More chaperoning fun

This week I had the opportunity to chaperone yet another 8th grade trip. I've chaperoned this one before (way back in 2010), so the Jamestown/Yorktown/Mount Vernon/Monticello sites are familiar to me. But it's still fun to hang out with the kids and see really cool historic places. Thankfully the weather was fantastic (with the exception of a four hour stretch of torrential rain driving up 95) - sunny and blue skies but chilly.

As always, I took my camera and snapped a ton of photographs. Well, more accurately, only about 250 photos. But, given I haven't done much photography in the past few months, 250 is a TON.

The park benches at Jamestown.

I always love the ships at Jamestown. The masts make great photography subjects.

A really cool flag shot.

Ready? Aim. Fire! The musket demonstration at Jamestown. 

Soldiers' spoons at Yorktown.

This is totally going into my laundry room someday. 

The dyer exhibit at Yorktown.

Sheep!! At Mount Vernon.

And cows, too! Or, more accurately, bulls.
These boys totally wandered over and posed for me. 

Best cow picture. Ever.
Kiki, you should paint this. 

Part of the slave burial ground memorial at Mount Vernon.
I love this. 

The stables. 

Overlooking the Potomac.
George Washington planted that tree. 

The lower garden at Mount Vernon.

Mulberry Lane at Monticello.

Winter gourds.

Thomas Jefferson used to sit here and think.
I could totally do that. 

Terracotta pots keeping plants warm. 

A good place to sit and think. 

Beautiful vistas at Monticello.

I love this trip. I enjoy seeing where our nation's fathers lived and worked. Mount Vernon's simplicity is charming, but I love the gadgety and techy feel of Monticello. While Washington was by far a better more genuine man, Jefferson's ingenuity amazes me.

Next stop? NY for Thanksgiving! My first Thanksgiving at home in 7 years!