WOW! A WALTON'S MOUNTAIN MUSEUM IN VIRGINIA'S BLUE RIDGE

Yes, Virginia, there is a Walton’s Mountain Museum, and if you were a fan of that television show, it is definitely worth the visit to Schuyler, Virginia not far from Lynchburg or Charlottesville, Virginia.

More than two years ago while driving down to North Carolina, Rob and I passed a sign advertising the Walton’s Mountain Museum, and I’ve been anxious to go ever since.  We were passing through the Rockfish Valley at the time, part of the Walton Mountain’s locale.  It was kind of exciting that we finally did visit the museum.

I’ll be honest and say that I thought this would be a quick visit simply to satisfy my curiosity.  I loved that TV show.  But we spent two good hours in the museum throughout which time people constantly came and went.  It’s a busy place.  It is a good museum.  I’ll also add that Richard Thomas, the actor who played John Boy, the oldest son, was coming the following weekend to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the museum.  Events were scheduled, and I bet it was going to be nice.

So many discussions took  place in the Walton living room where people entered directly through the doorway

Walton’s Mountain ran from 1971-1981. We viewers watched this Blue Ridge Mountain country family make it through the depression and through part of WWII.  The children grew up, got their educations, married, and followed their dreams. We viewers were all part of it.  New characters were added, and some departed.

Decisions were often made around the family's kitchen table

Grandpa Zeb passed away when the actor Will Greer died, and Ellen Corby who played Grandma had a stroke and was out of the show for a while recuperating, unable to walk and barely able to speak. 

I learned at the museum that Ellen Corby really wanted to return to the show.  She was the long-time actress you might remember in It’s a Wonderful Life as the woman in the Savings and Loan whom George Bailey kissed when she asked for only a small amount of money. 

On The Walton’s, one of the most meaningful episodes for the writers as well as for the cast was when Grandma returns home from the hospital after her stroke, barely able to speak.  The family hustles about to do everything for her, continually asking her what she needs.  Finally Grandma says two words, “Need me.”  That says it all, doesn’t it?  Thematically it fits right into the series’ aim.

A visit to the museum begins with a video about the series.  It includes interviews with the cast members and their feelings about the show as well as their special memories.  We also get to see them as they were when the video was made, and it’s always nice to get the “Where are they now?” viewpoint.  Then there’s time for visitors to tour the museum.

That’s when I learned that Kami Cotler, who played the youngest Walton, Elizabeth, was so impressed by the locale (although filming was done in California) that she became a teacher and went to the Blue Ridge to teach for a number of years.  She then went back to California and opened a Charter School.

Schuyler, Virginia is actually a pretty little town where the show’s creator, Earl Hamner, Jr. grew up. His voice is the show’s narrator, ostensibly an adult John Boy.  The Walton family is based on Hamner’s own.  In the museum’s photographic displays, we see that the actors actually resemble their real-life counterparts.  Some of the locations for the show are still there in Schuyler, a tiny town of about 2,000 tucked away in a beautiful section of Virgina.

The picturesque Rockfish River  runs alongside Schuyler, Virginia

The road to Schuyler is only a bit more than six miles off Rt. 29, but it is slow going.  It follows the twists and turns of the Rockfish River, and though it is barely wide enough for two cars, the speed limit is 55mph.  As Rob rarely broke 35 because of the twists, turns, and narrowness, we joked that if a person really drove the speed limit, it would be a one time drive.  It was a pretty road, though, as it came into the town of Schuyler with its general store, homes, and churches.  “Country—After All These Years.”  (Chet Atkins)

The museum is housed in Schuyler’s former elementary school.  The former classrooms are decorated to replicate the series’ sets, so a visitor enters the Walton’s house and sees that famous kitchen and living room, visits John Boy’s room, Ike and Cora Godsey’s store and post office, and even has an opportunity to visit the Baldwin sisters’ living room and see a still where bottles of “the recipe” fill the shelves.  The still used in the museum is actually one “confiscated” but not working.  However, diagrams teach how one could put it back in action. It just makes me smile even to think back on it now.  It’s all there; no imagination needed.  An absolutely pleasant visit. 

