House of Hydrangeas

Continuing on from yesterday's post, I'll be picking up right where I left off-- in Staunton, VA. This was a huge iron watering can in downtown.  The other side of the bridge had two huge iron pots.  Oversized sculptures always get me. This is for Lauren (aka Laredo).  I found a shop called Little Laredo and had to pull over and snap a pic! This is an old mill that's been transformed into a restaurant called the Mill Street Grill. Mill Street Grill This place was just as delicious as it was unique.  To start off our meal, they brought us out pans of different bread all cooked together like this.  And what did they serve with it?  Raspberry butter!  I've never seen or heard of raspberry butter in my life, but I knew it would make Jon proud if I gave it a try, so I did.  And I have to say it was actually pretty good.  Then, as if the unconventional bread and butter wasn't enough to make us remember the place, they brought everyone a...

Two weeks ago I traveled to Virginia to meet my mom and visit with some relatives.  It was a wonderful trip full of many memorable things-new and old.  I learned a lot our our nation's and my family's history.  I snapped a few pictures along on the journey and thought I'd share them with you. BEDFORD, VA The town where my grandmother (aka Mow-Mow, my mom's mom) was born and raised. This is the old barn behind my great uncle's house.  The land and barn originally belonged to my great grandparents who had a home there. Another shot of the barn. My mom told me that when she was a child, she and her brother were out back playing in the barn when they weren't supposed to be near the horses.  My great uncle pulled up to the house and someone saw him and yelled to run and when my mom tried to just down off of this barn gate, she ripped her pants.  So I made her stand by it and let me get a picture :) The Blue Ridge Mountains behind the property. Some of our...

I'm flying out to Virginia tomorrow to meet my mom and embark on a week-long journey of visiting family.  We will stay with my grandfather in Staunton but will make day trips during the week to Fredericksburg and Bedford to visit my uncles.  I'm excited.  I haven't been up there since March of 2008 for my grandmother's (Mow-Mow's) funeral.  I think Virginia is a beautiful state, and I'm looking forward to the adventure! Staunton, VA Staunton, VA All of the towns we'll be visiting are full of history.  I love towns where the past is so visibly honored and preserved.  I find them to be very refreshing.  Hopefully I'll come back with lots of good photos! I'm only bringing a carry-on for this trip.  In the past, this would have posed a problem, but thanks to airline baggage fees, I've gotten pretty good at pairing down the luggage size.  If you're challenged in this area, here are some really good tips from Bethenney Frankel's website on...