Perfect Duo

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Stoney Battery Road . Troutville

An old barn AND a coke sign...SCORE!

Linking up with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

A Tangled Mess

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Blue Ridge Turnpike . Botetourt County

Is it too much to expect someone to come out and clean this mess up so I can get a proper picture from the side of the road? ;) Do you think the land owner would object if I show up with a chainsaw and just start cutting? :) I want a better view of these old buildings, how selfish!!

Today I am thankful that the storms that blew through here yesterday weren't any worse! Schools were dismissed 2 hours early in anticipation of a lot more going on I think. Click Here to see a few pictures of the storm damage from around the area...I think the photo of the donkeys looking at their barn damage is so cute! Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

The Great Barn @ Stagville Plantation

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Historic Stagville . Durham . NC

Remember our trip to Stagville back in the early summer? Well I forgot to show you the barn and had been meaning to link up with Tom's Barn Collective ...better late than never right?!

Anyways, this barn was built in the summer of 1860 by the enslaved community of Stagville. It was built like an upside down hull of a ship with many nautical features which leave historians speculating that some of the slaves spent time in the shipyards along the coast. This large barn housed up to 80 mules...you can see some cribbing done by some of them.

For more on Stagville Click Here and to see my other Stagville posts Click Here

Houtz Barn

Explore Park . Roanoke

"The German double-crib “bank barn” represents a highly specialized form of architecture. This barn served the needs of the Houtz family’s large-scale commercial farming operation on Mason’s Creek near present day Salem, VA. Barns of this type may still be seen in Pennsylvania and throughout the Shenandoah Valley."

Isn't this a great old barn? I love the different pieces of wood they used....linking with Tom's Barn Collective

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 87

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I am so sorry to be late with Willy Nilly this week. We had a huge storm last night and lost power here and there. I wish I had thought to take pictures as the sky was so lit up with lightning, more than I think I have ever seen! So anyways, here we go...back to Stagville...

1)

A barn near the Bennehan home I've shown you this week. The tour is divided into 2 parts, the Bennehan house and Horton Grove, which you need to drive to. The bricks I showed you on Tuesday were from there, the rest, including today's are from the first part of the tour, around the Bennehan house. Horton Grove consists of slave cabins and a great barn, which I will show you next week! Confused yet? lol

2)

The kitchen garden which grows original herbs and plants...I want a garden just like this!

3)

Tobacco barn

4)

Slave quarters foundation...these slaves would have worked in the "big house" as it is situated near-by. Unlike the field hand slaves, the domestic slaves were on call 24/7.

5)

Walking back to the main house I spotted this Honey Locust tree...I don't think there is any historical significance attached to it but holy moly...look at those thorns! Ouch! After this we met up at the visitor's center to join the tour group...Next stop, Horton Grove!
For more info on Stagville, you can visit their website HERE

And here's a few links I have found this morning on Stagville that I thought were interesting!
HERE is a blog with beautiful photographs of Stagville
HERE is a nice little article about the history of Stagville
HERE is a ghost story of Stagville


So that's my 5 this week! I hope you will join in! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others! Have a great weekend and Happy Father's Day to all you daddies!


I'm linking up with Amy :)
and also with Denise's Today's Flowers (you will have to zoom in to the garden shot there ;) )

A Back Road

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Somewhere near Lake Robertson

That's the one problem with taking a back road, I can never remember where it was but they have some of the best views! Much better than taking the freeway :)

Linking up with Tex's Good Fences

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 74

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Some random pics for the week!

1)

This barn was just a tiny bit down the road from yesterday's "Big Ass" sign

2)

I loved this old place but wasn't sure if someone lived there or not so I quickly snapped a photo from inside our vehicle while pulling into the very small and obvious driveway. Hence the glare in the corner...oops!

3)

I think this place has been built in stages...near the Jaycee Day Camp in Blue Ridge

4)

Quite a few opinionated people in these parts (see yesterday's post)

5)

The Botetourt Champions: The Blue Ridge Wolverines! On Sunday the boys finished the season by winning their championship game. #1 in the league, only losing 1 game...great season!

Now it's your turn! Post 5 randoms, link up and visit others!! Have a great weekend!



