SWAC Girl: Colonial Virginia

Showing posts with label Colonial Virginia. Show all posts

Monday, December 16, 2013

Nooks and crannies of SWAC Daughter's Tennessee home

Decorated for Christmas, SWAC Daughter had lots of little seasonal touches throughout her new home in Tennessee.

We weren't in Virginia anymore and, knowing my love of history and exploring new places, SWAC Daughter had picked up a number of maps and brochures of the Nashville area from the Tennessee Visitors Center.

The Santa came from her Mammaw in Richmond. He's holding kittens ... of course!

Also from Mammaw....

It's always fun to see SWAC Son-in-Law's Charlie Brown Christmas tree from his bachelor days set up and enjoying the holidays ...

... even though he has competition from a real live Frasier Fir.

SIL's advent calendar ... yum!

You can take the girl out of Virginia but she still needs a touch of Colonial Virginia. This swag is from Monticello.

SWAC Daughter made burlap wreaths last year, and it still looks good as new. She asked for greenery from our Shenandoah Valley yard so we took some evergreen, magnolia, and nandina berries that she used to make her place look even more Christmasy.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
December 2013

Sunday, December 15, 2013

The 12 Days of Christmas ... Day 3: Experience Colonial Virginia with Monticello $5 admission

Experience the magic of the holiday season at the home of Thomas Jefferson, open today from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with 1987 admission prices of $5.00. Here is the information from the website:

Sun, December 15, 2013, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Reservations: Required

WE'RE GOING BACK TO 1987!

In celebration of 26 years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we're going back to 1987 ticket prices for 2 days December. Individual General Admission prices are $5 from December 14 - 15, 2013. Tours Subject to Availability; reservations can be made by calling (434) 984-9880

Advance tickets can be purchased online at www.monticello.org

And while at Monticello, you may want to participate in the Gingerbread House workshop:

Embrace your inner architect during our My Monticello Gingerbread House Family Workshop. Kids and grownups alike will enjoy this icing intense program. Try your hand at creating your own architectural masterpiece, just like Mr. Jefferson! Escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world, and enjoy special family time during this two-hour workshop. Fuel your creativity with hot chocolate and cookies as you work together to craft a hand-made addition to your home’s holiday décor. Recommended for families with children ages seven and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 2-4pm. $49 for a family pass (admits up to 4 people and includes supplies).

Step back to the days of Colonial Virginia and enjoy Christmas at Monticello.

Thursday, November 07, 2013

2013 Yuletide Feast at Michie Tavern

2013 Yuletide Feast

Friday, December 13th and Saturday, December 14th

Tickets remain for Friday, December 13 at 8:00,
all other seatings have sold out.

Each evening strolling Tavern musicians will entertain guests dining by candlelight. The Ordinary will be decorated in festive 18th-century tradition, featuring fresh greens and fruits. There will be 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. seatings each evening. Advance ticket purchase required. The Candlelit Tavern will be open for our dinner guests.

The Bill of Fare features a traditional Virginia holiday banquet including such favorites as country ham with raisin sauce, roasted turkey and giblet gravy, cornbread stuffing, candied yams, mashed potatoes, green beans with carrots, squash casserole and homemade biscuits. For dessert we will offer our hot peach cobbler a la mode and introduce other traditional favorites. To complement your meal, assorted wines along with traditional lagers and ales are available.

Advance ticket purchase is required (see ticket information)
Price includes full buffet, non-alcoholic beverages and dessert
9.3% sales tax, alcoholic beverages and gratuity are not included

Ticket Information

Tickets are available by phone or in person on a first come, first serve basis. (see below)

Date of ticket sales: Monday, November 4, 2013 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Phone in: please call (434) 977-1234 with your desired date and seating. In person sales: doors open at 7:30, sale will begin at 8:30 a.m. Major credit cards accepted.

2013 Adult: $37.95 plus tax
2013 Youth (10 years of age and under): $18.95 plus tax

To download or to print our Yuletide Feast flyer click here Please e-mail us at info@michietavern.com if you would like to be on our Special Events mailing list which includes Yuletide information.

Michie Tavern 683 Thomas Jefferson Parkway Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

Monday, February 22, 2010

Happy Birthday, George Washington

~Virginia Founding Father first American President~

When I was a little girl attending Chesterfield County public schools, we celebrated George Washington's birthday by remembering this great American and Virginian who was our first American president, a Virginia statesman, leader of the revolution against Britain, and a farmer at Mt. Vernon.

It was traditional to have cherry pie (because George cut down a cherry tree), hear a lesson about always being truthful (because George didn't lie about cutting down the cherry tree), color pictures of a youthful George Wasington as our teacher read to us, and learn about the Founding Fathers, colonial times, and early Virginia.

His birthday is blurred these days, rolled into "Presidents Day" that was held a week ago. Will his accomplishments in the founding of this country become blurred, too, as we revise American history for future generations.

In our home school classroom, we celebrated George Washington's birthday with many of those fun activities I remembered as a child as we enjoyed both American and Virginia history. It was the theme for the day at our house.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Monticello in the snow

Two feet of snow hit Mr. Jefferson's Monticello home during the Blizzard of 2009. Looking at the photos made me wonder how many big snows that place had seen over the years and reminded me of the stories of Mr. Jefferson riding horseback in snow up to his horse's chest.

We have snow blowers and special removal equipment to open roadways as soon as possible these days ... but imagine during Mr. Jefferson's time when such a snow would cause isolation until warmer weather. The world truly slowed down....

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

"Restoring Virginia's Promise" ... Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling's vision for the Commonwealth

"We face a number of very serious challenges in our state today. The responsibility of our administration will be to find solutions to these challenges and help restore Virginia's promise. It just seems like a perfect theme for what we need to do right now." -- Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling

With the historic inauguration coming up on January 16, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who won reelection to a second term in November, will host his own events. One of particular interest to many will be the reenactment of Patrick Henry's famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech at historic St. John's Church in Richmond on January 15, 2010. Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell will also attend the event.

For more information about the Lt. Governor's inaugural events, check out his website or contact Carli Mugford, Bolling's
Inaugural Director, at 804-612-9122 or carli.mugford@billbolling.com.

Our congratulations to Lt. Gov. and Mrs. Bill Bolling as they prepare to continue their work with the citizens of Virginia.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Monticello will now offer season passes

In what may be a local indication of tough financial times nationwide, Monticello is now offering season passes ... and will rent out areas of the 2,500 estate to groups and organizations.

Live nearby and able to visit Mr. Jefferson's mountaintop home on a fairly regular basis? Purchase a $50 year-long pass and pop in as often as you wish. Want to host a large corporate gathering? There are a number of rental choices, excluding the home itself, available for that purpose.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on changes to the way business has been run at Monticello:

So far, several companies have held executive meetings at Monticello. In June, more than 100 attendees will visit Monticello for a presidential sites and libraries conference.
Monticello is not currently booking weddings or wedding receptions, but it might do so down the road, Taylor said.

Taylor added that many historic homes and museums rent out their spaces.

"It's a mainstream activity of cultural institutions like ours," she said. "It's a way of getting people engaged with our mission."

And a way to get people to part with their money to go into the pockets of the Foundation to help in running an historic home with extensive grounds.

Check out more details and new operating hours in the RT-D article.