A Room With a View

 

 It seemed especially fitting that the view from the balcony reminded me of those snowy village scenes often featured on Christmas cards.

You know the ones featuring gentle snow covered hills just right for sledding on, pine trees and evergreens dotting the landscape and long winding driveways leading to warm welcoming homes?

Ah, yes, this was the view our eyes settled on as we enjoyed the gift our son gave to us for Christmas.  A weekend stay at the Inn at Riverbend in Pearisburg, Virginia.

Turning our heads to the left brought this view.

The funny thing about this river is that although it is called the New River, it is thought to be the second oldest river in the world, second only to the Nile River.  It is estimated to be between 10 and 360 million years old!

Train tracks run along the river.  The train could often be seen (and heard) chugging along at various times of the day (and night).  I found this to add even more charm to the Christmas card scene below.  Brett's thoughts on the middle of the night train whistles were a bit different, however.

Inside the room the corner windows were ideal for allowing us to enjoy the scenery from the reading chairs and also from...

the comfy bed.

One afternoon after an exhausting day spent visiting the local antique shops, I curled up under that pretty throw and leafed through my one and only purchase.

The cover alone made my heart beat a bit faster.

Once I opened the cover, I was a goner.

Published in 1947.  It would have cost $2.50 then and now it was still being sold for that price.  That's a deal far too good to pass up.

;D

I love books with monthly or seasonal chapters.

I allowed myself to read through February.

Now my excitement for the upcoming gardening season is in full force and I am trying not to cheat and read the March chapter before the calendar officially says "March."

 Speaking of books, this was the one I read most recently.

A story of homesteading in the Alaskan wilderness during the 1920s.  A couple mourning the loss of their child while learning to live off the land in this remote area.  One day they build a child out of snow together and from there the story really takes off in a most delightful way.

I absolutely LOVED this book.

My niece gave it to my sister-in-law for Christmas.  They both enjoyed it and passed it along to me to read.  I'm so glad they did. 

A perfect book to read on a winter's day.