Our Fabled Nest

We fell off the date a month for the kiddos since moving to our home. And yes, my dog momma heart feels guilty. We’ve been busy in other areas that those dates had to take a backseat until now! Miss Magdalene was the first for our monthly dates and I love that we decided to take her on this little one on one autumn inspired outing! In northern Virginia, we are fortunate to have corn mazes, apple picking and a ton of fun dog friendly activities within an hour of home. I surprised her with a new outfit, and we were off for a few solo hours!

We quickly decided to bring her along for apple picking. She, however, does not like apples…. I promised the crisp topping and extra whip cream and magically, she was more than happy to pick out a few Galas. Our stop, an hour north, near the city of Winchester was the best apple picking orchard we’ve been to in a hot minute. I loved the easy parking, the larger rows between the apples and even the website states they are dog friendly other than the market and inside any buildings. This was the most organized orchard, and I love that I didn’t have to call ahead on their fur kiddo policy. Be cautious though, they do not allow strollers or bags inside other than the one given for the apple picking. I did ask if my small purse was okay since I had her water bottle and bowl attached. That was allowed and I am assuming they would allow families carrying their little one’s things to do the same. The system here, is $15 a bag or 2 people can share a larger bag at $25. Then if there is four or more, there is a rather large box you can purchase or do as above. We ended up with the two smaller bags so we could each pick some with her. The orchard had so many options and I loved all of their signage… if the apples were sparse or not ready, there was signage letting you know. Seriously, the best apple orchard to visit!

Next we found a local quaint coffee shop… Magdalene is the carb queen. She is literally the epitome of “feed me and tell me I’m pretty”…. this girl gets ecstatic over bagels, croissants, donuts, waffles – you name a pastry and she’s like let’s go! Cordial Coffee, located in Berryville outside of Winchester in Northern Virginia is nestled in the back of a main street building. I always call ahead in advance to double check their outdoor seating is dog friendly. I did, however, find this little place on Bring Fido. Inside the building is a little vestibule. That too is dog friendly, if other patrons don’t mind the fur kid. We chose the covered porch. Goodness, it was so cute and cozy! I went in to order while hubs and Magda hung out. Not a ton of options, but that’s okay! We weren’t hungry – just needed some caffeine for us and carbs for princess! Hubs also was looking for a snack since we didn’t purchase any goodies from the orchard’s market. Iced Caramel Latte for the hubs and Americano with oat milk for myself. I then saw a build your own waffle paper…. yes please! They do have gluten free options but I wasn’t planning on eating anything. So, I went with the classic waffle and surprised her and the hubs with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup! We are going to have to recreate that at home! Such a nice place to relax! Wonderful service with some of the nicest humans, delicious coffee, lovely sitting area, and the best part was Magda’s happy wiggle with that yummy waffle.

Last stop was an abbreviated pumpkin picking (ish). While most farms are dog friendly, most do not allow pups in the pumpkin patch for sanitary reasons. Lowes to the rescue! Lowes being an easy choice for dog friendly everything, we popped in on the way home for her to assist picking pumpkins for the tribe. She loved the attention, seeing all of the decorations and animatronics. I think her favorite part was walking through the faux tree farm… she loved the twinkling lights. Then we made a quick bee line for the dog section. Ya know, treats and chewies are a must for her and the rest of the tribe!

Cheers to our next adventure!