Monday, October 25, 2010

Virginia Is For Lovers

I really think the state motto for Virginia should be changed to "Come to Virginia, You will Love It!"
Hubs and I just got back from a weekend jaunt to our friends, Sallie and Andy McCauley's gorgeous mountain cabin in the mountains of western Virginia.  

While there we took in a Blue Ridge Mountain Festival in Farnum, Va.  There is a Methodist Agricultural College there named Farnum and the Blue Ridge Mountain Museum  that celebrates the history and folk crafts of that area.  This festival is a celebration of the history and crafts of the mountains.  There were coon dog climbing contests, mule jumping, sheep herding by English Shepherd Dogs, Molasses making, hog butchering, moonshine making, a classic car show and so much more.
 This man was cooking apples to make apple butter.  Our hostess treated us to her own apple butter, yummo.  She said apple butter was a Virginia thing.....my Dad's family was from Virginia four generations ago and he did love him some apple butter.  Our son loves it too, how about you?  They also had peach, pear, pumpkin and I don't know how many other butters.  All delicious, I am sure!
 This is making cane syrup from sugar cane.  They young boy is feeding the cane into a primitive grinder powered by the mule attached to than wooden lead.  The other mule is resting until it is his turn to work.
 There were so many great cars from "our era of the fifties": it was hard to choose a favorite.  I chose the black and while Fairlane convertible hard top.  Notice the "drive in tray with the hamburger and coke" on the window.  Memories! My first car was a white Fairlane 500....but not the convertible hard top.

Sallie and Andy have put in a pond and stocked it with 4,000 fingerlings of several varieties.  Their SpringerSpaniel, Wally, is demonstrating the swimming potential of the pond.  I have a Visula granddog who would love to take a dip there!


This is the hog butchering demo.  I did not linger.
I don't have a picture of their church. I showed it last time I visited, but I do have a funny anecdote regarding the worship service. When we arrived in the parking lot, a lady greeted us and gave us some monopoly money. It was Pastor Appreciation Day and because the pastor works at a mill he won't take a salary from the small church. He did agree to take a love offering on Pastor Appreciation Day. So as a joke, when the ushers took up the offering we all put in Monopoly money. When the offering plates were presented to him to pray over; he busted out laughing at the Monopoly Money. Of course we then took up a real offering. :)


So you can see why every one should come to Virginia......you'll love it!

IF you have been there...tell me what you loved about it!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The state of Virginia needs to put you on its payroll as the new director of tourism. This sure was a good advertisement!

Virginia is one of my favorite states. We last went in 2000 when Peter was just 10 months old to see Colonial Williamsburg. Would love to go back. There's so much more I want to see, especially Mount Vernon.

Apple butter and pumpkin butter sound delicious. Did you bring home any samples? :-)

Nana Time said...

I did, Ms. Sallie gave me a jar of apple butter for son Wayne but unless her read this he might not get it, heh heh....

Ashli said...

What a great weekend visit. Pretty, too. You know who has got to visit now and break in the pond.

You know he would love that baby!

Hope you have a great week, and apple butter sounds like a rare treat to someone who can't have anything sweeter than grapes.