I'm linking up with Cath's Fun Friday Favourites!

Signs, Signs & A Good Fence in Bedford/Botetourt

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This was somewhere near the Botetourt/Bedford line...

This guy was tied up in the yard with the sign...maybe he's the "Big Ass"?

Spotted near the Jaycee Camp in Blue Ridge...sorry for the glare, taken through the windshield!

*All taken on our little drive on Saturday*

Linking with Tex's Good Fences & Signs, Signs

Signs, Signs & A Good Fence

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Along the Blue Ridge Turnpike . Botetourt County
These were taken at the end of January...a few days after our winter storm.

Along Lee Hwy . Troutville

Linking with Signs, Signs & Good Fences

Old Fincastle Road

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Fincastle

“The city, no matter how small, is corrupt and unrepentant, while the sun shines brighter in the country, making people more wholesome.”
― Lori Lansens, The Girls

Linking with Our World Tuesday & The Barn Collective

The Barn Collective - Number 8

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Off Country Club Rd, Troutville

I'll have to get back over for a better photo...this barn has a beautiful old stone walls.

Linking with The Barn Collective

Rubbish Tuesday & The Barn Collective - Wheatland Road

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Along Wheatland Road, Botetourt County

This was Sunday...it was such a pretty day, and warm...the boys and I jumped in the car (them only excited after bribing them with Taco Bell) and drove. Yesterday was just like Sunday...this morning...cold and freezing rain. Have to take Christian out shortly to get his tire fixed. Had a flat last night and even his spare was flat!

Linking with Rubbish Tuesday (a meme for people who love old stuff) and The Barn Collective

Rubbish Tuesday & The Barn Collective Combo 4

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This old place sits up on a hill in Fincastle. Right next to a church. I can't think of the name of the road but I know how to get there. It seems like it has been vacant since I've lived here. I wonder what is up with it?

This view is from Little Timber Ridge in Buchanan...what a view!

Linking with Rubbish Tuesday & The Barn Collective

Hope to see you back on Friday for Willy Nilly Friday 5!

Happy Veteran's Day!
And now I want to take a second to appreciate my boys Braden and Dalton. In the U.S. you know how the Veterans pass out poppies for Veteran's Day...well, it was over the weekend and the Veterans were set up at Kroger. I gave the boys a few bucks to run in and get the couple of items I needed while I was waiting in the car. I watch them come out and go to the table set up by the Veterans. I watch with pride as they hand the money they have leftover to the elderly gentleman and in return get their poppies. This is something I have done every year. You know, our children really are sponges and pick up on these things when we don't really think they are even paying attention...well, they really are.

Rubbish Tuesday & The Barn Collective From Fincastle

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This is the house the artist in yesterday's post was painting. Circa 1873, known as Academy Hill or Bolton's Hill. I found this old newstory from back in 2009 showing the rennovation... CLICK HERE for the story and pictures

This barn sits right down the road from Academy Hill. Notice the clothes on the line? That's what drew my attention!
Linking with Rubbish Tuesday & The Barn Collective

Rubbish Tuesday & The Barn Collective On Shaver's Farm Road

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White Oak Tea Tavern
5690 Roanoke Road, Troutville
The Tea Tavern was once upon a time, circa 1783, the Cloyd House.

Not too far from the Tea Tavern is this:

On Shaver's Farm Road. Dalton turned up the bass in my mini-van to get all the cows attention. Apparently they are music lovers ;)
I have shown you this farm before HERE and HERE but both of those views were bovine-less!

Linking with Rubbish Tuesday which is a meme for the love of old things, not trash and The Barn Collective

Rubbish Tuesday & The Barn Collective On Read Mountain Rd

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You might remember that white building from Friday. I wanted to share with you the barn that sits there too. I'm so happy that Amy started a new barn meme! So I get to link with Miss Roan's Rubbish Tuesday and Miss Amy's Barn Collective ...yay for twofer's!

I hope to see you back on Friday for Willy-Nilly Friday 5! Post 5 randoms, come back and link up!!

Rubbish Tuesday - Old Blacksburg Homestead

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How does someone just walk away from this? On Gallion Ridge Road, Blacksburg...linking with Roan's Rubbish Tuesday