To the Winery! Chestnut Ridge Winery

44°f/6.7°C, clear. 

Our destination yesterday:

Chestnut Ridge Winery is in Spencer, West Virginia,  and only 30 minutes or so from home, but we seldom get there. So yesterday we decided to have a Spencer day, with the winery as our goal.

The trees are starting to  turn now so it was a beautiful drive. We had breakfast at a place we still call Price's Market, although it has a different name now which neither of us can remember. One thing we did remember was their good food, and the breakfast was delicious, with good service and friendly staff too. They used to be a produce market but sadly that part of their business seems to be gone, with only a few fresh turnips on display.

We then went across the street to the Salvation Army store, where we found all kinds of cool stuff. Thrifts in small, out-of-the-way towns seem to have more vintage and antique items, I have noticed, probably because they typically have older populations.

By then it was noon so we headed for the winery. It's not an easy place to find! First you wander through narrow town streets,

one lane, with many steep curves.

It's kind of an obstacle course!

At one turn the poor power pole has been scraped many times---it's not an easy turn to make.

Up and up an up...

to the top of the ridge, where we were greeted by this large steel sculpture by West Virginian Jeff Fetty.

One of his huge flowers.

The view, looking down over the town, was almost 360°.

Then finally we arrived at the winery! I sniffed my way to the door because the path is lined with many different herbs--lemon balm, rosemary, lavender, sage and others, such an olfactory delight.

Jeff Fetty's blacksmith shop is just across the road.

Silly me didn't take any inside photos, but we mainly stayed outside anyway, to enjoy our glass of wine in the crisp fall sunshine.

In true Blogger fashion these loaded in random order, but most were taken along the Phil Holcomb Memorial Trail. Phil was a dulcimer maker when I met him, and I still have the dulcimer he made me in 1999. He went on to open this winery before passing away unexpectedly about 10 years ago. His wife continues to run the winery, and established a wonderful trail in his memory.

There's also a little free greenhouse! I did not take any plants, although I wish I had because there were some nice houseplant starts in there.

The glint of the wine on a leaf made it look like the leaf was on fire! This was their blood orange wine, a really interesting flavor. We came home with a bottle of this and one of Gewürztraminer, which according to Google is made from "an aromatic wine grape variety, used in white wines, and which performs best in cooler climates". 

Along the walking trail, there were many tags identifying the trees.

And aound the winery, so many flowers! This cosmos was striking 

The beautybush was loaded with berries, which i have read make a good jelly. I need a beautybush! The color just pops at this time of year.

Speaking of color...

This lovely cat came out to greet us just as we were getting ready to leave. A stray, he has made himself a new home at the winery.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

The New Booth: Spencer Antique Mall

I've spent several hours the past few days getting our new booth at the Spencer (WV) Antique Mall set up and ready for business. It's a long way from being done yet, but here are a few photos of the progress so far.

I am still arranging things to suit me so all is likely to change in the next few weeks. Top is a photo of the Hoosier-style cabinet we moved into the booth. It still has the original label on the porcelain worktop, and the sifter is still in place too.

Candace, the manager of the mall, has been a lot of help, and so encouraging. It makes me feel welcome in this new place.

We used some privacy fencing panels to make a wall for hanging things. I have a lot more to add to the wall.

The round white table I showed a few days ago has become a real focal point for displays.

Another view of the fencing wall, and a nice 5-drawer chest we had in the building, waiting for a home. The green bench was in the building too. Once we started digging in there we found a lot of things that we need to get in one of our booths.

A large steel shelving unit isn't really pretty but it gets the job done, and holds a lot of stuff. It's not nearly full yet.

The wood shelves are not yet full either, even though I've brought in a lot of totes! Lots of room for more, and that's a good thing because the more things in a booth, the more likely that there will be sales.

The finished chairs look pretty nice too. I hadn't realized until I got to the booth that the little brocade footstool went perfectly with the black chair with its tapestry seat.

That's a quick look. I'll post more as I continue to work on this new space. So far, it's been a fun adventure, and we've already had a few sales. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

More Wildflowers: Joe's Run

This patch of green doesn't really catch the eye, does it, when you're just driving past?




But just look closer and this is what you might find:

Bellwort drooping its lovely flowers above barely visible woods betony...

and wild phlox, mouse-ear chickweed and violets, along with...

bluets and wood betony...

that look quite pretty together, and with cinquefoil too (the little yellow flower below).

Hiding beneath the others you might find henbit (the little purple flower below)...

and if you look on the other side of the road, you'll discover golden ragwort and wild geranium running riot in a field.

All to be seen by just stopping the car for a moment, getting out, and looking closely at what is all around. It just doesn't pay to be in a hurry at this time of year, does it?

About wood betony: the plant goes by many other names, including lousewort because Europeans believed that cattle that went near the plant would get covered in lice. One legend about a variety of betony says that when Veronica saw Jesus carrying the cross, she wiped the sweat from his face with a cloth that was scented with betony. The cloth later bore the imprint of his face and was considered a miracle.

Veronica was the confirmation name I took as a child, because I admired her bravery in facing the scorn of the crowd to do an act of mercy and compassion. But until recently I did not know the connection to betony, and the story makes me want this little wildling in my gardens at home.

Rte 119

Thursday I needed to go to Clendenin for work, so I took the long way home. Not longer in miles, but longer in time because I never want to hurry when I'm driving 119 from Clendenin to Spencer.

Once a busy road, 119 became a quiet country two-lane when Interstates 77 and 79 were built, relieving the road of carrying the heavy traffic from Charleston to Morgantown and other points north. Those new highways almost tolled the death knell for Clendenin, and the town still struggles to survive since it is now off the beaten path. For me, Clendenin hold a special place because it was where I first began work as a library branch manager. I still have friends there and visiting the town is a reminder of those happy days of hard work and discovery.

The mighty Elk River flows through Clendenin, and although peaceful in this photo, I well remember how the river, fed by multiple creeks, spewed out of its banks in 1997 and left the small town under four feet or more of water.

A barn stands testament to days gone by, as nearby redbuds blazed their herald of spring.

A flash of blue in a dark, north-facing hollow along the road caused me turn around and come back, hoping to see something I'd seen years ago on this road at this time of year.

Nestled into the moist hillside was a lavish expanse of Virginia bluebells, a flower I haven't seen growing wild in many places in my area. And mixed with the bluebells were white trilliums and Dutchmen's breeches.

Although I tried several times for a good photo, I did not end up with a satisfactory one. My problem was the same as when I'd seen the flowers before--the road takes a deep curve here and there is no place to get off the road. It's really not a safe place for taking pictures. I watched behind me to be sure no one was coming, but even so the curving road doesn't give much visibility so I had to snap-and-go. Next time, I will try to find a place to park and walk to the site, if possible, although the narrow shoulders give me pause.

I eventually arrived in Spencer just as the sun was dropping low in the sky. The pretty houses on the hill called out for one more photo, which I snapped just as my camera batter died.

Time to quit messing around and get to the house.