As we draw close to the finish line and get ready to open our doors, we want to take a moment to thank everyone for all the support, love, and encouragement that we have received. We have had those who have supported us from as far away as Australia and as close as just across the road here in King George. We have been truly blessed by so many. And I have to say that we could have never gotten this far without you!

But of all the volunteers that have stepped up, I wanted to send out a very special thank you to one.

Back on July 4th, during our 4th of July Open House; I was approached by one of our guests. She was a young lady who has just recently graduated from college. As we were walking through the house on the tour, she came to me and told me that she was in town until the first part of August. She said that she was pretty much just sitting around waiting to leave to go to her new job and was bored to tears.

Could I use her help on anything…. just anything?

I don’t think she was prepared for my “anythings”.

We had just received our landscaping and had some wonderful volunteers turn out to help us unload the semi-truck (yes semi-truck) of plants and started planting our beds. People worked hard through some of the hottest days of the recent heat wave we had. We are talking over 100 degrees with humidity so high that just walked from the house to the car, you became soaking wet with sweat.

The planting slowed down due the heat wave. Brett spent three weekends digging holes, planting and watering. But he just couldn’t get it all done fast enough over the weekend. So we asked Anna if she wanted to help.

I don’t think I was prepared for Anna’s abilities.

We had 59 Leyland Cypress trees that needed to be planted. When Anna arrived, we had 36 more to go. In just two days, she planted all 36 trees! I was shocked and very grateful!

Over the last three weeks, working two or three days a week, Anna has:

• Planted 36 Leyland Cypress Trees
• Planted 86 English Boxwoods
• Placed newspaper in all the beds to prevent weeds and mulched four major beds and 86 boxwoods, 6 Crepe Myrtles, and 10 Gardenias.
• Set up soaking hoses on the boxwoods

Never did she complain and quit. Never did she ask for payment. She was arriving, sometimes while I was out running errands and quietly going about her work and slipping away unnoticed.

So I want to thank Anna for giving so freely of her time and working so for us. We could have never completed this project without her. We can’t begin to say how much we have appreciated her.

We want to wish her all the good fortune in the new chapter of her life. She is always welcomed here at the plantation. We promise that we will work hard to keep these plants beautiful for her to enjoy when she returns for visit.

To see what we are up to at the Plantation

Please visit us on Facebook!

We are Open and Accepting Reservations!

Email us at information@bellegroveplantation.com

or

Call Us at 540-621-7340

to make your reservation!

                By Cathy Dyson

                  June 25th, 2013, 3:45 pm

http://news.fredericksburg.com/kinggeorge/2013/06/25/belle-grove-gets-some-helping-hands/

Belle Grove gets some helping hands

Tomorrow is the big day!

We are finally getting our landscaping at 10am by flatbed truck!

We have put out a call for volunteers and have to say we are so happy to hear we have people coming from far and wide! We have even had one of the Board of Supervisors help us get the work out! Ruby Brabo placed a call to help on her Board of Supervisors Facebook Page and sent it out through her email list. This resulted in the Free Lance Star placing us on their online blog! A big Shout Out to Ruby and the Free Lance Star for helping us!

June 21st, 2013, 1:04 pm

Cathy Dyson

Volunteers needed for Belle Grove project

As we move closer to landscaping the grounds at Belle Grove Plantation, I have found myself drawn to other gardens to research  plants we might want to use. Sunday, I visited the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. It is one of my favorite gardens here in Virginia and always leaves me inspired.

The plants I was most interested in were the Azaleas and Camellia. I am hoping to dot the long drive to the front gate with a mix of Azaleas in and around the Red Cedar trees. I think it would gave a beautiful splash of color in the spring as well as provide a nice fill in to spaces where they have lost trees.

Azaleas – Dorothy Gish

Azaleas – Double Pink

Azaleas – Gloria

Azaleas – Hampton Beauty

Azaleas – Hot Shot x Hershey Red Tetra

Azaleas – New Generation

Azaleas – Rosy Frills

Azaleas – Salmon Surprise

Azaleas – Satelite

Azaleas – Gibraltar

I am at odds with the Camellias. I fell in love with them when I visited the Elizabethan Botanical Gardens in Manteo, North Carolina. From that point I knew I wanted to have a garden of them. My hope was to place them around the Riverside Portico, but with a full afternoon sun from noon to sundown, I am afraid it may be too much for them with no shade. So I am thinking about moving them to the Carriage side of the Mansion to greet our guests as they come in. They won’t have too much shade there either, but they will only get the morning sun which will be filtered through the trees until 11am to noon. So hopefully that won’t be too much full on sun.

