives: Roanoke
Birds circling in unison over Market Square, Roanoke, Virginia
September 2025 — last night’s dusk.
These cell phone videos don’t really do the scene justice. They looked soooo cool soaring and circling as a flock. If you listen closely during the videos, you can hear them chirping.
I awoke this morning to the sound of bagpipes.
There was a parade through town that was led by firemen. And later I think I heard church bells. I’m pretty sure it was a remembrance of 9/11.
This really is a wonderful little city.
In Virginia, everyone is your friend.
Complete strangers will give you huge smile and a fist bump and say, “Keep on rockin’, Baby.”
I swear to you, New York is not like this.
I indeed WILL keep on rockin’, Sir. Thank you.
So I passed a couple of nice milestones yesterday.
I’ve now been published throughout 60 periodicals in 11 countries and five continents. It’s a good feeling. 🙂
[Update — I edited the headline to correctly read “passed a couple of nice milestones” instead of “hitting” them. Because that’s an entirely different metaphor.]
The Creativity Webzine features “Roanoke Summer Midnight”
I am thrilled tonight to see The Creativity Webzine in Germany publish my poem “Roanoke Summer Midnight.”
The theme of the May issue is “History,” and my poem is meant as an homage to the spiritual, natural and architectural history of my adopted home, rural Southwest Virginia. You can find it at the link below:
The Arts Section of The Creativity Webzine
Thanks to Editor-in-Chief Charles E. J. Moulton for allowing me to see my work showcased within this wonderful creative community.
The Roanoke Typewriter Sales Company
This is probably the most visually interesting building I’ve found here in Roanoke, Virginia — the Roanoke Typewriter Sales Company on Campbell Avenue. It’s just past the east edge of downtown, on the other side of the tracks, in the shadow of the overpass. It has a quasi-wedge shape that’s hemmed in closely at the rear by adjacent train tracks, and at its top is a billboard like a great, garish tiara.
If this isn’t the setting for a short story, I don’t know what is.
(May 2025.)
Maybe he’s practicing for a garage band?
People are funny. This is admittedly a terrible picture, but what you see is a nocturnal lone trombone player tonight in the parking level of Virginia Tech School of Medicine building (by Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital).
Hey, man — more power to you. Practice your art wherever you can.
Spring in Crystal Spring.
Roanoke, Virginia, April 2025. Pictured is the First Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
No, I can not hold a phone or camera steady. It will never happen.
(I am a bit of a flake …)
The heavily accented guy at the bodega cheerfully informs me that “NEW CEREAL SHIPMENT COMES *TOMORROW,* SIR!”
So evidently they know me as “that cereal guy.” Not sure how I feel about that.
[Update — now all my Facebook friends are cracking the various requisite “serial” jokes. I should have seen that coming.]
Eric Robert Nolan, Author 