Oh hello again. It's already Monday - how did that happen so quickly? I think the pictures I took goofing off in my office on Friday are pretty on the nose in regard to how quickly the weekend passed - it's all going so well and then *pop* the weekend has ended. Oh well - onward into more of this weird year.
It rained for a good chunk of the day on Friday - but by the time I'd finished dinner at Macado's, the sun had come out and the temperatures were not sweltering, so it was off to Strasburg to grab ice cream from Sugar Creek Snowy & Sweet - which has; hands down, some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted in my life. I chose Lemon Bliss and Birthday Cake - and they were to die for!
Strasburg is just a small Northern Virginia town but the murals on Main Street are pretty fascinating to me and I enjoyed taking the time to wander up and down Main Street and snap some pictures of the murals (those I could get a good picture of...) and enjoy that the weather didn't feel so oppressive. We also attempted to figure out where there might be a good spot to hop into the river to go tubing on our own...
I have no pictures from Saturday morning - I joined my parents in Middleburg to have lunch at Red Horse Tavern and explore some of the shops on the Main Street that were taking part in the annual Sidewalk Sale. While having lunch out on the patio, there was a constant parade of face masks making as people ambled past the Tavern and I just sort of sat back and marveled at it all - 2020 continues to be one of the strangest years I've ever lived.
We stopped back by the house for a little over an hour to walk the dog and just chill out a little bit. I took some headache pills and proceeded to take a nap and thankfully the combination of both knocked out the headache I'd been battling all morning. We headed into Shenandoah National Park for dinner at Skyland Lodge - the Pollock Dining Room recently reopened for dining and we always have such good meals there, so we decided Saturday evening was the perfect time to go.
After dinner we made our way slowly back down the mountain - stopping at multiple viewpoints here and there. The pictures above were taken on opposite sides of the mountain - the one with my hair down is looking East and the one with my hair up is looking West - you can see beautiful views in both but that was an anomaly when looking to the West. The rain that had been forecast for Saturday was hovering in clouds that drifted over the peaks in waves of mist, obscuring the views to the West.
At one point we stopped and just sat along the rock fencing at an overlook and watched the mist roll around the trees and wildflowers, moving like a living thing as it wound in between branches and over the rock wall, continuing it's journey up and over the mountain. I took a couple time lapse videos that show the mist moving eerily along - perhaps I'll share one later in the week; I couldn't get them to upload today!
Once back at home, we discovered that a huge thunderstorm had come through the area and Watson went a little nuts - spiraling rugs around in his panic - bless his heart. I gave him his cookie from the pet shop in Middleburg and then watched a little Somebody Feed Phil. It was a good Saturday.
Sunday after church we drove deep into the backwoods to the Woodstock Tower - a metal fire tower structure that is perched atop the peaks of the mountains and offers stunning views of the Shenandoah Valley spreading out around it. There is a small hike to it - maybe 2/10ths a mile - if that... and then, up the stairs and the views unfold out in front of you. I love living in the mountains. *sigh*
The views were great - I think the pictures are proof enough of that! It was pretty warm on Sunday but thankfully the combination of being a little higher up and there being a pretty stiff breeze made it tolerable! We wound down the mountain and I snapped a picture of the Shenandoah River spilling over a dam as we made our way into "downtown" Woodstock - which is another small Northern Virginia town.
We grabbed an afternoon snack from Katie's Custard - my Peanut Butter Sundae was divine! It's been ages since I've had a sundae of any kind and it was definitely a treat! Not the kind of treat I should be having too often since I've still got a way to go to meet my fitness goals - but a free weekend every once in a while, that's fine too. All things in moderation!
We met up with friends for dinner at our favorite Mexican place and as we left, I snapped a picture with my sweet Jimmy. When I moved here six years ago he was a scrawny six year old obsessed with Star Wars and Marvel and he was a short little shrimp. Now he's almost thirteen and more interested in his cell phone and *gasp* girls... but thankfully he was happy to snap a picture with me.
After winding through Wal-Mart following the "Walk This Way" signs (Aerosmith anyone?!?) and grabbing a few things for the week ahead, it was home to watch Somebody Feed Phil, read and prepare for another work week! I can't believe it's already August - but this weekend was a good way to start it!
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