Last year, we went to Montpelier, in Madison, VA which is the home of James Madison who wrote the Constitution.This year, we visited Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson and the writer of the Declaration of Independence. We last saw this historic place over twenty years ago and I had really been wanting to go again. They have added a Visitor center, a gorgeous gift shop, shuttle buses and a walking trail that goes up the" little mountain" since we were last there. Included was a great museum highlighting the architecture of the building and a 21 screen full wall exhibit on how Jefferson's ideas on Liberty impacted not only the United States but the whole world.
My biggest concern was to be able to enjoy our time together without wishing that we had brought the kids to share the sights with us. Happily, this turned out to be a non-issue! It was really nice to be able to be together and only concerned with what we wanted to do and see! It was a huge change to be Liz and Larry instead of Mom and Dad. The kids were all happy to see us get on the road and we were excited to take an overnight break.
I thought that we would use our time in the car to talk over the kids but we didn't. We really just chatted about the scenery. We had a super barbeque lunch at a local restaurant in Sperryville where they smoke their own meats. Ribs, chicken and pulled pork with a side of delicious cole slaw and beans were a feast. We moseyed down the road to Charlottesville and stopped at the Outlet store of a famous Catalog company which sells items for the Plow and Hearth.It was so much fun to browse !!! We looked at everything and didn't buy a thing.
Monticello was our next stop. We really enjoyed the tour of the house and the gardens. The weather was amazingly pleasant for January. It was about 42 degrees and sunny with no wind on both Saturday and Sunday. It was quite comfortable to be outside with a jacket on.This time of year there were no crowds at all.
Everything was still beautiful outside.
It was very clear to see that Thomas Jefferson was a remarkable person in his attention to detail and meticulous record keeping. As they described him all I could think was that these days people would consider his behavior OCD like and would recommend medication! He was interested in so many fields; architecture, botany, history, music, art, french cuisine and he could read in many languages. He was only thirty-three when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. Monticello was built over many years while he was away up to 9 months of the year, serving his country. He gave incredibly specific directions on how to build it and they did. I can't even imagine trying to build an arch or dome or the trim work, the dumb waiter system and a clock that (up till recently) is still working two hundred years later.The whole place is beautifully proportioned.
It was very interesting to note that the African- American people ,100 of them, who worked six days a week from sun-up until sun down are no longer called "slaves" but are now called "enslaved". There is a difference. I hadn't heard this term before but it provided me with food for thought. I deduced that "slave" is a noun. It connotes something which "is". Alternately, "enslaved" is an adjective which connotes a passive state of being but not necessarily a description of the essence of the "is".I found it to be very accurate and a more compassionate way of describing these mistreated human beings upon whose backs all these fancy lifestyles of this time period rest.
On Sunday morning, we attended Mass at the Catholic Church on the University of Virginia campus.What an absolute treat! The music was great and we both sang every hymn as usual.The priest was a young, huge man from Poland and being a Dominican, preached a fantastic homily. We loved everything about the whole Mass. Something I had never seen before was when the Eucharistic Ministers came up to the altar, they all took some hand sanitizer from a pump and rubbed it into their hands at the same time! Not a bad idea!
After Mass, we headed back up to the area of Monticello and saw the little outbuildings of Michie's Tavern. We enjoyed a metal work shop that had items in brass,copper,pewter and silver. We didn't buy anything but had fun looking at the candle holders and tankards, serving pieces and jewelery. Next we visited Ashlawn ( also called Highlands, originally), the home of James Monroe. This was a modest farm house with a few additions and many antique pieces of furniture that are from that time period. Our guide was an energetic woman with a vast knowledge of American history and a special appreciation for the role that James Monroe played in it. He and Jefferson were neighbors. We loved seeing the four peafowl there with their beautiful feathers.
At this point, Larry's knees had taken all the tour lectures that they could handle. It was 5 o'clock and time to head for home. We decided to go home a different way and saw some great mountainous scenery on 64 west to Staunton. We had a delicious dinner at Texas Steakhouse and by God's grace, arrived home safely. All the kids had had a wonderful weekend. Our little weekend getaway was a blast and a great investment in our married life. I hope to enjoy the memories of it throughout the coming year.
