Luray Caverns

Last post I shared about our short little day hike in Shenandoah, but to finish off the day, let's go back to that morning when we went to explore the Luray Caverns (I know- I realize that I posted about the afternoon before the morning... What can I say? I work backwards sometimes). 

So to give a little background, the last time I ventured into a cave was during a third grade field trip to Desoto Caverns in the great state of Alabama (please note I refrained from using the phrase "sweet home Alabama." Growing up with that song being played at every.single.dance until you're into your 20's means that you tire of the phrase at the age of, oh, fifteen). What I remember of that trip was learning the cutesy way of distinguishing stalagmite and stalactite (some things never leave you, usually the ones that aren't useful for everyday life), being told that you should always carry a flashlight in a cavern unless you're feeling courageously stupid, and getting lost in an outdoor maze and climbing under the fences so that I wouldn't get left. Quite the adventure for a bookworm third grader whose glasses took up half of her face.

In comparison to the memories of that trip, the Luray Caverns are HUGE. Like I thought it was kind of ridiculous at the start what we were paying to see, but after the hour long walk through the massive underground world, I'd say the trip was worth it. Now that I have an inkling of what a cubic inch is and how long time can be (neither of which you understand in the third grade), it's incredible that that it takes 120 years to form one cubic inch of new deposits. I mean good grief. The tour guides at Luray estimate that with the formations they have, Luray began forming a loooooong time ago. Like 400,000,000 years ago. Hello dinosaurs, how's life up in the Shenandoahs? That's swell.

I think my favorite part of the Luray story was how it was founded: Some men discovered a sinkhole in the late 1870's, and like all men would, decided to lower one of their friends into the sinkhole armed with a candle. Excuse me, what? Yes, a candle. So the guy with the candle noticed the depth of the caverns and survived the descent, and Luray has since become one of the most visited caverns in the world. Many thanks to the courage of the guy with the candle.

Anybody else think this would be a cool place for an Avett concert?

The two neat things about Luray:

1. There was a electronics scientist who worked for the Pentagon that designed and created a stalacpipe organ, which plays a four-keyboard console by using stalactites instead of pipes. It took him almost 40 years to perfect all the notes (only two were perfect from the start, the rest were sanded until he was satisfied) and install 5 miles worth of wiring to connect them all. Nerdy, but seriously cool.

2. They have a wishing well at the end that you can throw in whatever change you have in your pocket and all the donations at the end of the year goes to a charity. The extraordinary part is that in the heat of some sort of argument, more than one soon-to-be bride has thrown in her engagement ring and called off her wedding at that spot. Crazy people. And they didn't want their rings back. Now, that's some kind of charitable donation. Hmm, I wonder if it's tax deductible?

The guides say this is several feet deep of change... Woah.

And just FYI, Luray has a garden maze of hedges. I declined to participate. Rolling under fences is so much easier than crawling through pointy hedges.

P.S. Sorry for the grainy pictures, but it's just a teensy bit dark down in the underground...

Shenandoah Skyline & Whiteoak Canyon Falls

First, let me paint you a picture as to how this husband-wife team makes decisions regarding the upcoming weekend plans... Unless it's a long weekend (which thankfully involves pre-planning), Friday afternoon or sometimes Saturday morning will roll around and we haven't even contemplated what our Saturday will hold. Call us procrastinators a spontaneous bunch... Living life on the edge here folks.

Well several weekends back, husband discovered that the upcoming weekend was one of the rare get-past-the-guards-free-of-charge days in the Shenandoah National Park, so it seemed only natural that we would spend our Saturday in the great outdoors. We settled upon the Whiteoak Canyon Falls trail, and as usual the trail did not disappoint when it came to beauty. The leaves were at the beginning stages of changing colors, and everything was just beautiful! I can't imagine how pretty it must be now that the leaves have changed around here...

