And we are home!

Travel is the only thing you buy 

that makes you richer.
                            – Anonymous

We spent much of Monday in Nashville, Indiana. We've enjoyed Nashville and the surrounding area of Brown County for years and often end or begin trips there. 

We wandered the streets and enjoyed the shops and the flowers on a very warm day. 

We decided to eat at Trolly's BBQ but there was only outside seating and it was too warm for us to enjoy eating in the heat. One shop owner suggested Heavenly Biscuit, Inc. There was plenty of outside seating while the inside seating was very limited. Three young women who met in college  and were enjoying their yearly vacation together, offered to share their table. They were fun and interesting to talk with. Ray and I both had BLTs and fried taters which were perhaps the best fried potatoes I've ever eaten! Sadly, we were too full to enjoy a cinnamon roll but our table mates said they were scrumptious. They ate dessert first - we should have!

My big disappointment of my day was that a new-to-me small quilt shop in Nashville, The Yellow Door Quilt Store, was closed on Mondays. I looked in the windows and they obviously saved me money by not being open today! Hopefully I'll catch them next time.

We spent part of the afternoon and evening doing very little - it was very relaxing.

Today we drove home in some rain and some sun. The beginning and the end of the day was spent on back roads, definitely our preferred way of traveling. The car is unloaded, a few groceries were purchased, and the mail was picked up. It's time to sit down!

LilyFest

Live every day as if it is a festival. 

Turn your life into a celebration.  

-Shri Radhe Maa.     

LilyFest is "A celebration of arts, crafts, music, and gardens in the Hocking Hills" in Rockbridge, Ohio. I am so glad we heard about it and decided to attend.

We drove the narrow roads that turned to gravel and became more narrow and arrived at a field with MANY volunteers directing traffic, answering questions, and giving out information. The event is held at Bishop Educational Gardens.

There were many lilies growing everywhere.

There were neat sculptures and buildings and ponds and ...

There were vendors tucked in everywhere.

There was food and music.

This festival was definitely a celebration! We loved it and would enjoy seeing it again.

We have Internet Access again...

Begin at the beginning… 

and go on till you come to the end: 

then stop.      

-Lewis Carroll                      

I have some catching up to do - first we were busy with family and then we didn't have Internet access. So, I'll begin at the beginning:

We caught up with our oldest son and his family in Virginia. Sorry it's not the greatest picture.

We had a great time although it was very warm and we had some rain. The five grandchildren all enjoyed my Cricut Maker - they made shirts and more.

  

There was also zip lining, a climbing wall, bungee jumping, grass tubing, eating in, eating out, a farmers market, and visiting time. I even found myself on my iPad one day playing games online with them. It so hard not seeing them very often; I cherish our time together.

We left Virginia on Thursday morning and headed to Logan, Ohio, on mostly back roads. In Jerome, Virginia, we found this old gas station,

mountain views, 

and this gorgeous stone fence by a church. 

Just a couple of miles down the road, we found this old mill in Liberty Furnace, Virginia. 

We stayed in a great cabin near Logan, Ohio, in the Hocking Hills area. The driveway up to the cabin was very steep. We were very happy to be driving a Jeep.

Many roads around us were narrow; I loved the tree canopies.

We saw a few deer but just these two fawns. 

On Friday we did lots of hiking and saw some beautiful waterfalls. In between hikes, we had a fantastic lunch at Millstone Southern Smoked BBQ in Logan, Ohio.

Pretty waterfall

Old Man's Cave Upper Falls

Old Man's Cave Lower Falls

Cedar Falls

Saturday morning  we checked out a few shops and the Lily Fest in Rockbridge, Ohio (another post), Then we enjoyed a late lunch at Pizza Crossing in Logan. They told us it was the best pizza in Ohio – it was good! 

We backtracked to the Hocking Hills Market and Flea Market. There were all kinds of things and LOTS of people. 

Since we needed a couple things, we stopped by Weavers Store and Deli. Across the parking lot was Treetop Treasures. We were told they had good ice cream – they did! There was a Civil War Camp set up nearby but it was just too warm to spend much time there. 

Today we drove back roads to Bloomington, Indiana. I'm not sure what we'll do tomorrow. If the temperatures stay in the high 80's, I know we won't spend much time outside!

A relaxing day

Wherever you go becomes 

a part of you somehow. 

– Anita Desai

Last night we took a second walk to see the sunset better. It was pretty.

Today we went to Middletown, VA, to the July 4th celebration. It took a little bit of hunting to find the park but in the process we found a good place to park.

There was an interesting little craft fair. We bought some wonderful pecans, My Buddy's Nuts, after talking with Buddy  (Phil) and Bonnie.

In the other direction was the food. I counted 9 food trucks or tents. We enjoyed shrimp po'boys. They were excellent.

We ate in this building to get out of the sun - the temps were around 90 degrees. In the close end of the building, a guy is playing a guitar and singing.

Most of the people listening to the music are sitting under this tent.

There were Monster Truck rides and other things on the agenda for the afternoon including a parade. We didn't stick around too long - It was just too warm. 

On the way home we drove by the Bella Grove Mansion.
from https://bellegrove.org/about: 
Belle Grove is located in the northern Shenandoah Valley near Middletown, Virginia. Its Manor House was built in 1797 by Major Isaac Hite and his wife Nelly Madison Hite, sister of President James Madison.
...
Belle Grove was used as a headquarters by Union General Phillip Sheridan during the Civil War Valley Campaign of 1864 and was at the very center of the pivotal Battle of Cedar Creek. After a surprise attack by Confederate General Jubal Early in the early hours of October 19, 1864, General Sheridan quickly regained the territory, securing the Valley for the Union and boosting President Abraham Lincoln's chances for re-election.

The mansion was not open to the public today - it was closed for a private event. We were able to stop and get a photo and we were talking to another photographer who was there for the event. He has a personal connection to the mansion and was telling us stories. I found it very interesting that during the Battle of Cedar Creek, the attic of the mansion became a hospital for both the Union and Confederate soldiers. He said we won't see the attic on a tour but the soldiers wrote names and messages on the beams and they are still readable. 

Our afternoon has been very restful - naps, doing a little stitching/knitting, reading, watching the Chicago Cubs on TV. The  thunderstorms have started and are expected for the next several hours. We'll just keep relaxing.