I'm Back!

Hi Everyone,

My parents left this morning so I'm back to writing and reading other blogs.  I'm afraid I've missed things, but maybe I will get caught up.  While they were here, we had a really good time going on different outings and seeing fun things.  Flat Kiley is still visiting (I need to mail her back on Monday) so it was fun taking her out and posing her.  Here are some highlights.

Note: please don't share this with anyone in Virginia (or the South for that matter).  If this photo gets out, I may be kicked out of the state! (Ha ha ha.  I think....)

Yes, I had the audacity to put a paper doll on the statue of Robert E. Lee!  Just so you know, I waited until everyone else left the room.  They take their Robert E. Lee REALLY serious here!

 

The statue was in the Virginia Capital building in Richmond.





Our family really likes to visit state Capitals.  They are so historic and usually very beautiful buildings.  Virginia's was designed by Thomas Jefferson!  Do any of you like visiting Capitals and have you visited your state's?   When we signed the guestbook, the entry ahead of ours said that this was their 46th one--just 4 more to go.  Whoever it is has seen more than me!

We went to the Great Dismal Swamp.  This week is their big birding festival.  We went a few days before it started with high hopes.  We saw one buzzard fly over.  That was it.  The scenery was gorgeous, though.

 

 

We also went to a local Nature Park and as we were walking along, this blue heron decided to step out right in front of us. 

 

My parents hadn't yet been to Colonial Williamsburg, so we went there.  The best part was seeing the Marquis de Lafayette.  This re-enactor is brilliant.  He speaks French and is so knowledgeable and animated.  (By the way--we saw more birds at Colonial Williamsburg than any of the nature preserves combined!)

 

The very next day we went to Yorktown battlefield.  In case your American history isn't strong, Yorktown was the battle where the British forces surrendered to the Americans and French--the place where we EARNED our freedom.  During the course of the battle, two British redoubts had to be captured.  One was taken by the Americans, under the command of Alexander Hamilton, and the other was taken by the French, with General Lafayette in command.  At the museum, they even have his cannon--the real one, and not a reproduction.

 

Kiley is perched on the wheel of Lafayette's cannon.

 

Don't forget that if you have pictures of fun binding ideas, please email them to me at patrioticquilter@gmail.com today.  Tomorrow is the parade of ideas and there are some good ones! 

 

See you then!

JoAnne