Photos on Friday: Riding historic White's Ferry

Over the years I have heard of White's Ferry, but really didn't know anything about it. On Labor Day weekend we decided, on a whim, to follow the signs to the ferry to see what it was about. The line was long on the Virginia side, but we knew we'd be back up that way over the weekend to go to Harper's Ferry and thought we might take a detour to the ferry and cross the Potomac over there instead of our usual bridge. 

We did go back and the line was much shorter. Of course, this made the ride to Harper's Ferry longer, but it was a nice ride through Maryland.

It cost $5 to take the ferry one way (I believe it was $8 for both ways) and only took a few minutes to cross. Here are some photos.

We were the second car in line for the ferry. Here we go!

Cars entering the row next to us

Welcome to Maryland!

Line of cars on the Maryland side looking to ferry over to Virginia

Real life ghost stories in Northern Virginia? You be the judge

Virginia is known for ghost stories. This is partially due to the region's strong connection to colonial times, Revolutionary War era and the Civil War years. There are countless ghost stories which relate to many famous and “regular” folks in the area.

In Old Town Alexandria there are a couple of different ghost tours which offer fascinating tales of ghostly apparitions, strange events, sensed spirits and tantalizing legends. There are stories of deadly fires, mysterious illnesses and much more.

To be honest, I am not usually inclined to really believe in ghosts, although I guess these days I do believe in presences. That being said, I have been witness to a couple of interesting events that did leave me with a weird vibe. What's interesting to me is all the places where these things happened are rumored to have experienced paranormal activity.

I am naturally drawn to “old” items and love architectural history so it is not uncommon for me to drag my family to go visit historical homes on a whim. Several years back we'd dropped by to take a tour of Woodlawn Plantation when family from out of town was visiting. First, our tour guide led us through an interesting visit of the first floor, and then we were invited to continue the tour on the second floor where the bedrooms were located.

Photo of Woodlawn

As were going up to the second floor on the stairway, the 9-month-old baby of the family suddenly started laughing with a tremendous belly giggle. This laughter came out of the blue, but what was bizarre was the fact it was a laugh we'd never heard, and sounded as if she was being tickled – a lot. The laughter immediately ceased as soon as we reached the top of the stairs and no sound was uttered by her as we continued the tour.

After this portion of the tour concluded we all headed on back down the elaborate curved staircase. About halfway down, in almost the precise spot as going up, the baby starts the same uncontrollable laughter all over again. At this point we still weren't thinking ghosts, our thoughts were along the lines of how funny and cute it all was. The older kids choose their souvenirs and we left.

A few days later my daughter pulls out her souvenir, a volume of the "Ghosts of Virginia" series and she points out an entry about Woodlawn. There was a paragraph that discussed this same stairway - and that it's been said an impish girl around the age of 6 or 7 is said to haunt the stairway (this story was not part of the tour, although some other spooky occurrences were mentioned). At this point my mind wandered back to the baby's sudden outbursts of laughter on that stairway. It is said younger children and pets all have a keen sense that we adults don't have.

Is it possible this "ghost" was tickling or playing with the baby? I don't know, but she never did laugh like that again until she was a bit older. Really odd.

The second instance was at Gadsby's Tavern, which has also been purported to have paranormal activity, but I'd never heard any stories about the rooms we were in. As we viewed one of the upstairs bedrooms, a closet/storage area door opened. Now, there is nothing unusual about this, but what was weird was the door opened just a few inches, as if someone was peeking in or out. Then there was a long pause. Suddenly, the entire door swung open in full. I made a comment about it and the tour guide simply answered matter of factly, "must be a ghost". And then the focus immediately went back to the tour. Again, this door opening in such strange fashion could be likely explained, however, it was definitely one of those moments that make you go "hmmmm"…

