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December 28, 2011
New Chair
I'm upside down! well, not really; George went WAY more upside down than I did. I'll get a picture of him tomorrow. Hopefully this will help my back feel better, stretching out my spine just enough to release the pressure on my nerves. Day 1, a bit unccomfortable getting in and out, but felt great once I relaxed into this position. Hooray!
Posted by Heather at 07:24 PM | Comments (1)
December 26, 2011
Christmas Day
Cheers! Merry Christmas!
It wouldn't be Christmas without the Veuve!
It's 85 degrees and sunny, and only 10am.
Soaking up the Christmas Sun
Scott and Erica
On the Beach!
A great beach for shark teeth!
We found a bunch; this was the smallest.
A little chilly but nice when you get in!
Sunset
Down on the Dock
Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!
Posted by Heather at 08:38 PM | Comments (1)
December 24, 2011
Christmas Present From George
George gave me a custom pedicure to match the new flip flops he got me for Christmas. Wonderful husband.
Posted by Heather at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2011
Our Neighbor
We met one of our neighbors today!
We tried to introduce ourselves...
But he really didn't seem very interested.
I've never seen a gopher tortoise move very quickly, or at all really. This guy was moving fast!
I guess he's not interested in making new friends.
Cranky Tortoise, where are you going?
Escaping to the comforts of his drain pipe home. Looks comfy... if your a tortoise.
Posted by Heather at 05:27 PM | Comments (1)
December 21, 2011
Our Little Piece of Paradise
Florida is Nice: Palm Trees, Sunny, Hot.
Here is the front of our house. We live on a quiet dead end street; it's very private and peaceful.
This is the entry (looking at the front door), to the right is the laundry room.
Turning to the left, we are looking into the kitchen.
And another turn to the left, we are looking into the living room.
Our Christmas Tree! Which is the only reminder that it is in fact "winter" and Christmas Time. Even with the tree I still keep forgetting that it's Christmas. Feels like July.
Through the living room, into another nice area for sitting, and where we've set up the computer.
Out to the porch, or as Floridians call it, a "lanai". I sat out here for awhile and suddenly realized this table and chair set is almost identical to the one on my parent's porch where we've had countless dinners on summer nights.
Here we are outside the porch, looking down to the dock. We'll come back to that later.
To the right is the grill; where is George off to? Let's go see...
Aha! The Captain's Lounge! (so designated by the sign on the wall, including a "Mermaid's Only" sidenote) George is comfy in his hammock, with the sunset behind. This is where I spend my mornings in the most comfortable lounge chair ever, with coffee and my new Kindle that Santa delivered early!
Looking back at the house from the Captain's Lounge. "Hi!"
Looking down at the dock from the Captain's Lounge. Let's go there next.
On the dock looking up at the Captain's Lounge. Wave to George in the hammock!
Looking back down the dock. A very nice place to watch the sunset, though we only did it on the first night. I saw an enormous rat skitter down the steps and under the dock... sooo... haven't been back for another sunset.
So I guess that's it... More Tomorrow!!!!!!!
Posted by Heather at 08:07 PM | Comments (1)
December 20, 2011
On Our Way to FLA!!!
Out of CT and heading south...
Overlooking the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.
Our first stop is Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home and 5,000 acre plantation. The exceptional house, extensive gardens and surrounding landscape were all designed by Jefferson himself, and constructed and modified over a period of 40 years. He was a self-taught architect who believed that human reason and knowledge could improve the condition of mankind.
While at Monticello Jefferson was free to follow "the tranquil pursuits of science" including astronomy, weather and horticulture to name just a few. The house is full of his inventions and creative architectural features which provided comfort and convenience for the family, guests and staff.
Of course, my favorite display were the artifacts that have been discovered around the site during their many archeological digs. These artifacts represent the life of both the Jefferson family as well as the 135 slaves who labored and lived on the plantation.
This small pool was a "holding tank" for fish that were caught in nearby streams and rivers.
You see here chimneys coming through the floor of the porch! Jefferson designed the North and South Pavilion's so that they covered the "dependencies" of the house, including: a wash house, carriage bays for home and guests, an ice house, two privies, a wine cellar, a beer cellar, a kitchen, a smokehouse, a dairy, and three rooms for the slave families of higher "function". These dependencies were concealed in the hillside, and under the pavillions, to avoid obstructing the landscape around the house. They also concealed the bustling slave activity, that kept the plantation running, from the family and guests. Jefferson designed them with convenience in mind, especially when it came to the weather: one could walk from the far end of the North Pavillion to the far end of the South Pavillion without having to be exposed to the elements.
This is the stump of one of a pair of Tulip Poplar trees, that had stood on each side of the main house. They have both since succumbed to the harsh conditions of mountaintop existence. They now live in the gift shop in the form of bowls, spoons and other souvenirs; a little piece of Monticello to take home with you, for a big price.
The Famous 1,000 foot long Garden...continued below...
This garden is IMMENSE!!!! To describe it properly I will quote from "Monticello: A Guidebook" by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. "Jefferson approached natural history as a scientist; as an experimenter who aspired to observe and define seemingly all the natural phenomena 'fabricated at our feet'- whether the wind direction, the blooming dates of wildflowers, or the life cycle of a destructive insect. But it was through gardening that he was able to participate in the motions of this physical world- grafting peach wood or sowing cabbages with his grand-daughters. It was through horticulture that his experiments bore fruit, that his landscape assumed shape and form and color, that the drama of the natural world began to unfold under his personal direction".
His gardens were his "experimental laboratory", where he could conduct his horticultural husbandry, containing both useful and ornamental plants. The 330 vegetable and 170 fruit varieties attest to Jefferson's experimental approach to horticulture.
"The greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add a useful plant to its culture" Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson left the following instructions as to what he wanted inscribed on his tombstone: "The following inscription, & not a word more: 'Here was buried Thomas Jefferson. Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and Father of the University of Virginia.' because by these testimonials that I have lived, I wish most to be remembered".
Posted by Heather at 01:18 PM | Comments (1)