From the Travels of the Two Auntees

This is a view of Thomas Jefferson's house at Monticello, VA. There are some great gadgets and antiques and a great display of objects that he was given by Lewis and Clark from their travels as they explored the West in the great waiting room.

This picture was taken in the courtyard area of the Brandywine River Museum, in Chadds Ford, Pa. Someone told us when we were in Delaware that it would be a short trip to see the home of Andrew Wyeth's home in Chadds Ford, and we are always up for an adventure. I realized later that I didn't take any pictures of his home or the studio that was built by his father, N. C. Wyeth. I did not know about NC Wyeth. As a premier artist and teacher he would gather the actual items to paint for his pictures; costumes, busts, pistons, rifles, farm implements and tools. He even bought a birchbark canoe from the indians and has it shipped back by train for just one of his pictures. He traveled to the west to live the life of a 'cowboy' and paint them. He brought back western 'cowboy' clothing to add his collection. N C painted the original illustrations for "Treasure Island" and was paid $2000 in 1911 by which he bought the land where his studio and house sits. Those paintings measuring at least 4 ft by 5 ft are hanging in the Brandywine Museum down the hill from his house.

I just had to go back and visit once again the Navy's School of Music, located at the Naval Amphibious Base at Little Creek, VA. This was where I had to go after my basic Army training as well as my Advanced training for Group Leaders and First Sergeants Courses. Going back into the building was a little weird. But they have some odd instruments of display in the front hallway; like a Bass Saxophone and a Sousaphone that is a woodwind instrument. Didn't want to trespass too far, so I didn't attempt to walk the hall to the classrooms. We didn't spend too much time at the school as I wanted to take Kay to the beach at Cape Henry, and view the light houses on Fort Story, which is an Army Base near VA beach.

This is my backside as I was looking for shells and other odd bits that we collected. We even brought back with us a piece of driftwood of fair size. We always feel a need to get close to water sometimes and this was our chance; only one other family on the beach.
This is a picture of the first and oldest light house on Cape Henry, there 191 steps which will take you to the top. But which we didn't climb; too much time and energy as we needed to head north to Delaware.

Overall we had a great trip the weather was very nice and even though it was mid November, the trees still had their canopy of leaves in subdue fall colors. Still very beautiful colors from a late fall season. It was on the last few days that we had rain and even saw some blowing snow for awhile.