Got Brian to leave the New England States with me, we started building a new house, and im not planning a wedding or a baby shower this year. ^_^
Here's some pictures of our time in VA/DC. I won't bore you too much as most of you have probably already "been there and done that". :)
Two of my favorites were the gazebo nestled on the shore of the Potomac and the boat house, both @ Washington's home of Mt. Vernon.
#1. The front of Washington's home, it looks out over the Potomac.
2. This is the wall between the grounds and the river.
3. , 4, and 5 are what is beyond the wall before the river.
Some of the livestock @ Mt. Vernon
1. Piglets
2. & 3. Baby goats....Brian's fingers were a hit!! ^_^
4.Sheep
5. Horses
Workers were dressed in garb of the time
2. Blacksmith shop
3. Work area
4. Large bellow used
5. Huge anvil
1. Spinning Room
2. Spinning Wheels ~ look @ the size of these things, my 113lb. frame seemed very small beside this.
3. Loom for waving
4. Cook space ~ First thing Brian says when he see's this...."Anyone up for brick-oven pizza? YUM!!"
5. These are some of the buildings this stuff is kept in.
This message was edited Apr 24, 2012 8:57 AM
This message was edited Apr 26, 2012 5:28 AM
Some more building we ventured to and the things we saw
2. Carriage
3. Riding Chair
4. Info on said chair
5. Closer look at it
1. Washington Family Vault
2. Info about the vault
3. Another vault with wisteria drooping of it
4. Close up of that wisteria. :)
5. Vinca is everywhere!!
1. Walking up to the tobacco drying sheds and wheat processing barn.
2. Tobacco drying
3. Wagons used to haul it from the field to shed
4. G.W. invented this barn for a specific purpose....quite impressive.
5. Info on it
Now im headed to the Slave Cabin
1. Info
2. Cabin and chicken pen ~ they had live chickens in there too!
3. Cabin
4. & 5. Heading towards the water are a bridge and wildflowers
On the way to the water I can't help but check out the gardens and all the beautiful plants growing there @ Mt. Vernon.
1. Virginia Bluebells
2. Crown Imperials
3. Cute little daffs w/tulips in the background.
4. Ivy
5. My favorite...Red bud and dogwood side-by-side
looks like you had a great time!
I really enjoyed my time at Mount Vernon, but my favorite part was on the water @ the Gazebo and now i'll show you why. ^_^
1. My first sighting of the this place
2. Now im closer I can see they offer cruise's on the Potomac
3. Today even!!
4. Here comes the boat
5. Geese....they better move.
Wonderful pictures Celeste. Giggles: the first time I saw the back of MV as a teenager I was disappointed as I had always seen pictures from the Potomic side. Glad that you are there now, as it gets very hot during the summer in the area, Potomic breeze or not.
I did Bill, it was awesome.
While inside the Gazebo, Brian and I started talking to the attendant, you know picking his brain about the area. :) He asked where we are from and when we said Maine he said...I have something I think you 2 would love and appreciate. Then he pointed to the piling that stops the boat from hitting the gazebo and said..."Watch".
This is what he turned me onto....I don't think I need words for these next pictures.
Besides, I could not put into words what it was like being only 20ft from this magnificent creature. ^_^
I've never been to Mt. Vernon, so thank you very much, Pixie, for sharing!
Thank you IrisMA, it was about 60 - 68 the entire time we were there....just perfect. :)
Oooh, beautiful osprey!
Oh, your very Welcome Robin!! My Pleasure!!!
I'll be back later with more pictures of VA/DC and the new house. ^_^
Mount Vernon is a favorite place of mine. When I was there as a child I wanted to photograph or paint one of the cellar doors that had azaleas, I think, growing near it. Thanks for sharing pics, Celeste. Monticello is also on my list of places to see.
I've been to VA so many times and never been to MT Vernon, thanks for sharing
Looks like MT Vernon is a place I would love! The pics are great and love the Osprey!
