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Monday, October 31, 2016

Buchanan Ghost Tour

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On Saturday night we drove to Buchanan to attend their Ghost Tour...I believe it was their 3rd year to hold it and it was our first year to attend...we met at the Wilson Warehouse/Community Center
We purchased our tickets inside...ohhhh a headless woman!

Yummy treats to be had while we wait...Nick had a grilled cheese sandwich and a water and the boys had hot apple cider...

Our tour began up the street at an old church...a funeral was going on so we stopped to watch....each stop of the tour had actors acting out historical scenes from the town...this was one of them...although I cannot remember whose funeral we were attending...

Next we stopped at the fire station which way, way back was an old furniture company...then on to the old bank where a ghostly banker tried to get us to open a bank account...then right down the street to the Buchanan Newspaper which is now a bank, I believe Bank of Botetourt if I remember correctly...anyways, our ghostly newpaper man was telling us how he was waiting for the old newspaper building to be moved to the parking lot next to where we were standing....which it was moved but then burned down and is now a parking lot...our tour guide Joyce was born and raised in Buchanan and knew EVERYTHING...she was so interesting! The rest of the people in our tour (tours were limited to about 10-12 people) were all related to her....I really enjoyed all the people in our group and what they had to add!
The old theater sits right across the street from the empty parking lot...
The bank

Next we headed over to the bridge which had been burned down during Hunter's Raid during the Civil War. Our tour was stopped by a couple of Southern Belles telling us the Yankees were coming...we walked over to the bridge and found a couple of Confederate Soldiers that were telling us they didn't know what was going on and were waiting for their Lieutenant...we saw several "explosions" near the bridge and the Lieutenant arrived all shot up, telling us that the Yankees were blowing the bridge up...more explosions followed and a man on a horse carrying a lantern came and told us about Hunter's Raid!

We then walked a little ways down the road and out of an alley jumped a man in his long johns...he explained he had been robbed and his clothes stolen...apparently this had been happening from Staunton all the way down to Buchanan! He was hilarious and maybe sounded a little drunk!

Next stop was the old Buchanan School which burned down in the 1970's...Our tour guide Joyce had gone to school there and remembered going to sock hops there!

I wish I had taken more pictures but I didn't want to be annoying since it was a small group! We really had so much fun and at the end when I filled out my survey I check the box to be a volunteer next time! Honestly, the boys and I really had so much fun and laughed and laughed...it was historical but they made it entertaining and funny at the same time! Really recommend!

I've posted about Buchanan quite a bit HERE as it really is one of my favorite local towns!

Linking up with Mersad's Through My Lens

Happy Halloween!!



Friday, October 28, 2016

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 104

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1)
Lord Botetourt JV team about to show William Byrd how to play football! At William Byrd High School.
Thursday nights still mean football for me. The boys just wrapped up another win, 54-12 and are now 9 & 0! 1 game left...hopefully we end the season undefeated!

2)
Here Braden caught a kickoff return and ran it about 80 yards for a touchdown...that is Dalton running right with him blocking for him...Isn't it amazing how in sync they are? Even as their mom it still surprises me!

3)
In the 4th quarter Dalton was injured. Here he is on the bench #21...He had "Turf Toe" which is basically a sprained toe. He made a tackle and then was down, flat out laying on his stomach. Everyone took a knee...my heart stopped...then I saw him roll over to his back....I could breath again knowing he was moving but still concerned...Then with the help of a coach he got up and hobbled to the bench...everyone clapped...I could breath deeper. Finding out he had "turf toe" was something I was ok with...him not so much as he finds it an embarrassing injury haha...anyways, he told me after the game he rolled over because he knew I would be worried so he wanted me to know that he was ok....this goes back to a few years ago while playing rec football...he made a tackle, landed on his stomach and layed there, motionless for what seemed like forever to me...coaches and refs were gathered around him...about the time I was starting to jump over the fence, he slowly got up...he had the wind knocked out of him...I told him then that if he is able to, do something so I know he is ok and just catching his breath...I love watching them play football but it sure can be scary at times and I admit to sending a prayer up before each game that nobody gets hurt.

4)
At times I found it hard to focus on the game because the sky was so pretty!

5) And now totally not football related! I have made THIS PEPPER STEAK a few times and it's so good! The link is to a blog of mine I started a while back for all those great things I try on Pinterest but I admit to not being so good about keeping up with it but I am going to try to post the recipes I've tried and liked just so I can go back to them and read them easier...Have you noticed so many cooking blogs have way too many pretty pictures and long stories and ADS, tons of ads that it takes forever to get to the recipe? Well that is a huge pet peeve of mine lately so when I do find one I have tried and love, I try to remember to post it on my blog also giving credit to the original souce....but has anyone else noticed how hard it is to get just the recipe?