Here are the delightful Baldwin sisters, those lovely Southern ladies who just loved to make "Papa's recipe."

There is a gift shop, of course, and I couldn’t resist sending a few post cards and taking a picture with Ike and Cora at the Post Office.  And I could not resist buying a t shirt.  It was a good day. 

I couldn't resist taking a picture with Ike and irrepressible Cora Godsy right in their store that doubled as the post office.

Schuyler was proud of its native son, and it honored Earl Hamner, Jr.

And with this final photo of my tshirt, I will give a Walton's line that every fan memorized:  

GOOD NIGHT, JOHN BOY

VIRGINIA'S NATURAL BRIDGE--AH, HOW BEAUTIFUL THE MARRIAGE OF NATURE AND TIME

This is Virginia's Natural Bridge
It is 215 feet high, 55 feet higher than Niagara Falls
It is 40 feet thick and 100 feet wide.
Look at the people walking beneath to get some perspective of size.
It was created over time by the small Cedar Creek flowing toward the ocean
It belonged to Lord Fairfax who, in 1750, hired George Washington to survey. 
Washingtonscaled 23 feet to carve his initials in the stone. 
 Those initials can still be seen today.
Thomas Jefferson purchased Natural Bridge and surrounding lands on July 5, 1774.
The Monocan Indian Nation called it "The Bridge of God."
It has been mentioned in books such as Moby Dick, and it is the subject of many paintings by American artists.
Heading down Route 81 or Route 15?  Spend time here and its environs. 

There's a thrill going into caverns.  Whether it's Carlsbad, Meramec, Luray,  Ausable or
any other of the many caverns that can be visited, you will be amazed.
Nor does it matter how many times you go.  It's always different.
It's always amazing.  It's always something that makes you shake your head in wonder.
This picture was taken in Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley's Luray Caverns, one of the many we've visited.

ELKTON'S LOG CABIN---THIS IS A GREAT PLACE FOR BARBECUE!

Log Cabin, Elkton, Virginia

Back in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia (do you know that bluegrass tune?), we had a wonderful week enjoying the fall colors in what is arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Capitulating to our penchant for barbecue, we tried a new restaurant, Log Cabin at 11672 Spotswood Trail, Elkton, Virginia just down the road from the Massanutten Resort.

Where it looks like a log cabin, it really is one!
The original restaurant used this 200 year old cabin, but as business
expanded, the restaurant had to too.

Log Cabin is an unpretentious restaurant whose initial attraction for me was the fact that the main part of the building is actually a 200 year old log cabin.  The dining room is built around that main section, and when you sit there, it does not take much to imagine eating similar foods sometime in history.  I like that.  Of course, I would be using entirely different dinnerware; Log Cabin is strictly Styrofoam and plastic.  That’s the main complaint you’ll find in looking at reviews.  Who cares about throwaways if the food is good?  And it was!

This is a fried pickle.
It's breaded and fried.
The pickle stays crispy while the breading adds additional flavor.
It's really good!

On the menu was a southern favorite none of us northerners had tried before—fried pickles.  We had to order them.  Superb!!!  And different!!!  They really look like zucchini sticks when they are served with a dipping sauce of ranch dressing, but they are crisp and crunchy and very delicious.  If you ever see fried pickles on the menu, give them a try. 

The chicken tenders my cousin Rita ordered were delicious, she said.  When she saw fries being delivered to another table, she couldn’t resist the temptation and changed her side of potato salad to fries!  Loved them. 

My cousin Bill had barbecued chicken.  When he was about halfway through and thought he was full, he offered the rest to any one who wanted it.  We were all satisfied with our dinners, and by the time we were all done, Bill had polished off the rest of his too.  Guess that speaks for itself.

I ordered a dinner plate of half a rack of ribs.  I wish I had taken a video, because this was fall-of-the-bone meat.  They use a dry rub that is just seasoned enough to help bring out the incredibly good taste of this deliciously soft, smoked, meat.  These, arguably, could be the best ribs I ever tasted, the softest ribs I’ve ever had, and the only ones I’ve ever actually had to eat with a knife and fork (although I’m not even sure a knife was necessary all the time because of the tenderness).

