So Much to See, So Little Time



Washingon 16-sided Treading barn

Thomas Jefferson

Portrait Gallery

Julia Child at the Smithsonian



Wow.. If you come to DC and get bored then you aren't trying.  If I had a year, I still would not be able to see everything that they have here.  Driving to Mt. Vernon (Washington home), James Madison and Thomas Jefferson's homes, the battle fields were all over.  It would take years just to visit all of the battle fields.  This whole area is a history book.  I would have loved to grow up here (field trips are to the Smithsonian or one of the President's home).

-Mt. Vernon - Still a working farm.  Washington loved being a farmer first before a General and President.  He had the only 16 sided treading barn where he place wheat on the floor, had horses tread on it and then the grain fell through the slats to the lower floor where they gather it up.  The only problem is that this barn is so expensive to build, this is the only one.

-James Madison - Montpelier - Our 4th President who was the front runner for writing the Constitution.  His book of notes (that he kept detailing everyone imput0 is on display at the Library of Congress.  He researched, gather Washington to go to Philadelphia  and was instrumental in the completion of the constitution.

-Thomas Jefferson - As everyone knows wrote the Declaration of Independence.  But his first love is books. He would read 4 at a time (He also spoke several languages)  He was an inventor (he invented a pencil copy machine) and he was an architect, completely redesigning his mansion.

-Smithsonian - We went to the Natural and American History museum:  Highlights were Julia Child kitchen and the first ladies Inaugural gowns (Martha Washington must have been a size 0!). The design drawings were my favorite.  I also saw the Hope diamond, and the gem exhibit, absolutely breathe taking.

-Portrait Gallery- We were not allowed to take pictures inside the gallery, but the highlight here is the portraits of all of the Presidents.  Under each president, a plaque with dates, and information of what they accomplished or didn't.  I think it was James Garfield who did not commission a friend, and his friend came back and shot him.  The morale of that story is don't get your friends mad at you!

I only posted a few pictures here, but if you want more, just let me know and I will post a slide show.

  



Life Challenge:   Involvement requires little from you; commitment requires everything.