Busy October weekend....

It's another busy October weekend for our family as we celebrate another birthday with a family gathering. The weather is going to be crisp and perfect for autumn as the leaves continue their annual osmosis turning from green to colors of red/orange/yellow to brown.

There are happenings in the area this weekend and beyond:

The Green Valley Book Fair in Mt. Crawford (between Staunton and Harrisonburg) is open Oct. 10-25 from 9 am-7 pm daily with 69-90% off retail. I-81, Exit 240.

The Dayton Farmers Market (located on Rt. 42 south of Harrisonburg) will be open until 6 pm Saturday (closed Sundays) with lots of local goodies ... and don't forget the big soft pretzels.

Humpback Rock Farm located on the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Afton Mountain has mountain crafts and educational programs reminding of life in the mountains a century and more ago. Saturday and Sunday programs are planned.

38th Annual Fall Foliage Festival runs Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 from 10-5 and Oct. 11 from noon-5:00, on Main Street in Waynesboro. Featuring over 150 artists, crafts, food, entertainment, children's activities, wine tastings from 10 local wineries.

Local artist P. Buckley Moss will be at The Barn Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11, for signings. 1-800-343-8643 for info. Her new painting is available: Reflections of Fall, featuring Crabtree Falls.

The Cheese Shop owned by Mennonites in Stuarts Draft is always a fun adventure in bulk buying for those who bake. Over 50 spices, nuts, dried fruits, deli meats and cheeses, organic and gluten free products ... all at bargain prices. I buy all my spices and nuts for baking there because they are fresher than the ones in the grocery store. Located at 2366 Tinkling Springs Road about two miles south of I-64 on Rt. 608. (540) 337-4224. Closed Sundays.

Milmont Greenhouse, another Mennonite business, is fabulous. I buy all my spring annuals from there and, in the fall, their mums are gorgeous. They also have pansies, kale, pumpkins, corn shocks, straw bales, and much more. Just to walk through their greenhouses is a treat. Located in Stuarts Draft on Rt. 340 about three miles south of I-64. Closed Sundays.

Skyline Drive programs are ongoing through leaf season....
- Shenandoah Valley Cloggers: Skyland Resort, MP 41.7, Tuesdays through October 27. Clogging was part of the mountain tradition. Free from 8-9:00 pm in the Mountain Room.

- 1-Day Guided Hiking Programs: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 am-4:00 pm, through Nov. 5 at Skyland Resort, MP 41.7. Guided hikes that include box lunch. $ 1-800-778-2871 (Opt. 2) to make reservation.

- Virginia Wine Tasting: Thursdays through Nov. 12 at 3:00 pm. Cost: $10. Available at Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge. Includes assorted cheeses. 1-800-999.4714 for reservations.

- Possum Ridge String Band: Thursday, Oct. 22 and Nov. 26. 8-10 pm. Skyland Resort. Free performance of an old time string band from the southern Appalachian mountains along with a mix of Irish and Scottish music.

- A Walk for Sunshine: Big Meadows Lodge, MP 51.2. Oct. 17, 3:30 and 7:00 pm. Slide program by Jeff Alt, an award-winning author of A Walk for Sunshine, sharing his 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail adventure. An expert hiking commentator for ESPN's Inside America's National Parks, his adventures have been widely featured in media across the country. Free.

- Eavesdropping on Wildlife: Oct. 27. Big Meadows Lodge, Massanutten Room, 8 pm. Free. When wildlife talks, nature author/photographer Marlene Condon listens. In this 45-minute narrative/photo presentation, she shares the wildlife sights and sounds around her home in Crozet.

Photo by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
October 3, 2009