Flower Friday: Fences

They say good fences make good neighbors. Personally, I have a crummy fence and great neighbors, but since my fence doesn’t touch their property it’s probably irrelevant. But I digress… What I really want to point out is that a good fence also makes a great backdrop for flowers. Virginia seems to be full of fabulous fences with equally fabulous flowers…

I'm so recreating this in my backyard.

Here’s the view from the other side:

We spent the night here; more about that later.

This classic combo was at our timeshare. It makes a lovely corner to tuck in these especially gorgeous daylilies:

I don't have any this color in my yard. Yet.

And look at this sweet little fence-let:

In case you were wondering what to do with your leftover skinny branches...

Then again, sometimes a fence doesn’t even need flowers to look good:

Found this one at Yorktown Victory Center

This one is in NC at Biltmore (it might be a railing, but that's fence-ish)

Good fences, every one. (Unless that last one is a railing, I really don’t remember…but whatever it is, it’s gorgeous!)

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General Washington’s Army

Maybe it’s the former drama major in me, but I love a good “pretend” and Williamsburg, VA is full of opportunities to play. Take our visit to the Yorktown Victory Center: it’s not the official historical site, but it is grand fun.

Don't you just love a man in uniform?

We had a lovely time chatting with the Colonial Army and admiring their quarters. (Their sleeping quarters, not their change.) Captain Morris must have been out on a mission; we poked around on his desk while he was gone.

Trusting soul, to leave all that out.

As we were decidedly not Tory spies, no harm was done. I particularly like the laundry area…note that they make a point on the sign that they use soap. Clearly an exemplary establishment.

Scrub a dub dub.

On a random note, one thing they do have is George Washington’s actual tent that he lived in during the Revolution. It’s preserved behind glass, but it’s set up so you can get a good look at it and it’s quite impressive. Sadly, I don’t have a picture of that; it didn’t come out. Take my word for it or go see for yourself.

We were most entertained while there by the musket and cannon demonstration. The little boy who came out of the crowd to help fire the cannon was so well-trained he had to be told it was OK to toss the…whatever it was…on the ground. (I can’t remember exactly, but it was something to do with the fuse, I think.) No silencers on these puppies; muskets are loud and produce impressive amounts of smoke. Just imagine what it must have been like with scores of these going off at once. It must have been difficult to see who you were supposed to be fighting on the battlefield. This being a pretend, and as the Colonial Army is not currently engaged in battle, they let anybody hold their weapons. (Yes, we let the kids go first.)

Yes, I know that's not the way to hold it, but it was a photo op, not a battle.

And one final thought, from my old crush John Adams…

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A Cook’s Tour

I like to cook—but if I had been born 200 years ago I’m not sure that would have been the case. Can you imagine trying to whip up that Church Lady Cake in one of these?

Picturesque, but...

It really takes “slaving over a hot stove” to a whole new level:

It was 95 degrees that day. Note the "spice rack" on the right.

Of course, if you served under General Washington, your stove would look more like this:

Cooking at Yorktown

Mind you, to get to this new land, you’d have had to cross the ocean (which took weeks and weeks and….) in a wee little boat cooking in a wee little kitchen.

Below deck on the Susan Constant in Jamestown.

Once in your new settlement (in swampy, bug-infested, hotter than England ever though of being) Jamestown it’d be best to do the baking outside.

If you were lucky enough to work for President Jefferson at Monticello (we’re bouncing through time a bit here, try not to get dizzy), then you’d have an industrial model stove.

Look, multiple burners!

Despite the lack of modern conveniences, cooks have always been a resourceful lot, so they managed to pull off dishes like this:

A feast fit for a royal governor. Kitchen at Williamsburg's Governor's Palace

Impressive, isn’t it? BTW, the cook at the Governor’s Palace told us all those “rising before dawn to start cooking breakfast” stories were malarkey—as she pointed out, “Have you ever tried to cook by candlelight?”

So the next time you find yourself standing in front of a microwave muttering, “Hurry UP, I haven’t got all minute!” take just a moment to appreciate the comforts and conveniences twenty-first century has to offer. Happy cooking!

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