Colonial Williamsburg, Day 5

Allow me to begin this post with two bits of advice to those that would visit Colonial Williamsburg in the future. First, buy a pass. Yes, I know you can walk about the streets of the city without a pass, but you are really only experiencing about 5% of what Colonial Williamsburg has to offer. Passes allow one to tour inside the buildings, talk to the re-enactors practicing various trades, and attend presentations. If you are going to spend more than a day here, seriously consider the annual pass which does not cost a lot more and allows you to come back and tour sometime in the next 365 days. Second, buy a mug like the one pictured below.


Sure, it's plastic, and offends your authentic 18th century sensibilities, but for $10 you can keep the whole family hydrated for a whole year. This mug is refillable with soft drinks, coffee, tea, and cider at several locations around CW, and the staff are happy to refill it even if you did just ask them to fill it 2 minutes before. All this is based on the assumption that you don't mind sharing a mug with others; if you are not given to sharing drinking vessels, the purchase will still make your drinking pretty cheap if you are here more than a day.

Back to visit the millinery where we were entertained by a couple of milliners and mantua makers. Karen wanted me to get a shot of the embroidery on this small bag (sorry about the flash on the glass).

Here's the rest of the display case on the counter featuring adult and child sized mitts, and cute little booties.

This tape loom was used by the staff to create decorative tapes. It works very similar to the large blanket loom we saw the other day, but the weaver calls it a "parlor toy."

All the tapes on this table were made on the loom in the previous picture. The turquoise cap in the middle is a "pudding cap" designed to protect toddler's noggins as they learn to navigate the house. Those that wore these caps were the original "puddin' heads."

On to the cabinetmaker's shop where you'll find wonderful furniture. Like the other shops in town, the workers use 18th century tools and techniques, and most of their products furnish the buildings around Colonial Williamsburg.

Some of the sketches the woodworkers use to get proportions and details correct.

One reason to return to this shop on each visit is that they usually have a harpsichord present that is available for anyone that wishes to play it. This instrument was constructed in 1994 in this shop, and spends most of its time in this building. Here's Lily trying to adapt to the short keys and light touch.

Laura takes it for a spin. Last year, we saw a harpsichord being constructed in the workshop and we learned this year that an individual from Chicago paid about $25,000 to purchase that one (was that you Mr. Yen?)

Finally, Rachel gets her turn.

In the palace kitchen, the two cooks were demonstrating how to make chocolate. For most of our visit, the cook seated at the table was simply nibbling cocoa beans while his partner did all the work!

The back room of the kitchen contained evidence of a previous day's labor.

Here's the interior of the Bruton Parish Church showing much of the seating arrangement arranged in a compartmentalized style. Consequently, many of the seats are a little awkward in one way or another. I was hoping to get a picture from the rear balcony because you get a much better view of the sanctuary from there, but I was told liability issues prevented the church from allowing people to climb the step stairs to the balcony. Hmmm... on Sunday there wasn't any liability issue preventing folks of all ages from using those stairs....

The magazine in the middle of town is a treat for people that enjoy weapons. A couple hundred firearms, swords, and pikes now decorate the walls of the second floor of the structure representing the thousands of weapons that were there at one time. Most the firearms displayed now are reproductions, although everything shown in the photo above is an antique.

Karen surprised me by showing some interest in camping, as long as the tent looked like the one pictured here. I'm wondering what she was expecting for accommodations inside the tent?

While shopping at Tarpley's Store, Karen was asked by another patron what pattern she had used for her gown. That question comes up often here, but this time the questioner was wearing a beautiful Colonial gown and she was not an employee of CW. Karen responded that she used a J.P. Ryan pattern. The questioner asked, "Would you like to meet J.P. Ryan?" Karen was a bit shocked until the woman pointed to another authentically attired woman across the store and added, "There she is!" The first woman was visiting CW with Mrs. Ryan that day, and Mrs. Ryan graciously favored us with a photograph with our family. We were pretty tickled to get to meet her in person since several of the garments we were wearing are made from her patterns.

Since we don't have a photo yet this year of our fifer friend David Baker playing with the Fife and Drum Corps, we'll settle for the moment with this huge poster hanging on the exterior of the CW Visitor Center. That's David in the front row on our left.

Back to the timeshare for the evening where our chef Tim and his able assistant Heather mixed up some tasty pasta.

After dinner we enjoyed Trader Joe's Chocolate Torte and pretended that we were eating Death by Chocolate again. Thanks for visiting!

Colonial Williamsburg, Day 4

With the weather forecast predicting intermittent rain all day, we hit the ground running with a 9:30 AM garden tour.

Many of the gardens in the city are based on right angles and diagonals, so this elliptical shape in the backyard of the Orlando Jones House is a bit unusual.

Part of our troop waiting for our turn to tour Wetherburn's Tavern.

The private lounge for wealthier patrons included silver service for rent, and the best beverages in the establishment.

The public sleeping quarters. Wetherburn's was considered one of the finer establishments since only two men were expected to share the beds shown (other taverns would sell four spots in a bed that size). The bed linens were shaken out every day and washed once a month. It was considered proper etiquette to wake the men already in bed so no one would be sleeping with a stranger!