Camella – Anemonaeflora

Camella – Brillant

Camella – Christmas Beauty

Camella – CM Hovey Colonel Firey

Camella – Ellen Daniel

Camella – Faith

Camella – Grace Albritton

Camella – Julie

Camella – Lady Laura

Camella – Masterpiece

Camella – Nuccio’s Gem

Camella – Sawadas Dream

Camella – Susan Stone

Hope you enjoy our research!

If you have any ideas you would like to share…

Please do!

To see all of our photos from the Norfolk Botanical Gardens

Please visit our Facebook Fan Page!

Westover Plantation
www.westover-plantation.com

Along the James River, near Williamsburg lays several plantations. One of these grand estates is Westover Plantation. A beautiful Georgian style mansion with numerous Tulip Poplars Trees sits quietly on the banks of the James River and is considered the seat of the Byrd Family of Virginia. Known for its secret passages, magnificent gardens and architectural details.

Westover Plantation
Drive to Mansion

The first owner of Westover was Sir John Pawlett. He sold the plantation in 1665 to Theodorick Bland for 170 pounds. Bland would live on the property until his death in 1671 and would be buried in the chancel of the original Westover Church which he help build. His eldest son, also known as Theodorick and his brother, Richard would jointly inherit the plantation. In 1688 with 1,200 acres of property, the brother would sell the plantation to William Byrd I for 300 pounds and 10,000 pounds of tobacco and cask.

The Georgian style mansion is thought to have been built by William Byrd III in the 1750. It was first thought to have been built in 1730 by his father, William Byrd II, founder of Richmond, but after testing was conducted on boards and planks of the house, it was shown to be dated later in the 1750s. The plantation was named for Henry West, fourth Lord Delaware and son of Thomas West, Governor of Virginia.

William Byrd I

William Byrd II

William Byrd III

Like the other plantations along the James River, Westover was first devoted to the cultivation of tobacco, the major commodity of colonial Tidewater Virginia. The Byrd family depended on the labor of hundreds of enslaved Africans, as tobacco was a labor-intensive crop. The original grounds included slave quarters, and slaves served also as domestic servants and skilled artisans of many types. As tobacco cultivation exhausted the soil, in the 19th century planters shifted to mixed crops.

After the death of William Byrd III’s widow in 1814, Westover was sold out of the Byrd family.

George B. McClellan

During the American Civil War, Major General George B. McClellan was headquartered at nearby Berkeley Plantation; McClellan’s protégé, General Fitz John Porter was stationed at Westover with his troops. Legend has it that Westover’s East wing was hit by a cannon—intended for Union troops—shot by Confederate soldiers on the south side of the James. The wing caught fire and lay in ruin until Mrs. Clarise Sears Ramsey, a Byrd descendent, purchased the property in 1899. She was instrumental in modernizing the house, rebuilding the East wing and adding hyphens to connect the main house to the previously separate dependencies, thereby creating one long building.

Westover Plantation
Back view

The house is considered one of the most outstanding example of Georgian architecture in America. Of special notice is the unusually steepness of the roof, the tall chimneys in pairs at both ends. Another special touch is the elaborate doorway, which continues to be recognized as “the Westover doorway” despite its adaptation to many other buildings.

Westover Plantation

The special charm of the house lies in its elegant yet extremely simple form and proportions, combined with its perfect setting in the landscape, the essence of the artistic ideals of its period adapted to the style of living in Colonial Virginia.

Westover Plantation

The two wings were originally identical and not connected to the three-story central structure. The east wing, which once contained the famous Byrd library of more than 4,000 volumes, burned during the War Between the States.

Westover Plantation
Back Entry

Westover Plantation
Back Entry Door Knocker

Westover Plantation
Entry to Basement

Westover Plantation
Summer Kitchen

The present east wing was built about 1900, and both wings were connected to the main home at that time.

