Spontaneous Weekend Visits

Can you believe it's July 1st? How in the world did June slip by so fast? 

That's ok...bring on the fall weather!!

This past weekend my mother-in-law and brother-in-law decided to come down for a spontaneous trip! We love having friends and family visit so we were super excited that they decided to come over!

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When we got official word they were on their way and after a trip to the grocery store, my husband and I went into a cleaning frenzy. He helped, though, really. Now I don't see this as a fault and I know my in-laws and friends won't think less of me if the house isn't spotless (who has time to keep a house 'spotless'?), but when people come over, it is a perfect excuse to clean the house in record time! Works like a charm. I'm a pretty organized and clean person, but the house always looks great seconds before guests arrive! 

They arrived late Friday evening and so we mostly talked and played games. I had to work Saturday morning so everyone else stayed up and hung out when I went to bed early like the old lady I am. Saturday afternoon we all went down to the Farmer's Market to sample and buy local, delicious goodies. We bought eggs and potatoes for a super late breakfast and even bought the most delicious goat cheese from Spring Mill Farm. Sun dried tomato goat cheese is my guilty pleasure...it is to die for!

After the Market and a delicious homemade breakfast (at 2pm?!) we relaxed for a bit but then decided we should go out and enjoy the day. The hot, hot day. We drove down to Peaks View Park and walked the trails and got some sun. It was really nice, but quite hot. We were ready for some AC after a few miles!

Even Kito got to come along! He had a blast!

Don't tell but we even stopped by DQ on the way back for smore's blizzards! 

Sunday we made poppyseed chicken (delicious...recipe post in the works!) and butter! Yes, we made our own butter! It's incredibly easy but I won't give it all away now. I'll try and have that in a post for you all this week! 

All in all in was a wonderful weekend. Can't wait to have them out again!

And to top it off, now that it's July...it's officially my birthday month! This is the first birthday in about 5 years now that the camp we always work isn't happening during my birthday! Not that we don't love working camp, but I'm so excited to actually get to celebrate my birthday this year! It's also my "quarter of a century" birthday as my husband likes to remind me, so we're thinking an awesome celebration is in order! I can hardly wait!

How was your weekend? Do anything fun or productive? What are some awesome birthday ideas? I'm up for cliche� or unique ideas! 

Till next time,

Catherine

Wally - The beagle with an amazing story (who needs a home!)

This is Wally's story.

"My name is Wal-Mart. Most people call me Wally. I was given this name because I lived outside of the Wal-Mart in Appomattox, Virginia for about 5 years. No one could catch me or touch me but many people loved me and would buy food just for me to enjoy. 

About 6 months ago, animal control officers amped up their efforts to catch me because it was realized that I had an embedded collar. My previous owner put it on me when I wasn't done growing. They managed to catch me and brought me back to the animal shelter. Soon after I was taken to a nearby veterinarian who removed the collar and stitched me back together again. I wasn't sure of anything but I was slowly learning to trust humans. 

While I recovered, I stayed in the pound. It wasn't my favorite place to be but I kept learning to trust people more and more. I stayed for about two months before landing a spot in a foster home, only to be returned because I didn't know how to walk on a leash and my first foster mom was unable to carry my 35lb frame around. 

Next I was brought back to the nice veterinarian man where they took away my manhood and tested me for diseases I could have picked up while living free. Unfortunately I had contracted heartworms and another tick-borne disease called ehrlichia. 

As if having my manhood taken away wasn't bad enough! Not to mention I hated having stitches in my tummy so I kept trying to pull them out. They stapled me, wrapped me up in bandages and put a humiliating cone around my neck! 

I stayed at the vet for many weeks while getting my first round of heartworm treatment, ehrlichia medication and recovering from being neutered. 

During those weeks I really learned to trust people and learned that they provide me with more than just food, but also love and affection! I also house trained myself. I couldn't understand why other dogs would treat their kennel run as a bathroom! Gross! 

I love being petted and rubbed. People are so nice to me! It took time for me to trust them but now I love them! After several weeks, another wonderful lady decided to foster me. She has a securely fenced yard where I love to run and breathe in the fresh air! 