The third instance was in Fredericksburg as we were across the river and toured Chatham Manor. While in one of the rooms, I had this distinct feeling of blood. It was to the point I started staring at the floor.  I couldn’t explain it and then after we left the room I didn’t feel it anywhere else in the house (the home was used as a Civil War Hospital – so I chalked it up to that knowledge being fresh in my mind). So later in the weekend we went on the ghost tour in Fredericksburg (btw, fab tour!) and during our time walking around the city, our guide pointed across the water to Chatham and told us that some people get a sense of blood while in the house. Turns out the room I felt it in is said to be the room was where the doctor did his work - and the amputations were disposed of outside the window, pretty much behind where I was sitting, being I was in the back row and all. When I told our guide my story, we both got chills and goosebumps. She had no knowledge of my story and I had no knowledge of anything about Chatham except what I learned while touring the house. It was an interesting moment.

Did we experience ghostly presences or not? You be the judge.

Do ghosts exist? Have you ever felt a ghost, presence or other kind of paranormal activity here in the D.C. area or in Virginia? Or wherever you live? If so, share your story in the comments below!

Photos on Friday: Terrapin Nature Park in Maryland

In August we took a trip up to Long Beach Island in New Jersey. A wonderful and beautiful place. Instead of taking I-95 north, we decided to go the long way by driving east through Maryland. Our original intention was to take the Cape May-Lewes Ferry into New Jersey, but that didn't work out due to timing. You see, we drove straight through the heart of Washington D.C. into Maryland with the intentions of crossing through Kent Island to continue east. I've always wanted to visit Kent Island...

Once we crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, we decided to stop for a bit. We discovered the wonderful Terrapin Nature Park in Stevensville (right off the bridge) and decided this is where we'd spend our time. Needless to say, by the time we were ready to buy our ferry tickets, many of the times were sold out. Next time!

Here are some photos I'd taken while at Terrapin Nature Park.

Had a grand time watching these lovelies off in the distance

Spotted this guy, which I believe is a type of blue heron, hanging out off to the side and tried to zoom in

A rare type of photo for me. Dragonflies are always so elusive for me to catch (but does happen on occasion!) Not to mention I don't see red ones often

Views of the bridge from the Terrapin beach were stunning

Fall harvest festivals at historic properties in Northern Virginia

There is always so much to do in the D.C. area during the fall months. The weather is beautiful and the opportunities for weekend (or weekday) outings are many. We tend to focus most of our time in Virginia during the fall because of the terrific events going on at the farms, parks, and historic properties. Today I want to highlight some of the things taking place at the local historic areas.

Fall harvests have played an important role in Virginia’s history and many of the historic properties in the region celebrate this tradition. If you are looking for an outing that blends history and fun, these might be exactly what you are looking for:

Fall Harvest Family Days at Mount Vernon

Every year Mount Vernon hosts its Fall Harvest Family Days. In addition to admission to the property and mansion for regular tours, 18th-century dancing, a straw bale maze, apple roasting, and corn husk doll making are also offered. There are also historical presentations (when we went, General Washington himself was floating about talking to his guests, along with giving a more formal talk to the crowd at scheduled times) and lots of other hands-on activities. It’s a fun family day out. This event typically takes place in the second half of October, approximately a week before Halloween from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

[Want to know more about Mount Vernon? See my post on visiting this historic site]

Oatlands Harvest Festival

This is a harvest festival I haven’t been to yet but picked up a flyer during a September visit to Oatlands. The property is hosting hayrides, music, entertainment, games, Oatlands wine and more. 

Also, there will be u-pick pumpkins in the Oatlands Pumpkin Patch (by Wegmeyer Farms). This one usually is scheduled to take place on either the second or third weekend in October from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (in 2017 it's on Sunday, Oct. 22). The admission price also includes a tour of the house ($20 per family or $10 per person). I’m not sure what would be blooming in the gardens this time of year, but the expansive gardens are beautiful in any event. If you haven’t toured Oatlands yet, I do recommend it, even if not during this event. It has deep ties to early American history, so if this is your interest, I think you'd enjoy this tour.

