Endview Plantation Reenactment

Last Sunday I attended the annual Civil War Reenactment at Endview Plantation. This is an event that I have been trying to get to for years. For some reason I always seemed to miss it, so when I learned I was off on Sunday and could go I took advantage. I hope you enjoy viewing some of the photos I took

The weekend in review

This is my three day weekend,and it is going by way to fast. I spent the first two days getting nothing done other than spending time with my daughter and grandson. Of course I always enjoy that but I swear I never seem to have enough "Me" time.

Today has found me still in my nightgown and it is almost 4 pm. I did do some laundry and picked up over the living room a bit, but other than that I have vegged.
In the mean time I am making Chicken and Dumplings for supper and plan on watching some TV
I can't believe that Thanksgiving is Thursday. We will have our meal with my mom this year. It is the first time she has cooked for the family since she had her heart attack almost 3 years ago. I already know that will be a busy day and I have to be at work on Friday at the crack of dawn. We open at FIVE AM
We are about to start longer hours at work and I really dread them. I hate to say it but I really do hate the holidays. I will be so happy when January arrives.

Oh the bright side Rebecca and I did sneak off Saturday night alone to watch "New Moon", which is the second movie in the Twilight series. If you haven't seen it yet I can recommend it. Especially if your a Twilight fan.
While there we got a chance to talk to some of the other people (we waited in line about a half hour) and I was surprised to find that several people saw the first movie but haven't read the books. Read the books folks, you will be glad you did.

Anyway we joined about 400 other fans for the 7 pm showing. The auditorium we were in holds 500 and it was almost full. This was just one of three in that theatre that were showing the movie. I must admit I really enjoyed it, and those sexy scenes where Jacob has off his shirt did get me to wishing I was 17 again.

The price of movies is ridiculous and I can see why so many people wait for the DVD.
At lest it was a movie that I could walk away from and feel like it had been worth the $11.00 price of admission. Of course we won't talk about the other $8.00 I had to spend on a hot dog and soda.
On the bright side we had stopped at the dollar tree for candy, so eat your heart out AMC I got one up on you ha ha.


Sunday found me back over at my daughters house. Someone she knows was moving and they gave her a dinning room table and chairs for free. Her boyfriend was suppose to go help her and her dad pick it up, and I was going to stay with my grandson, but the boyfriend showed his true colors once again and refused to go help her. Her dad and I picked it up and moved it. (My husband didn't come because he was being a pain in my butt too....A story for another day ha ha)
Anyway we got all of that taken care of and then Rebecca and I went for lunch with Cody and on to the toy store. I had promised him a toy because he had received a good report card from pre-K. From there a quick trip to the grocery store and then home. Needless to say my day was gone by then.

I vote we should have two day work weeks and five day weekends? Anyone else agree?

Sunday Stroll

Over this past weekend Dean and I went to Colonial Williamsburg. I always enjoy taking a trip back in time by walking the streets there. One of my favorite stops along the way is the beautiful Bruton Parish Church,
Built in the 1700 it was the center of worship for many famous men like Presidents Washington, Jefferson and Tyler, Leaders during this time were required to attend services. The cemetery itself is one of the oldest in this country and among the graves are at lest several hundred unmarked graves.  I have done a short slide show and hope you enjoy it. I will post more from Williamsburg on my next post

I'm Bushed (Bush Gardens that is)

Whew, what a busy couple of days. Yesterday my grandson had his last gymnastics class






and today his mom and I took him to Bush Gardens.






I'm beat!

Weekly Chit Chat

Hi gang,
How is your week going? It's the same old thing here, work and sleep. This has to be one of the most boring summer's I have had in years. I haven't done a darn thing worth blogging about. I've spent a little time with my daughter and grandson this week, and I did go get my state inspection on my car, but other than that I haven't got much accomplished.
We did have a nice family picnic last weekend with my son, my daughter and grandson, and my husband, my ex husband and I...Yes you read it right. The ex was there. I didn't mind, (he brought the fried chicken ha ha). His girlfriend refused to come as did my daughter's boyfriend, as neither of them as sociable where family stuff is concerned, but they are both a pain in my butt so it was just as well.



I always enjoy our local park, the kids have a big area to play in


Also the park is full of deer and the rangers feed them each evening so we were able to get close enough to take these photos.





It is hard to believe that summer is almost over, soon the leaves will start to turn and fall will be here.
I have to admit though that I love the fall more than any other season and look forward to it. Also I am not sure if I have mentioned it or not but my husband and I are traveling back to Gettysburg in 6 weeks. I am excited, but a little nervous as we have not been able to save the money needed yet to go on. I have five nights booked with the same campground we usually stay in (This time we are staying in the cabin that is suppose to be haunted). I have up until 2 weeks before the trip to cancel without losing the deposit and I am not sure if this includes dropping a night.
At $75.00 a a night I might have to make a choice to either drop a night and do only some of the things on my list or just stay the fifth night and do more of the free stuff. There are several things I was wanting to do this time that we haven't done before so I guess I will see what the next few weeks bring for us financially.

