Spring Clean and Seeing Green on Smith Mountain Lake

Just take one look outside and you can see that spring is making its debut in Smith Mountain Lake! This weekend the weather will be sunny and warm with temperatures in the 70’s forecasted. Take advantage of the beautiful weather and spend some time outside spring cleaning! With the unusually heavy snowfall this year, you may find a few more things on your spring to do list, especially if you have your home for sale!


Step One: Clean up debris! Living in the Blue Ridge Mountains can pretty much guarantee you have some leaves and sticks to clean up from the yard. While this may seem like a small thing, having a neat yard free of clutter and debris can make a big difference in your home’s curb appeal. Don’t forget to clean out from under ornamental bushes or hedgerows to give your lawn a well manicured look!

Step Two: Check your plants! Heavy snow can damage your shrubs and bushes. Now is a great time to see how they really fared over the winter. Check for any breaks or splits in the trunk or main branches. You may be able to save any damages shrubs with some creative trimming, but you may just need to replace it. Do your best to match the new plant by size and shape to the one you are removing! It may cost a little more, but it will keep the mature landscaping look you are trying to maintain.

Lastly, make any repairs needed to the exterior of your home. From sidewalks to a new coat of paint, keeping the outside of your home in tip top shape will make your home stand out above the rest. Check the caulking around windows and door ways and refresh if needed. Besides looking great, it can help to keep your heating and cooling costs down.

Even if you aren’t selling your home, taking care of your investment is always a great idea! Spring cleaning both the inside and the outside of your home can help you see more green! When you are ready to buy or sell a Smith Mountain Lake home, call Vicki Millehan. She is your local real estate expert!

Winter and Wine on the Bedford Wine Trail

The day of wine and roses is just over 3 weeks away! No matter how you celebrate Valentine’s Day, you can’t go wrong adding a bottle of Virginia wine! Of course picking the right wine takes some research! So shake off those winter blues and hit the Bedford Wine Trail!


100 years ago you would have found tobacco and tomato fields in the landscape of Bedford County. Today, you can find some of the best wines produced in Virginia! You can sample these wines by visiting the wineries that make up the Bedford Wine Trail. Of course this is all just in the name of research! After all we are just trying to find that perfect Valentine’s wine!

You can start out at the Savoy-Lee. Grab some friends and head over to enjoy your own winter games! Every weekend in January and February from noon to 5pm, you can enjoy board games while sharing a bottle of wine or a glass of sangria. You can even pick up a great fudge recipe in the process!

If you are looking for something to do the weekend of Valentine’s Day, check out the Winter Whites and Red Hearts event at Hickory Hills Vineyard and Winery. Hickory Hills is well known for its white wines and many of them are award winners! You have to try the Smith Mountain Lake Mist or the Lake Chardonnay. One of their most recognized whites is the HHVW Vidal Blanc. This dry white wine is aged in stainless steel and has won multiple awards!

There are several ways to check out the wines at Peaks of Otter Winery. You can see what they have to offer at the Virginia Wine Valentine Showcase at Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA on February 6-7. The debut of the 2008s is part of the showcase. February 12-14 you can enjoy a Happy Valentine’s Day at the winery itself! A warm fire and wonderful wines! Newlywed can even receive a free gift! Best of all it is free!

Virginia is for lovers and people love Smith Mountain Lake! Come for a visit and if you like it, then move here! Call Vicki Millehan when you are ready to relocate!

Ringing in 2010 on Smith Mountain Lake!

Out with the old and in with the new!! New Year’s celebrations at Smith Mountain Lake are in the final preparations for the big party! 2009 has been a year to remember! From the opening of The Southern and Southwest Virginia Fishing Trail at the 2009 Bassmaster Tournament to the record breaking snows of December, a lot has happened this year past. If you are ready to ring out the old year in style, the party at the Mariners Landing can’t be missed!

Mariners Landing is offering great “staycation” packages for the New Year celebration. The annual New Year’s Eve party in Huddleston will be featuring musical guest Dragonfly. They will be performing at Benjamin’s at The Pointe during the celebration! With great food, a champagne toast and more, there is no better way to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new!

In Roanoke you can attend the New Year’s Eve Blast at Roanoke Civic Center or the New Year’s Eve Gala at the Hotel Roanoke. The New Year’s Eve Gala is a charity event that will feature a different band in both ballrooms. A balloon drop and champagne toast will round out the evening.

Now if you are looking for something a little more family friendly, you have a few different parties to choose from. You can celebrate the New Year at Still Waters Coffee House in Bedford. The admission is $20 per person and will include a dinner buffet, party favors and a non-alcoholic environment to ring in the New Year! In the Roanoke area you can enjoy an Enchanted Eve! The fun starts at 6pm and the first 500 kids will receive a free glow in the dark necklace! This celebration even includes fireworks at the stroke of twelve!

Over the last year, we have looked at all the different places and events available in Franklin County or Bedford County, VA. If you haven’t had the chance to visit yet, make 2010 the year to come! Come for visit and if you like it, then move here! Happy New Year to you and yours from Vicki Millehan! Thank you for making 2009 a year to remember!

