Weekend Wanderings: Shenandoah National Park

About an hour and a half from the hustle and bustle of DC is an oasis of mountains, running brooks, waterfalls, wildlife and oh so many flowers. This oasis is Shenandoah National Park. And it's a place where you can literally watch the hawks making lazy circles in the sky... (name that tune!).

There is an entrance fee to enter the park, but the wonders you can see are worth the minimal fee for a car load of friends or family. There are books written on the many miles of hiking trails and lookouts to help you plan your trip. I prefer to just spontaneously escape to the mountains for a leisurely drive, stop at the lodge for lunch and stop when we see something beautiful. You can also take a picnic lunch or take a guided Ranger tour. There's a schedule of events available Online for more information.

The wildflowers begin to bloom in the early Spring and bloom into the Fall. Flowers such as Butterfly weed, violets, trillium, pink lady's slippers, mountain laurel, touch-me-nots, goldenrod and asters grow in profusion along the roads and trails. Hiking paths reveal fairy glens where sun peeks through the tree tops to pattern the forest floor. And the stones in the bottom of the brooks can look like copper coins glistening in the sun.

Make no mistake, this is a national park with wildlife and you should always be careful of the animals who make the park their home. We saw a baby bear once and scrambled out quickly before mama bear realized we were there! I just chalk it up to a little extra excitement for the price of admission.

Weekend Wanderings: Oatlands

I've lived in the DC area for nearly 14 years, but I'm still discovering things to see. It would probably take another decade of weekends to get to all the museums, ever-changing shops and galleries in the city and I certainly tried when I first moved here. As I've gotten older it seems like my wanderings are going further afield and I save the treks into the city for when someone visits from out of town.

Last fall, on one of our weekend wanderings, my husband and I stumbled across one of the historic treasures that dot the countryside of Northern Virginia. It's called Oatlands, a home whose core was finished in 1798. It was expanded into a "Federal mansion" in the 1820s and went on to be the home of several locally famous people - including the founder of the Washington Post newspaper. It's now a National Trust for Historic Preservation property and there is some family connection to one of the founders of the Trust - if I'd paid more attention to that part of the tour, I could probably tell you now.

The problem is, I'm completely distracted by the architecture and period furniture when touring the property (and I've toured it several times). The entry has ORIGINAL plaster walls. Original. As in they've not had to be redone since they were put there over 100 years ago. The dining room has gorgeous china laid on a period table, a sideboard with knife boxes to die for. THEN you get to the sitting room that's bright as sunshine. And I always see new things when I hit the library: books, trophies, photos, paintings, the crucifix in the corner...

I love curling up and down the staircases at each end of the mansion - another of the many architectural details I love. And the columns outside have the most wonderful, intricate carving that hasn't had to be replaced since put there in the 1820s when the house was transformed to it's current, Federal style.

But the Oatlands mansion is not the real reason I've dragged my husband and various family members out to the Leesburg area. The gardens are the real reason I go. I've seen them in several different seasons now and each season has something to see. The green of summer is blindingly perfect. The dotting the rolling hills in the fall are spectacular. And the winter, when the earth is supposed to be sleeping, still has glimpses of berries on trees and ordered paths to explore.

You can stroll the tiered garden smelling lavender as you go. A little further, though, and you'll find a little man looking out over a reflecting pool. Just a few steps more and you can rest beside the koi pond. Circle back and you'll see the wishing well. Or you might just turn a corner and find a swan throne awaiting a princess to share some magic.

I'm due for a trip soon. It's spring and I've not seen Oatlands in the spring. Perhaps I'll partake of one of their teas in the converted stables. Judging from the the other seasons I have seen, though, I'm taking my camera. Because I'm sure there's so much more to explore and memories to make.