An Ode to Spring

Daffodils bloom mean springtime is near

Walk outside and soon you will hear

Birds of all colors singing and taking flight
Singing springtime songs both day and night.

Regal magnolia with rose colored bloom
Brightening winter's dark and lonely gloom.

Pink and white trees dot the woods here and there
Boughs swaying gently -- spring is in the air.

God's palette of colors is everywhere you look

In the trees and the flowers and mountains and brooks.

Oh spring please come quickly and push winter away
There's lots of places to see on spring's warm sunny days!

-- Photos and poem by Sandy Wallace, Spring 2017

Johnson Farm: Rustic Beauty off the Blue Ridge Parkway

Whether you're looking for a rustic location for a photo shoot or an easy family-friendly day hike off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Johnson Farm is the perfect destination.

Click the following link for more Blue Ridge Parkway hikes: Hiking Off the Blue Ridge Parkway

Johnson Farm is located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at MP 85.9 near Bedford, Va.

There are two ways to access the 1.5 mile Johnson Farm Loop Trail. If you park at the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center on the west side of the Parkway, a short connector trail at the end of the sidewalk leads to the trailhead.

You can also access the Johnson Farm Trail from the Peaks of Otter Lodge near the Abbott Lake Loop Trail.

Park at the lodge, walk toward the Parkway and go through the tunnel that passes below the Parkway to get to the trailhead.

Follow the signs to the Johnson Farm Loop Trail. You'll often find hiking sticks beside the trailhead sign.

Follow the trail through two open fields. Look for the sign identifying the site of the Hotel Mons.

The Hotel Mons, as shown in this vintage postcard image from 1933, was a popular vacation resort located in the Peaks of Otter area.

The trail follows "an old-time country lane" to the top of the hill.

Choose black and white or color format for your photos -- or shoot some of each.

A sign located near the farmhouse identifies each of the outbuildings and tells more about the construction and restoration of the Johnson Farmhouse.

From late May through October, park rangers are on site to share information about farm life during the Johnson Farm era.

The images below will help you plan your photo shoot at Johnson Farm.

Afterward, head to Lynchburg to check out 30 Amazing Lynchburg Photo Shoot Locations as shown in a previous blog on Central Virginia Blogger. Have a great day in Central Virginia!

Fall 2016 Apple Orchard Fun in Central Virginia

Apple Orchards 2016

Here in Central Virginia, fall temperatures mean it's apple orchard time. Apples are packed with vitamins and fiber, but low in calories for a sweet treat you can enjoy without guilt. Apple orchards in Central Virginia are ready for the fall season. Add a trip to one of these apple orchards to your fall fun family planning. The blue links below take you to each orchard's website.

Morris Orchard, located at 226 Tobacco Row Lane in Monroe, reopens for apple season in mid-September. Kids love the hay bale creations and farm animals at Morris Orchard. There's a great selection of apples, a pick-your-own pumpkin patch and apple cider too. In October, you can also enjoy fresh apple cider donuts. Morris Orchard is open Monday through Saturday from 9-5. Morris Orchard is open some Sundays in season.

Pick your own apples at Silver Creek & Seamans' Orchards in Tyro and Roseland or visit anytime for pre-picked apples. Market hours are Monday through Saturday from 10-4:30 and Sunday from 1-5. September PYO dates are Sept. 10-11 at Silver Creek Orchard in Tyro and Sept. 17-18 at Seamans' Orchard in Roseland. October PYO dates are Oct. 8-9 at Silver Creek Orchard. The pumpkin patch is open Oct. 1-30 for PYO pumpkins. Apple Butter Festival dates for 2016 are Oct. 1 and Oct. 15. Pink Lady Fun Day is Oct. 29.

Drumheller's Orchard, located at 1130 Drumheller Orchard Lane in Lovingston, reopens for apple season on Sept. 6. Drumheller’s is open Monday through Saturday from 9-5 and 12-5 on Sundays. Drumhellers will hold two apples festivals this fall, on Sept. 24-25 and Oct. 15-16. The festivals feature hayrides, a pumpkin patch, corn maze, games for the kids, arts and crafts, music and more. Festival weekend hours are 9-5 on Saturday and Sunday. 

Johnson's Orchards, located at 2122 Sheep Creek Road in Bedford, is open daily from noon to 5 p.m. into mid-December. In addition to apples, you'll find cider, pumpkins and farm animals. There's also find a big selection of wines at Peaks of Otter Winery next door with free tastings each weekend.

Gross' Orchards, located at 6817 Wheats Valley Road in Bedford, is open year-round Monday through Saturday from 8-6. Pick your own apples or purchase pre-picked apples and enjoy wagon rides every day. There's a blacksmith on site on Saturdays. Mark your calendar for Gross' Apple Harvest Festival on Oct. 15. 

