Taking A Sunday Drive #15

It just seems appropriate that Virginia should be the chosen state for Valentine's Day. I still remember when this slogan first came out in 1969. It seemed very provocative at the time. All the young lovers everywhere wanted a bumper sticker showing they had been there. Versatile, too, for a state with such diversity of natural wonders: "Virginia is for beach lovers; Virginia is for mountain lovers; Virginia is for history lovers, etc.

Our trip to Virginia was part of our Big Trip East in Autumn, 2008. Almost all the photos I took on that trip were on my digital camera. After I had downloaded them to my computer I deleted the images - a mistake I will not make again because I lost them all when my computer crashed. My only Virginia photos are the ones I took at Ash Lawn-Highland - James Monroe's Albemarle County farm home.

Our intention was to visit President Jefferson's home, Monticello, but when we got there the place was overrun with tourists. We drove a few more miles down the road....

...then down this lovely, long lane bordered by white ash trees, to the place our fifth president called simply, Highland.

We toured inside the house and the exhibits there, first. The left side is the Victorian style wing added in 1870. The right side is the original house.

The above photo is looking toward the house, this one of me is looking away from the house.
Ornamental and vegetable gardens along with an herb garden and Boxwood Gardens planted more than a century ago embellish the grounds.

An original corn crib. And looking into the distance, perhaps the reason Monroe called his home Highland.

After leaving here we were headed toward Tysons Corner just outside Washington, D.C. where we would be staying for the weekend. I don't remember the name of the hotel now, just that I had prebooked it online on one of those sites where you don't know the name of the place until you book it, but you get an incredible price. All I knew was it was supposed to be a 3 or 4 star hotel. It turned out to be gorgeous.

After leaving the D.C. area, we did the scenic Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park and took a twisty, scenic two-lane through a very poor-looking coal mining region. That was an eye-opener!

Two more Virginia pictures, probably in the Charlottesville area.

An old cabin and a lone tree and miles and miles and miles of rail fences.




Virginia is for lovers and I think anyone visiting this state would love it. I certainly did.

Happy Valentine's Day!