The private dining room available for hire with real silver, crystal, and china. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and many others key to Virginia's history were served in this room.

The kitchen behind the tavern included a "clock jack" spit with a pretty crude, but effective, worm gear.

The apothecary. One more reason I'm glad the Lord let me come into the world in the 20th century.

Some of our ladies strolling on Nicholson Street.

Karen calls this her favorite sweet little idyllic place in CW.

On the paths behind the Everard House.

Ending the day with the three final episodes of Cranford. Thanks for visiting!

The Lord's Day in Williamsburg

The Lord's Day found us at Bruton Parish Church for worship, but our seats were not condusive for photographs so we'll have to get photos of the interior of the building later in the week. After worship we toured three other important structures in the town.

Here's Elizabeth, Karen, Heather, and Tim strolling through the working gardens of the George Wythe House. Vegetables to the left, matching outhouses on the right.

The Wythe House from the west end of the formal gardens.

To the north of the formal gardens are stables and several other buildings where trades are demonstrated today. Here's the weaver and his assistant constructing blanket cloth based on an 18th century pattern. The weavers in this building produce replicas for CW using 18th century techniques for use in other locations at CW. The weaver explained that it would take 22 years of 40 hour weeks using the loom in this photo to equal 8 hours of production of a modern loom.

In addition to practicing law in Williamsburg, George Wythe also trained Thomas Jefferson and several other young men in that field. This room served as Mr. Wythe's office and study, so it's likely he and Jefferson studied together in this room. You'll also notice evidences of Mr. Wythe's interest in science scattered about the room. Any guesses what's in the glass jars on the table?

Gretel and Elizabeth pretending to take tea in the parlor of the Wythe House.

This map shows up frequently around the city, and I believe it represents the boundaries of the colonies around 1750. If you look carefully you'll notice we live in Virginia, and our friends on the west side of the Illinois River live in New France, or Canada.

The receiving hall in the Governor's Palace includes enough weapons for a small army, and the crests of Queen Anne (who reigned when the palace was built) and the Kings George (the third of which was reigning at the time of our Declaration of Independence).

Close view of one of the swords.

The crest of King George showing the lion for England, and the unicorn for Scotland.

This shot was captured in one of the bedrooms in the Palace and is for all my friends that are familiar with the cost of building materials. Look at all that molding!

On to the Capitol Building where the Governor's Council meets in this chamber on the second floor above the General Court.

The Burgesses had this committee room above their assembly hall.

Although the Capitol Building is a reproduction of an earlier building, many of our nation's founding fathers represented their Virginia counties in a room like this on this spot. Patrick Henry's "Caesar-Brutus" speech was delivered on this site in 1765, along with many others that forged our determination to be an independent state.

One of our favorite shops to visit is the Millinery where Mr. Hutter is the Master Tailor. His work is equisite as evidenced by this quilted double-breasted jacket. His techniques are limited to those in practice in the 18th century (i.e. no sewing machines), and one can often find him sitting cross-legged on a table doing his work by the light of the window at his back.

Our home away from home. Thanks for visiting!

Williamsburg, Day 2

Not all the buildings on the 301 acres of Colonial Williamsburg are public buildings, in fact the majority are private homes in this living museum. Nonetheless their gardens are open to the ticketed guests of Colonial Williamsburg. We find ourselves touring gardens dreaming of having something similar in our backyard, until we remember that we live on the windswept prairie with harsh winters. Oh well, we'll just enjoy these while we're here.

Gretel and Elizabeth exploring every inch of the property.

A closer view of the flowering trees in this garden. Can anyone identify this tree for me?

I'm not sure if that's a potter's shed or an outhouse, but it sure is quaint.

The peaceful view north along Botetourt Street, named after the Governor of Virginia who served the colony from 1768 to 1771.

One of the beautiful carriages available for hire. Although we've never taken a spin around town in one of these, they are very popular.

The girls must visit the Mary Dickinson shop each year to peruse the many feminine delights ranging from decorative hats to jewelry.

This carriage driver was informing this befuddled tourist that he only accepted gold, silver, or short credit -- none of that paper stuff!

We were treated to a conversation with Patrick Henry today, and managed to get this photo of him with one of his admirers. You'll have to guess which is which.

The flora is much further advanced than in Illinois this time of year.

More of God's art captured by Gretel.

The Bruton Parish Church, long the center of worship for the city. Since services are still held in this building, we normally worship here on the Lord's Day.

Karen strolling through a "gentlemen's garden."

Peruvian squill, a native of the Mediterranean. (Must be a geographic anomaly)

Lest our friends in Illinois and Pennsylvania despair over the advanced state of this garden, one needs to remember that the soil here does not freeze in the winter.

Burgesses Nicholas, Henry, and Pendleton assemble the residents of Williamsburg on May 15, 1776 to announce that the Virginia Assembly has elected to declare independence from England.

The colors of the new independent state are flown from the Capitol tower.

Our friend since last year, Cookie Baker, with her son Thomas who plays the fife in the CW Junior Fife and Drum Corp. We hope to have more pictures of the Baker family later in the week when their older son David plays in the Senior Corp. Thanks for visiting!