Road Trip to Mount Vernon

A heat advisory was issued because of the blistering temperatures but it didn't stop my friend Sid and I from taking a road trip to Mount Vernon, which is the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The 14 room mansion is built of wood in the neoclassical Georgian architectural style and is situated along the shores of the Potomac River. It is beautifully restored and furnished with original objects dating back to the 1740's. It is one of the most scenic attractions in the Washington, DC area.

You're asked to not take pictures inside the mansion, so I found the below photo online to give you an idea of one of the rooms. This is the formal dining room. The paint color is said to be the original color it was when George resided there. I personally don't think it's the most appealing color and it kind of makes me lose my appetite.
One thing that I found interesting was a key from the Bastille. In 1789, a Paris mob sparked the French Revolution by storming the Bastille, a political prison and symbol of absolute monarchy. The next year, Lafayette ordered its demolition and sent an original key to the Bastille to his former commander. They key is still where George Washington displayed it. (I probably would have just put it in a drawer and wondered later what it went too). Washington added a stunning two-story porch, or "piazza," overlooking the Potomac. Here family and guests would gather in warm weather to enjoy the breeze off the river. We sat and were cooled by the breeze too! Another Washington addition to the house was a cupola which served as both a decorative rooftop element and a practical device. With windows open, the cupola helped to cool the house on sultry summer days like the ones we've been having. After the war, Washington added to the Mansion its final crowning touch, a dove of peace weather-vane atop the cupola.

It's an amazing view to sit and enjoy! That's Virginia on the left and Maryland to the right. I'll let these next two pictures speak for themselves... The gardens are amazing! There are flowers for every season: hollyhocks, peonies, primroses, heliotrope, larkspur, and dozens of other specimens, all of which were grown here by the Washington's. There were butterflies everywhere! There are also many varieties of trees. Some of these magnificent trees were planted by George Washington himself. This Tulip Poplar tree was planted by ole George in 1785. I really love old trees and if this one could talk, imagine the tales it could tell!

I wonder if this little fella had ancestors that lived here when George Washington resided here...

The heat left us exhausted, so we needed a place to cool off! Upon arrival at the Krispy Kreme the "Hot Doughnut" sign was not turned on, so there were no freshly made doughnuts. However, this was okay; there's nothing nothing like a COLD Krispy Kreme Doughnut on a hot July day! I think George Washington would have thought so too!

It was an enjoyable visit with my friend! She left this afternoon and my brother arrives tomorrow. He comes every year, and as always, I'm looking forward to his visit. Carl is too because that means he'll be getting dinner every night!

I hope you've had an enjoyable weekend too!!