August Wine

White Hall Vineyards is celebrating August by featuring their 2009 Pinot Gris as wine of the month.  See their newsletter to find out about the process that makes this particular wine special, and to see the special pricing on it for August, which is almost over, folks.  I also noted that their 2009 Petit Verdot and Viognier took home silver medals from the Virginia State Fair, and cannot imagine how any other Viognier beat out the one from White Hall.  I know from experience (repeated, I must say) that it is a delightful wine. 

This lovely photo is from the web site for Monticello Country Ballooning.  Visit their site for lots of interesting ideas for fun things to do! 

All is Calm

Need something to settle your nerves after today's 5.8 magnitude earthquake?  Mosey over to Over the Moon Bookstore & Artisan Gallery in Crozet and let their literary experts help you find just the right book to help you get your calm center back!  See the comfy armchair in the picture in the linked page?   I sat there one Saturday morning and looked through about 8 wonderful book-purchase possibilities, all pointed out to me by one of the owners, and found just what I wanted.  This store is one of several in our area that bring something wonderful and special to our community--they deserve our support and encouragement, so I say, "shop on!" people.

Welcome to Whistle Stops!

This is a brand new blog!  Its purpose is to publish items of interest from the region just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia.  I figure there are lots of people that would like timely updates about the goings-on in the neighborhoods of Crozet, Ivy, White Hall, Nellysford and possibly Waynesboro (even if Waynesboro is on the other side of Afton Mountain)!  The blog is called "Whistle Stops" because its intention is to spread the news quickly and in small bites, as people did from train cars before other forms of communication arrived on the scene to speed up the process.  My home base is Crozet, a town known for its railroading past, and still bi-sected by the rails.  So check in here frequently to see what's new, and send me anything interesting you find in your own travels in the region.