"Virginia is for Lovers" of music & scenic views!

Virginia

We continue our music-themed adventure with a couple of trips to the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia. During the summer the Center offers free Midday Mountain Music performances.

We spent Tuesday afternoon listening to Dot & Dan Shikenjanski. 🎻🪕

Dot & Dan Shikenjanski

Dot and Dan played a terrific rendition of The Yellow Rose of Texas in our honor. They wanted to recognize people from the other states but didn't know songs for all 50 states. So they played YOUR STATE'S NAME HERE. This song is by Lou and Peter Berryman - click the YouTube link here to listen to the Berrymans singing it. It's fun! 

After all that great music, we needed a treat. 

The Conery

The Conery in Draper was a perfect stop for ice cream! Located in the old Draper High School, The Conery is in the building known as the Home Economics Cottage (built in 1938). 

This room was used to teach the boys Shop. In order to keep up with all of the school's tools, the Shop teacher painted silhouettes of the tools on the walls. The images on the front of this counter are the actual silhouettes found in this room.

In addition to listening to music, we explored the area where our friend grew up.

Canadian geese at Claytor Lake

Fishermen on the New River

Jackson Ferry Shot Tower

The Jackson Ferry Shot Tower overlooks the New River. It was built more than 200 years ago to make ammunition for the firearms of the early settlers. Lead from nearby mines was melted in a kettle atop the 75-foot tower and poured through a sieve. It fell through the tower plus an additional 75-foot shaft beneath the tower into a kettle of water.

Only four of these architectural landmarks survive today!

Views from Draper Mountain Overlook 

We took a break to visit West Wind Winery. 

West Wind Winery

On Thursday afternoon we visited the Blue Ridge Music Center again. This time we enjoyed music performed by Scott Freeman & Willard Gayheart. Scott played the mandolin and the fiddle! Many of the songs they played were written by Willard who is 94 years old!

Scott Freeman & Willard Gayheart

Click here to see my previous post about Virginia.

Our journey continues to North Carolina where we share some favorite sites with our travel buddy!

Nashville, TN: The Music City

We're on a roadtrip with a friend, heading to Virginia! We spent a few days in Nashville to soak in some of that good ol' country music! In fact, this roadtrip will feature lots of music!

We have visited Nashville before - see previous blog post. So, I'm highlighting some different experiences in this post.

 

Ryman Auditorium

Previously we attended the "Grand Ole Opry" at the Ryman Auditorium. On this visit we took a tour of the Ryman to learn more of its history.

The self-guided tour provides an excellent video summary of the Ryman's history. We learned that the puppeteer Jim Henson performed at the Ryman with his puppet "Rowlf the Dog".

Rowlf the Dog

Harry Houdini, the illusionist and stunt performer, also appeared at the Ryman!

Harry Houdini

The Ryman isn't just about country music! The tour includes access to the Auditorium and you can even get a picture taken onstage!

Ryman Auditorium 

We visited the lovely Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. It's quite large, especially the grounds that feature fountains and sculptures. I enjoyed the period rooms inside the mansion:

Morning Room

Dining Room

Drawing Room

Library

And a gorgeous staircase!

On Sunday afternoon, we attended a matinee performance at the Station Inn. We heard some great gospel music performed by Val Storey and Larry Cordle. 

Station Inn 

On other days and times, Bluegrass music is featured. 

We will continue our musical journey in Virginia!

SPRING into Dallas!

 

My favorite way to experience spring in the Dallas, Texas area is visiting the Dallas Arboretum.  You can check out previous blog posts I’ve written about this gorgeous botanical garden.

Yesterday was cloudy and a bit rainy, so we opted for an indoor spring experience! Each year the NorthPark Center hosts a floral exhibition that showcases fresh floral mannequins. Each decorated mannequin “Muse” is inspired by the arts in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. This year the FLEURS DE VILLES MUSE 2026 event was held March 24-29, 2026. Here are a couple of my favorite Muses!

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra:

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents more than 150 concerts each year and strives to connect thousands of adults and children with the transformative power of music through community outreach programs.

This floral mannequin draws inspiration from Stravinsky's The Firebird- to be performed April 30-May 3, 2026. The Firebird is a fantastical story about a prince, thirteen princesses, a magical feather, and a fearsome ogre.

CREATED BY: CONCEPTO

 

The Cliburn:

The Cliburn promotes classical piano music and the organization’s Van Cliburn International Piano Competitions are world renowned.

This floral mannequin is inspired by pianist Olga Kern, gold medalist of the 2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Kern rose to international prominence with her historic victory as the first woman to win the competition in more than 30 years. Known for her electrifying performances and signature red concert gowns, Kern celebrates the 25th anniversary of her landmark achievement in 2026.

