Texture Tuesday - The Washday Greens

It's been awhile since I've participated Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday but this weeks challenge of using her texture "And then some" was perfect for a couple of photos taken at a museum at Aldon's Auto Salvage during a recent camera club outing.  An auto salvage yard isn't the place one expects to find a wringer washing machines so this was a very pleasant surprise.  Both photos were taken with the Lensbaby Composer and I couldn't decide which one to pick so I'm posting both.

Virginia/DC Vacation - Washington DC - Day 1 - Part 1

The first day into Washington was a busy fascinating day.  So much to see and so much to do. Our first day in Washington was September 6th, five days before the 10 year anniversary of September 11th and security seemed to be tight.

But despite the looming clouds and occasional rain shower we continued to enjoy the mall.  As it is at home, construction was a common sight as seen here at the reflecting pool.

But when you were away from the usual vantage points a pretty photo could still be captured.

After spending the day at the memorials and Smithsonian's (part 2 and 3 to follow) we had supper in a little sandwich shop downtown, close to Chinatown.

Texture Tuesdays - Dancing Shoes

This week's theme with Kim Klassen is red.  These shoes are Dorthy's red slippers from the Wizard of Oz.  According to Widipedia,  to create the ruby slippers, the shoes were first dyed red and burgundy sequins were stitched on.  The film's early three-strip Technicolor process required the sequins to be darker, as bright red would have appeared orange on the screen.  With a little help from Photoshop, they're back to red.

Virginia/DC Vacation - Berkeley Plantation

Welcome to the Berkeley Plantation, such a lovely place.  On December 4, 1619 a group of 38 English settlers arrived on the banks of the James River and settled in the new land grant of Berkeley Hundred.  This would have been the view of the waters edge.

The group's charter requited that the day of arrival be observed yearly as a "day of thanksgiving" to God.  On that first day, Captain John Woodleaf held the service of thanksgiving on this spot.

During the Indian Massacre of 1622, nine of the settlers at Berkely Hundred were killed and the rest of the colonists moved to more secure areas.  After several years the three story Georgian mansion was built using bricks fired on the property.

The view from the road

The kitchen

The view standing inside the main home and looking towards the river

The grounds

The Bekeley Plantation has been the ancestral home of two US presidents and the home of firsts, the first official Thanksgiving, the first time the Army bugle call "Taps" was played in 1862 and the first bourbon whiskey was distilled here by an Episcopal priest.

Virginia/DC Vacation - Richmond Continued

After a morning at the cemetery our day continued with sightseeing in Richmond.

View from our hotel room

Ruins of the Tredegar Iron Works set on fire during the fall of Richmond during the Civil War

The bridge destroyed during the fall of Richmond

The little bridge seems to be replaced by new ones

Fun activities taking place at the bridge

This is the view taken from a foot bridge crossing the canal

The walls surrounding the Federal Reserve

St. John's Church where Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech

Uneeda biscuits sold by Nabisco were the first individually packaged crackers sold

The lane to ???

Stonewall Jackson on Monument Avenue

Virginia State Capital