Well that is my 5 this week! Please play along, it's fun and easy! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others and make new friends! Have a great weekend :)




Thursday, October 27, 2016

Heading Home

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This is the road back home after one of our trips down to Raleigh...not sure if this is NC or VA but it's close to the state line anyway...

When I was little my grandma had a saying she'd say when we got home... "Home again, home again, jiggity jig" :)

Linking up with Tex's Good Fences

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

4:40

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Downtown Roanoke

Is this a great old clock or what?!

“How did it get so late so soon?”
Dr. Seuss

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Liquor Car

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Saw this baby at Peaks of Otter on Sunday and right away thought..."I have to get a picture for Tom"!

Moonshine has some deep roots here in the Virginia Appalachians.

Are you familiar with Franklin County, aka: The Moonshine Capital of the World? HERE is some interesting reading of the heritage of moonshine.

And of course I am linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Monday, October 24, 2016

A Jumpin' Good Time

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Be prepared...I am getting ready to bombard you with more pictures of jumping dogs! I love dogs, what can I say?!
These 2 happy dogs were putting on a show at the Go Outside Festival last weekend...
This is my own air dog Ozzy...he loves to swim...sometimes it is difficult to keep him out of the pool!

Linking up with Mersad's Through My Lens

Friday, October 21, 2016

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 103

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Scenes from downtown Roanoke:
1)

2)
On Sunday after we were finished at the Go Outside Festival, we headed downtown for a late lunch at Texas Tavern...now we've eaten here quite a few times and I've shown you a few pictures but I have never taken a picture from across the street so I told my guys to stand in front while I snap a photo...
I zoomed in to get a closer look...and then when I got home and downloaded my pics I realized that I cut off the top of the building...the cute little curvy part that gives it that extra character and says "Texas Tavern"...now how did I miss that?...anyway...

3)
I was trying to go for a Beatles Abbey Road thing here but my people don't cooperate...

4)

5)
Isn't Roanoke a beautiful city? I just love downtown!

That's my 5 this week...I hope you will join in! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others! Have a great weekend!


This week has been a doozy...Christian's car broke down and while it was in the shop for a few days, I played Uber driver getting him to and from school and I just didn't have my normal morning routine...now that he has his car back I shall have my regular schedule again...knock wood!


Thursday, October 20, 2016

Walking On Water

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On of our favorite things to watch at the Go Outside Festival is the dog jumping contest!

Can these railings count as a fence today? Linking with Tex's Good Fences

And Jack, THIS ONE is for you...I knew I had a Robert Indiana somewhere ;)

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

All You Need Is Love

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On Sunday we went to the Go Outside Festival and I was so excited to see not one, but two LOVE signs! I've shown you others we've found HERE HERE & HERE but I feel like I've seen more than that...maybe my search didn't pull them all up...anyways, the Go Fest has really grown since the first one we attended way back in 2011...you can see that HERE...then there were only a few booths set up and now there's soooo much to do and see...we've been every year except missing probably the 2nd year since the first was nothing to write home about ;)

Linking with Signs, Signs when it goes live...

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The Patrick Henry

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Heading downtown you can see the old Patrick Henry Hotel straight ahead...built in 1925 it has now been converted to apartments. Their website HERE tells nothing of the old hotel's history...to me that is what I am always most interested in first. At least there's Wikipedia for info! I have shown you the Patrick Henry in the past HERE

Linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures



Friday, October 14, 2016

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 102

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Things seen around my house this summer:

1)
Linking this up with Denise's Today's Flowers when it goes live...

2)
I get blessed with the best sunsets! Linking with SkyWatch Friday

3)
Heather: Horton! We've all got our own little clovers with worlds on them!
Jessica: Mine is called Jessica-Land and everyone worships Queen Jessica because Jessica is so beautiful!
Katie: In my world,everyone's a pony and they all eat rainbows-and poop butterflies!
Horton Hears A Who!

4)
This sweet girl returned for a bite to eat...

5) THIS HOUSE was built by my 9th Great Grandfather...it's for sale...anyone have an extra $2,795,000.00 laying around collecting dust?

That's my 5 this week! I hope you will play along too! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others! Have a great weekend :)



Thursday, October 13, 2016

The Rural Route

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Stevens Road . Troutville . Botetourt County

Linking up with Tex's Good Fences
Have a great Thursday!

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Houtz Barn

Explore Park . Roanoke

"The German double-crib “bank barn” represents a highly specialized form of architecture. This barn served the needs of the Houtz family’s large-scale commercial farming operation on Mason’s Creek near present day Salem, VA. Barns of this type may still be seen in Pennsylvania and throughout the Shenandoah Valley."

Isn't this a great old barn? I love the different pieces of wood they used....linking with Tom's Barn Collective

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Kemp's Ford Schoolhouse

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Explore Park . Roanoke

This Link tells a little about its history and the restoration process.

Linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures