Hiking and celebrating a birthday

We had gone with James' car which has Apple car play. Love that feature. We had no problem finding our B&B, the Cave Hill Farm in McGaheysville, VA. It too has quite a history. It was built in 1830. 

I meant to ask but forgot at the end ... the quilt was very pretty but I don't think it was very old. I can't imagine that the quilting would have been spaced so much apart because the batting would have wadded when washed. It was hand quilted though.

Standing in front of the house you can see the road continuing. We didn't need to go there but wondered about that traffic sign. Have never seen one like that. James suggested that it means that the black top stops soon and its going to be a gravel road. Had to find out. Yes, that is what it seems to mean.

This was the view from our room. We were there two nights and each evening the cows came (behind the tree right now). The field seemed to be empty but at a certain time in the evening lots of them were suddenly there. They were even running at one time from one side to the other. We could not find out why. James even went downstairs to look. And then suddenly they were gone again. Funny!

B&B means no dinner. Well, surely somewhere. The first restaurant "Firebirds" was closed on Sunday evening. So we found Hank's. A nice place. Nicely decorated. The staff was very friendly. The food was very good. Ha, and my glass of red house wine was very good too. James had a sirloin and I had salmon. Nice.

Monday was a great day. Breakfast at 9 am. We were 10 guests around the table. Nice conversations. And soon we were on the way into the mountains. Shenandoah National Park. The weather was perfect. The views were awesome. Our lifetime senior passes let us in free which was a saving of $30. We stopped at a Big Meadows ranger station and inquired about trails. They suggested the Rose River Loop (labeled as 4 moderate miles). The elevation difference from highest to lowest is about 900 feet. Oh yeah!

We parked at Fisher's gap and went the rocky part on the left first. That was definitely a blessing because we started from the top and went down, down, down. That part was not a smooth path but loaded with rocks and roots. At the end I was a bit ... huffing and puffing. But the last part uphill was a smooth gravel fire lane.

It took us about 4 hours. And it was great. Beautiful. Most of the trail was along the Rose River which didn't have that much water right now but every so often it cascaded and/or pooled. Some (young) people went into the pools to refresh. Officially there were two waterfalls.

I am very happy. I think I am doing pretty good for being 70. My knee is no issue. I am a bit out of shape right now but still ...

We found a cafeteria next to the ranger place and shared a sandwich. I took the next photo for Maren. We have such wonderful memories of the week we spent together there with German and English guests in a rented cabin after Sarah's wedding.

And then we slowly drove down from the mountain ridge again, stopping every so often at one of the overlooks into the Shenandoah Valley.

Later ... dinner. Hank's again. Why not? Firebird was open but didn't look so inviting. James had ribs this time. I ordered the sirloin because his had looked so good the night before. 

But it got funny. The waitress came and confessed that the chef had put the wrong steak on the fire ... the more expensive one which they wouldn't charge me but of course more fat. No problem, our hike took care of that I am sure. It was delicious. But before we left the friendly waitress came with a "doggy bag" saying that the chef had felt so bad to have messed up, he prepared the sirloin anyway for me to take home. Well, we did take it but gave it to the innkeepers. Hope one of them enjoyed it.

Tuesday

How the weather had changed. We left the B&B in the rain. 

My dear James drove us to Harrisonburg. Not quite on the way home but close enough that I finally got to see the Virginia Quilt Museum. All the other times we tried it always happened to be closed.

But just before we were there on the corner was a little free library. This photo is for Helen. It was raining and having the window open was a bit of a challenge. Also, I had missed it the first time and sweet James drove around the block ... because I asked him too.

And there is the Virginia Quilt Museum. It took a few years to finally make it there. Once I came very close to being able to visit it but it happened to be one of the few weeks when it was closed because of changing the display. It's closed Sundays and Mondays so we really had to arrange our schedule this time too.

This quilt was laying (I guess as a "hello") on the front porch. When we bought our tickets we were told that photographing inside is allowed but please no sharing on social media. I guess this means no blogging for me. Sorry, friends. 

Yes, I took plenty of photos. There are several different galleries. The main one right now is all about "Elvis". Since this is on their website, I think I am allowed to use it here. It was interesting but James was not very impressed. I was looking at things more from the "technique" angle. Piecing, appliqué, quilting, I took photos mainly to remind me of possibilities. Always learning.

And then we were on our way home. It was Tuesday and next day was Wade's birthday. Tomorrow Sarah was starting the "working nights" stretch and they had an event which had to do with Caleb starting Kindergarten soon. She asked whether we could do the celebration a day early. Sure.

We were early enough to witness the birthday-cookie-decorating. Everybody took turns sprinkling the sprinkles. What an excited bunch of boys. Me, me, me, my turn, ha-ha.

Caleb had asked whether he could do the lighting with his candle, the one he had made at science camp with real honeycomb. A little wax on the cookie wouldn't hurt anybody, right?

Happy Birthday, Wade! You are so loved by your three boys.

Reflecting on these days ... starting Friday til today ... what a chain of events. The lesson: enjoy each and every day, count your blessings and thank the Lord.

Unexpected out-of-town trip

James came back from Nashville after having brought William home. He realized that he had forgotten his Tilley, oh my. Even before this he had mentioned several times that it was time for a new one. His had a lot of miles done. We both love our Tilleys. So comfy, so practical, even the washing machine loves it. The new one was delivered in no time. A happy man.

Since William was in first grade and could read we have sent letters to him via postal service. Real paper! At the end of every school year I bound the letters which I had printed and saved for myself. They make nice little books.