Now im headed to Shenandoah National ParK, always heard of Route 66 but never saw it before. ^_^
2., 3., 4., & 5 RED BUDS EVERYWHERE!!!!!! I kept saying to Brian... " I can't believe these grow like weeds here, think they'll miss one or two?"
Driving up the mountain, the views was incredible.
You could see for miles.
You can just make out the road up at the top of this hill.
While taking these shots I had a friend close by playing in the wind.
He was enjoying himself so much he made me take my eyes off the vista and watch him for a few minutes. ^_^
Some plant life I noticed in the mountains....besides the red buds. :)
1., 2., & 3. Brian and I stretching our legs on top of the mountain.
4. & 5. You can tell why they are called the Blue Ridge Mountains
1. Coming up to Mary's Rock
2. & 3. Inside it
4.& 5. Outside looking back at it....this thing fascinated me!
Mary's Rock Tunnel is a 610-foot (190 m) long tunnel blasted through the mountain in 1932.
Some more views, sad to say that back in the day before pollution, you could see all the way to Canada....not anymore. :(
I am not a history buff like my husband, but do find that learning this way is much more enjoyable. I think they should take kids who were like me and bring them to one interesting place where history took place.....I can almost guarantee better grades!
Seeing where Stonewall Jackson made his mark, how rough and ragged the terrain he covered was, really made an impact on me....much greater than any text book could of.
At the top there is a restaurant/gift shop and just before you get there the road is littered with these......
They were not afraid at all, never even moved as we got closer.
Coming off the Mountain we were treated to a rainbow, the perfect ending to a great day!!
Now we are @ Arlington National Cemetery, Brian's first time, my 2nd.
2nd time there, second funeral procession to cross my path....im not going back for a third time. :(
Red bud in bloom among the grave stones.
Women's War Memorial
School kids and tulip bed in ANC
1. & 2. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
3. JFK & Family Burial site
4. & 5. Tulips blooming in the cemetery
National Aquarium
2. NEMO!!!
3. Foe
4. Puffer fish
5. Can't remember the name of this one but if it's colors had red, white, and blue in this pattern I would call it a "Patriotic Fish" ^_^
1. Puffer fish giving me a toothy grin.
2. & 3. Angel Fish had amazing colors of pinks, blues and greens... like an opal is the only way I can describe it.
4. & 5. This guy was awesome! The blue was neon, if it weren't for the blue he would of blended with the sand and rocks on the bottom.
1. Leopard Shark
2., 3.& 4., sea anemone's
5. The anemone tank
1. Coral Tank
2. Close up of the orange, it was so vibrant!
3. Black Spiny Sea Urchin
4. Clown Fish (Nemo!) and poisonous sea anemone....I found the following info VERY interesting!
clownfish are found living among the tentacles of the sea anemones. Such a small, seemingly so vulnerable, a fish living within the poisonous tentacles of a sea anemone! The very thought seems a cruel trick of nature. However, if the clownfish has been surviving within the deadly tentacles of the sea anemone, it is because the two have a give and take relationship between them. This relationship is known as symbiosis. After the sea anemone has eaten its meal, the clownfish feeds on the remains of the kill. It also eats up the dead tentacles of the sea anemone and thereby, keeps the environment around the polyp clean. It also helps its host in getting its prey. The clownfish attracts other fish with its bright colors into the tentacles of the sea anemone, that the polyp kills with its poison and then devours. The feces of the clownfish also provides fertilizer to the sea anemone. The clownfish also chases away polyp-eating fish like the Butterfly fish. As the clownfish actively swims around within the tentacles of the sea anemone, it increases circulation of water around the polyp. In return, the sea anemone provides protection to the clownfish, as the predators of the clownfish prefer to steer clear of the venomous tentacles of the sea anemone.
1. Spotted/Leopard Eel
2. Zebra Eel
3. Electric Eel
4. Nautilus Conk
5. Emperor angelfish
Pixie, you take the best photos! Loved the tour.....
1. Some kind of GAR
2. & 3. This was cute as heck!! "Mommy, I need a piggy back now, my legs are tired."
4. Big Old Snapper just laid there
5. Some kind of an OSCAR