Saunders Brothers Orchard and Farm Market, located at 2717 Tye Brook Highway in Piney River, is open Monday through Saturday from 9-6 through mid-November. You'll find apples and more at the orchard and market every day. Saunders Brothers celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2015. There are special events each Saturday from September through mid-December, including Product Sampling on Sept. 10, Fall Pansy Sale on Oct. 1, Farm Animals Day on Oct. 15, Apple Tasting and Children’s Halloween Costume Contest on Oct. 29, Apple Butter Making on Nov. 5, and special holiday events in late November and early December. 

Carter Mountain Orchard, located at 1435 Carters Mountain Trail in Charlottesville, is open daily from 9-6 through early November, daily from 9-5 during November and weekends from 10-5 until mid-December. Carter Mountain Orchard will reopen to the public in April. During fall, enjoy hayrides, PYO apples, apple cider donuts and more. Check out the Thursday Evening Sunset Series, 6-9 PM with free admission and live music. Plan ahead for family fun with a Johnny Appleseed Birthday celebration on Sept. 17-18 and the 2nd Annual Halloween Spooktacular on Oct. 30.

Solo Hiking: Conquer Your Fears and Hit the Trails

It happens every time I go hiking, whether I'm at the trailhead before the hike, at the summit of a mountain or somewhere along the trail. It's nearly always a woman who asks the question, "Are you hiking alone?" When I answer yes, the second question is always the same, "Aren't you afraid?" The answer is complicated: yes and no.

Like many solo hikers, I love to hike. Like many solo hikers, my partner isn't a hiker. As a result, most of my hikes take place during the week on my day off, when most people are at work.

The beauty of nature surrounds you while hiking in the woods. Regardless of the season, there's always something to see and enjoy.

Related article: Hiking Virginia: McAfee Knob

Am I afraid of running into a bear? Yes, a little. A snake? Yes, a little more. A rabid bobcat? Yes, a lot. A psychopath or sociopath human being? Yes, most of all. The two-legged stalker worries me much more than any of the four-legged creatures in God's universe.

But life's not about living in fear. Life is about facing your fears, staring them down and conquering them. Life is about exciting adventures, new experiences and embracing the journey. Yes, it's true that I can see beautiful butterflies by just stepping out of my car at any wayside along the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, or sometimes even walking into an urban garden.

But I can't catch a glimpse from the parking lot of the blue skies of Virginia as I near the end of a challenging uphill hike through the green tunnel...

And moments later look across at endless mountaintops and valleys from the top of the world in Shenandoah National Park, with the clouds seemingly just beyond my reach.

I can't count the times I've wandered along on an unknown trail leading into the woods, not knowing what's waiting...

And, after a short hike, have found incredible vistas waiting for me.

Sometimes, there are sad things to see in the woods, like the aftermath of a devastating wildfire.

But the resilience of nature can be seen too, as an area ravished by wildfire slowly returns to life.

There are lots of little things to find when solo hiking too: a cluster of butterflies beside a lake.

A chipmunk on a rock deep in the woods on Limberlost Trail.

A tree that seems to be beckoning you to come closer.

The flowers of spring and summer growing wild in the woods.

Your reward after a long downhill hike may be seeing the majesty of nature in a waterfall crashing down the rocks.

After hiking to the summit of Sharp Top Mountain, you'll feel the same sense of wonder and awe these two children felt...looking down on the world below.

Wonder and awe aren't just for little kids. You'll meet other hikers along the way -- both young and old -- who share your love of nature.

Sunrise and sunset hikes are especially pretty, no matter where you hike.

As a solo hiker, there are many trails I love. I'm always excited when I come to a suspension bridge deep in the woods.

Many solo hikers have a favorite spot to just stop and take in the views. Mine is this boardwalk beside the creek along a little wooded trail minutes from home.

Give it a try. There's nothing to lose. Follow that trail into the woods. Who knows what's waiting.

Hike quietly through the forest and you may be surprised by what you'll find.

 Whether it's winter at McAfee Knob...

Or springtime in the James River Face Wilderness...

In the middle of summertime along the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park...

Or as the colors of fall paint the woods along the Fallingwaters Cascade Trail...

Come on out to the forest. Allow time to delight in the beauty of nature in surround sound.

Spend enough time on the Appalachian Trail and you may even run into a thru-hiker or two, heading north from Georgia to Maine in spring or south from Maine to Georgia in summer or early fall.

I may never hike the 2,160 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, posing in triumph at the summit of Mount Katahdin. But I will enjoy the adventure and excitement of solo hiking bits and pieces of the A.T. and other trails for as long as I'm able.