2018 04 10 to 04-13 United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Cherry Blossoms and Mount Vernon

Last Sunset at Delaware Seashore State Park - April 10, 2018

Indian River Inlet to the estuary

Washington, DC and Maryland - April 11, 2018

We returned to the Prince William Forest RV Park outside of Washington, DC.

Timing is everything and our timing was good for full blown Cherry Tree Blooming. Beautiful weather of 70 degrees and sunshine. 

Bob surrounded by aged trees and new saplings. Stunningly beautiful to see thousands of trees in bloom.

The United State Holocaust Museum. 

A reproduction cattle car and hand cart. There was so much information -pictures, personal stories, artifacts, documentation and online research access. There was even a survivor available in the main lobby telling stories to some of the school children visiting the museum. 

After several hours in the museum, we had lunch and returned outside to enjoy the weather and blooms. We walked completely around the Tidal Basin to enjoy the spectacle. This view is toward to Jefferson Memorial.

This view is on the north side of the basin. 

Near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. 

 

Yes Carol was there.  Cross this off our bucket list. Doesn't she look beautiful framed in cherry blossoms with the Jefferson Memorial in the background. 

Close-up

Just so you know that Bob is actually with me since I seem to appear in most photos.

Mount Vernon, Virginia - April 13, 2018

The Bowling Green in front of the main house. George Washington inherited a much smaller house in 1754 from his half-brother, Lawrence. The small one and one-half story house was originally built in 1735 by his father, Augustine. George spent 45 years slowly enlarging the dwelling in the current 21-room residence. He personally oversaw each renovation in design, construction and decoration. It was Lawrence who renamed the Little Hunting Creek plantation as Mount Vernon, in honor of his commanding officer in the Virginia Foot Regiments, Admiral Edward Vernon.

Ending our tour with a look in the basement. The entrance on the left of the window casement is only 5 feet, 4 inches tall so all those any taller need to watch their heads. There is no railing and the steps are steep with narrow treads. OSHA would have a field day. 

Excavations have uncovered the drainage system complete with a working sump pump to control the excess water which seeps into the basement. The food stored during the "hunger months" (Dec-Mar) were susceptible to mold and rats. The drainage system dealt with the former while the family "ratter" terriers were let loose to handle the latter. 

A spectacular view from the back porch. 

A chair carriage. The sign says it is a better mode of transportation than the standard enclosed carriage over the less than ideal back roads of Virginia.

The building on the left is the kitchen, staffed every day by two full time cooks. There is also a smokehouse, wash house for laundry, clerk's house, stables, carriage house and ice house on this side of the main house. 

And wildlife. This critter(Common 5-line Skink) was catching some sun on the threshold of the old tomb where Washington and many family members had been interred. But Washington directed in his will that a new tomb was to be constructed so this site is unoccupied. 

Many of the fruit trees are grown as espaliers against the retaining walls surrounding the tiered gardens for vegetables and herbs.

A fruit tree that is grown freestanding as fencing around gardens is called a cordon.

A blacksmith using a bellows to heat charcoal.

And hammering an iron peg into shape.

I thought this was rather amusing in the Gift Shop.

Waiting for lunch in the Mount Vernon Inn restaurant. The wallpaper was interesting. It must have been designed specifically for this room as it shows the front and back scenes of the mansion plus a few specimen trees around the grounds. The picture over the fireplace is Washington and his troops during a winter encampment.