One family brought me to their house for a few days to see how I would fit in. I made myself right at home with their beagle. You'd think we were long-lost cousins!

 I even like hanging around other dogs! Although, I don't really know how to play. Cuddling is more my thing.

I really liked the home and the other dogs, but, I enjoyed chasing their cat too much for their liking and they didn't have a yard for me to run in. I want a home where I can lounge inside at night but run around outside during the day. So now I'm back with my foster mom enjoying the "dog days of summer."

 This sure isn't the end of my story but I can hardly wait for the next chapter in my "furrever" home! Until then, I'll enjoy my time with my foster mom and her dogs but be dreaming of what's next."


If you know someone who may be interested (or are interested yourself) in adopting Wally, please contact Barbe with Friends of Campbell County Animal Control. He has come so far in his journey but needs a loving, forever home.

• Wally is great with other dogs.
• He may be ok with certain cats.
• He is great with kids. 
• He is shy at first but warms up to both men and women with time.
• He is house-trained. 
• He needs a home where he can run in a securely fenced in yard. Nothing he can dig under or climb over. 
• On the same point, he loves to be cuddled on the couch, so being able to come indoors and cuddle is a must. 

If you haven't guessed, my husband and I are the ones who brought him into our home for a few days before realizing it wasn't the best fit. As much as we love him and wanted to have him, we were being selfish. He needs space to run and it also wasn't fair to our cat because he was always terrified. In all honesty, I think Wally chased the cat simply because the cat ran, I don't think it was a "prey drive" chase. He's the one who ripped the bottom of our cheap-o blinds that we had to fix. He just wanted to see outside the window!

Please share Wally's story so we can find his perfect home! I know it's out there. If we had land and a fenced yard, we would have kept him for sure. He's a super sweet, loving dog with an amazing story. He deserves the best home!

I'll update this page when he gets adopted.

Do you have a rescue pet? What's their story? Doesn't Wally have the sweetest face??

Till next time,
Catherine

Strawberry Picking 2013

Our beautiful bounty!

This past weekend, my husband and I went strawberry picking at a farm about 40 minutes away. I had been wanting to do this since last year but we missed the season when it was cut short by too much rain. 

Saturday was really rainy off and on so we waited and went on Sunday. Most farms don't have Sunday pick-your-own hours but this one does! We went to Scott's Strawberry Farm in Moneta, Virginia and it was wonderful! We did have to endure a little drizzle but it wasn't too bad. 

I would definitely recommend going before the season is over! It is $10 for a 5 quart bucket, they're open 7 days a week, and they're very friendly and helpful! They're also going to have raspberries and blueberries in the summer. I'll definitely be back for those!

They have a bunch of fields that are huge! 

Rows and rows of ripe, delicious strawberries!

I even found a short and squat one that looked like a pumpkin! He was de-lish!

We also bought 3 plants too. I told you my wee little strawberry plant needed friends! Now he has some. He? She? Oh who knows. 

My other strawberry plant is the all-star variety and the new ones are Chandler Berries. They're lower and fuller and seem to produce more too. Scott's Strawberry Farm recommends Earliglow for the flavor so I'll be keeping an eye out for those! 

The little blossoms are so pretty!

Can one really have "too many" strawberries? 

Nah...I didn't think so either.

What's your favorite place to go strawberry picking? What do you do with your bounty when you get home?

Till next time,

Catherine

Williamsburg Anniversary Trip

So as you may know from last week's posts, my husband and I went to Williamsburg this past weekend to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary! We had a great time and can't wait to go back! 

When we arrived we walked down through Colonial Williamsburg. Here's my husband Brian photo bombing the Colonial Garden. They had all kinds of plants for sale...I wanted one of each! 

Garden photo! 

I love this little cottage and the way the front yard is landscaped! The houses are absolutely gorgeous there!

We ate at The Cheese Shop for a late lunch on Saturday and it was SO GOOD! I definitely recommend it. 

I had a turkey and provolone sandwich on wheat with house dressing and it was fabulous! They also have many cheeses for sale and unique treats as well as a huge wine cellar full of wines and beers. 