My sides were macaroni and cheese and hush puppies.  The mac and cheese was lovely and creamy—very cheesy—and the hush puppies were crisp and delicious. 

Rob, true to form, ordered the Sampler Dinner Plate which included a quarter rack of ribs and your choice of pulled pork. 

Here’s a nice aspect of Log Cabin.  Their pork is smoked over hickory for 12 hours and then smothered in one of two sauces made fresh in-house daily.  The first is a red, tomato-based sauce, and the second is a vinegar and spice sauce called North Carolina or Eastern North Carolina.  It has a tangy, spicy taste.

Rob asked the waiter to split his pork into two sections so he could sample both.  No problem.  His sides were baked beans and hush puppies.

The pork was flavorful and tangy and really nicely cooked. The regular pulled pork sauce was tomato-y and just enough to satisfy.  Rob did use Cholula sauce, but he adds this to just about everything! It’s a staple in our house unless he’s using his homemade chili sauce.  There was a very distinct difference between that pork and the North Carolina pork which was new to all of us (so of course we all tasted it), and you could really taste the zippy tang.  I won’t say which we liked more because if you should ever have an opportunity to have a taste, go for it. 

The baked beans were rather ordinary, but he, too, liked the hush puppies.

Want to know why there are no photos?  We dug right in, and I just forgot!  By the time I remembered, it was too late.  It was that good!

We spent the day driving around the Shenandoah Valley and up and over the mountains to Charlottesville enjoying the beautiful fall colors and the history of James Madison’s Montpelier.  Coming home to the Log Cabin made a perfect ending to the day.

AUTUMN IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY OF VIRGINIA

The  Massanutten Resort in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley has become our place to bring friends and has also evolved into the meeting spot for my yearly reunion with my cousins. (Use my “search” box and keyword Massanutten to see earlier posts)

 Rob and I head down from New York’s Hudson Valley; my sister and her husband come down from the Adirondacks in New York State; Rita and her husband come over from Richmond, and Bill comes in from Tucson, Arizona.  I wish I could remember the number of times we’ve been in Massanutten, and while you may wonder how we can find ways to occupy our time, the richness of the Shenandoah Valley never ceases to leave us with the words, “Next year we’ve got to include….”  This year—this past week—was no different.

My sister owns timeshares there and we trade one of our timeshares through RCI, so our accommodations are spacious and comfortably furnished for lounging and visiting.  The two-bedroom units have two bathrooms, Jacuzzis, fully equipped kitchen, sofas and chairs, a dining area big enough for 8, a balcony, and a fireplace.  The one bedroom unit is equally equipped sans second bathroom.  So we are ready in all kinds of weather to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.  You cannot do this with hotel rooms, that’s for sure.

Although leisure is part of vacation, don’t think we sit around all day, and as we are not attached at the hip, we sometimes go our separate ways.

Most days we breakfast in and meet for whatever we plan to do in the AM.

Rita and I like the water aerobics class at the Woodstone Pool.  It’s a 1 hour workout with weights and noodles.  Sometimes Rob uses the gym and treadmill; Bill likes to walk.  Robyn and Neal relax with lattes.  It's all good.

But later in the AM we meet to head up Massanutten Mountain.  

As a four-season resort, Massanutten Mountain is great for skiing in winter, but in the fall, a ride up the ski lift to the top of the mountain gives us panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley, the sunlight hitting the autumnal colors and gifting us with bright, vivid, oranges, yellows and reds.  At the mountain’s peak we have hiking options on marked trails.  We can ride down the chair lift, or we can walk down the mountain, sometimes seeing wildlife and almost always seeing bear scat along the way.

somewhere WAY DOWN there are our accommodations

view at the top of the ski lift

We follow our chair lift ride with a walk near Painter Pond where we check out the fishing prospects.  We don’t fish, but there are people there trying their luck.  It’s lovely to sit in the sun, absorbing the rays and once again enjoying the colors—this time from a different perspective.

Enjoy fragrance?  We head over to White Oak Lavender Farm where the shop is so aromatic, it seems another world.  Lavender ice cream, perfume, soaps, jams, and more.  I'd rename that shop Everything Lavender.  Robyn could not resist the horses and went over to say hello.

