Road trip to Middleburg, Virginia

Every year about this time we make a trek to Middleburg to see the dog show. This year there was no dog show, but we went anyway. Although it wasn't as colorful as is typical, it's always a nice drive. Anytime we leave the congestion if Washington is fine by me. We stopped for lunch, then wandered around the Main Street, and spent a lovely day overall. This is the place Jackie Kennedy would escape to for horse riding and comfortable settings outside the White House. It also reminds me of Wisconsin farm country. And that's always a good thing. 

Middleburg Virginia Dog Show and Borzoi

I love Borzois. I love fall.  I love old plantations and rides in the countryside. This was the fourth year we ventured out to the Middleburg Dog Show at the Oatlands Plantation in Middleburg, Virginia. It was a beautiful day for the ride, and an even better day to get my fix of Borzois. Our Tatiana was a wonderful dog, and I still miss her. Yes, there were obviously other dogs there, but I hardly noticed them. I prefer large dogs to small, but it does give anyone a great opportunity to see all the different breeds and varieties.  That's how we found the dog we preferred all those years ago by visiting a dog show in Wisconsin, and meeting a breeder from Indiana. While we were watching the borzois in the ring today, we talked to an owner who lives in Old Town Alexandria. I gave her my contact information so she could send me some news about a breeder she knows well. We are on the fence about getting another one for so many reasons. In the meantime, I could do baby sitting for her dog, a grand eight year old lovely lady. All in all it was a delightful day to spend with our friend, the setting was grand, and the Borzois never looked better. 

Oatlands Plantation

We came to the Oatlands Plantation last week for the dog show but have never quite made it up the path to see the manor house. With out of town guests in toe we made the hour journey to Leesburg on a beautiful autumn afternoon. The place belonged to the famous Carter Family of Virginia back in the late 1700's. The house survived the Civil War and since has had a couple owners and several famous guests including FDR and assorted others. The grounds and garden were quite pretty even though it was past season. The 1810 greenhouse was unique for its time.  It was surrounded by a Japanese Maple that was more interesting to see from the inside. The last house tour we were on was at Blenheim Palace in England. We haven't been on one here for quite a while after spending many a trip over the years in Natchez, Charleston, and so many more. This was a great day trip with friends and the landscape, season and company made it quite memorable.