It was time to make the third grade book. In a few days William is starting fourth grade. Oh my, how the time flies. Papa is bringing the parcel to the postoffice. It had been fun packing it. The book, a game for William, some Papa cookies, something for Helen.

Thursday August 1 William met his fourth grade teacher. Helen sent this photo. He seems very relaxed. Looks like it is going to be another good year starting Monday August 5.

The week from August 5 to 9 Sarah had arranged for Caleb to be "a little scientist", another camp. He loved it. On Tuesday we picked him up at 3:30 pm. He was very excited because he also got to spend the night. Sarah had received a schedule which 4 projects they were doing each day with questions to ask the children. Caleb didn't answer much but on Tuesday he was all bubbly about the fact that they had made a hummingbird feeder. 

I remembered that I had an unused one in the garage. Because of our travels this summer I had not hung up anything this year. So we made the food. Caleb remembered how and the formula. We hung it where we had one last year. In the morning early we had already the first visitor. Caleb was so excited. I bet he told the camp teacher all about having fed a hummingbird already. 

Friday was the last day of science camp and parents (and grandparents) were invited to see what the children had made. Caleb kept talking about it and asked us whether we would come too. Yes, we would. He explained and demonstrated everything.

The hummingbird feeder and lots of other things.

The logistics of the end of this week were not so easy. On Tuesday Sarah and Wade received the message that his grandmother had died. Nana had been loved by everybody and it was a shock even though she had suffered health problems. 

Wade had already left on Thursday with the twins to go to his parents which left Sarah without a car because she can't drive his company car. She borrowed James' for a while.

On Friday Sarah, Papa and I went to Caleb's science camp for the presentation and then went straight from there to Pulaski. It's about a 3 1/2 hour drive. Caleb had been very tired and so was his Mom. She had worried too much the night before.

We stopped briefly at James and mine B&B to get a key. When we parked this item fell onto James' feet. No idea what it is.

We had been here before (at the time of Wade's sister Katie's wedding) so we quickly inquired about our room and dropped some bags ... and went on our way again. We needed to drop Sarah off to be with her husband.

When James tried to drive off he found out what that part was which had fallen onto his feet. It was part of the gear stick. Luckily it could just be pushed back in but didn't want to easily stay there. 

We dropped Sarah off at the visitation. We were in good time and there was an hour left. James and I proceeded with Caleb to Kathy and Mike's house (the other grandparents). Colin and Owen were there, three other children and a babysitter couple. We tried our best to help to keep the children from getting too wild. 

At 8 pm the visitation was over and everybody came back. Time for James and me to go on our way. James had mentioned that we needed gasoline. There was a gas station right around the corner but ... just that minute the big storm came. We were at the pump but the wind (very strong) came even sideways. And it was lightning. A bit scary. The pump said that it could not accept credit cards, the wind blew really hard and James needed a restroom. He decided to rush in. He paid some cash for the pump and when he came out the storm was almost over. He could pump the gas and hardly got wet(ter) now.

Next morning I heard from Sarah that they had lost electricity in that storm. There was a generator but not for the A/C. So sorry.

The funeral was at 10 am on Saturday. James and I were a little early and since Sarah and co didn't need any help we went into the town. We parked behind the church where Kathy and Mike were members. A river is always a draw for us. There was a lot to see, especially from the bridge. Lots of fishes in the shallow water. Lots of different water fowls and other birds, even a kingfisher. 

Here is the OBITUARY of Nana ... Rebecca Stephens Waller. It was truly a celebration of the life of a wonderful women, a wonderful human being. She was so loved by so many because she had so much love for others. 

After the service at the funeral home we went as a car caravan to the cemetery for her internment. I have never been in a funeral procession before. It was a very long line of cars and police cars secured several intersections with the officers standing at attention. I was very impressed also about the many cars who had stopped at the side of the oncoming traffic even if there was a wide median. Some people still show respect. 

I also was very impressed about the incredibly good behavior of our 5 little people under 5 years of age. It melts your heart especially when you witness a moment were Owen gives Caleb a hug and a kiss because Caleb was crying. Caleb (the oldest of the children) probably was the only one who understood a little what was going on. The other children only knew that the adults were sad.

After the internment we all met at the golf club for refreshments and an opportunity to talk and visit. Relatives had come from near and far. James and I knew many from the two weddings we had attended. It is truly a warm and kind family.

Later James and I went to Wade's parents house where the children played happily in the front yard on the water slide. Shelley had not come with her swim clothes ....

... but some (from Caleb?) must have been found in the house. VIDEO!     (0:32)

Sunday breakfast at the B&B was at 9 am. We had some lively conversations with the other guests. Rockwood Manor is a historic house. Construction of it had started in 1873 and took several years. It seems that the present owner Frank is a direct descendant and he knows a lot of the history in the area and anything connected to it. 

We did the packing (which wasn't much) and were on our way soon.

Bye bye Rockwood Manor.

Since we didn't really have concrete plans for the day we decided to stop in Staunton. Could not resist to take a photo of this license plate ... after I had figured it out. Clever!

Staunton is a cute little old town. We went to the Tourist information office, had a nice chat with the lady and then did some walking around. When it was lunch time we decided on the Baja Beans Restaurant. Prices are very reasonable and the food was really good. Only the salsa was a bit too hot for my taste. And it happened to be part of my salad. But I definitely ate most of the salad anyway.

A Mexican "Nutcracker" (? nutcrackers are a specialty of the German region my father was from) was part of the decoration. Funny!

For Sunday evening we had booked another two nights in another B&B ... in anticipation of a really good hike on that one full day. Looking forward to it!!!