As if you couldn't guess, husband is the outdoors enthusiast of the two of us, and I'm fairly new to the whole hiking thing, so I can occasionally get bored on a trail (I have to be honest). But this trail followed a babbling brook the whole time (and for some reason I found that to be entertaining?), so I was as happy as a lark. That and I can't stand doing outdoorsy things when it's hot as blue blazes outside, so I thoroughly enjoyed the fall temperatures in the 50's that day. Ah, fall. Thank you for understanding me.

Oh, and the view? I'd say it was worth it. We chose to see the smaller of the two falls that day since we were crunched for time after visiting the Luray Caverns. And in case you were wondering, I did actually say "aww, look it's a heart!" without any sense of sarcasm in my voice or in my thoughts. See, I'm maturing a little. There's hope for us all.

life lately

1. a peek over the Shenandoah Skyline Drive

2. one of the many pretty views on our short hike

3. the Luray Caverns organ

4. our warm friend at Mt. Vernon

5. some of the 2 pounds of chocolate we needed for our cookie recipe

(it made some 8 dozen cookies, woah)

6. one of the beautiful buildings at the Naval Academy

7. sailboats at the Annapolis Yacht Club

8. we have survived 6 months of marriage (hoorah!)

Here is just a sampling of what's to come to the Berry blog in the coming days. Every weekend these past few weeks has been full of local adventures, and I just haven't had time yet to put them all to words! I hope all of you had a fabulous weekend, and for all you Bulldog fans out there... 7-0! Who would have seen this coming just a few years ago? Not this girl (if we're being honest). Hail State!

Random musings for a Friday

- Husband is ironing a shirt for work and the iron is making its typical steamy sounds (as in the H2O variety, and not the promiscuous kind), and I have this automatic need to say "Luke.... I am your father...." to which my husband continues with "Daddy???" We're a funny nerd couple, as if you didn't know.

- If you haven't gone to see Argo yet, GO SEE IT. While yes, I love a good movie, you will not catch me often these days headed to the local theater to shell out $25 dollars for this husband-wife team to see a newly released film (especially when the DVD release is on the verge in 5 months). All that to say, go see Argo in theater. It is incredible, and you won't regret it. Truly one of the best movies I've ever seen. For any who need a refresher on the plot, here you go:

- I read in an article today that 2/3 of all undergrads in American colleges and universities are in some sort of debt, AND that student loan debt will total over a trillion dollars. Wait, what??? You guys, this is a major problem. I also read that around 75% of senior administrators in those institutions think a college degree is worth over $25,000 in student loan debt. While I'm a huge advocate for higher education, if you're not getting a degree that will pay a decent entering salary... $25,000 is a big hole to climb out of. Something's got to give here people. You can read both articles on the subject here and here, and please note the beginning paragraph about the inflation of tuition versus the inflation of milk over the years (Disclaimer: imagine paying $15 for a gallon of milk. Sorry, I think I'm lactose intolerant...).

- So in case you missed the debate this past Tuesday, one of the best one-liners was Romney's "binders full of women." And while I'm not making fun of his intentions, his choice of words have caused a good bit of laughter in all the satire that has ensued since. And for the record, I love a good play on words. I mean let's be honest, one of my favorite movies to this day is Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, and my father and I still reenact the "Walk this way" line from the movie. As is the norm, I've digressed... The funniest reactions to Romney's line can be found in the customer reviews on Amazon for their binder selections, and one of my favorites happens to be this one. And the funny thing is... I read that one aloud to husband... and he asked if I wrote it. No, I did not. I'm not clever and gutsy enough to write a witty review on binders. But I did love the reference to Big Bang Theory with the Bazinga username. Kudos to you, fellow satirer (yeah, not a real word.... I know). And in case you were wondering, I already have our DVR set to record SNL just in case a skit comes to life involving binders and women...

- Fingers crossed that this time next week, Mississippi State will be 7-0 going into its game against Alabama (who will undoubtedly be 7-0). Helloooo, how cool would that be??? Hail dear ole State...

The cat's out of the bag...

Husband and I are excited to share that we were approved for the apartment we wanted, and come December, we'll be moving to Alexandria! It'll be quite different for us to live in a location where we can walk to almost everything we need/want, and we anticipate it to be a lovely change. Plus, in our new apartment, we can adopt a sweet pup without paying an arm and a leg (and an organ) to do so. Hooray, we can finally join the Couples with Pups Club! 

