A Weekend Well Spent With Homes, Heroes and a Whole lot of Wine

This past week we found ourselves headed north into Virginia to explore The Wine Country.  Let me just say it did not disappoint. 

On the way we discoverd some American treasures that we didn't even know were around.  The first stop we discovered was Poplar Forest.  What?  Never heard of it?  Neither had we, but what a delight it was.

Poplar Forest was Thomas Jefferson's private retreat located in Forest, Virginia.

He began working on it and staying there several times a year from 1806 until his death.

                              "I have fixed myself comfortable,
                          keep some books here, bring
                          others occasionally, am in
                          solitude of a hermit, and quite
                          at leisure to attend to my
                          absent friends."  TJ

 

Looks like a small version of his house at Montecello.

 

 

A view of the back of the house.  The long brick building on the right is where the kitchen, wine cellar and guest rooms are located.  Now that's a way to deter visitors.

 

 

The kitchen.

 

The guest room.  Not exactly the Hilton.

 

This is the room they call "The Necessary"

 

 

My sister with her beloved Thomas

 

 

Just a little bit further down the road we came across The National D-Day Memorial.

Located Bedford, Virginia this site is dedicated to the memory of the heroes that stormed the beaches of France on June 6, 1944 and turned the tide of the war.

 

Bedford, Virginia suffered the highest per capita D-Day losses in our nation.

 

 

The entire memorial is 88 acres.  Very sobering.

 

 

Showing the troops storming the beach.

 

 

The danger as the enemy bombarded them with machine gun fire.

 

 

All gave some but some gave all.

 

 

Scaling the massive cliffs

 

 

 

 

The names of the 4,413 Allied soldiers who died in the invasion.

 

My hero who served 20 years in the United States Army.

 

 

The next day we found ourselves right in the middle of Wine Country.  The scenery is incredible with vinyards around every turn. We were able to visit a few wineries and sample their wines.

 

 

Just one of the magnificent views we took in that day.

 

 

A wonderful weekend spent with my husband, sister and Brother in law.

Go on an adventure yourself next weekend, you might just be surprised at what is right around the next bend.  I hope you enjoyed our little trip and may you have A Beautiful Everyday.