CREATED BY: BUNCHES FLOWER COMPANY

 

If you cannot visit Dallas to see a FLEURS DE VILLES MUSE spring exhibition, a trip to NorthPark Center can still provide an opportunity for you to see museum-quality art for FREE!

The indoor shopping center is laid out in a square, making it easy to walk around to view art and shop! Here are a few of my favorite works that I recently spotted. The works are on loan from local museums so they may change.

Henry Moore was a 20^th century British Sculptor whose monumental bronze sculptures can be seen in public spaces worldwide.

Working Model for Oval with Points, 1968-1969
by Henry Moore

lván Navarro is an immigrant from Chile who creates sculptures and installations like this one that comment on the socio-political experience of immigration. In each of the three water towers there is a different neon word or image. Growing up in Chile, Navarro was used to the government cutting power in the evenings to keep people at home. Using electric light as a means of social commentary, the light within these towers continuously reflects the words “ME/WE” and “BED,” along with an image of a ladder.

This Land is Your Land, 2014
by Iván Navarro

This photo provides a twofer – a sculpture AND paintings!

Black Angel, 1967 by Beverly Pepper
Flowers, 1979 by Andy Warhol

Beverly Pepper, an American sculptor, was one of the first women to create monumental, welded steel sculptures. In this piece, she positioned stainless-steel squares at varied angles to evoke a tumbling effect.

The paintings behind Pepper’s sculpture are by the American artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol. He based this series of silkscreen paintings on a photograph of hibiscus blossoms published in the magazine Modern Photography. This example of Warhol’s use of repetition, appropriation and mechanical reproduction is key in his works of Pop art.

There are lots of opportunities to enjoy the arts in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex!

Beware of Bears! Penelope & Mindy out in the Wild!

Beware of Bears!

Penelope the panda, so precocious and sly, With Mindy the brown bear, who's timid and shy. 

Two furry explorers in a car packed with glee, From Texas they dashed, as wild as can be!

Grand Tetons National Park,
Wyoming 

Near Jackson, Wyoming we admired the Grand Tetons! We wanted to try some extreme skiing ...

but our peoples were anxious to keep moving. 

We stopped for gas at a Sinclair station in Idaho. The Sinclair Oil brand dates back to 1916 and is well-known for its green "Dino" mascot. I got to ride a dinosaur!!

Sinclair Gas Dinosaur, Idaho

We made it to Yellowstone National Park!  

Yellowstone National Park

We especially enjoyed the bison, at a distance. One almost ran into our car!! Be we survived and continued to Canada. 

What's this? An Easter Egg in September? Eh?

Vegreville Easter Egg,
Vegreville, Alberta

This is a beautiful Ukrainian egg. Posing with the egg made us hungry. We went out for Ukrainian food and our peoples bought us some yummy-looking treats! But they forgot and left them at the restaurant. 

While we were staying in Banff we took the Icefields Parkway toward Jasper. We saw glaciers!

Icefields Parkway, Jasper, Alberta

Icefields Parkway, Jasper, Alberta

Our peoples wouldn't let us walk on the glacier. But we went back another day by ourselves! 🤣

We enjoyed a scenic drive along a winding road that parallels the Bow River.

Bow Valley Parkway, Alberta

I was so dizzy from the winding road that I almost fell into the river! Thankfully Mindy held on to me!

Bow Valley Parkway, Alberta

Bow Valley Parkway, Alberta

Our peoples decided to hike in Johnston Canyon to see a waterfall. We begged to go along and they carried us in a backpack. Boy, was it hot! 

Here's a picture of us with Cheryl, looking at the river.

Johnston Canyon, Alberta

Here's a picture of us with the waterfall in the background. You can't see the waterfall very well because we had to take the picture quickly. People around us were getting out their bear spray! Seriously, do we look scary?

Johnston Canyon Lower Falls,
Alberta

We left Canada before the temperatures dropped and the snow started. It was much dryer and warmer when we got to Moab, Utah. Here were are at Arches National Park. 

Arches National Park,
Moab, Utah

Where are the arches, you say? Well, thanks to a tip from our guide, our peoples took us close to the back of Skyline Arch. We were the only ones there!!

Skyline Arch at Arches National Park,
Moab, Utah

We went out one evening to see a sunset in Arches National Park. This was our view. We stayed until it was REALLY dark and we could see tons of stars and the Milky Way!

Watching sunset at La Sal Mountains Viewpoint at Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

On our last day in Moab we rode along with our peoples on another scenic road. What a beautiful day!

Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway,
Moab, Utah

Sorry, we have no pictures from Santa Fe, New Mexico. We stayed in a luxurious suite at the Inn of the Governors and didn’t feel like going out. We just sat back to watch the people from our balcony!! Thank goodness for room service!

What a beary fun adventure! We were two bears on a journey, wild, wacky, and free!

Penelope & Mindy

(Wendy stayed home, she's too fragile to do road-tripping!)