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This place is so peaceful and beautiful!

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The leaves on the sunny side of the vines need to be thinned and pruned so that an equal amount of light hits the shady side of the vines. I'm not sure if Larry told us why but I presume this allows even growth and ripening of the grapes.

Thinning and pruning, like every step of the process is done manually. Wine probably should cost more. . .

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Larry said the leaves need to be meticulously maintained. They are prone to mold and insects. I asked about deer. He said they aren't so much a problem as smaller critters. I believe he mentioned turkeys. He also mentioned there are some coyotes in the area that keep populations in balance.

If the leaves stay free of pests, sooner or later they're going to need some pruning and thinning. . .

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According to Larry, grapevines grow rapidly but need a lot of attention. Each April, the vines are cut nearly to the ground. So all the growth you are seeing in these photographs happened between April and mid-June.

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We had the pleasure of meeting the vineyard's Foreman, Larry. Larry was spraying some of the vines early Sunday morning. He said they stopped Saturday afternoon because it was 100 degrees in the fields! When we met Larry, he was on his way home to get ready for church but he was still kind enough to stop and chat with us for a bit.

It is immediately clear that Larry is a gentle and affable fellow. Living on the Northern Neck his entire life, he has the weathered skin and calloused hands of a man that physically labors for a living. His eyes twinkle. They hint at wisdom and knowledge and ingenuity that might be missed if one was to focus only on his nearly toothless grin or his blue collar attire.

Larry speaks confidently but softly - his drawl smooth and sweet like honey. He laughs easily during our conversation and kindly entertains and engages our inquisitiveness.

Northern Neck Wineries 007

Our last stop was The Hague Winery. All the wineries were great but this one was probably my favorite. The tasting room was in a big old barn that was painted in raucous citrus shades. There was a respectable amount of space for lounging inside and out. I felt as if we could order a glass of wine and linger at this place without being in another parties' way. Also, the gentleman that hosted the tasting - whom I'm guessing was owner Stephen Madey, took a great deal of time explaining his entire operation. He was very low key but the passion he has for his work was obvious.

Oh yeah, didn't help he had my most FAVORITE wine possibly EVER!!!! The Hague Winery Chardonel is exactly the wine I attempt to describe to waiters when I want a white wine: citrusey, crisp, not too dry. . .Love, love, love!!!!! I could have lingered for quite a while at this place.

http://thehaguewinery.com/

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This is NOT one of ours. . .And yet he seems to be entertaining the option. . .

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The tasting facilities at Vault Field Vineyards.

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Physically very impressive. This vineyard appears to be meticulously maintained. Couple notable things about this tasting:

1. The owner told us they are building a new home on the property and the existing structure will become the tasting room.

2. The dogs are very cute.

3. Purchased: A white called Conundrum. . .It's a blend of mystery whites.

4. Also purchased in copious amounts: Red and the espresso infused dark chocolates that are AMAZING with the wine.

I know very little about wine and I'm certainly not snooty about it. If it tastes good to me, I have no qualms about how much it costs, how it's packaged, or where it's from but EVEN I know this red/chocolate thing is pretty great.

http://www.vaultfield.com/index.html

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Yes. That is a gigantic stuffed catfish on top of a wine barrel. Yes. I find this hilarious for some reason. And no I didn't ask why it was there. I'm sure the answer is way more boring than what I've imagined.

At Belle Mount the crowd favorite wine seemed to be almost a picnic red called Workboat Red. The woman hosting the tasting raved about what a wonderful sangria you can make with it. The promise of sangria sealed the deal.

http://www.bellemount.com/

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I see a little too much of myself reflected in this sign!

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If it's hot and humid, how better to spend the afternoon than hanging out in cool climate controlled tasting rooms?

Our first stop was Belle Mount Vineyards. . .

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I love marinas and boat yards.

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The skipjack Virginia W

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The Skipjack Virginia W.

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Where was the skipjack?!

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This is the Lucky Lady. She's apparently now part of the outdoor deck bar at The Mooring Restraurant. The menu indicated that the Lucky Lady is a 50 year old Henry Luhrs The Luhrs name has been synonymous with fine pleasure craft for generations.

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One of THE. BEST. BRUNCH. BUFFETS. EVER.

I'm not sure how they do what they do, but it was pretty freaking magical. Lots of seafood, none of it rubbery or dry. Excellent fresh ingredients in every dish. Plus, how can you go wrong with extra large mimosas?

