My Own Piece of History

Sep. 23rd 2015

September 22, 2015

Belle Grove Field

With all our overnight guests tucked in for the evening, tonight I decided to treat myself to something that I haven’t had in about 2 years … dinner and a movie.

The movie I selected was “90 Minutes in Heaven”. I haven’t really been following the movies in the theatres since I have gotten to Belle Grove. I haven’t even seen the last season of “Big Bang Theory”. Sheldon would not be pleased. But time is a precious thing here, it seems to be in low amounts at times.

The last movie I went to see was just after I got to Belle Grove and ironically it had a similar theme … “Heaven is Real”.
After seeing “Heaven is Real”, I spent the next hour driving back from Stafford, Virginia to Belle Grove, crying like a baby. It was a touching movie in many ways. I had just lost my mother about a year before, so I was still grieving over her loss. And it reminded me of something I had gone through.

With “90 Minutes in Heaven”, I was expecting the same affect. But to my surprise, I didn’t cry.

In “90 Minutes in Heaven”, the main person, Don Piper was going through a totally different struggle. He had died and going to heaven, but when he returned, he was angry God had sent him back. The movie was more about his struggle to come to terms for the anger than the visit itself. Well, I won’t tell you anymore in case you haven’t see the movie.
For me, I can understand the anger, but I don’t identify with it. I felt more connected to the first movie than this one. Because I have gone to heaven … twice.

Okay, I know what you are saying. How can this be? Are you crazy? Where did you eat tonight, I think you might have food poisoning.

But I can tell you, I am not crazy. I ate at Red Lobster tonight and while the last time I ate there in 1992 in New London, Connecticut I did get food poisoning from bad shrimp, I didn’t get it tonight.

How can this be?

The year 1989 would big year for me. On January 1st, I lost my grandmother, Nannie to an abdominal aneurysm. She was one of the most important people in my life. I looked to her for stability, for guidance and for unending love. I was six months pregnant when she passed and she was the first death of someone very close to me that I experienced.
On February 1st, just one month later, Brett and I would face an uncertain future for me and our first child. I had developed Pre-eclampsia in January and had been placed in the hospital the last week of January. The goal was to get my blood pressure under control and to buy time for our daughter to grow more.

That was the plan, but not what happened.

After only a week, my blood pressure shot up. It was growing more and more dangerous for me and for our daughter. So the decision was made on February 1st, the day after my birthday to deliver her by emergency Cesarean, both to save my life and hers.
It was one of the most traumatic times of my life. The stress my body was under was overwhelming. I was at Wright-Patterson Air Force Hospital and they had to transfer me to a hospital, Miami Valley in Dayton, Ohio. They were better equipped to handle her premature birth. Three IVs, a catheter and a Swan-Ganz heart catheter later, the anesthesiologist wanted to do an epidural for the Cesarean. At this point, I was done. I wasn’t going to have any more pokes that night. So I started screaming and crying. The head OBGYN came in and told the anesthesiologist that we didn’t have time for the epidural (thank you God) and we were rushed into surgery.
Brett was a Navy Corpsman at the time, so they allowed him in the room while the surgery was going on. He got to see our daughter born and rushed away. He said she was so tiny that he could harder see her. She was one pound, three and ¼ ounces and eleven inches long.
I was under general anesthesia so I wasn’t aware of anything. Or so I thought.
When I woke for surgery, my very first thought wasn’t how I felt or how my daughter was. I remember that I had had one of the most wonderful dreams I have ever had. The only problem was … I didn’t remember it. I couldn’t recall anything. Not one thing. But I know it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.

Just a month and half later, I had another dream.

Now let me tell you this. My dreams are very vivid and detailed. Brett is always amazed at how much I remember. I have had this all my life. This dream was no exception.

In this dream, I was back at Nannie’s house in Columbia, South Carolina. I was in the kitchen cooking a meal for my Grandfather and Father, who were seated at the table. The kitchen was a very important place in Nannie’s home. It is where she taught me two of the three main points she taught me in life … cooking and entertaining. The other is history. Now you see why I love history so much.
While I was preparing and serving the meal, the phone rang. When I picked it up, Nannie was on the other end.

