A Trip To Virginia

Happy Friday to you!  It's been almost three weeks since I've posted, so I hope you haven't given up on me.  😃  First, I need to update you on my dad.  I want to thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers over the past two months.  He went home from the hospital about two weeks ago today, and it's been a tough time for everyone.  As my sister said, we all knew it was going to be hard, but I don't think any of us realized it would be this tough.  My mom insists on being positive around us, and she says she thinks things are going okay, but I know this has been incredibly hard on her and my dad.

Hal and I went to Virginia on Sunday and returned yesterday.  We have had this trip planned for a good while, and my mom really wanted us to go.  She and my dad own a timeshare, and she had booked a cabin for us at a resort in the Shenandoah area, so we decided to go.  My sister was here to help out, and my parents' neighbors have been wonderful.

Monticello

While we were in Virginia, we visited the homes of three former American presidents -- James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe.

 Montpelier


This photo of James Monroe's Highland is courtesy of TripAdvisor 

Ashlawn-Highland -- James Monroe's Home

We also had lunch at Michie Tavern, located just down the road from Monticello.

I just love this tavern!  I'm smacking myself for not taking snapshots inside with my iPhone, but I thought we were going to return later that day for a tour and pictures.  Unfortunately, we ran out of time and energy

I didn't even notice when we were there that the ceilings of the porch are painted haint blue.

These are some interior images that I found online.

We ate in this particular dining room; there was another dining room in the back with a larger fireplace.  The tables had pewter salt and pepper shakers, and both fireplaces had gorgeous copper hoods over the firebox.  The wall sconces were pewter, as well.  I'll share a little more about Michie Tavern in a future post.

On our way home Thursday, we made a little side trip to visit this homeplace --

Does anyone remember this TV show?  If you were to watch it now, it would probably seem unrealistically wholesome with the shows that are shown on primetime television today.  My family watched "The Waltons" every Thursday night for many years when I was growing up, and as an adult, I had no idea that the family home was there in Virginia and open to tour.  When I say the family home, I mean the Hamner family home.  The show was filmed on a set in California.  For those of you who didn't know, "The Waltons" was based on the family and life of writer, Earl Hamner, Jr, who grew up in rural Virginia during the Great Depression.  Mr. Hamner did the voiceover narration for each episode of the nine seasons the show aired.  I'll share the inside of this home with you in an upcoming post.

I hope you're all doing well and looking forward to fall.  Thanks so much for taking time to read today and have a great weekend!

XX,

Denise