Sunday was a perfect day to get out with a blue sky, a bright sun and not too cold. It was a perfect afternoon for our annual Superbowl visit to the General’s house. We first went there on the High Feast of the Superbowl in 2008 and haven’t missed it since. Of course, I’m referring to General Washington whose house, Mt. Vernon, is only eight miles down the road from where we live on the edge of Alexandria.
The General's House
The first great thing about going to Mt. Vernon from our house is getting there, driving down (or biking along) the George Washington Parkway. The road winds along the Potomac, through wooded areas and neighborhoods with extraordinarily large houses. The bridges over the road and retaining walls built along embankments are part of the original 1930 construction and it shows. It has that Depression Era look, large round stones mortared in place, that today is charming and rustic.
Being locals we try to go to Mt. Vernon when the crowds aren’t quite so bad, such as Superbowl Sunday. On our very first jaunt to the General’s in 2008, we asked a volunteer guide at the mansion why the tour lines were so short. “Oh yes,” she said, “Superbowl Sunday is one of our lightest days of the year.” Before we left that day we bought, for not too much more than a one day admittance, a pass giving us access to the estate for one year. This year we spent a little more and became members of Mt. Vernon.
A different view
We go there much more than just Superbowl Sunday. Sometimes on a Sunday or Saturday afternoon we’ll spend an hour or two walking on the grounds, admiring the gardens, the landscaping, some huge trees dating back to Washington’s time, woods, the pioneer farm area and of course, the ever present Potomac. We’ve been there on bleak winter days (another good time to miss the crowds), and in the height of summer. We’ve seen blossoms on fruit trees and flowers planted as they might have been 200 years ago, and we’ve enjoyed the changing leaves in fall.
Pretty even in winter
Some special events have drawn us to our illustrious neighbor’s house. We like to admire Christmas decorations at the estate and once we went on the holiday candlelight tour, held at night. We stood around a steaming kettle of apple cider hung over an open fire, listening to costumed actors talk about “current” doings around the place. We’ve gone to a colonial arts a crafts fair (and bought a wooden spoon), and saw flax spinning (linen comes from a tall grass-like plant!) and sampled food cooked over a fire. We have many a picture of our house guests over the last few years standing in front of the mansion. We have purchased Christmas gifts in the classy gift shop, and even considered the Mt. Vernon Inn as a possible venue for our daughter’s wedding.
The blue ribbon that connects us
The light on Sunday was perfect, bright, making the mansion’s red roof redder, the blue sky and river bluer, and even the bare hedges and plants and beds in the large vegetable garden, cheerful. The Potomac has as many different looks and moods as days of the year, as people who look at it. The river exerts a unifying influence, a broad blue ribbon of water, scene of so much American history, starting in Appalachia, flowing by the capital and Mt. Vernon, and on to the Chesapeake. I like living along the same river the General did. I also like visiting his place on Superbowl Sunday. It lifts my spirits, infusing me with a hefty dose of culture, history and natural beauty just a few hours before I settle down with chips and dip and a beer to watch the game.
Peeking through the muck pit