At this time of year the lavender is not the purple with which we are
familiar, but the fragrance is still in the air

We plan to go out to dinner at some point, but as we prepare for our reunion, each of us is responsible for dinner one night.  This begins with a long cocktail hour and lengthy dinner with accompanying conversation, laughter, catching up and remembrances.  Wine flows freely; desserts are varied.  We each bring the things we like, and it’s always good. 

The TV plays a lot of football and the World Series.  Some of us watch; some play the card game Phase 10.  No pressure.  Lots of feet-up relaxing.

During the day weather is beautiful, so heading north 30 miles on Skyline Drive we stop at several overlooks to gaze in awe at Nature’s beautiful canvas.  Our National Park System is extraordinary and well-run. The annual or lifetime passes are great money-savers, and there are additional savings for seniors over 62.  Check that out when you click on my Skyline Drive link.

We make a quick visit to the Ranger Station at Big Meadow for maps and advice before heading to Limberlost Trail, a circuit loop of a little more than a mile that takes us through the woods, over streams, and across horse trails with fresh tracks.  In summer we would have been canopied in green, but this time of year we can see into the woods and up to the sky.  Sunlight shines down in streams and sparkles against the yellow, brown, and red leaves piled high on the mountain’s floor.

beginning of the Limberlost Trail

The Ranger had warned of a big black bear hanging around the picnic area we choose, but when we get there, traveling a bit farther north, other leaf-peepers are setting up at tables, a campfire is crisply burning, and the wide open area seemed perfect for our picnic.  No one needs jackets, and at some point we each have our face pointed at the sky, eyes closed and enjoying the sun’s warmth.  Life is good.  Sometimes it’s the simplest of days that prove the most valuable.

We enjoy the day so much and spend so much time up in the mountains that we have to forego our last plan—a trip to Old Hill Cider Mill.  That’s one thing we’ll have to put off until next time.  And it slips my mind that we could have squeezed in a stop at Rt. 11 Potato Chips, the best chips on earth, for a quick tasting and to see if they were cooking chips.  Next time.  And there was also a 12 acre corn maze up that way that caught our fancies.  Next time.

One morning Bill and I play golf at Woodstone, one of Massanutten’s two courses, and it is great for me.  I love playing with him, and this is our once-a-year-day.  It's warm out there despite the season, and Bill gets a bit sunburned.

Speaking of golf, one day Robyn and Neal and Rita and Bill played miniature golf at the resort.  They have the best miniature golf courses I’ve ever played, and that’s always a lot of fun. 

One afternoon just before sunset, we head to the CrossKeys Vineyards for a wine tasting.  Not only is this the kind of winery you'd see in a movie as it is nestled in the rolling rises in the valley but also it boasts a lovely array of flavorful wines, a restaurant, and a gorgeous patio to sit, sip and watch the sun set.  Which is exactly what we do.

CrossKeys 

The vines are almost ready to be put to bed for the winter

Weather let us down on only one day, but the constant drizzle and mist did not dampen our plans.  We went to Plan B. The rain began just as we all reached our morning rendezvous--right outside Hank’s Smokehouse, one of our favorite stops in Virginia.  While our four companions headed off to the movies, Rob and I took some scrumptious take-out home (pulled pork sliders with 2 sides), got cozy in front of the fire, slowly savored our lunch, sipped wine, and read until they returned.  I debated playing a movie as we brought our Dongle and Samsung Tablet so I could get cc, but I am reading the third book of Ken Follett’s Twentieth Century Trilogy and found it difficult to put down.

We celebrate two birthdays while we’re away, Bill’s and Robyn’s.  This year that was my dinner-prep night, and dinner included the birthday cake my mother used to make for us—chocolate pudding and graham cracker cake.  Great evening.  Great celebration—including Robyn’s special birthday chapeau a picture of which sisterly instinct tells me I best omit.

It’s only a few days once a year, but these are days I relish.  This is what life is about.  My family might be for me, but the Shenandoah Valley is for everyone.  If not the Massanutten Resort which, as many resorts are now, both hotels and timeshares, rent a cabin in the mountains as we did for Rob’s 60^th birthday, or try one of the b&bs in the area.  Stay up at Big Meadow.  Explore caverns, Civil War sites, Mennonite markets in Dayton, or enjoy any of the myriad offerings of this area.  I guarantee there is something for everyone.

