Family Get-together

Our son Jeff came down from New York to join us for the weekend.  We enjoyed excellent dim sum then Bennett was getting ready for his Niners tryout.

 Afterward, we went to a photograph lecture on Understory by Jackie Bailey Labovitz at the Botanical Garden, her photos of tiny flowers were beautiful.

wandered through the Crafty Bastard Faire filled with a range of practical and decorative arts made primarily from recycled items

and played games entertaining for all ages,

But sometimes the conversation bored Bennett so he took a nap.

Each fall the adoption agency hosts a picnic for their families.  Bennett enjoyed playing in the park with his cousin Robyn.

 Cheryl enjoyed winning a big Costco Bag filled with household goodies.  Jerry's favorite store. 

Fredericksburg

Next Jerry and Anna Lee spent a lovely day in Fredericksburg, VA with RV friends Paul and Carol (last visit in Asheville in May).  We learned a lot about early America and the Civil War (War of Northern Aggression here) on our trolley ride around the historic district.  Founded in 1728 the town was a significant location during colonial and revolutionary times.  The city sits along the Rappahannock River which was a major shipping lane with a significant port and later the dividing line and death trap for soldiers on both sides of the Civil War.  Many original structures are still occupied as homes, churches or businesses. 


Hugh Mercer  whose statue occupies an important place in town, owned an apothecary shop that  was known for its advanced medical methods of bleeding, the use of leeches, and medicine laced with alcohol.  The nurse beckons for treatment.

Even back then taxes were a bane and to be avoided if possible, so many of the buildings are narrow.  Property tax was based upon the width of the property.  Narrow meant lower taxes.  (See another example in previous blog entry.) 

The town is half way between Washington DC and Richmond, the Union and Confederate capitols; therefore it was the scene of four major battles during the Civil War.  It is on the edge of the site of the Battle of Fredericksburg, where the CSA set up a slew that ensnared Union troops. 
The South burned the existing bridges across the river so, to attack the town, the North had to have another way to cross the river.  The bridges they built to cross the river cost of thousands of lives taken by Southern sharpshooters.  Yet, at quiet times troops on both sides would trade tobacco and coffee between forays.  When the bridges were complete, General Burnside marched lines of soldiers through mud and muck across a mile of open field to attack a fortified position.

 
 They were easy targets for the Confederate cannons and rifle fire.  The Confederates stood behind the rock wall and fired downhill on the advancing Union troops.  15,000 soldiers died.  One Southerner soldier, Richard Kirkland, was so anguished by the cries of the wounded and dying that he disobeyed orders and risked his own life to comfort them with sips of water.  At the end of that battle, troops from both sides stood to honor him.  He was killed weeks later. 

Four designated battles took place within the town or a few mile away and 100,000 troops died in the area.  The town changed hands ten times during the Civil War.  On the edge of the cemetery, filled mostly with unknown soldiers, is a spire built in honor of Mary Washington. 

George Washington spent his youth here and had family in the area for generations.  His mother, Mary, widowed with 10 children, was honored with this the only monument to an American woman funded by American women.

This monument honors the first amendment, Freedom of Religion, first written into the Virginia Constitution.  Thomas Jefferson considered this the most important one and used it as the basis of the First Amendment.

War was not the only the only tragedy the town experienced.  Repeatedly, and as recent as 1972, floods ravaged the area.  This 1813 Old Stone Warehouse is four stories high but silt has buried three stories leaving the main entrance on the first floor.  It is a small architectural museum still lacking water and heat.  The “curator,” a private archeologist, has been collecting artifacts throughout the area.  He explained the origin of the term “clip joint.”  Back when money was in “bits,” some unscrupulous shop owners would clip a bit or short change the customer, hence the term.

The building still carries signs of the Civil War.  Several holes made by cannon shot are visable along with some cannon balls.

This 20th century church has three windows designed by Tiffany. 

We visited on National Hug Day and Paul and Carol got a group hug.

Back with Bennett

We left you in June in Virginia where we also left the motorhome.  In the interval, we had a hot summer in Sacramento eased by the visit of our family. 

In July, son Jeff rode part and son-in-law Dave rode all of the Death Ride near Lake Tahoe.   For the non-bicyclists, the Death Ride is an annual event in the Sierras, a 130 plus mile tour over five mountain passes with over 15,000 feet of climb.  And yes, it is done in one day.

While they were climbing steep mountains, Bennett, Cheryl, Jerry and Anna Lee were enjoying Sacramento.

Now we have returned to DC for more time with our grandson.  Our first activity on arrival was a 10K walk in Vienna, VA.  The historical aspects of this walk included a small log cabin built in the 18th century and now located in the backyard of a lovely home.

and this cemetery built by the commander of troops honored in the movie Glory.  Among the stones are ones marking the graves of persons born as slaves.



 

The mural depicts the town as a major railroad hub in the 19th century

and the oldest library in Virginia. 

Reader Comment Requested: Let us know if you own more books than could fit in this library (about the size of a small bedroom).
                                       
Okay, it’s been long enough.  After our walk, we headed over the river to Bennett’s house where we were greeted with big hugs.  On Friday we got to spend the day spoiling him.

 In the late afternoon, we  followed Cheryl on her weekly trek to the farmer’s market.

 To give Mom some free time on Sunday, Bennett joined us for his first 10k volksmarch.  It went through Annapolis and included lovely neighborhoods with amusing art like this "Pablo Chicaso"

the historic district with its narrow buildings (the blue one on the corner is one home) (explanation in next blog entry)

and The US Naval Academy with this statue made in the likeness of the figurehead of Tecumseh on the prow of a ship.