We breezed through The Candy Shop that's next door to The Cheese Shop but it was really crowded so we didn't stop and buy anything. Blessings in disguise! 

Here Brian decided to give T.J. a few pointers on a document he was working on. I think he's taking them into consideration. 

While we did see a lot of "Made in the USA" signs and stickers, I also saw way too much of this. There were so many things for sale that were supposed to look authentic and really colonial, yet they were made in China, India or other countries. Sad. 

I freaked out like a little girl when I saw these two horses! Brian practically had to pry me away from them! Since living in Lynchburg, I haven't gotten to ride or be around horses hardly at all. I miss it so badly! 

We also walked around The Pottery which I had heard a lot about. Let me tell you...the name is deceiving! I was thinking The Pottery was a cool place where they made pottery in front of you, sold freshly made pottery of all shapes and sizes and maybe you can even paint some pottery. Far, far from the truth. If you haven't been, it's basically one huge store divided into three buildings. One for kitchen wares and food, one for home decor, and one for outdoor items. I was disappointed because even though it was kind of a neat place, the prices were expensive. They had a large natural/organic/unique section of food and a huge wine section if you're into those sort of things. I even happened to see wine from a vineyard in Louisa County, Virginia which is where my extended family is from! If you don't know where Louisa is, just remember it's where the epicenter of the 2011 East Coast Earthquake was. 

After a disappointing dinner on Friday at a place called Daddyo's (Yelp reviewers had given it great reviews!), we stopped by Handel's Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt. 

Brian got a chocolate milkshake and I got cookie dough ice cream in a waffle cone. They don't play around! Look at that sucker! It was delicious too!

The Governor's Palace

Beautiful skies framing a brick house. 

I loved this side yard too with the stream running through the middle. 

If only we had somewhere to put it! These bird bottles are so cute! 

I loved hearing the clip-clop of the horses' hooves as they walked on by. We didn't take a horse drawn carriage ride, though. It's $20 a person for 15 minutes! Trust me, I know horses are expensive pets but holy moly that is so expensive. That's $40 for 15 minutes for two people. Rip off. 

And we also made a huge mistake by buying a pound and a half of homemade fudge!! As we walked out the door I said to Brian, "What...have...we...done??" The flavors are so amazing, though! In the box on the left it's blueberry cheesecake then Oreo. The top left in the other box is chocolate, caramel, and peanuts, and the one on the right is the Williamsburg Special which is caramel, chocolate chips, white chocolate fudge, then regular chocolate fudge. Bottom row is peanut buter chocolate and then peanut butter. 

Each morning we drove just into Yorktown (our hotel was in Newport News which enabled us to have dinner with some of our close friends who live in the Portsmouth area. We were SOO thrilled to see them and we had a blast talking and laughing over dinner.) and ate at this breakfast/lunch place called Food Craft. We ordered breakfast both times and it was so incredibly delicious! The fried potatoes weren't greasy and they were so tasty! The biscuits and gravy were incredible too. It was so good that we're already trying to find excuses to go down there again! 

And finally, we came home to about 4-5" of snow! Fortunately we beat some of the snow but did end up driving in it for about an hour. It wasn't too bad, though. Glad it's all about melted now! Bring on Spring time!! But Summer...you take your time.

Thank you to everyone who recommended Williamsburg adventures! We want to go back soon and see/do it all!

Have you been to Williamsburg? What's your favorite thing to do/see?

Till next time,

Catherine

Anniversary Trip!

So this week is exciting for me...my 1 year wedding anniversary is coming up on Sunday!!! It's hard to believe it's almost been an entire year already! We've loved each and every second of it!

Except the bills...bills suck.

I'm super excited because we're going to Williamsburg, Virginia for a little anniversary weekend getaway! Any suggestions for places to go or things to do? I'd love to hear your suggestions! I haven't been since I was a kid in school so I don't hardly remember it! I'm really hoping for good weather so we can get out and see it all.

Also, what's your take on the anniversary year gifts? For 1 year the traditional gift is paper and the modern ones are clocks, plastic, and gold jewelry. Even if it's kind of silly I think it might be fun to do. Except what in the world can I give as a gift that's paper?? Help!