Westover Plantation
Riverview with Tulip Poplar Trees

The shady tulip poplars framing the building are more than 150 years old. “Ancient” is the best word to describe the boxwood hedges which enclose the lawn.

Westover Plantation
Ice House (to right) and Dry Well (to left)

Westover Plantation
Inside Ice House

Dry Wall with tunnels

Just east of the house are the ice-house and a small structure containing a dry well with passageways which led under the house and to the river, as an escape from the Indians. Across the driveway from the ice-house is the Necessary House.

Westover Plantation
Necessary House
(Outhouse)

Westover Plantation
Side Gate

Westover Plantation
Side Gate

Westover Plantation
Front Gate

Westover Plantation
Front Gate

Turning from the river to the north side of the house, the visitor will find the famous Westover gates, with William Evelyn Byrd’s initials incorporated in the delicate ironwork. The lead eagles on the gateposts are a play on the name “Byrd.” The pillars of the iron clairvoyee on the north side of the house are capped with icons of virtue:

Bee Hive for Industry

Front Gate

Pineapple for Hospitality

Urn of Flowers for Beauty

Greek Key for Wisdom

Front Gate

Urn of Flowers for Beauty

Front Gate

Cornucopia for Horn of Plenty

Front Gate

Acorn for Perseverance

Front Gate

Continuing to circle the house, the visitor will come to the formal gardens, which were re-established about 1900. At the center, where the paths cross, is the handsome tomb with its interesting epitaph honoring the colorful William Byrd II, “Black Swan of Westover,” who was buried there in 1744.

Westover Plantation
Formal Garden

Westover Plantation
Formal Garden

Westover Plantation
Formal Garden

Westover Plantation
Formal Garden

Westover Plantation
Formal Garden

Westover Plantation

Tombstone of William Byrd III
Located in the Formal Garden

His epitaph begins on the north side of the monument:

Here lyeth the Honourable William Byrd Esq being born to one of the amplest fortunes in this country he was sent early to England for his education where under the care and instruction of Sir Robert Southwell and ever favored with his particular instructions he made a happy proficiency in polite and various learning; by the means of the same noble friend he was introduced to the acquaintance of many of the first persons of that age for knowledge, wit, virtue, birth, or high station, and particularly attracted a most close and bosom friend-ship with the learned and illustrious Charles Boyle Earl of Orrey. He was called to the bar in the Middle Tem-ple, studied for some time in the low countries, visited the court of France and was chosen Fellow of the Royal Society.

It continues on the south side:

Thus eminently fitted for the service and ornament of his Country, he was made Receiver general of his Majesty’s revenues here, was thrice appointed publick agent to the Court and ministry of England, and being thirty-seven years a member at last became President of the council of this Colony to all this were added a great elegancy of taste and life, the well-bred gentleman and polite companion the splendid Oeconomist and prudent father of a family with the constant enemy of all ex-horbitant power and hearty friend to the liberties of his Country, Nat: Mar. 28 1674 Mort. Aug. 26 1744 An. AEtat 70.

His daughter, the beautiful and tragic Evelyn Byrd, is buried near the original site of Westover Church, up the river a quarter-mile west of the house. There also are buried Theodorick Bland, from whom William Byrd I bought the Westover property in 1688; William Byrd I and his wife, the former Mary Horsemanden; and other distinguished early Virginians. Here also, according to some historians, is the third oldest known tombstone in America–that of Captain William Perry, who died August 6, 1637. The arms and epitaph engraved on this stone have been effaced by the elements in recent years.

Westover Plantation
Evelyn Byrd

One last story, that of Evelyn Byrd, daughter of William Byrd II. When Evelyn was young, she was considered to be an intelligent, but spoiled child. When she turned ten, her father sent her to England to be schooled. It was during this time that she fell in love with a man, many historians believe to be Charles Morduant. But her father was adamantly against the relationship. He told Evelyn,

“As to any expectation you may fondly entertain of a fortune from me, you are not to look for one brass farthing… Nay besides all that I will avoid the sight of you as a creature detested.”

