The Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage to Pennsylvania

It happened 50 years ago this summer. Do you remember? Did you see any of the five wagon trains that retraced their trails from West to East to Valley Forge, PA to celebrate our Bicentennial?

An article in Western Horseman magazine about the Wagon Train sparked the interest of our adventurous mother. She planned running the caverns without us around our summer help. She wanted Chipley, myself and two fellas that worked at the caverns, Kent and Jeff, to join us for this month long adventure.

We four teenagers loved horses and a month off from summer work sounded great. Especially a month of seeing the country on horseback and being a part of this unique countrywide Bicentennial celebration.

She invited the Southern Train to camp on our property, Endless Caverns in New Market, VA. They arrived on June 10, 1976. Colonel Toby was the Wagon Master.

What a day it was! None of us had ever seen so many wagons, teams of horses and outriders. It was spectacular!

What a day it was when the Wagon Train rolled into the caverns! That’s me looking back at them!
So many wagons, teams of horses, and outriders. It was thrilling to experience and be a part of.

They camped one night. I remember as the host for the night we were to have a bit of entertainment. Mom wrote a little play about John Sevier. Not a Broadway show, but fun just the same as all pitched in.

Early next morning was heard our Wagon Master Colonel Toby call out loudly, ” Wagons Ho!”

When the sounds of hooves, harnesses, wagon wheels and men telling their teams to “Git up!” began to fill the air.

There we joined in the ride and an adventure of a lifetime.

Mom mounted on her Saddlebred, Snip. Carl, our soon-to-be stepfather beside her. My twin, Chipley standing beside her mount, Missy.

We have our strong, adventurous mother to thank for this remarkable ride. Mounted on her Saddlebred, Snip, she was the force behind we four teenagers to make it the entire 370 miles to PA. Her strength and determination carried us to the end of the trail.

Often we would make 20+ miles a day.
Chipley and Kent were married the following summer. They have had a grand lifetime together with their six children and beautiful horses.
This was our school bus converted to our horse trailer/camper! It garnered much attention. Mom made the patriotic curtains that gave privacy in the camper part.
We had a support team that followed from camp to camp when supplies were needed. Mom is standing in background cheering for us!
The official Virginia wagon.
Our friends from Burbank, Calif, the LeValleys, rode with us for awhile.

Riders were invited to ride for as long as they wanted. Some rode for a day, or several days. We rode to the end—Valley Forge, PA. Arriving July 3, 1976.

Wagons went before we riders on the trail.
Our first camp in Woodstock, VA.
L-R: myself, Chipley and Mom.

Truly the ride of a lifetime. Thank you, Mom.

P.S. This was not the only adventure our mother went on. She and Carl canoed 1,000 miles on the Mackenzie River and the next year 1,400 miles on the Yukon River in the Northwest Territories of Alaska. Life was and is a great adventure.

Carl made one these for each of us. Enduring memories.

Mornings on Horseback

Mornings on Horseback is the a great book written by David McCullough about our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt. It is about his early life, and is a fine read.

This post is not about the book though. I am borrowing the title only, because I think about it while out riding my little mare, High Hope, on quiet, early mornings, and riding Duke, my senior Tennessee Walking horse in the early mornings on horseback.

My lovely, enthusiastic niece along with her most-capable husband came for a visit last month. She is an outstanding horsewoman. We went riding here around the farm and neighborhood.

She inspired me so much with her positive outlook and confidence in my riding at my age. Let’s just say I ain’t the horse I used to be. I decided to start riding High Hope three times a week, and Duke, our senior horse, two times a week around the farm and neighborhood.

Our mornings on horseback are early (we are back by 7:30ish), and are ride about 30-35 minutes.

But boy, it is terrific! We are the only ones out that early, except busy bunnies running all around, the air is cool and delightful.

I smile the whole time. We have met our early morning neighbor on occasion on the road. He told me “I look so happy.”

I have no photos because the device is not invited to join us—just me and my horse. So I have a couple photos of my horses.

Duke is my senior. Though I do not know for sure, we guess him around 30 years old. He is a gentleman. Tennessee Walking horses were the horse of choice for early Virginia plantation owners. Their easy gates make for smooth riding while checking long fence lines.
High Hope has been with me since she was 1 month old. We are pals and have spent many, many hours together.
She is now 21 years old. She and I are old friends.
They get along very well together.

Well, it’s early this Tuesday morning. Time for my morning on horseback…

Happy Tuesday to you.

