Carter Mountain Orchard, which labels itself “a Charlottesville family tradition since 1912,” is a unique experience for all of its visitors. It boasts not only a vast number of apple and peach trees from which visitors can pick their own fruit, but also a bakery, a country store, and a wine shop. And this doesn’t even take into consideration the absolutely stunning views surrounding the orchard.
Carter Mountain Orchard is also well-known for its events and festivals, and coming up in a little more than a month is one such event. Starting on June 7, 2012 and continuing until October 4, 2012, every week the orchard will feature its Thursday Evening Sunset Series: “Come pick your own fruit when it’s a little cooler, shop in our Country Store, grab some donuts and cider from our bakery, and dinner from our Grill, and then head into the Carter Mountain Wine Shop for wine (tastings, by the glass, or by the bottle). Perch on our two large decks to listen to free live music, and catch an amazing sunset.”
Complete your Sunset Series adventures with a stay at our bed and breakfast!
Spring has entered with a fanfare of warm weather and early blooms, and now is the time to once again enjoy outdoor events and festivals. One such festival that is soon to take place in dear old Waynesboro is the 12th Annual Virginia Fly Fishing Festival: “Want to get started in fly fishing but don’t know where to begin? The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival is the ideal place to get your feet wet in the sport. Are you an avid fly angler looking to take your skills to the next level? The festival is your one-stop shop for gear, expert advice, and even instruction. Be a part of the largest fly angling event in the Old Dominion!” –Visit Waynesboro
On April 21-22, 2012, make your way to Waynesboro’s South River and partake in a host of free lectures and tips. The two-day schedule includes such lectures as “Casting Tactics for Trout in Tight Cover,” “Getting Into Saltwater Fly Fishing,” and “Fishing the Best Waters of the Mid-Atlantic.” If you’re a fly fishing beginner, have no fear. There will be experts available to answer all of your questions and to teach you the how, when, and where of this sport.
Perhaps you are asking yourself, “What if I don’t have a fishing license? Must I rush to buy one in time for this magnificent event so that I can partake in the merriments of my fellow fishermen?” If that is indeed your question, then you will be happy to know that the Fly Fishing Festival will have licenses for sale. (Make sure you have a picture ID and cash or a credit with you in order to purchase your license.)
Fly Fishing Festival Quick Facts:
DATE: April 21-22, 2012
LOCATION: South River, Waynesboro, VA
COST: $20 for a day, $35 for a weekend pass, children ages 16 and under free.
“But each spring…a gardening instinct, sure as the sap rising in the trees, stirs within us. We look about and decide to tame another little bit of ground.” — Lewis Gantt
Nothing proclaims the arrival of spring quite like the sight of budding flowers and the gradual shades of green that seep in the landscape. The Shenandoah Valley is a lovely place to watch spring emerge, and as a result of such an ideal location, there are specific places that commemorate this coming season.
Historic Garden Week in Virginia takes place April 21-28, 2012, and it includes around 250 gardens, historical landmarks, and homes all over the Commonwealth. We at the Iris Inn are lucky enough to be located near several of the Garden Week participants:
Morven Farm, Charlottesville, VA- This beautiful property was open during the first Historic Garden Week in 1929, and “it has been open for every Garden Week since” (Virginia.edu). When you tour Morven Farm, know that you will be experience a piece of history laden with the flora of spring.
Monticello, Charlottesville, VA- Garden Week at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello includes a Revolutionary Garden Tour on April 21 and April 23 as well as a National Book Launch on April 23.
Woodrow Wilson Birthplace, Staunton, VA- On April 21, 2012, take a tour of the historic boxwood garden next to the birthplace of former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson. Sponsored by the Augusta Garden Club, the tour also includes both the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace and the Woodrow Wilson Museum.
“The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” –Abraham Lincoln
Veterans Day will be here shortly, and you may be looking to join in the celebration which honors the lives of all men and women who have served in the various branches of the military. During your stay here at the Iris Inn, there are several different options of showing your patriotic thankfulness. You can, of course, adorn yourselves in red, white and blue attire while waving your own star-spangled banner. However, if you’re looking for a more subtle option of celebration, have no fear.
There will be a Veterans Day program at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum in Staunton, Virginia. The program begins at 10:30 am (the 93rd anniversary of President Wilson’s original Armistice Day address), and it is free to the public.
Shenandoah National Park will be offering free admission to everyone Veterans Day. What better way to thank the men and women of the armed forces than by getting out and delighting in the land they help to protect?
Another Veterans Day commemoration will be found at Ash-Lawn Highland, the home of President James Monroe, who was a Revolutionary War veteran. The event begins at 11 am and is free to the public. Ash-Lawn Highland will be free the entire day to all military personnel, active, former, and retired.
Nature is simply something indispensable, like air and light and water, that we accept as necessary to living, and the nearer we can get to it the happier we are.” — Louise Dickenson Rich
If you’re spending some time at the Iris Inn, and you’d like to exert some energy with a grand ol’ hike, why not try Fallingwater Cascades? Fallingwater is a beautiful 1.6 mile hike near Bedford, Virginia. It is an overall moderate trek with a few steeper, more strenuous areas thrown in, but the difficulties of those areas are lessened by stone stairways and bridges. The average amount of time that it takes to traverse this lovely loop is 1.5 hours.
There are two different places at which you can begin your hike. The first is the Blue Ridge Parkways milepost 83.1 at the Fallingwater Cascades Parking Lot, and the second is at milepost 83.5, the Flat Top Parking Area. After beginning on the well-traveled path that is rimmed with rhododendrons and hemlock, it is approximately 0.6 miles to the cascades.
The purling cascades serve to enhance the brilliance of the natural scenery, making this a lovely hike for the intermediate traveler. (It is particularly beautiful around this time of year as fall colors usurp summer hues.) Grab a friend, a bottle of water, and a camera, and enjoy the sights and sounds of Fallingwater Cascades.