She said, “Michelle, I need to talk to you.”

“Wait, you can’t be calling me. You died.”

“Michelle, I need to talk to you.”

“If you can call me, why can’t you come here?”

With that, my Grandfather and Father disappeared and standing before me was Nannie. I know I must have looked shocked.

She said to me, “Michelle, I need to talk to you about dying.”

“Weren’t you scared?”

“At first it was dark, but Michelle, where you are going to go is so wonderful.”

And with that, she took me to heaven. It was for only 30 seconds, but how can I tell you what I saw!
What I saw was like driving down a country road on a sunny day. Before me as a field of wildflowers and grass and in the distance was a tree line. Above the sky was blue with rolling clouds. But the thing was these were all ten time what they are on earth! The smell is more intense, the colors more vivid and the feeling … I can’t describe the feeling. It was just wonderful and amazing all wrapped up in glory.
When she brought me back, she told me that I needed to remember this because I was going to need to tell Granddaddy. I asked when I was to tell him. She told me not to worry, that I would know.

Just before we were schedule to bring our daughter home and after I knew she was going to be okay, I needed to take a break. I longed to go back to South Carolina to see my Grandfather. I was still grieving over Nannie and I needed to go home.
While I was there, Granddaddy kept asking me to pick out things I wanted. Other family members had already come over and started making piles of what they wanted. I didn’t want to do that. To me, Granddaddy was still alive and this was his home. And I really didn’t want anything other than to see him. But he pushed me to look.

I went up into the attic and had a look around. Nannie was a bit of a hoarder. She was a child during the Great Depression in rural South Carolina and she never throw anything away. I think there were two or three broken toilet seats up there. But while I was up there, Granddaddy started talking to me.

“Michelle, I need to tell you something and I know you are going to think that I am crazy. When I am in the den, sitting on the daybed (they used a back bedroom as the den and instead of having couches, they had two daybeds. They generally slept in here instead of their bedroom. I grew up sleeping on the floor in there on a blanket pallet Nannie would make us.) smoking a cigarette, I will hear the back door open and close. Michelle, I swear I am not drinking. But I will see your Nannie appear in the hall doorway.”

“What does she want?”

“I think she is calling me.”

“How does she look?”

“Young and beautiful”

That is when I knew I was to tell him what she had told me and shown me.

My Grandfather lived seventeen months after Nannie. I was the last to speak to him. My father had gone to Washington DC for a wedding and had asked me to call Granddaddy to check on him on Thursday. My uncle was to be there later that day. Granddaddy had had the flu and had been pretty sick. When I spoke to him, I had reminded him to be sure and drive some Gator-Aid to stay hydrated.

My uncle didn’t arrive on Thursday. He came in on Saturday instead.

Shortly after I spoke to Granddaddy, he must have had an accident and was going to take a shower to clean up. Before he got into the shower, he must have started to vomit and tried to hold it in to keep from getting it all over. In doing so, he aspirated some of it.

My uncle found him, naked and slumped over the daybed in the den in a prayer like position. He had the phone in his hand.

My only solace was that I had helped him prepare for this moment. I know Nannie came for him and took him away quickly.
I have since realized that the wonderful dream I had had during our daughter’s birth wasn’t a dream, but a trip to heaven as well. While I didn’t die, I know the stress I was under. I think God pulled me away and like to see heaven.

So while in “90 Minutes in Heaven”, Don Piper was angry about coming back, I can’t say I share that view.
Since my Grandfather’s death, I have been able to share this experience with many people. Some who have lost a loved one and some who would later face death themselves.

I think one of the reasons I feel so connected to Belle Grove is the fact that it reminds me of heaven. There are days during the spring and summer, I have found myself wondering out into the fields of corn, wheat and soybean. I just sit there and stare at the wind blowing the soybean, making it look like waves coming in on the ocean shore. And at the blue sky with white clouds floating lazily by.

I see heaven everywhere. I see it in the sunset. I see it in the river as it floats by. I see it when a bird appears and sings out to me. I see it in a dragonfly or butterfly that will seem to magically appear to greet me.

And every time I see these things, I smile and say quietly, “Thank you God for this little reminder.”

