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A Blue Ridge Mountain Weekend
So,
there we were, headed westward on the interstate with beautiful
mountains off in the distance and coming closer with every
mile. We were on our way to a little cabin in the Blue Ridge
mountains. But first, some time traveling was to be done.
 Historic
Michie Tavern
Near Charlottesville, was Michie Tavern. We arrived early
at the huge white house. We started the tour. This one was
unique. Instead of listening to a guide which can sometimes
be boring, there were buttons in each room you pushed to listen
to recorded information. Thus, taking the tour meant looking
at things at our own pace.
Also, on the grounds, were several outbuildings including
a smokehouse, a kitchen and a grist mill. Oh yeh, there's
a great shop if you're looking for souvenirs or quaint gifts.
If you're there around mealtime, you can actually order a
meal in the tavern. Unfortunately we didn't get to stay for
some authentic Southern cooking, too early in our trip with
a lot more to see.
 The
Stonewall Jackson House
We left Charlottesville and headed west again then south down
the Shenandoah Valley. We were really surrounded by mountains
now. A little later on in the drive, and in history for that
matter, we arrived at the Stonewall Jackson House in Lexington.
We were lucky, an arts and crafts festival was going on only
a block away.
Anyway, we toured the Confederate general's home that was
beautifully decorated and restored. Not only did we learn
about this man (with wacky medical theories) and his life
before the Civil War, but how life was in the 1800s in general.
Did you know that Stonewall Jackson and others at that
time slept sitting up because they thought lying down flat
might make them sick?
It was interesting to find out how this guy died, by his own
troops during the war. And that's all I'm gonna tell you about
that!
The gift shop is really cool and the house is near great shopping
and eating. We ate lunch at the Palms restaurant. It was packed
with people because of the festival, but we didn't mind at
all.
 Buffalo
Springs Herb Farm
The last stop for the day was Buffalo Springs Herb Farm. It
was right on the way to the cabin. It was nestled in the valley
on a quiet country road. This farm was more than you'd think.
A quaint country store housed thousands of herbal gifts, bric-a-brac,
books, crafts, oils, and everything else associated with herbs.
There was an absoultely beautiful garden with lavender, rosemary,
yarrow, and chamomile. Plus, there was a celestial garden
with moon and star statues. This place was quaint and very,
very peaceful. I wanted to stay all day because it had a happy
atmosphere. It was quite enjoyable.
We drove on to the cabin, which was really nice and slept
four comfortably. Sherando Lake was less than half a mile
away. We went down to take a look at at it and the beach looked
inviting, but we didn't go swimming. We were tired from the
day's travels.
 Blue
Ridge Parkway
The next morning we got on the Blue Ridge Parkway and drove
north. This National scenic drive is one of Virginia's true
treasures. There are plenty of terrific overlooks with views
that go on for miles and miles.
There are lots of things do do along the way like camping
and hiking the Appalachian Trail. Did you know that
the Appalachian Trail is more than 2,000 miles long and runs
from Georgia to Maine? We enjoyed the scenic drive
which ended at Afton Mountain.
 Swannanoa
The palace of Swannanoa arose tall atop Afton Mountain. It's
a huge estate built as a summer home by Major Dooley of Richmond.
His regular home was the Dooley Mansion at Maymont Park. It's
a copy of a famous palace in Italy and is covered in authentic
Italian marble, quite grand.
We went up the stairs to the huge entrance door. It was dark
inside, but very beautiful. Our guide gave us audio tapes
and we toured the first floor of the house and learned about
its history.
The estate was later owned by a teaching, sculpting, painting
and writing couple, Walter and Lao Russell. They were interesting
people who strived to make the world a more loving place.
There were beautiful gardens in the back and a small meditation
pond. There were speakers mounted on the roof of the house
that sent peaceful music across the grounds. Now, that was
really unusual. We had a picnic lunch on the front lawn then
headed on for some more touring. It was definately a place
that won't be forgotten. Though, it's not a TimeTravelers
stop, I'd make it a must-see for anyone in the area.
 The
James River
Our very last stop on the way back to Richmond was lunch in
Scotsville on the banks of the James River. This majestic
river, the heart and soul of Richmond and other towns along
its way through Virginia, is an outdoor lover's dream and
just, plain fun! There's so much you can do like canoeing
and fishing. We once took an all-day tubing trip that ended
right there in Scotsville. This time, we went for a short
swim in the cool, still waters. It was fun and refreshing
after being in the car for so long.
Wherever
you go in Virginia, you can always make room for a TimeTraveler's
site. It'll make the trip very enjoyable and you know, might
be a good excuse to go somewhere in the first place!
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