Guess I should have thought of this when I had more than a week to plan! Oops!

Send me your best-kept Williamsburg secrets! I want to hear your favorite things to do on an anniversary and don't forget the paper gift suggestions!

Till next time,
Catherine

Jane Marczewski Music!

Are you sick and tired of what people consider to be music these days? I am. There is so much of a fight for the attention of the media but there is very little true talent actually making it through. 

Well, folks...you're in for a real treat if you love GOOD music. 

THIS is good music. THIS is talent. THIS is passion. THIS is Jane Marczewski! 

The other night a good friend of mine invited my husband and I to a little concert in a downtown loft. The main act was one of her best friends, Jane Marczewski (pronounced sort of like "mar-cheski"). We had listened to her music online before and she is phenomenal so we wanted to come out and show some support. 

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Jane Marczewski is an amazing young woman with a passion for music and an unbeatable voice. She's from Zanesville, Ohio but it currently in Lynchburg, Virginia. Many musicians have come through Lynchburg but Jane sets a whole new standard of quality. 

If you don't believe me, go HERE and listen to some of her songs! I can vouch that she's as good on a recording as she is live. That's also rare. So many musicians are strictly studio and don't do well in concert but Jane is just as good if not better! You can also go HERE and download her FREE EP! Who doesn't love free music? Really good free music at that! If you're convinced and love her music, go and "LIKE" her Facebook page! 

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I'm not sure what you're waiting for if you haven't gone and listened yet! She's got my stamp of approval! 

Is there a local artist you love that you think the world deserves to hear? Let me know! 

Till next time,

Catherine

Snow Day-Wait, where'd it go?

All week here in good ol' Lynchburg, Virginia the weathermen have been forecasting snow for today. Some said we may not get anything at all, others said we may get up to 18"! That's quite a range. Needless to say, it's hard to know what to expect.

I rained all day Tuesday so I figured the snow wouldn't amount to anything. Until I went to take the dogs out to go to the bathroom. There was already 2 inches of snow on the ground! After that my husband and I got a little too comfortable thinking we'd get a cozy snow day together the next day! 

You should never get your hopes up!

That's ok...money is good too. 

So all night and day it snowed off and on but because of the rain yesterday it didn't amount to much. Luckily the snow didn't stick to the roads and it turned to wet mush on the ground. 

Then, out of nowhere it stopped, the sun came out, and almost all of the snow melted! 

Only in Virginia. 

Oh you live in a four-season state? That's nice...I live in a four-season-a-day state. It'll keep you on your toes! Haha. 

Where are you from? Did you get snow like a lot of the East coast? 

Till next time,

Catherine

Ivy Creek Park in Lynchburg, Virginia

I never get tired of that mountain view.

 My husband and I recently discovered a cute little local park called Ivy Creek Park. It was a beautiful day, high of 70 degrees in mid January! We knew we had to take advantage of it.

 

I pass the road to this park quite often so we decided to check it out. 

It's just a little park but it's not even 2 years old yet. 

There's a nice paved trail from the parking lot, past a playground, down to the lake. The lake is called Clemmons Lake and you can fish (catch and release), or rent a canoe and relax on the water. There's a nice dock as well. 

There's a half mile trail that circles the lake. 

How about that...Lynchburg's very own mini-swamp! Haha.

Nicely built bridge over the swampy area. 

Pretty even in the winter.

Check out this huge tree stump that a beaver took down! Amazing little critters.

You're so welcome :-)

Apparently we're slow to learn our new-ish surroundings. Little did I know that Lynchburg has a ton of parks! You can view a list of local Lynchburg parks here. I've decided that we will be visiting all of these parks in 2013. We love the outdoors so these will be fun little adventures for us! I can't wait till the weather gets better! It's been cold and raining for almost 4 days straight and now they're calling for ice and snow. Yuck. I'm even more grateful we took advantage of that warm day!

Do you live in the country or do you go visit local parks? Where are some of your favorite local parks? Do you prefer more amenities like playground and picnic tables or do you prefer just miles of beautiful trails? 

Till next time,
Catherine