Stuff We Saw

So last weekend we drove to Lexington, Va.,  home of VMI and Washington and Lee University and assorted Civil War celebrity sites.

We saw Thomas J. Jackson's house:

And his final resting place:

We also saw his horse. Really. When Little Sorrell died, some dude skinned the critter, and then made a plaster of paris model and draped the hide over it to look like he'd been stuffed. The horse looked remarkably moth-free. But I didn't get a photo.

We also saw where Robert E. Lee is buried:

And where his horse is buried:

The big parts of the trip for the kid were the hotel pool and his first visit to a drive-in theater.  It was awesome, even though the YP had absolutely no interest in watching Ocean's 13 and we left at 11, before the second feature started. But he loved the big screen, he loved the oldies music the place played before the show started, he loved the concession stand and he loved the picnicky atmosphere. I loved all that too, but not as much as I loved watching him drowse off in the back of the car bundled up in a blanket staring at this giant movie screen in a parking lot. It'd be worth it to go back just for that once or twice every summer.

We also saw the Natural Bridge:

surveyed and initialed by George Washington:

and once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

We also saw this odd little thing called "Foamhenge":

And visited some caverns, which sent the YP into hysterics when the tour guide turned out the lights.

In contrast, our July Fourth was very low-key.  Ate take-out chicken, shot off some fireworks in the driveway (along with everyone else in our neighborhood, it sounded like,) and ate Bomb Pops for dessert. All in all, it's been a nice week, except for NYAB's back.  Poor guy did make it back to work  today, though.

Comments

[lizgwiz]

Drive-in movies and bomb pops--does it get any better than that?

Okay, bomb pops aren't actually all that tasty, but drive-in movies? I don't know why they ever went out of fashion. They're fun!

[lane]

Those pictures are gorgeous!

[TigMode]

I had never heard of foamhenge....thanks for the heads up!

[nabbalicious]

Ugh! I want to see that horse. Oh, well. Guess it's too late now...I don't think I'll come back from CA just for that. Looks like you had a nice time, though!

Mmm, bomb pops! Love those.

[nyab]

Those who would like a glimpse of Little Sorrel but who can't make it to Lexington can go here:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/pet/lilsorrel.html

[Darren McLikeshimself]

So jealous.