fishing pocahontas

My husband surprised the three of us Saturday when he came home from a job earlier than expected. "Get up and get dressed," he said as he came through the door, as I was still perched on the couch in my pj's with the laptop at 11 a.m. (same place I was when he left a few hours prior).

A quick stop for a Virginia fishing license and we were off to Pocahontas State Park. It was pretty busy. We could smell the hot dogs before we came to the first pavilion. Ahh ... summer. The pool was full and the playgrounds empty.

We scouted the banks of Swift Creek Lake for a location that wouldn't inhibit the casting of a six year old and found an ideal spot. While our fishergirl did get nibbles, she didn't land anything. A little guy nearby caught his first fish, however. A bass, I overheard.

WHEN YOU GO:
* Parking: $4 weekdays; $5 weekends
* Events: Pocahontas Premieres concert series is $10/ticket + parking; advance purchase and season tickets available. 12 and under free. Three free concerts slated for 2009.
* Camping: $25 for electric & water
* Pet-Friendly
* Boating: $3 launch fee; no gas-powered; rent a canoe or kayak
* Swimming: varies by age (free to $8)
* Hiking, biking & bridle trails; no bike or horse rentals
* Seven picnic shelters

Enjoy Virginia's State Parks - voted "America's Best".

a great mennonite-run greenhouse

A most welcome highlight to my day was a stop by a greenhouse I used to frequent with my mother. Milmont Greenhouses on Route 340 in Stuarts Draft, VA has the best prices on gorgeous, overflowing hanging baskets! I took home two beautiful 10" purple Calibrachoa baskets for $14.99 each. While that was the reason for my stop, your adventure will yield trees, shrubs, Henri Fountains, a wide variety of potting goods, gardening clogs and tools, flags, and of course, row upon row of flats full of annuals and perennials.

If you find yourself traveling through the Valley tomorrow (May 30), be sure to swing by for their Rose Festival. You'll score 10% off roses and rose accessories, plus be greeted with free homemade strawberry ice cream!

While you're in the area, visit The Cheese Shop. It's a hop, skip, and a jump down Route 340 to a right on Tinkling Spring Road. Yes, you can certainly buy cheese there, as well as bulk wheats, grains, cereals, spices, nuts, flours, and the list goes on. It's a true organic's paradise and even offers gluten-free products. We love the trail mix and bulk pretzels. Like Milmont, The Cheese Store is proudly run by Mennonites, and you're sure to return to both treasures to take advantage of the tremendous savings.

Happy Valley Shopping!

building a bombus terrestris

The SECOND science project of the year has rolled around just three weeks after the first. And my kid is only in first grade. I don't remember all this work as a six year old.

Anywho, with a great deal of help from her father, my daughter created a Bombus Terrestris, or a Bumblebee, if you prefer. It's ginormous, to be perfectly honest. Way bigger than I imagined it would be. The parts, laying separately, didn't look like they could create a finished product the size of this bee. It boasts a wingspan of 16" and it's length is 10". A pretty substantial furry bug, if you please.

Elements include
* floral foam (the head, abdomen and thorax are carved from it)
* thick gauge floral wire (the wing frames)
* yellow and black pipe cleaners (wrapped the body and created the legs)
* tissue paper (for the wings)
* black and white paint, either tempra or acrylic (white for the wings, black to paint the foam before covering with pipe cleaners)