It seems often one doesn't take in popular area attractions. A nice perk to get locals to climb the mountain up to
Monticello is free entry for residents. You must have an accompanying out of town guest and purchase a ticket, but that makes it 1/2 off. This weekend we finally took advantage of this offer when friends were visiting from California. One of my oldest friends that I grew up with was on the East coast for business and I had never met his wife. It was truly a thrill for me to see Danny again and had an immediate connection with his wife. Danny and I had not spoken in many years but he's a friend that I'll always be close to. It makes me think of my mother and her relationship with one of her dearest and oldest friends Sue. You may not speak with them often but you pick right up where you left off when you do.
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| Monticello overlooking Thomas Jefferson's vegetable garden |
We could not have asked for a better day weather-wise. Humidity was low as was the typically horribly hot July temperature. No rain, plenty of fluffy cloud cover and temps in the 80s! Unheard of for this time of year in Virginia.
I don't often take the house tour at Monticello as I typically go during the Fall
Heritage Harvest Festival and am totally focused on the tons of outside activities. Danny and I went on an Elementary school tour of Monticello way back before the
Visitor and Education Center complex existed. This was only my second house tour since moving to Cville 10 years ago and I always learn a little more about the man that designed Monticello.
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| Cardoon bloom with Montalto ridge in background |
All humans have faults and
Thomas Jefferson was certainly not a perfect human being but he was a master of his time in so many fields. I just finished a book,
The Founding Gardeners, about the gardening pursuits of our founding fathers and didn't realize how entrenched they were into agriculture and plants. Their private lives were totally immersed in planting, collecting, researching, and creating gardens (Washington, Madison, Monroe, Adams, and Jefferson). Especially craving the need to plant after retiring from the laborious political arena in which they all served.
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| In Jefferson Gardens: Sunflower and brilliant Castor Bean |
Recently I've come across several quotes by Jefferson that are relevant to the current political climate in the United States. One being, "I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as a cause for withdrawing from a friend." Often a truism in his behavior but at one point the
political difference between one of his dearest friends, John Adams, was so broad that it took many years of aging before they forgave each other. Also interestingly, there was a
bust of one of Jefferson's biggest political adversaries, Alexander Hamilton, at Monticello. It was placed here years after Jefferson retired from politics so he must of meant what he said. Jefferson apparently had a respect for smart minds no matter what their political view. Jefferson was all about educating his guests so one could imagine he also wanted to share the historic details with visitors.
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| N Plaza flight of stairs up to UVA Rotunda |
Another wonderful place to take visitors is to the
restored Rotunda. Previously closed for touring due to
extensive restoration, it's back open again. Don't miss the 2 large photos on display in the upper story showing the Rotunda when it housed the campus library during different periods. Be sure to poke around the book shelves as there might be a special exhibit on loan from the UVA
Special Collections Library (another nearby campus treasure that one should explore). Also do not miss the many secret gardens behind the original campus, called the
Academical Village.
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| Gazing over the Lawn from the lower level UVA Rotunda |
A glorious day in Charlottesville, Virginia with friends!
~Rebecca
