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Battlefield Country Store – Fredericksburg, VA
This store was amazing. The aisles are filled with every imaginable spice, candy, nuts – you name it. Its deli was a crowded station as people lined up to place their sandwich orders. They had a bakery section and a coffee bar. The most popular part of the store – the ice cream shop. It didn’t matter that it was 48 degrees, rainy, and downright nasty. The line outside the store was never-ending. They are known for their ingenious concoctions of shakes. This month’s offering was Cinco de Shaka. Housed in a mason jar was a vanilla shake with caramel and tidbits of cinnamon wafers. Topping it off was a waffle taco filled with chocolate ice cream and strawberries. Decadent without a doubt. Did we finish it – of course, we did. Go onto their website to see other seasonal shakes offered throughout the year.
This place was crowded and one can only imagine how packed it must be during a beautiful summer day. They have swings and Adirondack chairs around the pond in the back of the store. I can picture people picking up their sandwich orders, a bag of chips, and a cool beverage and then walking to the pond to scout out a chair and enjoy the afternoon. The owners of this store definitely had the right idea.
Even though this was a Harvest Host site allowing us to stay overnight, it is a must-do if visiting the Fredericksburg, VA area.
Email: movebeyondordinary@gmail.com Instagram: movebeyondordinary
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Loving Savannah, GA
Ft. McAllister State Park is our home for the next week. It’s about 25 minutes from Savannah. Marshes flank the entryway to the park. The park is spacious, and we prefer to be with nature as much as possible. The trees covered with moss are much like Florida. Seeing the deer outside our RV is one of the best sights. They move along slowly. Often, the group is in families with children not far from their parents. The birds are plentiful, and each morning, we awake to their songs.
It’s been many years since we last visited Savannah, before Forest Gump’s bench was in a museum and still resided in the square. We arrived early and benefited from being in the historic district before the crowds. The magnificent homes stand tall and proud and surround the courtyard squares. Each house has the opulent façade of an era of years ago. Some still have gas lamps burning. It stirs my imagination about what it may have been like to live during that time. A time when dinner tables were elegantly adorned with china and crystal and soirees were a commonplace weekend event. The architecture is outstanding. Wrap-around porches, brick facades, detailed woodwork, and each home is beckoning a welcome to visit.
The Cathedral Basidia of St. John the Baptist is a must regardless of religious affiliation. The inside is more beautiful than the outside, with stained glass, a marble altar, and sturdy wooden pews. It is just stunning and left me in awe.
The city market has numerous little shops to explore and wander through. There are numerous art galleries throughout the city. This is not surprising as the School for Arts and Design is located in Savannah. The Riverfront has restaurants and shops, and one can watch the boats as they pass by. A benefit of Savannah is its beauty can be experienced on foot as most of the sights are within walking distance. There are numerous streets made of ballast rocks. When the ships came to Savannah to secure goods, the vessel needed the stones to weigh them down. They left the stones behind to fill their hulls with the purchased goods. The rocks were then repurposed as pavers to make the streets.
The next day, we visited Tybee Beach. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with our visit. There isn’t much there unless you want to spend the day at the beach. They had few stores. There were several eateries and bars, but most of the island is vacation rentals. No matter where you park, you must pay a parking fee of $3.50 an hour, strictly enforced. Thankfully, we brought our bikes and explored the surrounding area as it would not have been enjoyable on foot.
Email: movebeyondordinary@gmail.com
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Harvest Hosts – Christ the Messiah Church – Jacksonville, Fl & Four Arches Farm – Pembroke, GA
We arrived at the church, and David gave us warm greetings. As we were setting up, the Pastor dropped by to welcome us and wanted to let us know if we needed anything to let him know. They were genuine when they said they were happy to have us there for the night. The church had a bible garden and our spot for the night was under the oak trees.
The next stop was at the farm. Our stay for the next two nights was under mighty old oaks with Spanish moss dripping from their limbs. It was very peaceful. The farm was home to sheep, chickens, pigs, cats, guinea fowls, and alpacas. We learned some exciting tidbits during our stay. The first tidbit – chicken eggs are not only brown and white. They are all colors depending on the type of chicken who laid them. I bought a dozen eggs laid that morning. These eggs would keep outside the refrigerator for three weeks as they have a natural coating protecting the eggs. The host told us if you purchase farm-fresh eggs from the store, they must be kept in the refrigerator because the USDA requires all eggs to be washed before selling, which destroys the natural coating.
Growing up in the city, I am unaccustomed to farm animals, and I don’t happen to be a fan of any animal. As we toured the farm, we learned about tidbit two – it was advised not to get too close to the alpacas as they tend to spit on you. At that point, I moved several feet from the fence and let Mitch continue videoing the animals. However, I will say they produce the softest wool from their hair.
As a final note – Did you know that guinea fowls and chickens eat ticks and bugs? Not a bad set of birds to have around. Both were free-roaming, and we were amazed they never left the farm. But then again, they know where to find their next meal.
Email: movebeyondordinary@gmail.com
Instagram: move beyond ordinary