Hard to be Back

Jeep at Pilot Butte

I had the best intentions of trying to blog while we were in Bend, but it was just so lovely there...and I didn't even have the slightest itch to pull out my laptop.  So I didn't.  We had a lovely time, and did take some pictures.  I'll try to work on getting some of those up in the next few days.  I think right now I'm just missing it too much.  Did I mention we had a really lovely time?

Wish We Were Here....

This is a sunset shot from from our first stay at our new beach getaway.  It's still so new and special I won't even share the name, maybe after our next stay (and we have a few more stays planned before the end of the year).  Our first time here was so relaxing.  We had an amazing room, it was lovely inside and very comfy.  This was our view from the balcony.  We spent a lot of time the first night just sitting outside on that balcony absorbing the ocean.  We had a bottle of wine (or three) and just talked and took in the view mother nature gave us.  That first night, we left the window open and piled quilts on the bed-it was the best nights sleep I had had in ages.  We came home from the lovely weekend recharged and refreshed.  When I close my eyes and go to my happy place, this is my view.  Wish we were there...

Day 5-Jamestowne Settlement

Sorry in advance for so few pictures.  My cold is kind of bringing me down a bit and I'm trying to conserve energy.  What I'm saying is, if I had to pick between energy for walking around and energy for taking pictures I picked walking.  Here are a few pictures from the Jamestowne Settlement.

A photo of the Powhatan Indian Village (there were LOTS of crazy kids running around so we continued onward)

The Susan Constant, one of three replica ships they had.  Also full of unattended brats, I mean kids.  (can you see the cold kicking in?)

The Godspeed (I did not get a picture of the the third ship, the Discovery because the lighting was bad and it was also very crowded)

The back end of Susan Constant

You could actually walk on a little ledge around the back of the ship, this picture shows the door.

Parts

I wished there was a cannon here, that they would fire just to scare people.

Crow's nest?  Is that what it's called?

An anchor

One of the buildings in James Fort (again, kids, crowded, no tolerance)

Another building

This is bound to get those damn kids off the lawn...

The business end

Leaving James Fort

I expected to see naughty children tethered to this.  That would have been cool!

Day 4-Colonial Williamsburg (and Thanksgiving)

Today, being a holiday and all, we took it a little more easy today.  We still checked out the last of the exhibits on our list but it was a leisurely day.

Another pretty wreath

We like carriages

This was a building by the capital

This little cannon was just chill in

So I went up to it and said "yo" and we made friends

This is one of the pretties we found in the Joiner's shop

Part of a chair or small bench.

Someone was sharpening a saw blade (the blade is being held in the vice and hard to see because I didn't take the picture at a good angle)

Hand planes

Mallet (also know as the "chase the lady out of the work space mallet")

Some sort of leveling device (or wizardry, it's your call)

Joinery on the level

I like his work area

A wooden mug

An adorable little workbench

Tools

Another lovely hand plane

More tools

Hollows and rounds for making trim and edging

Marking gauges

The side of the Capitol building

The front of the Capitol

Trees

Decorative part of the gate leading into the capitol

We like the brick

The brick work around the windows is pretty cool

Inside, I like the shadow the window makes

Virginia coat of arms

Part of the tour

The Apothecary

I like all the jars and drawers of things

A big mortar and pestle (I think Julia Child would approve)

The apothecary's desk

Possible a former patient?

Tools of the trade.  Can you see those syringes?  I shudder just thinking about it!

Another carriage

The Cabinetmaker

A pretty clock

I like the chest of drawers

A lovely writing desk

I think this is a harpsichord 

The stings are plucked rather than struck with tiny hammers like on a piano

The cabinetmakers desk

A pretty leg

Tools (we like tools)

More tools

The chair was beautiful, the detail was amazing.  It was hard to get a decent picture so just take my word for it.

A beautiful tool chest

Table

A harpsichord in the making

The keys

It really is a beautiful chair

The workshop, crowded but lovely!

The Cooper's shop.  The cooper does casks, barrels and buckets

The man is making a bucket and the woman is making a wooden mug, similar to the one we saw in the Joiner's shop but maybe a little nicer.

It looks like she is trying to get the rim all one length and smooth

I didn't mean for him to be in the picture, I was trying to take a picture of all the tools.

There he is again, getting into my tool picture.

I like the little bench.  It's like the one the woman was sitting on.

They were talking buckets.  I just know it.

Some of the metal rings

More rings.

Today was also Thanksgiving and we had dinner at one of the pubs in town, the King's Arms Tavern.  I have a picture of the menu and our little table on my cell phone, I'll try to add it later.  I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want the flash to interrupt any of the other diners.  The room was completely lit by candle light so it was dark but cozy.  The server was a sweet woman who took good care of us.  The food was really yummy!  We decided not to do the turkey, we went with a prime rib and it was cooked perfectly.  It was a really lovely evening, and I am so thankful that I was able to experience it with David, and really this whole place!  We only have a few days left, and I seem to be coming down with a devil cold but that doesn't take away from the magic that I have already experienced.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!