Is Heaven Real, you better believe it is! But it’s not something that we have to wait for when we die. It is here all around us. We just fail to stop and see it.

Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Diary | Comments Off on My Own Piece of History

Surprises around every corner

Sep. 3rd 2015

September 3, 2015
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On Tuesday, after our overnight guests checked out and all my daily chores were completed, I got a few hours to myself. I thought about playing a spirited game of “Where in the World is Michelle?”, but as I got out at noon, it really didn’t leave me much time to enjoy wandering to new places. So I decided to take the day and just go somewhere that I love seeing.

This lead me to Oatlands Historic House and Gardens in Leesburg, Virginia.

Oatlands was a wonderful discovery last year when I was playing one of our “Where in the World is Michelle?”. On that trip, I was headed to Antietam for a overnight stay. When I first saw the sign, I had to turn around to go back and visit. Down this beautiful driveway, my mind raced back to Belle Grove Plantation and our tree lined lane. It was just as it is at Belle Grove. You get the feeling of being transported back in time.

After parking, I head to what I first thought was the main house. I have to say, in my heart I was a little disappointed, thinking that this was all there was. But to my delight, I found that the first place I stopped was the carriage house, not the main house. It was here that I met some of the most wonderful ladies. It was so exciting to meet others who shared in the passion of history and old homes.

Down the walk towards the main house, I wasn’t sure what to expect. There really isn’t many signs or pictures of the main house to prepare you for what you will see. I have to say, I am so glad there isn’t. It would have taken away the joy and excitement I felt the first time seeing the grand old lady. It really did take my breath away.

After touring the mansion and learning about the families and events that makes Oatlands so special, I headed out to the gardens. Again, there isn’t much to prepare you for what you are going to see. The first time I saw it, it wasn’t in full bloom. It was winter time, but in my minds eye, I could see how wonderful it would be once spring came. It was then that I vowed to myself I would return to see it in all its glory.

I have since returned at Christmas this last year to see the Christmas decorations inside the mansion. Many of their ideas helped us dress Belle Grove Plantation for it’s first real Christmas season.

It was also then that I told myself that I wanted to copy the Victorian dress of the young lady’s portrait in the main foyer for my Civil War era dress. I am so excited to announce that I will be having one made like it, but in blue, gold and white instead of the green, gold and white. You will get the chance to see it if you attend our Civil War Weekend and the Civil War Wedding on that Saturday.

But you know me, I can’t go anywhere that I don’t think about bringing you along on my adventures. So I took many photos and videos to share.

http://youtu.be/3kj-N6XFzdk

Thank you to everyone at Oatlands for allowing me to capture its beauty and to share it with the world. A special thank you to Tansy for being such a wonderful friend and follower of Belle Grove Plantation!

I encourage everyone to make a point to stop and visit this grand home and gardens. It truly is something very special. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Diary | Comments Off on Surprises around every corner

Surprise Proposal – David and Jackie – Sunday, August 23, 2015

Aug. 28th 2015

August 28, 2015
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One of the best parts of being at Belle Grove Plantation is being a part of so many special moments in other people’s lives. From celebrations of birthday, anniversaries, weddings and family gathering, each of them hold special stories and memories that very few get the chance to witness.
With each of these special moments come new parts of history at Belle Grove Plantation.
In doing the research of Belle Grove Plantation, there were so many times I wished someone would have written down what they witnessed during those events. How exciting it would have been to hear about James Madison’s birth or the marriage of the Turners. Sadly, we can only guess what it would have been like. But because of today’s technology, we are able to record and document these special moments in history.
This story is one of those special moments we were so honored to be a part of.
To view the video of this special memory:

Visit our YouTube Channel

Thank you David and Jackie for allowing us to share in this special time!
Congratulations and we wish you all the blessings in the world!

Photography by
Hockensmith Portraits
www.hockensmithportraits.com
Facebook – Hockensmith Portraits

Music
“Best Thing”
Anthem Lights
purchased on Amazon.com

Belle Grove Plantation Bed and Breakfast – King George, Virginia
Voted “Most Romantic Place to Propose” 2015

Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Diary | Comments Off on Surprise Proposal – David and Jackie – Sunday, August 23, 2015

Now Featuring on Scoutology – Belle Grove Plantation’s top 12 Reasons to visit!