So now we are faced with the fun of deciding what's moving with us... yippee... You see, our new apartment is slightly smaller than the one we currently are in, so not everything is coming along for the ride. And one of the things that is certain to go is our sofa, which is to be replaced with a smaller one. 

Today I began looking at websites trying to get an idea of what should be our replacement sofa, and I came to the conclusion that form and function rarely coexist in a couch. Sofas that look comfy are just not very pretty, and the ones that look beautiful look incredibly uncomfortable. Alas, what to do what to do... So far we've looked at Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, and Restoration Hardware, and they have some lovely choices, but we just want to make sure we do our homework first. I suppose we have a few months to decide, but we welcome the suggestions of other companies to consider!

(P.S. A little less than three weeks until our television broadcasts are free of political ads... Now that is also something to be excited about!)

VA to KY: football, fall leaves, and good food

 

 

Husband and I took advantage of the long weekend last week and packed our bags for a road trip to Kentucky to see Mississippi State play (and beat) UK in Lexington. We left after husband got off work on Friday and drove all the way to Charleston, West Virginia that night before waking up way too early on a Saturday to make it to the game. We saw a beautiful sunset on Friday before everything got dark, and we literally climbed a few mountains before reaching our halfway point. I had never before seen signs warning me of 9 and 10 degree descents, and needless to say we were both very glad that husband was driving during that portion.

Being displaced bulldogs, it was quite a treat to see our team play in person rather than on tv, and we're only hoping their good fortune of winning continues this weekend against Tennessee! I will say that even though we knew that UK was a basketball school, never have either us seen such an empty stadium at kickoff (and we were there for the rebuilding years at MSU). It was a little sad, but maybe that's what happens when the team is 1-5 and there are horse races around to entertain you otherwise on a Saturday afternoon...

In regards to the super cheesy picture with the broom, let me say two words: Harry Potter. That's right. That is in fact a broom from the filming of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and yes I realize that I have a major Cheshire Cat smile going on there. But eeeeek it was from the movie!! And some cool people totally used it!! Let me explain: husband and I visited our good friend, Leigh Holland (see awesome friend below), in Wilmore, KY, home of Asbury University and Asbury Seminary. And who knew, but Asbury has an incredible media communications program there, and a lot of their alumni have gone on to work on some pretty notable projects (like the Olympics). All over their building are movie props, posters, awards, and cameras donated from alumni and their projects, and I totally geeked out on seeing most of them... No shame. 

And side note, they made my heart even happier when I saw a sign for Welton Academy from the film Dead Poets Society... favorite. movie. ever.

 

 

On a whim, Leigh's suggestion for dinner that night took us to the Windy Corner, this neat market/restaurant, in the middle of nowhere horse farms. We might have thought that we were majorly lost for at least ten minutes, but the confusion was well worth it for this sweet little cafe. It was truly a unique and delightful experience, and oh, the food was divine! We knew we couldn't go wrong with some of their homemade pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (it is fall after all), and they definitely did not disappoint. If you're ever in Lexington for a game, you should try out this wonderful little nook!

 

 

And other than the last one, the pictures above were of the scenery on our drive back through West Virginia. That state may have nothing but small towns and cities, but it certainly has some beautiful countryside. It also didn't hurt that our first impression of our western neighbor occurred during the beginning stages of the leaves changing color. The last picture was taken during our drive through Middleburg, VA. This little town has a main street of stone and brick buildings, and its outlying areas are full of rolling hills and beautiful farms. In short, it's gorgeous and totally worth a drive to see. 

So recap: football. harry potter. friend reunion. food. fall. Yep, a wonderful weekend for the books.

