Mr Vernon '11

Tourist Entrance

We also visited Mt Vernon---- George Washington’s plantation on the Potomac River near Wash DC…..  It is huge - 8000 acres which were separated into five different farm sites and multiple buildings    

  

The entry for tourists is from the inland circular drive, but the residence can also be approached from the Potomac River. 

The back of the residence faces the Potomac 

  

Looking South

with sweeping views of the river in both directions.

Mt Vernon Dock House on the Potomac

 At Mount Vernon you can explore the mansion, the outbuildings, the gardens and the new museum and learn about the life of America's first president and his family.

The dining room on the main floor

All the rooms on the main floor were decorated for Christmas in a manner consistent with Washington's   lifetime 

George and Martha Washington's Bedroom on upper floor

 We were especially lucky, in that  we got to tour not only the main rooms on the first floor, but all of the upper floors rooms as well.  The stairways are very narrow and cannot handle the volume of people that want to tour the building during spring, summer and fall.  Normally tourists are only allowed onto the first floor of the residence.  Just before Christmas the crowds slack off, and visitors are allowed into the inner sanctum.

G. Washington's Office at Mt. Vernon

We toured all of the out buildings

Slave Quarters – had had over 500 which he freed upon his death

Slave Quarters – had had over 500 which he freed upon his death

 and gardens in the estate

Espaliered fruit trees in herb garden

Then we headed to the new museum dedicated to George Washington's life

and to his contributions to the nation. The exhibition reveals the real George Washington not only as a general and president, but as a young land surveyor, experimental farmer and savvy entrepreneur. Washington’s views on religion and slavery, and the influence of his wife, Martha, are also explored.

Washington's Grave

An amusing highlight of the museum was an exhibit of the only surviving complete set of Washington’s famous dentures,    No, they are not wood.... Sorry to disappoint you, but apparently all four sets of Washington's dentures were made of ivory, human teeth and animal teeth.  

G.W Dentures

Another interesting aside is that one of his step great grand daughters ( from Martha Washington’s son by her first marriage) married Robert E Lee.

All told, the tour of the estate and museum took us the better part of a full day, but it was well worth it  for the appreciation we gained into the courage and genius of  George Washington

Shirley Plantation '11

We also visited the Shirley's Plantation near Richmond... it is the oldest plantation in Virginia. It was established in 1613, was the birthplace of the Confederate President & General Robert E Lee, and has been in the same family for eleven generations. It was a very interesting tour. Most of the other southern plantations were destroyed by Sherman during the Civil War. Seeing this one intact, made me realize how much of our cultural roots we lost in that war.

Shirley Plantation

  As the story goes, the husband / owner of the plantation was off fighting for the Confederacy when the Union troops arrived at the plantation.  They were in bad shape after a particularly bloody battle.  The Plantations matriarch told her servants and slaves that they had a moral obligation to help the wounded no matter what side they represented then proceeded to cook food for and administer medical attention to the injured.   When this was reported to the Union General McClellan, he issued a document declaring the Shirley plantation property and its inhabitants were not to be harmed.  A less mentioned motive might have been that McClellan was a gentle soul by nature.  He had been childhood friends with and had gone through military training with Robert E Lee, and out of courtesy would have spared his childhood home..

 Lee, by the way, no longer lived at Shirley Plantation during the Civil War..  When he married G Washington’s step great granddaughter, he had moved into his wife’s plantation in Arlington VA.  When the Civil War got too close, he and his family moved inland to a second home in the Shenandoah Valley.  When the Union soldiers took Lee’s Plantation at Arlington, they were not disposed to treat it kindly.  They turned the property into a cemetery for the Union dead… This is how the land became the Arlington National Cemetery, where the USA buries all of our fallen troops and Presidents even today.

Holiday Greetings from Pawley's Island

It's official... 

The Christmas holiday season is upon us.

Visitors crossing the North Causeway onto  Pawleys Island

 are being greeted by  a Santa Claus fishing the tidal creek

Volunteering for Habitiat for Humanities' Souper Bowl '11

Once again the Habitat for Humanity in Georgetown has asked the members of the Seacoast Artists Guild to volunteer their skill set in painting Soup bowls.

Yes that's right... Bruce is painting a fired bisque ware bowl .

His and five hundred other one of a kind bowls will be sold  at

the HfH fundraiser known as Souper bowl.

People purchase a ticket to get into the event, where they can choose on of the hand-painted

and then the can select from a dozen or more soups being offered ( in Styrofoam cups) by the local restaurants who are also volunteering their services.   All of the proceeds go toward building new homes for those in need in the Georgetown County.

Brookgreen Night of a Thousand Candles '11

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to visit Botanical Gardens at night.  Quite a number of them decorate with special holiday light shows and have all kinds of family oriented holiday activities .   We visited the Lewis Ginter Gardens in Richmod on this trip, but Brookgreen Gardens  in Pawleys Island SC  is still  my favorite.

 

Dec 3^rd  was the opening night of Brookgreen Gardens Night of a Thousand Candles.  I and my camera spent the evening documenting the spectacular beauty of the gardens at night.

Every year, for three weekend evenings,,  Brookgreen Gardens come to life  with holiday spirit amid the soft glow of more than 5,500 hand-lit candles and countless sparkling lights.

   

The sculptures are even more beautiful at night than they are by day. They almost seem alive

  The  sculptures in the pools and fountains appear to be dancing

The  heritage oak trees take on an other worldly look and seem even more ancient and massive at night

 

Pavilions with jazz musicians, gospel singers, and  classical musicians  offer cheery shelter to foot-weary garden guests

And the old kitchen offers a cheery place to relax with some warm  mulled cider

It's a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays.