Skyline Drive (Late October 2013)

 Paul's favorite TV show is BBC's Top Gear.  Its a TV show with three guys who drive test drive cars and do fun excursions.  One episode they did included racing cars up and down Skyline Drive overlooking Shenandoah Valley.  It has a 25 mph speed limit. 

 So one Saturday afternoon in late October '13, Paul talked us all into hopping into the car to do the drive in our bid diesel suburban.  Below is a photo looking off the edge of Skyline out into the Shenendoah Valley.

Below is the girls standing on a retaining wall at Outlook Point.

We moved from California where I have never seen a wild bear and we saw several on this drive. Below is the baby.  The mom treed the baby when she saw us drive up.

Below is the momma bear.

Here is Livy standing at the edge of the visitors center. The Shenandoah Valley below is just breathtaking...

Inside the visitors center they had a stuffed bear that the kids could finally snuggle up with.  :)

Morning drive to the Shenandoah Valley.

Back in October 2013, after sending the kids off to school I decided to drive west and explore some of the more rural parts of Virginia.  I drove about 2 hrs west of Falls Church and came upon a cute little town.  Below is a photo as I approached:

 

I was amazed a the beautiful fall colors.  Since it's late fall I started looking for an apple orchard.  I miss Apple Hill!  

I found this cute orchard and had apple cider, a fritter, and got a big bag of apples for the family.

 Below is another photo of the orchards and fall colors:

On the way home from the apple stand I saw a sign to Belle Grove Plantation. There is a big field in front of this plantation where during the Civil War was fought the "Battle of Belle Grove". 

http://www.bellegrove.org/index.php?/about/battle

From the Manor house website I found that the Belle Grove Plantation is an authentic 1797 Manor House, built by Major Isaac Hite and his wife Nelly Madison Hite, sister of President James Madison.

 

 I feel like I should have lived on a Plantation.  I got a tour of the grounds and home.

Our 1940's virginia home.

This is our living room.

I painted the walls and baseboards and had the owners pull out the nasty carpet.

 Still in the living room.

 Lexi's room. I painted the brown panel board white and the walls we matched to a favorite fingernail polish color.

 Our 1940's dining room. The original french doors lead out to a covered patio which will be nice in the summer time. This yellow color is called, "It's a Wonderful Life."

Dining room, right off of kitchen.

Backyard with our trampoline. On the other of the fence and bushes is a paved bike path that goes all the way to downtown D.C.