RICHMOND'S BUZ AND NED'S BARBECUE--WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO!

Additional outdoor seating 

Some things are just meant to be, and for us it was a visit to Buz and Ned's Real Barbecue in Richmond, Virginia.  If you watch the Travel Channel, you know about the Barbecue Crawl.  Rob and I do our own when we travel, and I’ve written about many different delicious

barbecue places we’ve encountered.  If the place is really up to snuff, it is filled with locals we let get ahead of us on line as we try to make sense out of the menu and watch what other people are ordering.  It’s a mad game.  It’s never the same, and if we play it well, our taste buds get the rewards.  Barbecue is an art practiced by very individual artists.

Our encounter with Buz and Ned’s actually began as a takeout.  We were heading to Richmond to visit my cousins Rita and Bruce in Richmond, VA, and knowing our penchant for barbecue, Rita said she’d bring in takeout barbecue when we arrived.  As we sat eating the different BBQ offerings, we learned they came from Buz and Ned’s, Rita and Bruce’s favorite BBQ takeout. 

The name apparently lodged like a little bubble in my brain for several days later when we and our son Michael headed for the Movieland Cinema, we passed Buz and Ned’s.  I mentioned to Michael that we’d had glorious BBQ takeout from there.  He told us he had heard great things about Buz and Ned’s barbecue from Richmond friends but thus far had not gotten over here. 

Voilà! The next day the three of us headed to Buz and Ned’s for lunch.

The menu and choices are a bit overwhelming
to us newcomers.

Buz and Ned’s was crowded!  Line up, place your order at the window, receive a number and wait until you’re called.  Simple if you know what you’re doing.  The menu is long and tempting, and we let quite a few people get ahead of us on line as we tried to choose.

The decor is simple.  Plain, high wooden tables and bar stool height seats.  Food is served in plastic baskets lined with paper.  Believe me, no one minds the informality.  The customers are there for barbecue.

Eat any size portion from appetizer size to small meals, to large meals, to full racks of ribs.  Choose from 14 different sides.  Dozens of beverages from fresh squeezed lemonade to single barrel bourbons!  What makes choosing more difficult is that everything that passed by us looked great!

Amazingly, if you REALLY yearned for it, you could buy Nathan’s hotdogs!  You could also choose as a side our very favorite, Rt. 11 Potato Chips!  So I also count Buz and Ned’s as a gourmet restaurant!!!!!

We three went for the SMALL complete meal (one sandwich as opposed to the Large’s two sandwiches).  These sandwiches were stuffed!  We tried the pulled pork and the beef brisket.  Each meal also included a choice of two sides like my two: hush puppies and baked beans.  There were also Cinnamon Bourbon Apples (sounded very tempting), Cuke & Onion Salad, and the usual-sounding but not necessarily usual cole slaw, potato salad, and french fries.  If these choices were not already overwhelming, for an additional $.99 we could choose Fresh Country Greens, Mac and 3 cheeses, Sweet Potato Fries (w/cinnamon and sugar) or some other tantalizing possibilities. 

We drank beer and did not try Buz and Ned’s Hard Lemonade. 

The general opinion: Buz and Ned’s deserves its reputation.  Had our visit to Richmond been longer, we would have returned to work on the rib menu—both pork and beef.  I wonder if Buz and Ned’s ever sells its desserts.  I don’t know how anyone could have room left!

Visit the website.  You’ll find out that yes, Ned is dead, but he left his barbecue secrets to Buz to pass down for us to enjoy.  The history is interesting, and it’s a good website to browse.  But honestly, eating here is believing.

CROSSKEYS VINEYARDS AND WINERY--GRACE IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY

Because we keep returning to the Shenandoah Valley and the Massanutten Resort a few miles from Harrisonburg, Virginia, 

(http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2008/11/massanuttan-va-part-i.html, http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2008/12/massanutten-va-part-ii.html, http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2008/03/massanutten-resort-in-virginia.html)

over the years we’ve heard of nearby wineries growing and beginning to flourish.  Our interest was  sufficiently piqued this time to visit a local vineyard and winery, CrossKeys, and I’m glad we did.

