Yorktown 18th Centry Farm

Yorktown, Virginia......... We found a museum where visitors can see a modest reconstructed farm typical of life in the late 18th century. This is the wood home that had a double bed, a cradle, fire place, table and stair to upper flat board where there were 2 mattes. It is for a family of 2 adults and 3 children. The kitchen was in the next building and beyond that was a tool shed and house for various jobs. The museum also has a recreated Continental army encampment with all persons were also dressed in the dress attire of the day. We learned about the English acceptable way of fighting.... Stand, shoot, fire, reload and do it again until you are shot, or the Commander says...."Retreat or Charge". Sounded like playing "chicken" to me. Thank God that Washington knew that this was the only way that the English would accept that you won the battle. I personally think it is better to shoot while hiding behind a tree.

This, believe it or not, is cotton. It stands about 8 feet tall. What a beautiful flower, don't you think? I did not know that cotton originally was a tall plant, I am used to seeing cotton growing close to the ground. Two other crops they grew were flax and tobacco and of course a vegetable garden. Tobacco brought in the money for the farmers and flax was used for oil from the seed and linen from the straw.

This lady is showing us how she (this was the job for the children of the family) would work the flax straw until it was soft enough to be spun into thread that is called linen. Crushing it at the end .... she then puts it in the area near her fingers and brakes the shaft. Then it was beat against a wooden board with a wooden knife. From there the straw was drug thru metal combs to remove even more and make it softer.

Yes, it turns out soft like this. It was so soft and strong..........I was in awe!!!!

Then she takes the soft flax and spins it using this spindle..... this creates the thread that is then turned into linen to make their tops, men's pants and women's skirts. I just could not believe my eyes. If they wanted they could also dyed the threat into colors using things like bugs, plants or other seeds. What an eye opener...... Who would guess....flax makes linen...... but with a lot of labor. WOW

Life as we knew it in 1966 - 1968

Our first home....................

Lower apartment ......1 bedroom/1bath.

The Morris Cafritz Memorial Hospital in Washington D.C. This is where we picked up our first "bundle of joy"--Matthew John.

The Hospital is now called United Medical Center.

Plaque on inside wall.

Monuments and Vietnam Memorial

Us in front of the Washington Monument.

Us with Abe..... How do we look with Abe? I remember a slide of us just like this photo......... only it was taken in 1967.

Vietnam Memorial....... This is a very impressive memorial. It lists all the names of service men and women who died in the conflict or who remain missing in Vietnam.

Washington Monument.................... It is the first Presidential memorial. It is 555 feet high but but we did not have the advance tickets to take the tour.

A memorial to the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence...................

"And for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance

on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge

to each other and our lives our fortunes and our sacred

honor."

Pentagon Memorial and the Capitol Building

The Pentagon Memorial......
To honor the 184 people whose lives were lost.
their families, and all those who sacrifice that we may live
in freedom...... WE WILL NEVER FORGET ............

President Washington started with the design of the Capitol in 1793. However it wasn't until 1863 that the rebuilding took the shape we presently recognize today. This was a great tour we had here at the Capitol.

The Apotheosis of George Washington.

This is on the dome of the Rotunda. It was just gorgeous. The fresco represents George Washington rising into the heavens, and flanked with female figures that represent Liberty and Freedom.

The enormous circular hall under the buildings dome is where eight huge oil painting hang. They depict signature events in American History, such as Columbus landing in the West Indies and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This is John with the 19 foot tall "Lady of Freedom". She sits on top of the Capitol building and John sits with me.

Courts and Money

The Supreme Court of the United States...... This is the third pillar of America's federal government. It wasn't until 1929 that the Chief Justice and the former President of the United States, William Howard Taft, was able to persuade Congress to give the court its own home. We went on a very interesting tour in this building.

John and I outside the Supreme Court Building.

Looking inside the Supreme Court chambers.

Statue honoring John Marshall Supreme Court Justice. Marshall dominated the Court for over three decades and he was the longest Supreme Court Justice in history.

Yes, we went to the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. How tall are you in $100 bills???? John is $1,631,00.00 tall!!!!!!!!!

Smithsonians

This is the National History Museum, one of the Smithsonian Museum, here in Washington D.C. This is, I would guess, one of the greatest kids museum that I have ever seen. It ranges from bugs, moon rocks, sea animals, a saber-tooth tiger and dinosaurs..... and that is just to mention a few things. At the entrance you are greeted by an African Elephant that is 8 tons and 13 foot tall. It was like being in the movie....."A Night at the Museum".

National Museum of American History..... This museum is nothing but mind-boggling. What great collections!!!!! There are so many sections in this museum that it was hard to pick out only 3 more to show but here goes......

This is from a section that was called.... The First Ladies of the Smithsonian........ It was great to see the various items that the First Ladies have donated to the Smithsonian. The items arranges from their china, jewelry, gowns and there is a 8x10 photo of each first lady. This photo shows Martha Washington ball room dress.

This is the Bon Appetit Room...... Julia Child's kitchen which gave us a sneak peek into the famous chef's Massachusetts favorite room. We even watch her (on a monitor) prepare Beef Bourguignonne. Boy did it look good.

Because of the Great Depression, thousands of Americans took to living in their trailers year around. Although many people looked down on them, trailer parks provided a low cost housing alternative. John and I felt right at home........

Arlington Cemetery

Atop the Arlington Cemetery...... Did you know this sweeping view of the capitol area and this cemetery was once the home and property of Robert E. Lee? His home was called "Arlington House". Some 16,000 Union and Confederate soldiers are buried here. What a great way to help mend a divided Union.

We found the monument of the Rough Riders.

The monument of Pan Am Flight 103.

This is Ted Kennedy's resting place.

In midst of all the rain, this was a very sad site. The empty wagon of just buried soldiers.......... Their return home