Our fall ride .....

The first of this week was simply beautiful - sunny, warm, and dry. We decided Tuesday morning to take a ride toward Charlottesville to view the fall leaves. I also wanted to get some apples, so our first stop was the Carter Mountain Orchard and Vineyards. It sits on top of a mountain and has wonderful views.



They had all types of apples, pumpkins, and gourds for sale as well as some delicious apple cider. The orchard also has peach trees and grapes that are used in local wines



After loading up with apples we drove down the mountain and stopped at Michie's Tavern.



We visited the old mill



and toured the old shops and buildings on the property.



Next we decided to tour Ash Lawn-Highland, the home of James Monroe which was only a few miles away.



Our tour guide was an actor by profession and gave us a very entertaining and informative tour. The trees in the parking lot were gorgeous so I had to get a picture of them.



By this time we were getting hungry, so we headed on home stopping at Lumpkins in Scottsville for a delicious lunch.

We had an enjoyable day and got to view many colorful leaves.

Enough is enough ........

Since I live in Virginia, which is considered one of the battleground states in the upcoming election, I have been inundated with political ads, flyers, and phone calls. I counted the ads on a local TV station during one hour this evening. There were a total of 22 ads! That is overkill. I can't believe that there are many truly undecided voters who will be swayed by these ads. Many of the ads are filled with half truths, words taken out of context, and downright lies. I watched the debates and they were full of talking points and promises, but very few explanations of how the promises would be met.

I consider myself to be well informed on politics. I try to consider both sides of any issue and form my opinions based on my core beliefs. I worry that there are many voters who form their opinions based on the misleading and false ads that they are subjected to every time they turn on the TV.

Many people are very passionate when it comes to their political choices. Its fine to support your candidate, but some people have gone to extremes in attacking the opposition and anyone who supports the other party. Facebook is full of nasty comments and personal attacks. I try not to discuss politics with people who are so passionate, since my view is usually opposite of theirs.

It will be a relief when the election is over. Go to the polls and vote for your candidate on election day.