This is only July, and look how plump and perfect these grapes appear

We like to visit wineries and to take their tours.  Frankly, we like wine.  It is hard to enumerate the many individual approaches we’ve experienced.  Each tour adds a little knowledge and a little more appreciation of the art of wine.  Whether you are a wine drinker or not, a winery tour is a nice way to spend some time.

In Virginia where Thomas Jefferson has been described as America’s first viticulturist, wine is an important and still growing industry.  We’ve visited several wineries around the state, and I have posted about the Williamsburg Winery: http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2006/11/williamsburg-winery.html

The owner's residence amid the vines.  Isn't this handsomely romantic?

There are wineries all over Virginia, and there is an entire travel industry based on wine tours to different sections of the state.  Just google “Virginia Wine Tours” to see what I mean.  We’ve never taken an organized wine tour of several vineyards.  Rather, we prefer to simply stop by.  That’s what we did at Crosskeys Winery.

In 1999, there was no CrossKeys Winery.  The land was for sale.  There were no roads through the property.  The richness of the Shenandoah Valley’s soil and the beauty of the land nestled between the mountains suggested untold possibilities, and the Bakhtiar family bought it and became part of the history of this valley that is primarily known for its Civil War history and for its caverns, particularly the famous Luray Caverns.
http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2006/07/cabin-in-shenandoah-mountains.html

The Visitor Center--our destination

Their first vines were planted in 2001; their first crop was harvested in 2006; their first vintage was offered in their tasting room in 2008.  We arrived in July, 2013 and were greeted by beautiful views, a magnificent owner’s home (in the distance), and a fine tour of the building housing the tasting room, wine facilities, aging rooms, and banquet facilities.  This winery produces approximately 3,000 bottles a year, but the future is limitless.

The road leading to the winery buildings exudes a natural beauty and a sense of peace.  Flanked by fields of different varietals, the exquisite green rows of grapes, neatly staked and separated by mown paths, and the serpentine road seem an entry to another world.  In the distance loom two huge and majestic buildings which we were to learn are the owner’s residence and the main winery building.

Wouldn't you love to and a "sit and sip" afternoon here?

The main building is very impressive.  It sits on a rise just high enough for its patio to overlook the growing grapes, offer shade from the hot July Virginia sun, and suggest that sitting here at one of the wrought iron tables with a nice glass of Crosskeys wine is a good thing.  Perhaps a bit of lunch from the Crosskeys kitchen might be nice too.  It’s a beautiful, inviting environment.

Inside, the tasting room’s main area is the stand-up bar.  Signs tell us exactly what the four different “from grape to glass” tours offer, and around the room in wood cabinets are wines, wine “gear,” and various souvenirs.  It’s pleasant as is the smiling young man who explained the nine wines we tasted on our “Full Tasting” tour. (naturally)

We sampled ten different wines.  My notes tell me that there was only one that I did not really enjoy which is a merely relative judgment.  Overall, this was a very good tasting.  Rob and our friends had similar judgments. 

He actually gave me his name, but it's lost.  Sorry.
She was our tour guide.
Two wonderful and knowledgable people in a beautiful setting

I think Rick and Pam were satisfied with the tasting!

CrossKeys does its wine tastings in a very professional way.  Both the sommelier and the literature we received described not only the wine and the flavors we should search for but also how the wine was fermented (steel tanks and/or French oak barrels), what finish we would experience, and how to pair the wine.  As we were just four people, he was able to answer questions and discuss in further detail what we experienced.

My favorite was the 2011 Joy Red. “This well balanced barrel-aged wine is perfect for summertime with its fresh sweet finish balanced with a touch of acidity, it may be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature.  This deep-colored Chambourcin leaves hints of spices and cocoa.  Not too heavy on the palate makes this an easy drinking red.  A fine complement to simple stews or ripened cheeses.”  Yes, a purchase was made.  And CrossKeys wineglasses too.

As an aside, my favorite part of a tasting is to see if I can actually find, as in Joy Red, that hint of the chambourcin grape’s “spices and cocoa.”  It’s a delightful game with satisfying rewards.