Breaking Records at Smith Mountain Lake

Smith Mountain Lake and the surrounding area were in the mood to break records this last weekend. Record breaking snow fall blanketed the area leaving some places with over 2 feet of snow! Lake dwellers saw more snow in this one monster storm than what they normally see for the year! Just as an example, in January of 2008, Franklin County saw a total of 4 inches of snow for the whole month! As residents dig out and road crews work to clear secondary roads, here are a few tips to remember for this wintry weather.


If you are going to be driving, take along a small winter weather driving kit. Make sure to include extra blankets, this really can be a life saver if you end up getting stuck in the snow. Keeping extra snack bars in your vehicle can be a good idea too. Of course you will want the basics of a small shovel, ice scraper, and booster cables. Candles and matches are always good to have on hand, but remember to crack the window open to avoid carbon monoxide build up. A bag of kitty litter or sand will come in handy if you run off the road. By spreading some in front of your tires, it will help you get the traction you need to get back on the road.

Smith Mountain Lake doesn’t normally get a lot of snow or ice. More wintry mix is being called for over the holidays, so make sure and plan ahead if you need to travel. Always let someone know where you are going and how you are getting there. Keep your cell phone charged in case you need to call for help.

While all this may seem like simple things, it is easy to forget when you don’t normally have to deal with this much snow. If you want to live somewhere that doesn’t normally get 18 inches of snow, come for a visit, if you like it then move here!

If you want more information on living in Franklin County and Bedford County Virginia, call Vicki Millehan! She is a long time resident of Smith Mountain Lake and a local real estate expert!

Christmas Lights in Bedford VA!

If you ask someone what the capital of Virginia is and they will tell you Richmond. If you ask someone what the Christmas Capital of Virginia is and the answer will always be Bedford! The light displays at Liberty Lake Park and the Elks National Home is a tradition many return back to Bedford to enjoy! Add the Bedford Festival of Trees and the Holiday Nights in Bedford and you understand why the town has earned that moniker!


It isn’t Christmas until the lights are up! You can enjoy over 30 acres of lights at the Liberty Lake Park. If you are struggling to get into the holiday spirit, this will definitely get you in the Christmas Mood! Bring the whole family to enjoy the festive displays. December 11th at 5:30pm, you can witness the switch flip and drive through the Christmas Lights at the Elks National Home. These light displays draw over 100,000 visitors to the area through the month of December! Come and see why! There are no admission charges so no need to feel scrooged!!

You can also enjoy the Holiday Nights in Centertown Bedford! Also starting December 11th all evening until 9pm, there will be shopping, carriage rides and you can find the Jolly man himself hanging out at the Bedford Museum. Santa and everyone else will be in Centertown every Friday night until Christmas.

Christmas time or summer time there is no better place to live then Franklin and Bedford County VA! Wineries and waterfront homes, cottages and country homes, whatever style of home you want, you can find it here! If you are looking for a Bedford home call Vicki Millehan! She is your local real estate expert!

2009 Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival is Here!

If you have been looking for a reason to come check out the area, there is no better time than this weekend! September 26 and 27 is the Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival at LakeWatch Plantation! It is still not too late to buy advance tickets at a discount! You can even buy them online, but hurry, advance tickets are available until September 23rd!


The SML Wine Festival is a favorite event and one of the most popular with visitors! Wineries from across the state come to offer samples of their top wines. Add to that wonderful food and live music and you have a great weekend ahead of you! With so many wines and so little time, how do you know what wines to sample first?


Well, first off, if you are going to be sampling a lot of wines: bring a designated driver! Law Enforcement will be present to make sure everyone stays safe. Secondly, bring your ID! You would hate to miss out on sampling award winning wines. This may sound simple, but they are very important tips!


When it comes to sampling, you may want to check out the different vendors BEFORE you start. Taking a stroll around the Festival will give you an idea of what wines are available to try. With such a large variety of wines, some people even have a little notebook to make notes in so they know which wines they want to go back and sample. They can also make note of what they liked the best! This may sound serious, but with such diverse wines to choose from, it really helps!


Just as an example, let’s take a look at a Peaks of Otter Wine; Chili Dawg. This is an apple wine with chili pepper wine blended in. This is one HOT DAWG! Of course it isn’t as hot as their Kiss the Devil wine. That one is made from 30 varieties of peppers! The name says it all! Then if you take a look at some of the Hickory Hill wines, you will see how broad the difference in wines can be! Smith Mountain Lake Redbud is a sweet dark rose wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc. There is also a wonderful “breakfast wine”, Smith Mountain Lake Sunset, it is a great dessert or brunch wine (and the 2007 Virginia Governor’s Cup Winner).


There is almost no better time to visit Smith Mountain Lake than during the SML Wine Festival! With over 20 wineries participating, you can truly see and taste the best of Virginia! So come for a visit, if you like it, then move here! Vicki Millehan can help you find the perfect waterfront home! She can even tell you more about the Savoy Lee. An award winning winery for sale now in the Smith Mountain Lake area! Who knows, maybe next year YOU could be a vendor at the wine festival!!

