Adventure in Western Virginia
Over the weekend my husband took me on a birthday adventure to Monterey, Virginia by way of Bath County (Warm Springs). It was a perfect weekend. The temperatures were terrific both days, and even dipped into the 30s overnight to give us crisp autumn air on the first full day of fall. The countryside is so awesome and gives credence to the term folks like to use about the region: Little Switzerland. In many ways it reminded me of the Italian countryside in Umbria with the rolling hills and vibrant shades of green. Already the colors of fall are beginning to emerge.
When we first drove into Bath County on the trip down on Saturday, we started seeing hay bales decorated in all kinds of creative ways. Roger called it “Hay Art” and we began to look for them after seeing a couple on the outskirts of Warm Springs. Later we learned that they were part of the Harvest Festival in Bath County this weekend. Forty-seven hay bales were decorated all over the county. We only saw a few of those, but of course, I had to get some images of the ones we discovered. In the community weekly newspaper, we saw photos of others we missed. The last treat of the weekend was seeing the barn quilts in Highland County. All-in-all, it was a fun adventure.
Patricia Temples Photography 
Absolutely GORGEOUS photos, Pat.
Love the creative “hay art”… bet they’ve been doing it for a few years. And it sure is amazing how much further along in the Fall Foliage season they are than us (relative) flatlanders.
Carl, thanks. The Hay Art as a county contest is only in its second year. I think this was an ingenious idea. What a way to create community enthusiasm!! I wish I could have seen all 47 of them!
Pat, what GREAT photography… AHHHH those shots around High Town in Highland Co. : ) That’s the way i often go to WV to visit family (have been going that way off-n-on for over 35 years). Makes me homesick!
I thought you might like to see the hay bales. That was such an interesting part of our trip, Richard! Glad you liked going home, even for just a bit.