Monticello

I had an outstanding day yesterday... I drove to Monticello and spent almost five hours wandering the grounds...guided mansion tour, garden tour, plantation tour and the like. It was an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous Fall day - lots of color on the grounds.

Monticello is quite different than Mount Verson - a reflection, I think, of the two very different personalities that were our first and third Presidents. Mount Vernon seems very functional - the house is grand for that era, of course, but somehow seems "ordinary" nonetheless.

Monticello, on the other hand, is a work of art from top to bottom. Every room, every flower bed, and every pathway is meant to be a part of a most wonderful picture. And this is not the fancy of modern conservators; Mr. Jefferson made detailed notes about every aspect of the plantation - the house, garden, and farms. And every effort is made today to remain true to those descriptions - including the species of all the flowers - all of which are the same cultivars (or very close to them) that were planted at the estate in the late 18th century.

Indeed, I am so taken by my two days of Presidential house hopping that I have decided to backtrack 30 miles today and visit Montpelier, the home of President James Madison. Montpelier was acquired by some branch of the Du Pont family and was greatly enlarged in the early 20th century but is now being "deconstructed" and restored to its early 19th century appearance. It should be fun!

After my Monticello visit I roamed the campus of the University of Virginia for an hour or so and then had supper in the University district - burger and beer night. Then a couple of episodes of South Park and to bed.

I'm afraid I still haven't downloaded any new pics...but they will be coming soon. The weather is beautiful again today so I plan to make hay while the proverbial sun shines.

I spoke to Alison yesterday morning and she and Doug arrived safely in Atlanta. They should be in Savannah today.

Life is good.

I'm off to Montpelier.