Join me in the Vegetable Garden?

A couple weeks ago we visited my flower gardens. May I now introduce you to the vegetable garden?

It is a small, little garden that suits us perfectly. It is all my husband & I need with some extra to share as well.

Bills dad was an amazing gardener. He grew much, and Polly, Bills mom, canned a goodly amount of food. His garden fed our family as well. He also grew enough for me to can tomatoes and beets. It was wonderful. I used to tell Grandad his garden should be featured in a Southern Living magazine. He taught me much.

I have noticed over these many years fewer and fewer vegetable gardens around our Valley homes. Three of our five children grow vegetables. They all are good gardeners. We have much to talk about around our growing seasons.

Sometimes I wonder if all the varieties of foods available in grocery store have spoiled our taste for the ordinary garden veggies? I have seriously been asked before how to cook fresh green beans.

Nothing, seriously nothing, from a grocery store tastes as good as homegrown. Don’t believe me? Plant a tomato, care for it, watch it grow and produce the best tasting tomatos you have ever eaten. It is likely you will never buy store-bought again.

Here is a neat thought: you grow tomatoes, ask your neighbor to container grow some green beans. Exchange your produce!

I grow lots of food for ‘free’. How? I plant potatoes that are sprouting in the pantry. I grow slips of sweet potatoes from those I have purchased at store. I let lettuce, dill, marigolds, and zinnias go to seed in the garden. They come up ‘volunteer’ next season. I save seeds from peas, beans, and limas.

Producing one’s own food is satisfying, great exercise, and gives one a good reason to talk to the neighbor! Working with the soil and nature–a beautiful art form.

Now, shall we take a stroll through my garden?

It is the perfect size for us.
Wood chips between the beds are free or cost nominally. Contact your local tree guy.
Volunteer dill from last year.
Just watered beets. The best ever!
Lettuce grown from last years gone to seed. Delicious!
Peas from saved seeds last year.
Soon to be a delicious tomato. This plant is a volunteer.
Volunteer marigolds grow all around the garden.
Sweet potato slips I started from the potato itself.
Volunteer green bean. Beautiful purple flower!

Thank you for joining me. What is growing in your garden?

Good Stress? Is there Such a Thing?

I have always thought of stress as a bad thing. Something we all should avoid. It seems that is what I have been told as long as I can remember. Stress can kill you.

Then the other day I had a paradigm shift. Talking with a friend about stress. She suggested that not all stress is bad. “There is good stress as well.”

“Really, how do you mean?” I inquired.

“Think about it.” she replied, “When you have done something that you know needs doing, don’t you feel better after you have done it?”

“You mean like brushing my dogs regularly?”

“Yes! That’s good stress, because it prompts you, and once you have taken care of the matter, you feel better.”

Hmmm…interesting…

So, I did think about it and put it to the test. I found she was quite right! These little examples may seem small, however, managing them made me feel much better!

These plants have been needing to be in the garden for awhile…
Done! Now they will flourish and make me smile.
This trimmer has been waiting to be put back in the tack room…
That took about 45 seconds. Back where they belong.
Hay strewn all over the barn—not good…
A two minute sweep job does the trick and improves my mindset.
A groomed dog always improves my attitude.

Does this make any sense?

As my friend said: Think about it!

Happy Tuesday!

Shenandoah Valley Flowers

My blogging friend, Judy, is a Master Gardener and quilter. Her blog is fun and interesting. Here is her link for those interested in beautiful gardens and quilting projects. She also talks books.

http://newenglandgardenandthread.wordpress.com

Her post today has both garden flowers and quilting projects she has done, and it inspired me to share flowers from my garden currently in bloom. I am walking in the wild side though because I am not a master gardener, though I do love my flowers.

The hostas are blooming.
My maidenhair fern is a yearly joy.
I love the silver leaves of this yellow yarrow.
This sweet, little heart leaf foam flower is nearly finished blooming.
Gentle, delicate heuchera (coral bells).
Happy clematis.
I let it roam over my oak leaf hydrangeas.
The lovely white clematis.
A perfect day for hanging out laundry!
A surprise greeting from Max from under the huge hosta leaves.
The rosemary is very happy!

I also keep a vegetable garden. How about you? Flower gardens, or vegetable gardens, or both? I have always said flowers are for the soul, vegetables for the body.

Thank you for the inspiration, Judy.

Did you know this? Gardeners spend all day in their beds!

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Happy gardening.