When life hands you a global pandemic, keep your travels close to home. That’s what I always have said. Chasing waterfalls and capturing castles all over Europe isn’t available right now. Instead, I am following flower fields and embracing apple orchard blooms all over Virginia this month.
Table of Contents
Take in the Bluebells and Call Me in the Morning
Mother Nature provides such healing. I took a recent dose of her medicine in Great Falls. A heaping spoonful of Bluebells did wonders. And there aren’t any harmful side effects. Here is the prescription: Take a Hike! To Virginia for the Bluebells. Bluebells are peaking and you don’t want to miss them. Visiting as soon as possible is a must.
Orr’s Farm Market = Pharmacy for the Soul
Orr’s Farm Market is the best. The blooms are overpowering in their beauty. I want to share a tip: As you make your way to the farm and turn onto Tinsman Lane, take in the slice of heaven on the right. It’s sure to make your troubles disappear, even if only temporarily. I was here only briefly out of respect to the locals.
AND I saw a piece of trash in the field, don’t leave your junk with Mother Nature. We are better than that. Not surprisingly, the orchards have caught on with photographers. So much so, there are guidelines on the website. Read up beforehand.
An Apple Orchard a Day
This orchard was peaceful and quiet, as serene as it is beautiful. A special spring experience is picnicking along the many rows of apple and peach trees. Happy flower power hunting! I hope to find more happiness locations to share with you.
Those Mustard Fields!
As we drove to the apple and peach orchards to catch the blooms this weekend, I had to contain myself to NOT to pull over and jump into the many flowering fields I saw for a picture. The rolling landscape of yellow taken with sunshine will improve anyone’s mood.
Some Fun Facts
The mustard carpet is Field Mustard, and its botanical name is Brassica rapa. Field Mustard greens and seeds are edible. The plant has bright yellow flowers with four petals with six stamens, two of which are shot and four are tall. After germination, mustard grows quite quickly, maturing within 85 days. Other varieties, such as Oriental and brown, take up to 95 days. Experienced cultivators say mustard will cover an area after a month or so of planting. Field Mustard blooms in spring.
It All Began in Germany
My first foray into a mustard field was in Germany. I literally stumbled upon the vast blooming acreage. Don’t I look happy with my discovery? I was!
Mark Your Flower Calendar
My guess is the gorgeous field at Tinsman Lane is in mid-bloom and you will have time to catch the bloom through at least the first week of May. Maybe I’ll see you amid the flower fields. I hope so. I bet we both could use a dose of Mother Nature.
Be sure to share your favorite spot to rejuvenate and enjoy the blooms.