Aug. 27th 2015

August 27, 2015

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In the past weeks several of our Facebook friends have received a request from us for the top reason they would visit Belle Grove Plantation. We have taken this list and given it to the Scoutology to create their article. Today, this article is a feature on their website.

Check out – Belle Grove Plantation in King George: The Best Bed & Breakfast in Virginia

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What is Scoutology?

Simply put, Scoutology is an innovative way to find out about, and participate in, what’s going on near you.

They are a community-specific news, information and engagement platform driven by passionate and experienced new media professionals. Scoutology is revolutionizing the way neighbors connect with each other, their communities, and the national conversation.

What can you do on Scoutology?

• Keep up with news and events
• Check out photos and videos from around town
• Learn more about local businesses and the people behind them
• Participate in discussions
• Share your perspectives
• Submit your own announcements, photos, and reviews

Who’s Behind Scoutology?

Scoutology is run by professional editors, photographers, videographers, and salespeople who live in the regions they serve, and is supported by a great team in our Charlottesville, Va headquarters.

They hope that their websites will strengthen communities and improve the lives of their residents, but they can’t do it without you. They’ve built Scoutology so that you have plenty of opportunities to comment on stories, share your opinions, post photos and announcements, and add events. So get to it! And if you’re a business owner who wants to be listed, just let them know!

Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Diary | Comments Off on Now Featuring on Scoutology – Belle Grove Plantation’s top 12 Reasons to visit!

Faces from the Past

Aug. 20th 2015

August 20, 2015

Today I had the thrill of a life time.

As most of you know, I started working on the history of Belle Grove almost from the day I found it online. Where was James Madison born? What happened here during the Civil War? Did John Wilkes Booth make an appearance here before crossing the Rappahannock River? These were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to questions about this beautiful plantation. And just when I thought I could say I knew it, something would come along and lead me to new discoveries.

Some of the questions would be answered quickly and some times with little or no effort. But others would elude me, sometimes for months and even years. The burial site of the Hipkins-Bernard family was like this. Finding the 6 foot monument at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, just at the entry of Belle Grove, was the start of a ten months odyssey of finding their site. After months of searching records, I would find my answer at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, among family records in their Special Collection. Believe me it was so hard not to jump up and down and scream, “I found it!”

In the research I have done, I think one of the most important things I looked for, and sometime hoped for, were photographs of the past residence. I don’t know, but to me looking at the face of a past resident some how helps me to see what life could have been like during their time. For the many families I have found that owned Belle Grove, I have been very surprise at the ease of finding photographs, drawings and painting of them. Who knew that finding Fanny Hipkins-Bernard’s painting would have been so quick and easy. But within in a few months, I held her likeness in my hands. It was a wonderful moment to know that I was looking at the face of the young girl that the original, center section of the mansion was built for.

But one family has long been missing from the mansion. The Turner Family was a very important family to Belle Grove. Of all the past owners, with the exceptation of the current owners, the Haas Family, Carolinus Turner would make the biggest impact on the architectural look of Belle Grove. While he made these changes in the pursue of a wife and to show off his wealth, the lasting effects today makes Belle Grove Plantation of the top 100 Architecturally Significant Structures in Virginia. (We are ranked #29 out of 100).

With all the changes that have happened, I have never been able to find any photographs of the family. You would think with showing off so much, they would have had many photographs of the family as well. My heart longed to see what Carolinus looked like. I have also been drawn to Caroline Turner Jett, Carrie in short. Having her etching in the Turner Suite window made me wonder what she might have looked like and what her story could be. And what of Carolinus Turner’s wife, Susan Augusta Rose Turner? Her final resting place is still a mystery to me. She isn’t buried with the family at Emmanuel. I also know that she was just 17 years old when she married Carolinus, who was 42 years old.

Well, today, this part of my search has ended.

Thanks to Elizabeth Lee of the King George Historical Society, I now can look at the faces of the past. My plan is to reproduce them, frame them and add them to the Turner Suite. What a great day it has been!

