Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Quilter's Block

My apologies for lack of posts, but I've been busy! And it hasn't been with quilting. My sewing room is beginning to gather dust. It has been weeks and weeks since I stepped foot in it. I have been busy catching up with laundry, gardening, doctor's appointments, eye exams, haircuts, etc.
We returned home last Sunday after a most enjoyable trip to Virginia. The weather was just lovely and a nice break from the intense humidity and heat here in Florida.

After visiting with a friend in Charlottesville, it was on to Monticello. I had been once before back in second grade. The grounds were beautiful, all abloom. The house was smaller than I remembered. No pictures were allowed inside the house.

Here's a picture of The Best Daughter in the World next to a life size statue of TJ!

Then it was onto James Madison's home, Montpelier. This was a big disappointment. They are in the midst of a decades long restoration and the house is unfurnished. We couldn't figure out why they didn't just furnish it with reproduction furniture. Apparently they are trying to track down the actual furniture and buy it back. It was neat though, walking the same floors that many of the Founding Fathers also walked on.

We visited Madison's grave though the cemetery was poorly maintained.

James Monroe's home was next. No interior pictures allowed here either. We saw the back door that Jefferson used and the bed Madison slept in when he visited. It was the smallest,and coziest, of the three homes we visited.




Then it was down to Colonial Williamsburg. I had never been but have wanted to go for years. What a disappointment! I had a problem with the stores interspersed among the historical buildings, just too darn many of them.

The craft demonstrations were nice. And my daughter got to fulfill a long desire and play an actual harpsichord in the cabinetmaker's shop one rainy afternoon.
Next post I'll finish up with our last stop and hopefully get back to quilting. I'll leave you with recent pictures of the Sandhill Crane chick.


Thanks for stopping by!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

What a wonderful trip and lovely photos! I have been to Colonial Williamsburg, years ago, but I don't recall the shops. I just love the crane. Very delicate!