Tuesday, November 13, 2012

trip report: Colonial Williamsburg

Frederick under the orange Colonial Williamsburg Courthouse maple tree
We had a great time walking in Williamsburg and enjoying the chilly autumn air with the hard slant of the sunshine's rays lighting up the colorful leaves. Blue skies and lots of orange leaves... We were treated to a great lodging by my mother at the Marriott Manors in Fords Colony in the woods. It was hard to find but worth the hunt once we got there. The gas fireplace worked great for a quick bit of cozy and the beds were like warm butter so perfectly suited to our achy bodies and warm under the nice duvets I wanted to bring the mattress home.
We ventured through Colonial Williamsburg twice during the week then once to Jamestown Island and finally to Yorktown to complete the colonial triangle of historic places. Yorktown was the site of the surrender of the English to General George Washington and French ally Rochambeau who cornered the English in Yorktown by sea and land, they were trapped with no help on the way. Oct. 17,1781 Cornwallis ended the American Revolution by surrendering his sword to the Americans and our French allies.

It was nice weather for long walks, cool enough but not too cold for a brisk pace. Since we have been down there many times we did not get into all the touring of houses and lectures and entertainments that are so magical when new. Instead we just soaked up the atmosphere and enjoyed our time with Mom and her best pal Mildred Cunningham and let them duck the cameras for all week for a change. Hence no pictures of our great ladies from this trip will be forth coming. Instead I was stingy with my camera finger and only took 63 shots the whole week. I used my eyes instead. Looked without the camera in my view most of the time. It was different for me but felt right for a change to just soak it up and let the record be inside my head. I did take a few and a few interesting shots will help give you some of the color and feel of our views.
Williamsburg the old white mulberry tree

Orange leaves in the big courthouse maple


fence patterns in Colonial Williamsburg look like quilts to me 

down the alley a special fence behind a spectacular green gates

this design makes diagonals look like a fish bone pattern 
 Jamestown Island:

Captain John Smith's monument in Jamestown colony, the first successful English colony. 

view of the river inlet making Jamestown an island

Jamestown Nat. Park full of pine needles and cones underfoot 

Black point under high tide on the James river, look closely and you see the other side of the river

Keith blustered by the stiff breeze with a smile

Black point beach cove on Jamestown island 
 Yorktown:
On the way to Yorktown, view of lake on the Colonial Parkway

Yorktown had loads of quilts in the visitor's center gift shop

I like this red and white quilt a queen sized masterwork 

One of the colonial era homes in the little port town of Yorktown and the marble 98 foot tall memorial column in the background. 

The York river from the memorial field atop Yorktown heights. I loved this huge hack berry tree Keith is there giving us some scale to measure the mammoth tree. 
 Colonial Williamsburg second visit:
back in Williamsburg the second time the fife and drum corps 
fife and drum corps sit on the curb till the clock chimes assembly for the parade

old mulberry near the capitol building fence


Williamsburg tavern and trees 

The capitol building 
Thanks to mom for a great week and Mildred for keeping mom company while we went on our long walks. We always enjoy having Mildred's company on these trips and will miss her when she moves west to Colorado.  I am happy to have accomplished some quilting on my rose star project, hand quilting evenings while listening to TV.  It's about a quarter of the way to complete.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

LOVE THE ORANGE MAPLE LEAVES!