6-27, Montpelier

June 27.  My birthday.  My first birthday without my Grandpa O.  We have shared our birthday for the 35 years of my life, and I am so sad that for my 36th birthday I have to send my birthday wishes up to heaven instead of through a phone call.  Nonetheless, I'm so thankful for all of the wonderful memories of my childhood and all the pink birthday cakes my grandpa endured with a smile.  What a good sport he was! 

I spent this birthday with Sven and Nikolas...thankful for family whether it's the three of us or the dozens like birthdays of the past.  The agenda for the day was to see Montpelier, James Madison's home, and then make our way to our own.....although Fort Meade's nothing to boast about after the estates we've see this weekend!

As the brochure states, Montpelier "is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains."  It was the "lifelong home of James Madison."  The setting was pretty, but I'd have to say it wasn't nearly as that of Monticello.  It had a completely different feeling.....not as touristy, not as expansive (or so it felt) and the house had almost no furniture in it as compared with Monticello that was fully decorated.  The items had been auctioned off when Madison's wife, Dolley, sold the estate following his death.  They've been trying to locate and bring back items piece by piece (for those of you Bitterrooters, the story reminds me of the Daly Mansion). 

This was amazing....a grove of boxwoods.  It was ENORMOUS.  The day was SO HOT and when we stepped inside the shade of the boxwoods it was significantly cooler.  It was neat to imagine Madison's guests stepping inside to cool down back in the day before AC (what a glorious invention!!).

This is the grove from the outside.....

...and this is Sven and Nikolas standing inside.  We did have to laugh though....at our house in Silverdale we had bushes that we thought cats had pee'd on....they smelled so terrible.  We dug them up and planted lavender....AHHHhhh so much better!  Come to find out they were boxwood bushes....and they naturally smell that way.  SOOOooooo....you can imagine the aroma inside!

A statue of James and Dolley Madison.

So, Sven has his work cut out for him.  In the previous post you read how I'm requesting a garden pavilion.  Now, after seeing Montpelier, I'm also requesting a "temple" as seen below.  Nice, huh?!

Unlike the gardens that surrounded Monticello, the garden at Montpelier was a very formal English garden.  It, too, was BEAUTIFUL.  I loved it!  Sven doesn't go for the formal style, however, I said I would like a miniature version one day (does he have his work cut out for him or what?!?).  The garden was quite big and terraced down the hillside.  Very pretty.

Our day was cut short by a fast-approaching thunderstorm.  We all really wanted to see the horses that were part of the "Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation."  (After the Madisons departed Montpelier, their friends the Duponts purchased the property and added race horse facilities.)  These horses were beautiful.  We all took turns giving this one some loving.

And so, sadly, my birthday weekend was just about over.  All there was to look forward to was a long drive home (in east coast traffic, everthing is a long drive).  But, I had a wonderful weekend, truly wonderful.  Definitely a memory I'll cherish when we're back in the west again (woo hoo!).

6-26, Monticello

My boys really treated me for my birthday weekend.  I have been wanting to see Monticello for the past year or so.  My wish came true this weekend and we were off to see the home of Thomas Jefferson near Charlottesville, VA.  We were up bright and early Saturday morning and made the 3-hour drive with plenty of time to see the sights that day.  And, best of all, we didn't have to drive back that night because we had a hotel to relax in.  It was a fantastic day.....I unofficially made that day my birthday because it was so great.

Me on the eve of my 29th birthday....hee hee.....
happy with my wish of seeing Monticello.

Does anyone else see my cousin Darren in this picture of Nikolas?

Look at the size of this tree stump!  That had to have been one massive tree.  It was right next to the house, so it's a  good thing they took it down before it took the house down.

Thomas Jefferson loved gardening.  He had quite the land for it, too.  This is part of his vegetable garden.  There was everything imaginable growing in it.  It was quite awesome. 

Wine, anyone?

Here is his 'garden pavilion'. Imagine Thomas Jefferson standing in there, looking out over the valley contemplating the direction of our new country. AMAZING! And, I must say that the landscape in this area was so pretty. You all know I'm not fond of the east coast, but I'd have to say that this part of Virginia is stunning.

Inside the 'garden pavilion'.

As if you didn't notice, I loved the garden pavilion.  I told Sven that's now on my wish list for our dream house....who DOESN'T need a garden pavilion?!

Sven took this photo looking the other direction toward the hillside above (beyond a valley below).

Here is the insignia that is on the gate to the cemetary with Jefferson's grave.

I did not take a picture of Jefferson's gravesite, but this photo was taken at cemetary where he is buried.  Buried near Jefferson is family that lived a long time ago, and on the otherside of the cemetary is family from more recent times.

Monticello was all I'd hoped it would be.  I was too busy taking it all in to get pictures of it all (sorry).  Just imagine that beautiful mansion, gardens and orchards sitting on a hilltop overlooking a serene valley of trees that you can see for miles.  It was really breathtaking......especially when you conisder it was almost 100 degrees.  =)  What a wonderful memory I have of a wonderful day spent with my family.