So reluctantly, Evelyn returned to Westover in 1725. But she never forgot her lost love. In 1737, Evelyn passed away from what most say was a broken heart.

Westover Plantation

Read about more Historic Virginia Homes

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” Year of the Virginia Historic Homes”

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Breakfast at Schooler House Bed and Breakfast
Fredericksburg, Virginia
www.theschoolerhouse.com

After a really good night sleep at Schooler House Bed and Breakfast, Brett and I decided to enjoy part of our day in Fredericksburg. We woke around 8:00am when the air kicked on and brought with its cool air the wonderful smell of French Toast. It didn’t take us long to get ready knowing we were about to enjoy another delicious breakfast.

After breakfast, I spent a few minutes talking Bed and Breakfast with the innkeeper, Andi, while Brett enjoyed playing with Enzo, her Inn puppy. It is hard to believe we were just there two weekends ago when you see how much Enzo has grown.

Enzo
Schooler House Bed and Breakfast

After we packed and said our good-byes, Brett and I headed over to Kenmore Plantation, located right in the middle of Old Towne Fredericksburg. Kenmore was the home of Fielding Lewis and his wife, Betty Washington Lewis. Betty was George Washington’s sister. You may remember the last name “Lewis” from our visit to the Inn at Warner Hall. Fielding was the younger son of John Lewis and Francis Fielding. Fielding was born at Warner Hall. Fielding was a successful merchant in Fredericksburg and was appointed Commissary General of Munitions during the American Revolutionary War.

Kenmore Plantation
Fredericksburg, Virginia

This Georgian Mansion was completed in 1776 on their 1,300 acre plantation. This plantation produced a combination of tobacco, corn and wheat and had more than 80 slaves. One of the most impressive features is the remarkable decorative plaster work on the ceilings and walls in many of the rooms on the first floor. This plaster work was done by the same artist that did the plaster work at Mount Vernon.

During the Civil War, this mansion was used as a Union hospital after the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864. It would be used later by Union troops on their way to Richmond at the close of the war. Today, you can still see scars from the Civil War on the mansion. Lodged in one of the outside walls is a cannon ball.

Cannon Ball from the Civil War
Kenmore Plantation

At Kenmore, the tour guide kept referring to the different sides of the exterior as the Carriage Entry and the Riverfront Entry. Just like Belle Grove, Kenmore was built with its main entry facing the Rappahannock River. It doesn’t sit as close to the river as Belle Grove. It is about five or six blocks back from the river. But I like the name of the side that carriages would have entered. So instead of calling the side of Belle Grove facing the Plantation, the Plantation Side, we are going to call it the Carriage Entry. It just sounds more appropriate. So when you arrive at Belle Grove, you will come in on the Carriage Entry and will have to drive around the Bowling Green to reach the door.

The tour started in the visitor center where we had a chance to see portraits of the family and furniture from the Lewis time period. There was also a model of what Fredericksburg looked like during the Lewis time period. How things have changed.

These chairs are from the family of Mildred Gregory, first cousin to Betty Washington Lewis. They were given as a gift to Kenmore in 1928 by the Daughters of 1812. The Daughters of 1812 just recently toured Belle Grove in June 2012.

These earring of topaz, silver and gold (1770-England) belonged to Betty Washington Lewis and were passed down through the female line of the family. You can buy a copy of these at Kenmore.

We then went to the house and toured the main floor. As you enter through the double doors on the Carriage side, you enter the Receiving Hall. It isn’t as large as our Main Hall at Belle Grove, but was very impressive with its winding staircase and architectural details. We then viewed Betty’s room on the main floor. The plaster work was just beautiful!

Kenmore Plantation
Fredericksburg, Virginia

From there we moved to the main formal parlor where they would have entertained guest and would have had wonderful meals.

Then into the ladies parlor which was called the Season’s Room. In the plaster work in this room, you can see each of the seasons. We also viewed a lesser room Fielding would have used as an office to conduct business.

At the end of the tour, Brett and I walked around to the Riverfront Entry to view the walking garden. It was a well laid out garden with wildflowers throughout. There was also a small sitting garden that was separated by a small wall.