Finding the Dream on Smith Mountain Lake!!

You have finally decided you are ready to take the plunge and purchase that dream home on Smith Mountain Lake! You couldn’t pick a better place to buy a home! The area has much to offer. With so much to choose from, how do you decide the home that is right for you? The answer depends on your needs.


Let’s start with the reason you are buying a new home. Is this home going to be your primary residence or a second home? If you are looking for a place to get away from it all or looking for a place to grow roots, knowing the answer to this basic question will help your agent narrow down the potential homes for you! If you are not sure yet what you are really looking for, make a list of what you WANT in a home and what you need. This list will be a big help as you look at properties.


The next thing you want to determine is LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!! Do you want a waterfront property with its own boat slip? Do you prefer a view of the mountains? Do you need your own dock or is a community marina OK? It may seem like you have many different options, that’s because you do! Do you want to live in a community with all the amenities or in a luxury waterfront home of your own?


If you desire the convenience of community living, check out the Cottages on Contentment Island. You can have a lake view of the sunset or enjoy the pool! There is even off lake storage for your boat in the wintertime! With these features, the townhouses here make a great retirement home or second home!


If you want a luxury home all your own, you can’t go wrong with a custom home with its own dock and houseboat slip. However, if you are looking for a place to take the family on the weekend or for and investment property, there are condos available that would be perfect! So knowing what you are going to be using your home for makes a big difference! From $1.6 million luxury homes to a townhouse on the lake, Smith Mountain Lake has a home for you!


If you are ready to start looking for your Waterfront Dream Home, call Vicki Millehan! She is your local real estate expert! Vicki can even help you become the owner of the Savoy Lee, an award winning winery! If you have not decided you want to live in the area yet, then come for a visit; if you like it, then move here!!

A Peachy Time in Bedford!

Normally when you talk about wine and fruit, everyone immediately thinks of grapes, but this weekend it is the peach that takes center stage! Peaks of Otter Winery is having an open house this weekend, August 1 and 2, celebrating the “other” fruits made into their award winning wines! It is free to all and they are open 11am -5pm each day!

At the open house you can sample peaches, nectarines, and apples. While you are there you can take a tour of the winery! They are starting to ramp things up getting ready for the fall crush. Peaks of the Otter is known for its specialty wines. The Chili Dawg wine is an award winning blend of apple and chili wines! Muy caliente!! This Dawg has a little bite to it so be careful!

Some of the unique wines on the list include: Pumpkin Pie, Go-Go-Goji, SweetHeart and Frosty Morn! Of course if Blueberry is a favorite fruit of yours, you cannot live without trying Blueberry Muffin-Mark Twain’s Favorite! This wine comes in a beautiful triangular bottle and is amazing! If you prefer chocolate for your palette you must try Apple Truffle! And last but not least, for the spicy folks there is always Kiss the Devil. This super hot wine is not for the faint of heart!

As the final days of summer begin to “wine” down, come visit us on the Bedford Wine Trail this weekend! Pack a picnic lunch and head out for a lazy day. After your picnic, grab a bottle of wine and take a stroll through orchards and vineyard. Families will enjoy bringing little ones to see the farm animals. We have a saying here in Bedford and Franklin County, if you like it then move here! If you are thinking of relocating to the Smith Mountain Lake area, call Vicki Millehan, your local real estate expert!! If all this talk of wine has you thinking the winery life is for you check out the Savoy Lee! You could be the one making award winning wines next year!!

Something Fishy at Smith Mountain Lake

Well, there is something fishy going on at Smith Mountain Lake and the fishermen are glad to hear it!! The Southern and Southwest Virginia Fishing Trail was launched at the 2009 Bassmaster Elite 100’s Series Blue Ridge Brawl Tournament at Smith Mountain Lake. The trail is designed to help anglers plan their dream fishing vacations.

You can even plan your trip according to species of fish you are want to hit on. According to Joe Bondurant, Tourism Director for Virginia's Amherst County ,"If someone wants to hit some of Virginia's best fishing spots for different species, the Trail gives them an idea of where to go and where to stay. The Trail makes it possible to plan a vacation that would take them from fishery to fishery, all across the southern and southwestern parts of the state."

So what does Smith Mountain Lake itself have to offer? Well, I am glad you asked!! Smith Mountain Lake is a perfect angler destination. With dozens of fish to chose from, we have a little something for everyone. Stripers helped make the lake famous for its fishing and local folk aren’t just telling a fish story when they say they have pulled a 20 pound Striper off their line! From walleyes to muskies and channel catfish to sunfish, there are a lot of catches to choose from. Not to mention several varieties of bass!! To learn how to get your Virginia fishing license, click here. You can even check the fishing conditions right from your home!!

With 500 miles of shoreline and the Blue Ridge Mountains for a backdrop, can there be any better place for a fishing vacation? There are even professional guides available for the ultimate fishing vacation! The only thing better than visiting Smith Mountain Lake is living here!! Like we always say if you like it, then move here!! If you are looking for a home on the water or just a cottage close to the lake, call Vicki Millehan! She is a local real estate expert who can help you find your dream waterfront home!!