The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia

Even after traveling from Maine to Washington, I'd be hard pressed to pick a spot prettier than the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  Nathan and I drove around just to snap some pictures of this most glorious landscape.  I am as enchanted by it as I was 20 years ago when I first saw it.  Is it just me, or is this place breathtaking?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Living the life in lovely Virginia!

Happy Uh....Interesting Thanksgiving

We had our Thanksgiving dinner together today, which was a real treat to us since we don't always have lots of family around during the holidays.  We spent some time the day before working on decorations:

Nathan and his Mom made the entire dinner, while everyone else just hung out.

 

 

It was really a lovely time.  Just hanging out and chatting and having a nice time together.  At some point though, it became not so fun.  I was reminded of a movie that we watched one time where the adult "children" go home for the holidays and some people end up wrestling on the lawn and the Mom or someone turns the hose on them.

 

I will leave the details between those of us who were involved, but it was full of the kind of drama that I (and probably everyone else) do not enjoy.  It was full of the kind of raw emotion that is oh so human and oh so draining.  The interesting part is, it is the kind of drama that is very typical of my family but not typical in the least for Nathan's family.  Has me wondering if my family will end up having the nice, calm version of the holidays this year.  And I'm not saying that to poke fun at either side of the family.  I'm sharing that because the older I get, the more I see that people, life, things in general just seem to go through cycles.  It's just life.  It helps to put things in perspective some when I remember that.

In the meantime, I'm going to try very hard to remember these parts and be grateful for them:

Because I've also noticed the older I get, that remembering the bad stuff takes no effort.  Remembering there is good amidst the bad does take some effort.  So I'm working on finding that balance today, and hoping the others involved will too.  The issues underneath the drama will most likely take a long time to resolve.  So I'm guessing that balance will need to be sought after in an ongoing way.  It's the kind of stuff that can knit families even closer together, and I sincerely hope that is the end result here.  This isn't the first of the difficult issue to deal with as a family and I doubt it will be the last.  Again, it's life.

In the meantime, my friend Eileen will know exactly what I mean when I say a line from the movie Postcards From the Edge, "It TWIRLED".  Ah....indeed it did!

Still oh so thankful for my family and so thankful for being able to share the holidays with them.  Living the life in Virginia!

Happy Birthday Chris!

We celebrated Chris' birthday today, and Lauren made his cake.  Lauren is quickly becoming my favorite cake maker.  She is awesome at it!  Here is her almond joy creation:

I hope you had a great birthday, Chris!

The Mighty Hunter Gets His Deer!

He did it! He did it!  I could hardly believe it, but the boy got a deer in his very first hunting season!  He was thrilled beyond words.  I was so touched by the way family helped him every step of the way.  Shane is the one that took him hunting.  Nathan's mom and brothers helped him with the processing stuff.  Daryl loaned him his bow and arrows.  It was so neat to see people helping him reach this goal of his.  Thanks to all of you and thanks to Andrea for having us up to dinner, and sending some back home to me with a sweet note when I couldn't make it.

The boy and his deer:

I'll spare you all the other gross pictures of the process.  Some of the family that helped:

My MIL with some of the grandchildren:

Our RV sitting in my MIL's driveway:

New Market Battlefield

When we lived in Virginia, we lived right next door to this battlefield.  We would hear the guns when they did civil war reenactments.  And I still never made it over there to see it.  So we drove over today, so I could check it out.

 

 

 

 

 Some history about this interesting place:

NEW MARKET BATTLEFIELD

Never before, or since, has a college student body been called into pitched battle as were the VMI Cadets on May 15, 1864. The Hall of Valor is a monument to those cadets and the American Civil War soldiers who showed courage and discipline in one of the war's most poignant episodes, the Battle of New Market. Two award-winning films, one on the battle, the other on "Stonewall" Jackson's famed 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign, are presented in a 125-seat theater. Colorful dioramas emphasize incredible acts of endurance and resilience demonstrated by soldiers both North and South. Others experienced the war as well. Jacob and Sarah Bushong worked their family farm for 30 years before war turned their orchard into a battlefield and their home into a hospital. Today, the original farmstead reveals how this quiet community was changed by conflict. Restored wheelwright and blacksmith shops, a loom house, and summer kitchen convey 19th century pursuits on this typical valley farm. Scenic pathways lead to the "Field of Lost Shoes" and the high bluffs 200 feet above the graceful Shenandoah River.

Endless Caverns in New Market VA

While we were staying at the campground, Nathan and Austin went on one of the cave tours.

 

 

 

I'll have the guys write up something about this experience!

The Mighty Hunter

One of the reasons that Austin begged to swing by VA on our way to Florida, was he wanted to be able to go hunting.  He has expressed disappointment many times over our not living here still for this reason.  He was determined that he would get a deer if we'd just come to VA and let him hunt.

He spent hours reading about gun safety and hunting online, so he feels prepared in that way.  We have also talked about the reality of shooting in real life versus what you read about.  It'll be interesting to see how he does handle all of it, and I have no doubt it will be a growing and learning experience.  And he looks pretty cute in his hunting gear!

Just don't tell him I said so, because I'm pretty sure cute is not what he is going for here!

Living the life in lovely Virginia!

Fall and the Flu

Fall was always my favorite season when I lived here, and I am remembering why.  The weather is gorgeous, the landscape is gorgeous and there just seems to be a reminder that outdoor fun needs to be soaked up while you can.  Unfortunately, I have caught some nasty flu bug so I am not enjoying much of anything.

Meanwhile, the guys are enjoying the weather and family time!