Lucy and Ethel would not work here!

Our tour guide took us down to the real “works” of a winery past the vegetable garden.  Admirably, they grow many of the vegetables used in their kitchen supplementing with as much local produce and foodstuffs as possible. 

Our first indoor stop was the room where the harvested grapes are processed and transformed into what is arguably man’s universal drink.  Then we saw the barrels, and finally some of the winery’s catering facilities including the indoor banquet room and the outdoor venue for a multitude of functions including weddings.  Halcyon is a word that comes to mind.  A party here must be beautiful. 

This is still a small winery producing approximately 3,000 bottles annually

In the back, an outdoor venue for a wonderful party

Or perhaps party inside

My travel advice:  Don’t skip the smaller, lesser known vineyards.  We had a wonderful time, enjoyed the personal attention to us and to detail.  We like the idea of people working and making their dreams come true.

FRIDAY'S FOTO

The kitchen garden at Ash Lawn-Highland, the home of our
fifth president, James Monroe
A neighbor of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, this home is a
"must visit."  Take the tour.  

FRIDAY'S FOTO

NATURAL BRIDGE, VIRGINIA

Natural Bridge, Virginia located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley is a 215 foot high opening carved by water through the limestone mountain.  A young George Washington was hired to survey this area and left his initials, G.W. carved in the arch 23 feet up.  The surrounding land, including Natural Bridge, was once owned by Thomas Jefferson. 

VIRGINIA'S NORTHERN NECK--NEW AND INTRIGUING

I love Virginia!  After spending a few days in Massanutten in the Shenandoah Valley, we head to “the Rivah.” That’s where my cousin Rita invited us—to her and Bruce’s home on the Yeocomico River in Kinsale, Virginia. 

The Northern Neck is a part of Virginia we hadn’t visited before, and its beauty opens our eyes to a Virginia very different from the stately Shenandoah Mountains with Skyline Drive running along its ridges overlooking the gorgeous, lush, Shenandoah Valley below. 

It is different from Blacksburg and Virginia Tech, so reminiscent of our own Warwick, New York with its farms, green rolling hills, and small town ambiance. 

It is different from Northern Virginia and Arlington with its young, professional and worldly population bustling about in the DC’s monumental atmosphere or enjoying the majesty of the Potomac. 

It is different from Richmond, a city that exudes a comfortable, suburban sophistication and less than two hours away from Kinsale, close enough even for an ambitious commuter hungry for daily connection with the flat farmland and the myriad coves—the nooks and crannies of the rivah.

Family names in Rita and Bruce’s area can be traced back for generations, yes, to the first Englishmen and women who settled this part of the country. To experience this history, we head to the Yeocomico Church to visit the centuries’ old churchyard and get a glimpse of another time and place.

This peaceful church, the original one of wood built in 1655 and the current brick church in 1706, is nestled in an incredibly beautiful setting.  We stroll through the churchyard, reading headstones. Some graves are decorated with flags.  The ancient trees with their knotted trunks and the autumnally-harvested brown cornfields across the way guard all who sleep here in the palpable peace.



1706 = the year.  The M and C are the craftsmen
Peter Moon and John Cogger



Then, driving to the Potomac to scout out some fishing sites, we witness three or four men reeling in bluefish one after the other.  We make note of the sandy spot with hopes of future expeditions.  Homes, dockages, and boats line the shore, and from where we stand we can look across the beautiful water and see Maryland’s shores.

Virginia can proclaim herself living history.  But here by the Rivah, the history is tucked away in family names, country churchyards with their silent voices, and older homes with modern additions that sometimes do and sometimes do not blend with their histories.

America the beautiful.  This is driving through Virginia with stops in local museums and churches and along the roads where signs signal special events in our history.  In this area Mary Ball spent her youth. Here at the Yeocomico Church, Mary Ball and Augustine Washington were married.  Their child, born in 1732, was George Washington.

Truly a beautiful part of the country, try to spend some time here.  You’ll not regret it.

travel vacation "Third Age Traveler" "travel blog" photography "travel photos" "photo blog" Virginia "Northern Neck" Kinsale Yeocomico churches graveyards cemeteries fishing Potomac water rivers nature trees history Washington