Down East Doll Show Trip - Day 5

Because we left a day early we were going to get to Durham the day before our reservation started - maybe would have been a good idea to come and meet people earlier but we loved out time in the little mountain cabin and drove to the town of Cripple Creek, explored the hills a little and then went to Wytheville to an old historic restaurant to eat.

 First breakfast on our little porch... a beautiful place to start the day.

We actually took relaxing very seriously and didn't leave the cabin until about 2PM - then went for a drive through the little mountain roads

First to see the closest town - Crockett VA on Cobblestone Lane (although its paved now)

and on to the town of Cripple Creek

Then we just drove around as the weather cleared and it just got prettier and prettier. 

Came across some vultures feeding on a deer carcass 

           although they all flew away as soon as we approached

Mom and fawn ran away too before we could get a picture that was in focus

 Falling down on my reporting here because I can't remember what town this was but we drove up a steep hill to the school to get this view, made all the more picturesque by the train coming through.

Spent a long time trying to get good pictures of these birds - the first one we believe is a female based on behavior (she was pretty much ignoring the dance done by the "male")  - the bird is a Kildeer.

 The second one did a dance over and over in front of the female but always while on the stones, never in the open - he looked like her when he was not dancing and then puffed up and threw his feathers out to reveal beautiful yellow-orange coloring underneath.

 By now it was near dinner time so we found our Yelp discovery in Wytheville, VA
Log House 1776 Restaurant - dating back to - you guessed it - 1776. Beautiful old building and grounds. Wonderful food.

People came in and were seated next to us and when the man's phone rang - we were surprised to hear the Notre Dame Fight Song as his ring tone so naturally we had to strike up a conversation. Turned out they were from Pennsylvania and had lots in common with Bill although he had not attended Notre Dame - just loved the school and they go to a lot of games -more than we do for sure! Here they are with their two adorable and well behaved grandchildren (only one in view, sorry).

And I'm sure this is the moment you've been waiting for - the food!

Pork loin with wonderful sauce, beans and broccoli 

and catfish with broccoli and squash

Beautiful gardens around the shop where we sat for a bit and I wrote on of my blog entries as we had no internet or phone service at our cabin.

There were some gift shops with mostly art object but I liked this best

Home again to see a bit of the sunset.... including this unretouched photo of the sunset through the trees creating a starburst

Days are shorter in the mountains - even 2 days before the solstice

Down East Doll Show Trip Day 4 - part 2

Beautiful West Virginia and Virginia...

Charleston, West Va

Our cabin near  Crockett, VA - bed and breakfast includes 5 secluded cabins but we were the only ones staying there the two nights we were there.

 Rustic and yet not rustic...

 Our front porch

 View from the porch of the pond - NO mosquitos but noisy bullfrogs

 Lots of cats live here - outdoor pets of the owners - there are almost no cars here and they warn you several times to be careful!

This one decided to follow us to our cabin and hung out for two days on our porch...

I cut out a lot of pictures because the weather was better the next day and we got better pictures.  But liked these from the first afternoon there.

Capturing the raindrops hitting the pond below us...

Down East Doll Show Trip Day 4 part 1

After breakfast we were off on the next leg....driving out of Cincinnati towards West Virginia. The scenery changed even more as we approached the mountains






Yelp told us about this amazing BBQ place so we drove there only to wish they had posted hours (I added them to Yelp) - Rowdy's Smokehouse in Jackson OH


Only open Fri and Sat and then only until they run out...this is Monday...


So we drove on to Gallipolis OH


And ate at Nybble Cafe which was a very nice cafe/coffee house with lots of original sandwiches that can be made as a wrap, salad or sandwich.





Bill's pulled pork sandwich and my chicken spinach, pecan, bacon salad.


And very tasty "asparagus fries" - going to try this at home.


Then our after lunch walk along the Ohio River



The town square


This town was settled by French and Welsh and it shows in some of the old architecture - and the names of many businesses included "French Town"


Bridge entering West Virginia


More later....West VA and Virginia just somehow forced me to take too many pictures - still sorting and will make a second entry for Monday


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Down East Doll Show Trip - Day 3

Father's Day morning we got to spend with our niece and nephew and their darling girl who adores her daddy









Then to quaint little Oregonia OH for lunch with our brother-in-law and his new wife. This little restaurant situated on a bike trail and popular hangout for motorcycle bikers too can have a very eclectic set of diners - locals, spandex and leather...but it was very quiet on this day.









John's house across from the cafe



Then left the little one and pregnant mom to their naps and visited our other niece where in the aftermath of the grad party we could sit and catch up on life finally. Helped take down everything from the party, had dinner and got to introduce them to Game of Thrones (season 1 episode 1 - kind of nice to go back there). Suddenly it was approaching midnight again so off to bed, our short visit almost over...



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