Sully Historic Site

Not exactly a harvest festival, I wanted to include this event because based on my experience, Sully

Historic Site offers some interesting one-day events, especially around the holidays. A perennial event, “Historic All Hallows Eve” is hosted where there is storytelling, fortune telling, fall foods, and family gatherings. House and grounds tours are offered by lantern. Visit the Parktakes website to register (advanced registration is recommended).

Gunston Hall

Gunston Hall has been adding many events to its calendar in recent years. During a 2014 visit to the home, I noticed they were planning a fall harvest event. We attended and had a great time, it was open from 4 to 7 p.m. and had lots of kid-friendly fun. Admission included a tour of the beautifully preserved house. When checking their website’s 2017 calendar, I don’t see this event listed this year. Hopefully, this one will make a return, I do believe one was held in 2015 but not in 2016. 

Update Sept. 2019: Haven't seen this event make a return appearance, but if you're interested in touring the property at this (or any) time of year, you can find specially scheduled events on their calendar.

[ Want to learn more about one of the lesser-known Founding Fathers and his home? Check out my detailed post about Gunston Hall ]

Harvest festivals are a great way to spend a day! Looking for additional types of fall family fun, learn about the events local farms are hosting.

Fall family fun on the farms of Northern Virginia

Autumn is a special time of year in Virginia. The weather can be quite unpredictable where it feels like a brisk November’s day and on others, the temps soar to summer-like conditions. All of which make for fantastic days out on the many farms to be found in Northern Virginia. 

Many of the farms in the region put together a nice festival spread. Most of the festivals open in mid to end of September. Here is a run-down of some of the fun farms to take the kids this month:

Corn Maze in The Plains

This is one my family typically visits annually. Conveniently located off I-66 (about 20-30 minutes west of Fairfax County), Corn Maze in The Plains offers plenty to do. The main event, of course, is the corn maze. Each year the farm comes out with a new theme for 5 acres of fun. We always have so much fun here. Opening around the third weekend in September, the festival includes a play area for the kids, pumpkin slingshots, mini-mazes, hayrides, farm animals and more. There are day and night tickets available for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout October. The farm is also open for day tickets only on Columbus Day (Oct. 10). The fun typically runs until the week after Halloween (around Election Day). Also, be sure to stop by the fab farmer’s market next door if you visit on a Sunday. 

Amazing Farm Fun @ Ticonderoga 

If racing down a giant slide on a burlap bag is your thing, Ticonderoga Farms in Chantilly offers this and much more. A great place to take the kids, Ticonderoga has several play areas, a large jump and bounce pillow, a really long and wobbly swinging bridge over a pond, go-carts, hayrides, and a pumpkin patch, to name a few. There are also fire pits (to roast marshmallows and make s’mores – in the past they’ve offered kits for purchase, or you can bring your own). This farm is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. You also get a free mini pumpkin with your admission purchase. The festival usually runs until early November.

Cox Farms

Out in western Fairfax County in Centreville, one of

the season’s biggest events take places at Cox Farms. Every year the farm throws a huge fall bash that has so many things, it’s hard to list them all. Fun for all ages during the day (open daily), the farm also hosts its famous “Fields of Fear” on the weekend nights (not for young kids – this is an age 12 and up kind of thing and the 12 and 13 year-olds must be accompanied by an adult). In 2017 "Foamhenge" debuted in its new home from Natural Bridge (If you're wondering what this is all about, see this post as I visited "Foamhenge" just before the big move). 

The festival runs until just after Halloween. There is also an extra weekend of fun in the first weekend of November as the farm wraps things up for the season. 

Burnside Farms

Burnside, located in Haymarket off of I-66,  is one of my favorite “go-to” places in the spring and summer with its fabulous tulip and sunflower festivals. This year I realized they also offer a fall event too. There are fresh farm market items, such as cider, apples, pumpkins, and gourds available. 