After we had brunch, we explored the Marina for a little while. Their website indicated they have nearly 100 year old skipjack berthed there which I definitely wanted to check out.

C got me a book by Christopher White for my birthday that chronicles the heritage of skipjacks and oyster fishermen in Maryland. Oyster dredging is the last fishery that still works under sail power and it's barely hanging on. . .

It was super hot outside and we explored with some haste. Brutal weather.

http://www.portkinsale.com/

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The den and bar area in the farmhouse where we stayed.

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C and I got up early Sunday morning so we could do some exploring in the area. The area is pretty rural. It was so hot and humid but at least we made an early start of it. We really had no destination so our adventure resulted in C driving me around for about 1.5 hours checking out various areas that looked as if they would have waterfront views. Unfortunately, many of the areas are privately owned and hence inaccessible. But we did find a little crab shack/marina where I snapped this dock dog making the most of his environs.

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We stayed here!!! It was exactly as wonderful as you are imagining! Probably better. . .

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There are a lot of photographs of this structure. I guess I kinda' experienced a wine-induced photographic crush on it. I'll try to keep it to a minimum.

I'll also spare you the 80 half snockered, blurry, dark frames documenting my attempt to capture heat lightening off the second story veranda in the dark. . .

Anyway, I've been meaning to to a little research on this thing. I saw a good number of them in the area. T and I are country gals but we weren't exactly sure how it functions. I suspect it is tied to the well somehow but I can't be certain.

If anyone knows, please comment.

General's Ridge Vineyard 001

Our friends G&T were soooooo thoughtful and invited us to stay in a big old farmhouse they rented for the weekend at a place called General's Ridge Vineyard. The property is a working vineyard/farm, located on Virginia's Northern Neck close to Hague, VA. The property did not disappoint. We had a wonderful weekend and are so happy we scored such a thoughtful and awesome invite.

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Here, you can see the little bird a little bit.

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I really liked Colonial Beach for the two pair of nesting ospreys that were in very close proximity to the beach behind the resturant. One young nestling was visible. The unfortunate part was from my vantage point, a large branch was sticking out from the nest at an angle that made getting a good picture of the baby bird nearly impossible.

Colonial Beach, VA

I sail an ocean.

Unsettled ocean.

Through restful waters. . .

and deep commotion

Sail on Sail on Sailor. . .

Sail on Sail on Sailor. . .

- Brian Wilson

Colonial Beach - BEST HUSH PUPPIES EVER!!

Their salad bar is for shit - not counting the beets. The beets rocked!! The hush puppies are a meal all by themselves. C's fried oyster sandwich - which I'm shocked he ordered on a non "R" month - was sublime.

If you are used to Maryland style crab cakes - don't order them elsewhere. You will be disappointed. (Ding dong D).

This place rocks location, service, and hush puppies.

I loved it! But not for the food. . . .

Fort Washington #008

C checks out the visitor's center at Ft. Washington.

We were so vile sweaty and still had a bit of a way to travel. It was so bad I considered taking a "bath" at the 7 11 with wet wipes and perhaps a shower under the Slurpee Machine.

Seriously, hot and humid.

I swear he does this just to torture me. Because when we finally reach our destination he grabs a beer and relaxes - while I'm unpacking, taking picks, and organizing dinner. . .

Not to demonize C but it does seem shady no?

Fort Washington #007

The vaulted arch and mechanisms for the doors at Fort Washington.

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Imagine the steps of militia and a fife and drum corp. . .Imagine the energy and excitement for a fledgling country. Imagine the tenacity, resolve, and ingenuity these patriots possessed. Imagine the sacrifices.

Imagine what you can do. Imagine your potential. If you hear the call. If it sets your heart on fire. If you feel it in your belly. If you believe in it. What can you do?

You can be revolutionary. It doesn't always take material resources. If some little kid can create "Beiber Fever" why can't we come together and fix a bigger problem? Healthcare perhaps?

Fort Washington #005

My Husband loves old forts. I think it's the history that attracts him.

I walk these structures wondering about lives and souls and the people that worked, lived, died at these places.

It's not really a ghost story for me. It's inspirational. It's humbling. Despite all the jokes I might make in hindsight, I walk grounds like these with tremendous respect and reverence.

A civilian will never know or understand completely. But we can respect. And C and I do.

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A glorious view on a hot and hazy day.