Riverfront Entry and Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Riverfront Entry and Gardens
Kenmore Plantation

Kenmore
Riverside

From here, we headed by down Route 3 (Kings Highway) towards Port Conway and our favorite plantation, Belle Grove. We drove in and were again greeted by the family of wild turkeys. They were standing on the edge of the tree line that separates the church and Belle Grove.  We pulled up to the entry gate just to view the house. We decided not to go any farther, but enjoyed the view that many guest will see as they come in.

We headed over to Port Royal and stopped just across the River at one of our favorite restaurants, River Haven. We took our favorite seat by the back window with a view of the river and Belle Grove. As we ate a quick lunch, we were able to watch a pair of Osprey, (maybe James and Dolley) flying over the river looking for fish. I had never seen them dive for a fish, but had the wonderful treat of seeing it happen three times! It was a wonder to see.

After just one more look across the river at Belle Grove, we headed home. It was a great celebration weekend filled with wonderful sights. Now we have a new chapter to write. We are looking forward to filling this chapter with the excitement of bringing Belle Grove Plantation back to life.

Stain Glass Artwork in the Orientation Center
Mount Vernon

Wow what a great couple days! After signing our contract, Saturday we headed up to Washington D.C. to see Mount Vernon. We had a couple of goals in visiting the home of George Washington. First we had heard that the gardens were grand. We hoped to gather some ideas for layouts and plants that will help us plan our gardens at Belle Grove. Second, being a Virginia Plantation home that was built in 1735, we could also get some ideas for the furniture and designs of the interior of a colonial home. We also wanted to visit so we could recommend it as a place to go while our guests are visiting our plantation.

I had been to Mount Vernon twice before, but this was Brett’s first visit. It has been years since I had gone and a few things had changed since my last visit. One thing I remembered was how tricky it can be finding it. All I can say is I don’t know what I did before GPS! Thankfully when we arrived, we were able to find a parking space pretty close to the entry.

When we walked into the Orientation Center, we were first greeted by life size statues of General Washington, Martha and their grandchildren, Eleanor Parke Custis (Nelly)at age 6 and George Washington Parke Custis (called “Wash” or “Tub”) at age 4. The first thing we did was measure Brett against General Washington’s 6’2” frame. One thing we did notice was how much shorter Martha was. She was only 5’5”.

From there we headed to the front entry gate. This has to be the best place to first view Mount Vernon. As we walked in and started around towards the Upper Garden, we found a sign that talked about the grassy area in the circle at the front of the house. This area is called the “Bowling Green”. By definition, a bowling green is a finely-laid, closely-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls. Now I don’t know if they played lawn bowls, but I love the name they use for it. We have a similar area in front of Belle Grove. All this time, I have been just calling it the grassy area in the circle. Now I think we are going to follow suit and call it our bowling green. Who knows, maybe we can learn how to play lawn bowling and have some fun at the plantation!

As we rounded the circle, we came upon some very large trees. Each of these trees were marked with the time that they were planted. I couldn’t believe it! Some of these trees were planted during the same time period when Belle Grove was built! What wonderful pieces of living history to see and touch! If only these trees could talk, what story they would have!

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

The Upper Garden was our first stop. This garden had a dual purpose. It was both beautiful and productive. It features three large planting areas with wide paths. The beds are edged with short boxwoods. Just inside this edging was a ten foot wide border of fruit trees, shrubs, roses, annual and perennial flowers. The center section was where vegetables were grown and would supplement the production of the Lower Garden. The most formal section of the Upper Garden is a set of boxwood parterres, which incorporate the French fleur-de-lis as a major design element.

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

Upper Garden
Mount Vernon

From here we made our way across the bowling green to the right side of the house. Here we walked to the river view of the manor home. Mount Vernon sits on a high bluff that overlooks the Potomac River and across the river to Maryland. The porch extends the full length of the manor house and offers a large area to sit and enjoy the cool breezes that come up from the river.

River View
Mount Vernon

River View
Mount Vernon

River View
Mount Vernon

Weathervane
Mount Vernon

We then made our way back to the side of the house where we viewed several of the dependencies. One of the first ones Brett wanted to see was the Smokehouse. He commented that it was just a little bigger than the one at Belle Grove. We also peeked into the Wash House and Coach House. What a beautiful carriage General Washington had! The one that was shown wasn’t owned by Washington, but was an example of what he had.

