Harrisonburg Virginia

 This past spring/early summer Mark and I headed NorthWest to Harrisonburg Virginia.  Mark has a couple close friends that live there so we paid then a visit for a couple of days.  I will admit that if I have a choice of the beach or mountains I choose the beach....but with the views from this couples front door I just might could be swayed. 



View from the front door looking to east.

 


The view from the front door looking towards the west. 

Another shot from the front of the house.

 



Gorgeous!!!  My memory isn't clear about when we actually went but I do know that here in our area it was warm enough to need shorts.  There it was at least ten degrees cooler!  AWESOME! 

Mark's friend's have an apartment above their garage so we didn't even have to worry about finding a place to spend the night.  How great is that?!?  We had plans for Sunday to visit wineries so we spent Saturday resting up for the big day :)  His friends treated to some good old southern hospitality that started with a steak dinner and ended with a night with a couple bottles of wine. 

Emma with Daddy



Emma playing in the yard



This house wasn't used to a one year old toddler but it survived our one night!  Sunday we got up and packed for the day.  Picnic baskets, food and cooler-yep we were ready. We joined up at with a third couple for the day and made our way over the mountains and around the curves (yea I was a bit ill with all those curves)

Our first winery was Sweeley Estate Winery .  This winery had a giant stone manor complete with a grand hall!  You literally drive to what seems like the middle of no where and come to this peaceful and quite spot with grape vines all around you.  The tasting was held in the main room and had the usual girt assortments to buy.  We got a bottle of their Wolftown Riesling 2007.  We may have gotten a bottle of something else but I don't remember honestly.

Stop two was at Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery.  We tasted at least twenty wines here.  You can taste their whites, their red or both.  We did both :) And then we got a couple bottles to have with our lunch.  Prince Michel also has a wine slushy!  So while eating lunch on the patio our friend surprised everyone with one of these cool treats.  And if you have never had one....then you need to.  YUMMY.

Lunch on the patio at Prince Michel



Glad I didn't have to do the dishes!



Our final stop was at Barboursville Winery.  Again you could not have picked a more beautiful place!  By this time the sun was setting which cast a glow on the grape fields.  It was something out of a book...only now in my head.  Just not my camera :(  We came away with a couple bottles for home but the Vintage Rose was the one I remember the most.  This Winery was especially scenic due to the old estate that still sits here in ruin.  You can visit the website to get more info on that.  Or visit the winery :)  and if you do...call us to go with you! 

We have found out since this trip to our friends they both now work for a winery.  One full time and the other part time.  We look forward to a visit in the near future and plan this time to try a few of those wineries we haven't gotten to yet.