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<\/a>The General's House<\/p><\/div>\n
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The first great thing about going to Mt. Vernon from our house is getting there, driving down (or biking along) the George Washington Parkway.\u00a0 The road winds along the Potomac, through wooded areas and neighborhoods with extraordinarily\u00a0large houses.\u00a0 The bridges over the road and retaining walls built along embankments are part of the original 1930 construction and it shows.\u00a0 It has that Depression Era look, large round\u00a0stones mortared in place,\u00a0that today\u00a0is\u00a0charming and rustic.<\/p>\n
Being locals we try to go to Mt. Vernon when the crowds aren’t quite so bad, such as Superbowl Sunday.\u00a0 On our very first jaunt to the General’s in 2008, we\u00a0asked a\u00a0volunteer guide at the mansion\u00a0why the tour lines were so short.\u00a0 “Oh yes,” she said, “Superbowl Sunday is one of our lightest days of the year.”\u00a0 Before we left that day we bought, for not too much more than a one day admittance,\u00a0a pass giving us access to the estate for one year.\u00a0 This year we spent a little more and became members of Mt. Vernon.<\/p>\n
<\/a>A different view<\/p><\/div>\n
We go there\u00a0much more than just Superbowl Sunday.\u00a0 Sometimes on a Sunday or Saturday afternoon we’ll spend an hour or two\u00a0walking on the grounds, admiring the gardens, the landscaping,\u00a0some huge trees dating back to Washington’s time, woods, the pioneer farm area and of course, the ever present Potomac.\u00a0 We’ve been there on bleak winter days (another good time to miss the crowds), and in the height of summer.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Pretty even in winter<\/p><\/div>\n
Some special events have drawn us to our illustrious neighbor’s house.\u00a0 We like to admire Christmas decorations at the estate and once we went on the holiday candlelight tour, held at night.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 We’ve gone to a colonial arts a crafts fair (and bought a wooden spoon), and saw flax\u00a0spinning (linen comes from a tall grass-like plant!) and sampled food cooked over a fire.\u00a0 We have many a picture of our house guests over the last few years standing in front of the mansion.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The blue ribbon that connects us<\/p><\/div>\n
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.\u00a0 The Potomac has as many different looks and moods as days of the year, as people who look at it.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 I like living along the same river the General did.\u00a0 I also like visiting his place on Superbowl Sunday.\u00a0 It lifts my spirits, infusing\u00a0me with a hefty dose of culture, history and natural beauty\u00a0just a few hours before I settle down with chips and dip and a beer to watch the game.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Peeking through the muck pit<\/p><\/div>\n
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Sunday was a perfect day to get out with a blue sky, a bright sun and not too cold.\u00a0 It was a perfect afternoon for our annual Superbowl visit to the General’s house.\u00a0 We first went there on the High … Continue reading