Virginia is for Lovers & for Loving!
- Chelsea Holden
- Aug 4, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 5, 2020
What an AMAZING vacation we had! I cannot tell you how needed it was to get away with Ronnie and visit our buddy Steve in Virginia for my birthday this last week!
This is my last year in my 30s and I couldn't have imagined a more perfect way to ring it in. Seriously, I kept telling Ronnie, "This is the most vacationy vacation we've ever taken!" And by that I mean, it was the least stressful from beginning to end.
Front porch swinging, morning coffee, rainy weather, Blue Ridge Mountains, birds, cool breezes...this was the setting for my latest podcast episode which you can listen to below.
I am so blown away by the rolling beauty of the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains! The rolling hills are captivating and your eyes can just wander for miles on end. It truly is a place to ignite love and rekindle romance in your relationship. I know it did for us! I haven't had this much fun laughing, resting, journaling, touring historic sites, hiking, cooking, and enjoying each others company. I mean, we usually have a blast when we head out of town partly due to live music and jam packed days. Trying to fit it all in.
It has been a dream of mine to hike alongside water and get in a waterfall and take one of those pictures that you find on Pinterest. You know the one where the girl is in a crystal clear pool of water with a cascading waterfall behind her...that one. Well, I didn't quit get that...but close enough to satisfy my desire. On Thursday, we headed out on the Jones Run Falls and Doyles River Falls for a 6.5 mile hike which crossed the Appalachian Trail (AT) a couple of times and scooted alongside 2 rivers + multiple waterfalls. I was even able to dunk my head into one! 🙌🏼 There is something so magical about the AT and a couple of years back, Ronnie and I were able to hop on it for a moment in Hot Springs, NC.
This trip had a sense of calm and serenity in the air and so much to love! One of my favorite parts was staying at the Gorgeous Mountain Home in Highland County! This is where we spent Thursday night and the better part of Friday before heading back to Charlottesville. It was rainy, but that only made the gorgeous home more cozy and inviting. We enjoyed an awesome dinner where Ronnie and Steve grilled up some pork chops and I whipped together a warm spinach salad with goat cheese, cranberries, and lamb bacon! (yes....lamb bacon and it instantly melted in your mouth) and garlic mashed potatoes! What a treat!
I loved everything about this gorgeous home and my soul felt such a sense of peace here. The home itself was custom built with an impeccable wall of windows framed using wood from their original family homestead that's hundreds of years old. You can see the hand-scrapped details standing inside the great room and the masonry that makes the fireplace was original to the homestead as well! It's almost as if the love that was poured into the original homestead house seeps into every area of this place.
This place inspired me to write this blog post, to record my podcast without the "fancy" equipment and to reset and recharge! I look forward to the days when we can visit again.
Friday evening we ventured back to Charlottesville, VA with a stop in Staunton! This is where we had an late lunch/early dinner and walked along the streets to take in the rich history. In fact, we saw the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson! Not to mention spectacular homes with vast porches and gardens.
And dinner...to die for! We shared an assortment of oysters from the Chesapeake Bay, Lobster loaded french fries, and homemade hushpuppies! Yes, please!!!
The last part of our trip was an awesome tour of UVA, University of Virginia! Did you know this University founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819?! Talk about a rich history. There is one section of UVA known as The Lawn and Jefferson's Academical Village where 47 dorms are available by invite only. It's home to students as well as faculty and was designed to be the center of the University. Ronnie and I were blown away by the rich architecture and well thought out plan for students and professors to live in close quarters. I can only imagine the knowledge that was gained here.
As beautiful as the school is, it's worth mentioning this important piece of it's history. And as history in the South goes, this University was built by slaves. In fact, the earliest mention of enslaved Americans in Virginia was documented in 1619! When UVA's landscaping crew was clearing land just north of the University Cemetery in 2012, it unearthed unmistakable patterns in the soil which were later discovered to be slaves. It's amazing that this was covered up for so long, but not surprising. I encourage you to read more about it here.
A breathtaking Memorial to Enslaved Laborers was built in 2020 and is now home to remember all of these once forgotten enslaved Americans. The lines along the walls represent an individual some who are named, some just called "mother," "father," "friend," "blacksmith," while others have no name at all.
As most trips do, this one came and went too quickly. We were, of course, eager to get home to the pups and get all the cuddles we could. 🐾 I am not sure what our next adventure will be...but you can bet, there will be more!
Until then, I encourage you to seek adventure, find some peace in the stillness, remember those who have passed, and love one another deeply!
Big Love 💛
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