On Up The Road

I love to explore.

I enjoy new surroundings and finding what is to be found around the corner, down the road, over the mountain, along the river, around the bend where other people make a living, live a life.

While Jason and The Hubster were out doing manly manly things like revving up the chainsaw for some strategic tree and bramble removal, I offered up my services in “running to town” for some chainsaw bar oil (I didn’t know there was such a thing!) and picking up a few items at the grocery store for dinner while out and about.

Jason had decided to stay an extra night, and there were no sweet potatoes to be found in the cabin, and we were out of ranch dressing, and that just wouldn’t DO!

Independence, Virginia is the Grayson county seat.  Its crowning jewel, the 1908 courthouse on the typical courthouse square.

And bonus of ALL bonuses – the cherry trees were in full bloom as I pulled up and parked.

Oh my!!  And blue sky!

An older lady, seeing me frame the scene for the perfect shot by cell phone said “Aren’t the cherry trees just beautiful?  Washington DC has NOTHING on us!”  And I smiled, laughed and readily agreed.  Washington DC may be known for the cherry trees on parade down the length of the mall, but this quiet little sleepy town is nestled into the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains and I didn’t have to fight parking and people to enjoy this bit of glory.

WWI & WWII Memorial

One of these days, I’m going to go INSIDE!

Across the street!

Another bonus!  the local antique store was open.  Just a quaint little place, and I didn’t find anything that needed to come back to the cabin with me,  But I enjoyed my chat with the locals, inquiring about the location of the nearest grocery store, and hardware store.

This sign made me laugh!!

Food City is a great grocery with just about everything you could need including a decent produce section.  Needed items bought and bagged, I was told to check out Dwight’s gas station across the street for the chainsaw bar oil – and found that not only is Dwight’s the local gas station mini-mart, but also a place to get new tires, and all of the hardware/household/hunting/fishing stuff that you could possibly require in “this here parts.”

I made the short 15 mile drive back home over windy roads, past farms and fields, hillsides turning greener by the day and dotted with cattle enjoying the Virginia sunshine as March gave way to April.

I passed small country churches with quaint old cemeteries, headstones leaning after many passing years.

I followed the road that followed the river as it ran all the way back to Mouth of Wilson, turning south and finally arriving back to OUR road, getting more and more familiar with every trip we make up here.

A man, his son, a chainsaw and a RZR doing what men do.

I love that I caught the late afternoon sunlight as it filtered through the trees.

The clump of trees that was too close to the cabin for comfort are now down.  I now firmly have 3 bars of 4G on my phone and couldn’t be more thrilled. Satellite internet is way too expensive for the amount of time we plan to spend here, so the decision has been made to just upgrade my cell plan and use it as my hotspot when I need to connect the laptop.  I’m happy with that.  The Dish Network satellite is now getting the HD channels we wanted thanks to the removal of the trees.  The trees themselves are now lining the edge of the parking area so we don’t drive over the cliff in the dark.  It was a good sacrifice all the way around.

And there has been some of this.

The border units for Straits of Mackinac are underway.  Maybe today I’ll be able to get borders on, or ready to go on.  That’s the plan.

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Vintage Carpenters Star found in North Carolina.

How true is this! Quiet the mind and listen to your heart. I think the simple act of sewing pieces together puts me in the right place to listen, as for many of us.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone!

Follow me on Instagram!
Follow my Quiltville Page on Facebook for more fun!
Join our sister group, Quiltville's Open Studio on Facebook, a place to Sew, Share & Grow!!