Carolinus Turner

Carolinus Turner

Susan Augusta Rose Turner

Susan Augusta Rose Turner

Aunt Carrie dau of Carolinus

Caroline “Carrie” Turner Jett – Oldest Daughter of Carolinus and Susan Turner

George Uncle son of Carolinus

George Turner, as a young boy – Only Son of Carolinus and Susan Turner

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George Turner, as a young adult – Only Son of Carolinus and Susan Turner

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George Turner, as an older adult – Only Son of Carolinus and Susan Turner

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Jane Murphy McGuire – wife of George Turner – Only Son of Carolinus and Susan Turner

Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Diary | Comments Off on Faces from the Past

The Reveal to “Where in the World am I?”

Jun. 13th 2013

 Here is the reveal!

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First Photo

Nanzatico Plantation

Nanzatico Plantation is located in King George County along the Rappahannock River. The Nanzatico Plantation’s home was built by Charles Carter in 1769. Thomas Turner III would purchase this 2400 acre plantation and would raise his family there. At the death of Thomas Turner III, his three sons would divide his property of Smith Mount, Walsingham and Nanzatico. Richard Turner would inherit the Walsingham Plantation. George Turner would inherit the Nanzatico Plantation. Thomas Turner IV would inherit the Oaken Brow Plantation, which was originally part of the Nanzatico Plantation.

George Turner would marry Caroline Matilda Pratt, who was the daughter of John Birkett and Alice Fitzhugh Dixon Pratt of the Camden Plantation, across the Rappahannock River from Nanzatico Plantation. Their youngest son was Carolinus Turner. In 1839, Carolinus purchased Belle Grove Plantation. Carolinus Turner would take this modest Federal style home and convert it into the Greek Revival style home we have today.

When I rolled up on this plantation, I got really lucky. The caretaker arrived and allowed me to walk the property. It was amazing! Here are some pictures from my visit at Nanzatico!

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This tree blew me away! It is the same tree we cut down in front of Belle Grove just a month or so. The only differences is this one is still alive! And it is older than ours! This one, according to the caretaker is 250 years old!!

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It is as wide as my car!!

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This is Federal style that Belle Grove started out with before Carolinus Turner made his changes.

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This is the plantation office just to the right of the circle in front of the main house.

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This is where the planters and overseers would have conducted their plantation business. As far as I know, Belle Grove’s office was in the Mansion.

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It was amazing to see the same door hardware!

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Another view of the tree. Can you believe how big it is??

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This is the view off the back of the house. Well… I should say the front of the house because the front door would have been facing the river. Belle Grove is also set up this way.

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This is the “front door” facing the river.

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One thing I noticed was the details. They have allot of the same as Belle Grove. Of course since the Turners owned all the plantations on this size of King George at one time, it would make sense.

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This was another thing that blew me away! It is their Summer Kitchen! Like Belle Grove, it has two sides, one kitchen and one enslaved quarters. This is what ours will hopefully one day look like! Minus the screen doors and porch light.

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The Summer Kitchen has a wonderful garden to the side of it where they would have grown vegetables and herbs for the kitchen. We won’t be able to do this with ours because the sides of the kitchen are beside something else. But maybe we can do it off the Icehouse to the side.

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The caretaker did take me inside the kitchen. I don’t think it is as old as ours, but wow!

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Some of  the ceiling timbers were hand cut with a broad ax.

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And let Belle Grove’s Summer Kitchen, it has a large tree truck as the mantle.

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Look at the top right. You can see where they dove tailed the joints!

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This is the spring house. It is where they would have gone to draw water.

I don’t know where ours would have been yet.

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Here is another mind blowing thing… an old slave quarters! They have two of them!

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This was part of the barn. I just love the raised garden boxes!

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Just to the left as you enter the circle is the Smoke House.

I love the detail at the top. Maybe we can add that to ours once we restore it!

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This is the circle as you come in. It isn’t as big as our bowling green, but it is just beautiful. 

I thanked the caretaker for letting me view the plantation. He pointed me to my next stop!