Smokehouse
Mount Vernon

Wash House
Mount Vernon

From here, we started down a steep hill towards the Tomb of the Washington. Also by this point, we had started getting a little hot. The day was very hot (around upper 80s to lower 90s) and quite humid. As we walked down, I started thinking about what a walk back up this was going to be. When we arrived at the tomb, there really weren’t too many people there. It was very quiet and peaceful. The two sarcophagus were simple white marble and the lid of General Washington’s decorated with an eagle and shield. General Washington had been buried earlier in another tomb until this tomb could be built according to his will.

Tomb
Mount Vernon

Tomb
Mount Vernon

George Washington’s Tomb
Mount Vernon

Martha Washington Tomb
Mount Vernon

After the long hike back up the hill from the tomb, we headed over to the Lower Garden. The Lower Garden or Kitchen garden is where many varieties of vegetables, fruits and herbs were grown. The high brick walls were used to create a warm environment that extended the planting season and would have kept the wildlife out of the garden. The garden was placed on a slope so it had to be terraced to create two flat planting areas and would have a southern exposure.

Fruit and Vegetable Garden and Nursery
Mount Vernon

Fruit and Vegetable Garden and Nursery
Mount Vernon

After walking the Lower Garden, we were pretty hot and headed back over to the start of the manor house line. We were about 30 minutes before our tour time, but were allowed to go ahead and enter the line for the manor. As we made our way up, we came upon a sign that talked about the exterior walls of Mount Vernon.

Lower Garden (Kitchen Garden)
Mount Vernon

Lower Garden (Kitchen Garden)
Mount Vernon

Lower Garden (Kitchen Garden)
Mount Vernon

Lower Garden (Kitchen Garden)
Mount Vernon

The mansion is made of wood, but was treated to look like stone. Long pine boards were grooved and beveled to create the appearance of masonry. Then the boards were varnished and painted. Before they dried a fine sand was thrown on the wet paint. This rustication technique was used on the mansion in 1757-1769, just a few years after Mount Vernon became his home.

Mansion
Mount Vernon

Mansion
Mount Vernon

As we made our way through the line, we were given a chance to see the Servant’s Hall just to the left of the mansion. From there, we walked along the covered arched walkways towards the house. It is from this walkway you can see the outside of the palladian window of the formal entertainment room.

Servant’s Hall
Mount Vernon

Covered Archway
Mount Vernon

Covered Archway
Mount Vernon

Outside view of Palladian Window
Mount Vernon

Inside Formal Dining room / Entertainment Room
Mount Vernon

When I last visited Mount Vernon, several years ago, the tour was done in groups and was only in the main level of the mansion. Today, the tour was more of the line that you walk through from the entertainment room, to the river view porch, back into the main hall where you see two bedrooms, a small parlor and dining room. Then its upstairs to three bedrooms, on with a portrait of Marquis De Lafayette. Lafayette visited Mount Vernon on his visits to America. From here, we made our way through another bedroom, which at first I thought might be the Washington’s room since it was the only bedroom that we had been allowed to enter and walk through. But just on the other side was another bedroom, which had been part of an extension General Washington had added to Mount Vernon. Then it was back downstairs and into the private study of General Washington. After about 20 minutes, the tour was over.

Lafayette

Brett and I have been to several of the Founding Father’s homes. Of the three that we have seen, Monticello, Montpelier and Mount Vernon, only Mount Vernon had left me feeling like there was so much more information and history that was not mentioned during the tour. The mansion had tour guides staged at different points along the walking tour. They all seemed to have about three or four statements that they made over and over. When I wanted to stop and ask a question, the tour guide seemed a little baffled by my question (the question was in the entertainment room and I asked if the plaster accents were colonial or were they added sometime later in the Victorian period?) I was told they were colonial and he walked away before I could really get any more questions out. Also because there was a long line of people behind me, I didn’t feel like I could stop and ask too many questions, even though I really wanted to. I did find out that the mansion is 9200 square feet. Belle Grove is just 1200 shy at 8000 square feet.

