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We have reduced our nightly rate by $10.00, to cover most of a recent tax increase from 10.3 to 15.3%. This is being done as a protest of that increase, which is the result of our County Supervisors deciding to double the (county) lodging tax from 5 to 10%. There is also 5.3% state sales
We now have wisteria at River Dell! A few years after installing an arbor and several years after planting, it is in full bloom for the first time. April is flowering foliage month here in Luray, and now we have this to go with the forsythia, redbuds, magnolias and dogwoods, among others. We love spring
April 2023 One thing we love about the Shenandoah Valley is that Spring gets sprung when the calendar says it should. Magnolias, bluebonnets, redbuds and lilacs all grace our neighborhood here on the River in the early part of April. It is truly beautiful! And the trees will begin to sport their spring green clothing
We have now been hosting guests at River Dell for six years. One thing we have discovered is that we love doing this! We have met delightful people from all over the country and from other countries. It has certainly enriched our lives here on the river! This pic is from last July, with our
We experienced our first rainbow at River Dell just this month! It got me thinking about – weddings! When something is described as at “the end of the rainbow,” what is meant is that something is almost impossible to obtain or achieve. The promise of the pot of gold there often makes sensible people do irrational
We do have Winter at River Dell, and after a rather cold and snowy January we can look forward to Spring as temperatures begin to moderate, even in February. By mid-March we’ll see the initial signs, and by the end of the month it will be in full bloom. After 30+ years in Central New
We have not experienced many thunderstorms here at the Dell since we arrived four years ago this month, but this year we seem to be making up for it! This is only the second rainbow we’ve seen. Things are quite verdant, as we’ve had a relatively wet spring, and so far this summer we’ve avoided
The Fall foliage season goes on for several weeks here in the valley (and up in the mountains). It’s not as brilliant as it can be at times farther north, where there are a lot more maple trees – which often produce the amazing reds. We do like the more muted but longer lasting tones
This is our third Fall season here in the Shenandoah Valley. The first two were drier than normal, which made for less than spectacular foliage. This year was the opposite, setting rainfall records from late spring through the summer. And the colors were fantastic. Leaf peepers (the folks
That’s what River Dell is. The bed in our suite has a story. It’s made of cherry lumber harvested from a friend’s farm in upstate New York; it was assembled there and finished in Virginia. The king-sized mattress is by Tuft & Needle – look up the website, they have a fascinating story. It’s received
I love weddings! One of the perks during my career as a pastor and university chaplain has been officiating weddings – for friends, family, former students and now the children of friends. I have done weddings in Oregon, California, Florida and New York, and have enjoyed every one. Last year I received my certification to
We decorated unusually early this year. The tree was up November 30, and decorated along with the rest of the house within the next week. This is easily a record for our last four decades of holiday celebrations! My family tradition growing up was late: we went to bed on Christmas Eve with nothing done
“Just a little green, like the color when the spring is born,” wrote Joni Mitchell nearly fifty years ago. With ample rain, we’ve gone from that, to the full blown verdant countryside of May here by the river. Days are longer, the sun is warm, and the Shenandoah Valley is inviting! This photo was taken
This poignant song from the half-century old musical Fiddler on the Roof remains a favorite at weddings. River Dell can provide a delightful setting for a wedding celebration, whatever style and music you might like! We do have lovely sunrises over the Shenandoah River, as seen in this mid-summer photo. We also enjoy a beautiful