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Second Photo

Oaken Brow Plantation

Oaken Brow Plantation was built in 1830 by Charles Taylor. Thomas Turner III owned Oaken Brow as part of his plantation holdings. At his death, he owned Woodlawn, Nanzatico, Oaken Brow and Walsingham. Thomas Turner IV would inherit Oaken Brow Plantation. In 1925, the original home burned and was restored in 1935 by Dr. Low. Today, there is a wonderful couple that owns it. The gentleman is from Maryland and his wife is from South Carolina. She was at home when I came “calling”. She has been following us and was excited to meet me. I was excited to be invited in. We had a wonderful conversation and she allowed me to take pictures outside the home. She amazed me when she let me know before leaving that she would be glad to show Oaken Brow to any of our guests. I would just need to call ahead. I have a feeling there is going to be allot of request.

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They are working on the paint for the outside of the house right now.

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This Old English Boxwoods are 10 feet tall!!

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This is the view from their back yard. Here they are not on the river so their back yard is really their back yard.

But just beyond the trees is the Rappahannock River.

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On to my next stop!

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Third Photo

Ingelside Plantation

One of our favorite vineyards in the area is Ingelside. I stopped by to take with them about Belle Grove opening soon and got a wonderful Pinot Grigio to bring home to Brett! 

Be on the lookout for a special package we will be offering for this winery!

http://www.inglesidevineyards.com/

From Ingelside’s website:

“Built in 1834, it first served as a boys’ school known as Washington Academy. During the Civil War it was used as a garrison and later a courthouse. Since 1890, the Flemer family has owned and operated this grand estate encompassing more than 3,000 acres and for the first fifty years it functioned as a dairy farm.

However, in 1940 Carl Flemer Jr. had bigger plans and throughout the years the estate evolved into Ingleside Plantation Nursery and then Ingleside Vineyards after stumbling upon the fact that our location and conditions are prime for growing high quality wine grapes.

Opening in 1980, under the direction of Doug Flemer, Ingleside Vineyards is one of Virginia’s oldest and largest wineries and produces over 18 varieties of wine from estate-grown grapes. For over thirty years, our hand-crafted wines have won numerous awards and top honors in state, national and international wine competitions, such as the London International Wine & Spirit Competition, the San Francisco International Wine Competition and the Virginia Governor’s Cup Competition. Our winemaker, Bill Swain, has brought Ingleside wines to a new level with his passion, skill and thoughtful approach to the craft of winemaking.

Ingleside was the first winery in Virginia to produce a methode champenoise sparkling wine. We were also the first winery in Virginia to bottle a varietal Petit Verdot, now one of our flagship wines and recent winner of “Best Petit Verdot” at the 2012 San Francisco International Wine Competition.”

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Fourth Photo

(Yes those are cows standing in the water)

Popes Creek

Birthplace of George Washington

http://www.nps.gov/gewa/index.htm

From their website:

“George Washington Birthplace National Monument preserves the heart of the Washingtons’ lands in America. John Washington, the immigrant, arrived in Westmoreland County in 1657, and settled near Bridges Creek. Generations of Washingtons lived on these lands and established a legacy of public service, leadership, and love of the land. The rich legacy of the Washingtons would culminate with George Washington’s achievements as the “Father of Our Country.”

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Fifth Photo

(This one didn’t go out via Twitter or Instgram – It’s also the hardest to figure out)

Oak Crest Vineyard and Winery

Another one of our favorite vineyards in the area is Oak Crest. They have a wine called “Hot Jazz” you have to try!

Be on the lookout for a special package we will be offering for this winery!

http://www.oakcrestwinery.com/

From their website:

“A long time effort by the Conrad Brandts family culminated in the opening of Oak Crest Winery in 2002. The winery’s creation involved a combination of genetics, scientific bent, fortunate opportunities, and the urge to create good wine and share it with others. Conrad’s home wine-making dates back to the 1950s. The Brandts family’s wine grape growing in Virginia dates to the early 1960s.”

The current winery was constructed in 1999.

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To see more of our adventures

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Join the fun with our “Virtual Housewarming Party”

http://virginiaplantation.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/housewarming-party/

Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Darnell History, Food and Recipes | 10 Comments »