After the tour, we were hot and a bit drained, so we headed back over to the Museum and Education Center. Here we could have gotten more information I am sure than what we got inside the mansion. But at this point we were to tired to make it through. It will have to wait until another day.

“Martha Washington”
Mount Vernon
(Isn’t it cool how the sunlight looks to be shining directly on her?)

All in all it was a really good visit. The gardens gave us more ideas and we now have a name of our grassy area. When we have guest come to Belle Grove, when we recommend Mount Vernon, we will offer the following advise:

• Plan an early and all day event. With the traffic you can run into on Highway 95, your travel time from Belle Grove to Mount Vernon could be from one to two hours depending on the traffic.
• Plan your visit ahead of time. Know what you want to see and where you want walk.
• Wear comfortable tennis shoe. The hills are not kind to flip flops.
• Try to plan your trip in cool weather. The heat and humid were very hard on us and Mount Vernon doesn’t offer many places to get out of the heat.

We decided to stay the night in Fredericksburg at the Schooler House Inn. We arrived just long enough to drop our belongings off and head over to an Italian Restaurant Brett wanted to try. This restaurant called “Ristorante Renato” is located on William Street in Fredericksburg. It is a cozy semi formal restaurant in an older building. We arrived in blue jeans and the other guests were casual or blue jeans as well.The decor was just a little dated and the waitstaff were all in tux shirts and bow ties, but the food was really good.

The Schooler House Bed and Breakfast
Fredericksburg, Virginia
www.theschoolerhouse.com

Ristorante Renato

Ristorante Renato
www.rrenato.com

We started out with an Antipasti Misto for two with prosciutto, salami, mushrooms, mozzarella, olives, anchovies, shrimp, and marinated vegetables. Then we had a house salad followed by our entrees. Brett ordered his favorite Italian dish, basic spaghetti with meat balls and mushrooms added. I ordered Agnolotti (or Ravioli). The raviolis were white pillows filled with baked spinach in a cream cheese sauce. When I got my dish at first I was a little disappointed that it was only four small raviolis, but after eating them, I see why. They are so filling! And the taste was out of this world! I have never had a ravioli that simply dissolved in your mouth! I would eat that every night if you asked me! At the end of the entree we decided no dessert for us tonight. Both dishes filled us and satisfied our taste buds.

Antipasta Misto
Ristorante Renato

Spaghetti with Meatballs and Mushrooms
Ristorante Renato
(Can you tell someone loves cheese?)

Agnolotti (or Ravioli)
Ristorante Renato

Agnolotti (or Ravioli)
Spinach filling
Ristorante Renato

As we made our way back to Schooler House Bed and Breakfast, we made a quick trip to the river to see the paddle boat that is docked downtown. It is small river boat the offers a meal and trip down the Rappahannock River. We are going to have to schedule a trip on this soon! I don’t know how far down river it goes, but it would be so cool to furnish a dock for it to come to Belle Grove!

Riverboat
Fredericksburg

Riverboat
Fredericksburg

Riverboat
Fredericksburg

Rappanhannock River
down river towards Belle Grove
Fredericksburg

We headed back up Caroline Street and made one more stop for the night at the Virginia Wine Experience store. Here you can find Virginia Wines from 80 vineyards represented of the over 200 vineyards of Virginia. One of our favorites is Ingleside and I knew that they carried one of our favorite wines, “Sweet Virginia Rose”. This red is a sweeter dessert wine that is a pleasure to enjoy. With bottle in hand, we arrived at Schooler House.

The Virginia Wine Experience
Fredericksburg

We got ready for the night and settled in for a glass of our “Sweet Virginia Rose”. As Brett caught up on his college football scores, I grabbed one of the many books that Andi, the innkeeper offers guest to enjoy. I picked up a book on “Ghost of Fredericksburg and the surrounding area” . I was kind of hoping to see Belle Grove or one of the other plantation in the book. But the closest it got was a story about John Wilkes Booth. An hour or so later, Brett and I snuggled down in our warm and very comfortable bed and quickly fell asleep.

Ingleside Vineyards
Sweet Virginia Rose

To be continued…

One of our favorite places to go and visit for the day is Williamsburg, Virginia. Here are some Springtime photos from our last trip there.

(hint- our bed and breakfast isn’t in Williamsburg)