A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck

I'd say it was inevitable that the first few lyrics from Guys and Dolls' "A Bushel and a Peck" popped into my head as husband and I embarked on one of our highly anticipated Virginia adventures: apple picking. Inevitable because my mother is all about some Broadway music and my father taught me the art of knowing one line (on the occasion, sometimes two or three) from famous songs and being able to hum it flawlessly on cue when the wording was applicable to the circumstances (hence, apple picking... bushels and pecks... nerd alert). And hum it I did... all. day. long. 

Anywho, husband and I ventured down a few weekends ago to Markham, VA to the beautiful  Stribling Orchard. And our first orchard experience was nothing short of perfect: lovely weather, hot apple cider, and bountiful apple trees galore. We were like kids in a healthier candy shop picking wayyy too many apples for two people to consume, but boy did we have fun! Definitely an experience that everyone should try if they get the chance, but be warned, bring a tall person along to do the actual picking (thanks husband- you're the best!).

I'll admit I was kinda bummed that they didn't have my favorite type, Pink Lady/Cripps Pink (those really are the best in my oh-so-humble opinion). But they certainly had plenty of other types to fill in the void... MacIntosh, Red & Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathans... and certainly a few I've never heard of before, like Rome Beauty and Stayman. 

But isn't it incredible just how many different types of apple varieties there are? It's just another of God's complexities that really gets me thinking how BIG his design is. Despite the whole Eve giving the biblical poisonous apple to Adam thing, God still provided numerous types of apples, types that each have their own purpose whether it be for cooking, baking, cider, etc. And yes, I realize we humans have cultivated and created our own types from the originals but still, isn't it incredible that He gave us more than one? And let's be honest, if He had given us only one, it would probably have been the gross cafeteria-friendly Red Delicious. 

If God has the insight to mastermind the blueprint of today's 7500 types of apples, isn't it a wonderful relief to think what he has planned for each one of us? Ah grace, how blessed we are to be covered in you. 

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17: 7-8 (NIV)

Oh! And what orchard experience isn't complete without a yummy caramel apple? So totally the best fall treat ever. And if you were wondering, yes, I did give husband the messy job of taking the first bite into the caramel. He's such a keeper. 

The Casual Vacancy

For the first time in my nerdy bookworm life, I can say that it took me longer than 18 hours to read a work written by the wonderful J.K. Rowling. I never thought the day would come, but come it has. My past two weeks of creative thoughts have been spent nose in book of The Casual Vacancy, the first novel written post-Harry Potter. And I must say, it has taken me awhile to process my review of the book. 

As usual, Rowling has such a talent for creating a world of characters! And as wonderfully developed as the characters in Harry Potter were written, the characters in The Casual Vacancy are equally real. While HP created a welcoming magical land, Rowling's newest book enters the small British town of Pagford, whose citizens possess almost every character flaw imaginable. 

Be forewarned: this novel is not for those looking for a HP replacement, a fast read, or anyone lacking a great amount of patience. The first several chapters of the book are pretty much just character development for this little town and all its warring groups of people. I normally can juggle many characters at once, but at the beginning, even I had to flip back and forth to connect several dots in order to keep all the characters and their intertwining webs straight. It is a novel that develops very much like Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities- a lot of (somewhat tedious) character build-up in the first two-thirds of the book that leads to an active plot development in the final third.

The book delves into the issues of race, social classes, relationships, addiction, suicide, etc., and to be honest, there is no character for you to "root for" along the way, nor is this a "happy" read. This novel truly is a book of humanity and how every person's perspective can be so different depending on their own experiences and character flaws. The casual vacancy in the book brings out the worst in this town and sheds light on everything that can fuel a person's motives: jealousy, hatred, fear, etc.

All that to say, I really did enjoy the book. Not only is it incredibly well written (I mean it is J.K. Rowling we're talking about here), but it reminded me of the importance of honesty in all relationships. Most of the characters in the book are lacking certain degrees of honesty in the way they deal with those around them, and it was intriguing to see how they all skirted around being forthright in their day-to-day interactions.

And as a side note (if this review didn't run you off completely), don't feel ashamed if you have to google some of the British slang written into the story. I totally did... at least twice. And I'd like to thank my obsession with wanting a British accent since a young age for aiding me in all the other translations... No shame here.