As customary with the rest of the year, there is usually a pick-your-own flower option in one of their production fields. The barnyard is usually opened for a meet and greet with the furry and feathered friends. Open daily through October, this one is probably better suited for the little ones. The farm advertises itself as not having the “bells and whistles” of some of the others, but there are a few fun things for the kids. Burnside is open daily, Sunday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cows ‘n Corn

A corn maze, pumpkin picking, narrated Hayride tour, annual barn dance and dinner, and lots of other family fun farm fall activities take place at Corn-n-Cows dairy farm in Midland, Va. 

Ever make your own butter? If not, you’ll learn it here. The staff gives a great tour of the farm and lots of information. There are many things to see and do on the farm, and while many of the events are designed for younger kids, the older ones have fun too, especially with the go-carts. I haven't been down this way since 2009, but we had a good time. The farm is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The evening hours have limited activities as I’m guessing the focus is on the evening corn maze event. 

Great Country Farms

Located in western Loudoun County in Bluemont, this is a nice day outing. This one is located a good 90 minutes from Washington, but it’s got a lot to offer. There are plenty of activities for the kids, a pumpkin patch (yes, you actually pick your own here!) and pick your own apples. I see on their website they now also have a corn maze too. One thing I remember the kids getting a big giggle out of is the P-Rex pumpkin-munching dino. The fun runs until around Halloween with an additional weekend in early November for pumpkin chunkin’.

There are lots more farms in the D.C. metro region (take a look at Maryland - still working my way up there), but these are the ones I’ve been to. 

Happy fall!

Photos on Friday: Burnside Farms wrapping up 'Summer of Sunflowers'

Burnside Farms is one of my favorite spring and summer outings. In the spring is "Holland in Haymarket" with beautiful tulip and daffodil displays and in July or August (depending on previous weather conditions) is the gorgeous "Summer of Sunflowers".

Usually I make it out during peak times, but this year missed the window. I did get to go during the final week and, while I knew it would be slim pickings and didn't have high expectations, I wanted to see it anyway. While the sunflowers are not in their glory anymore, I still find it so pretty as the sunflowers go to sleep.

Here are a few shots I took on Tuesday. 

Looking up, these were reaching high in the sky.

Lots of wonderful bees and bugs were spotted

There were still a few cosmos left too. I caught this bee flower hopping

Foamhenge moves to Cox Farms in Fairfax

Earlier this year some of my family members stumbled upon "Foamhenge". A unique attraction that is a life-size foam reproduction of Stonehenge in England, it's located a hop, skip and a jump from the Natural Bridge. 

I did a drive by in March, but didn't stop to go up the hill to see it, but could see distant pieces of it from the road since the trees hadn't filled in yet. In the summer months, unless you knew to look for it, you probably wouldn't even know it was there unless you were looking for it. The attraction is unmarked.
 

It's an intriguing attraction though, built as an April Fool's stunt in 2004 by Rockbridge County-based artist Mark Cline. A few months after my family discovered it, we heard Foamhenge was going to be dismantled due to the Natural Bridge becoming a state park. The land it currently sits on is a part of the park's land and, reportedly, the state said it didn't really "fit" with the new park.

Last week I was traveling through the area down I-81 and I asked the family if they wanted to see if Foamhenge was still there; they said "yes"! So we pulled off the road and went up the path to see Foamhenge. Since I'd never been up there, I was glad to get the chance. It was still there! A quick Google search before I walked up the hill said it was going to be removed on Sept. 5 (edit: according to photos viewed on Twitter, it appears the takedown occurred on August 30), so we were happy to get to see it during the last few days it was in its original location.

Yesterday, my family member called me said, "You'll NEVER believe where Foamhenge is going!". Not a clue, said I.

I was surprised to find out Fairfax County's Cox Farms will be the new home for Foamhenge. Reports say it won't be reassembled until after the farm's fall festival (Cox's fall festival and "Fields of Fear" is hugely popular around here). It will be ready to go on public view fall 2017. Stay tuned!