Last time we were there my daughter went half with us on the money so we didn't have to stress as much. Oh speaking of, she is getting her ultra sound the end of Sept so in about four weeks I will know if I am having a grandson or grand daughter..(If it has its self turned right). I am anxious to find out so we can think of it more as a little person.
Anyway that is the news here. I will update again soon

A Perfect Day

My Husband and I had a really great day today. We went hiking and had a picnic at York River State Park which is located just outside of Williamsburg. The sun was shinning, we had a gentle breeze blowing, the water was beautiful, and the woods were quiet and peaceful.

What a perfect way to spend Father's Day and celebrate the Summer Solstice

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

HISTORY: York River State Park takes its name from the river along its border, which is formed from the joining of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi rivers at West Point, 10 miles upriver from the park. Croaker Landing, found within the park, is an archaeological site included in the National Register of Historic Places.

Known in its early history as Taskinas Plantation, this was the site of a 17th and 18th century public tobacco warehouse where local planters stored their crops to be shipped to England. Remnants of wooden "corduroy" roads dating from this period can still be seen along Taskinas Creek at low tide. The park was opened in 1980 to preserve the unique environment and the land that was so significant to the early history of the state.

Shiver me timbers! Pirates are everywhere!

Dean and I attended the annual Blackbeard festival in Hampton VA. this afternoon.
It was the first time we had been and we had a fun time visiting all the vendors, smelling all the food and checking out the pirates. There was an area just for kids, and several stages set up with shows. All in all we had a nice time. Next year I want to go with more money because I did find that most of the crafts were a bit different than what I usually see at festivals. This evening we are just sitting around relaxing....Awww summer time is here














The Blackbeard Legend
Once a bustling seaport, Hampton was the doorway to commerce for the colonies. Between the export of tobacco to England and the import of manufactured commodities, Hampton's waterfront became a prime target for one of the fiercest and most successful pirates of the Caribbean, Blackbeard. Legend has it that when Blackbeard was finally defeated by the Royal Navy, his head was mounted on a post at the mouth of the Hampton Harbor warning all other Pirates of their impending fate. Today, it is Hampton's fame as an important colonial seaport and Blackbeard's demise that the city celebrates.

Rain Rain Go Away

*Click on Photos to enlarge*

I had planned on going to the Civil War re-enactment this weekend at the Endview Plantation, but as luck would have it, it has rained all weekend.  I called to see if it was going to be re-scheduled and was told no that they only do it once a year. I was really disappointed.  Instead of going there my daughter and I headed out to Virginia Beach. I had not seen my mom in awhile and also wanted to get together with my son. He is heading back to San Diego on a job. Lucky for us as we were heading to my mom’s the rain gave way to a few minutes of clear sky so we stopped by the Ferry Plantation house to take some outside photos.

 

You might remember that I was there two weeks ago for the “Spirit tour”. We didn’t think the house was open, but walked around the front to get a few photos and as we did my daughter peeked in the window. We were talking about how we didn’t think the wind was what was making the nose we heard the night we were there. (You might remember we head taps on the glass upstairs) Rebecca shook the shudder a bit and Just as she looked in the window my grandson walked up behind her and his reflection in the glass startled her. She then picked him up to take a peek inside and as she did a face stared back at her. It was the director of the house, who was probably just as frightened. She (the director) came to the door, and we reminded her that we had been on the tour a few weeks ago. We stepped into the hall for a few minutes to chat. I wanted to know more about a couple of things that had been mentioned on the original tour. The first being the hanging tree out back. 

In documents from the House they know that three slaves were hanged from it. The tree was struck by lightning at one point and I couldn’t help but wonder if the top branches that were struck are the ones that the hanging took place on or if it could be some of these that are remaining.

 

I don’t recall being told what year the hangings took place but know it was at lest as far back as the mid 1800’s. I was told however that a psychic has visited the tree and felt as if the bodies were thrown to this side of the tree. Which is the back of the tree if your walking from the house towards it.

 

I have to admit I felt a bit creepy walking around the tree. It wasn’t just from the thoughts of men hanging from the tree it was from knowing that I was walking on a scared Indian burial ground.

Yes a burial ground. That is the other thing I was dying to know more about. I had heard there was one somewhere on the property. As it turns out it was a large area of the back grounds.  I am not sure how it was discovered but was told that almost immediately after it was that the owners put in this to keep the curious away.

Those are tennis courts and all of this grass area still has remains in it and also all around and under the courts. A one point some Native Americans visited. They left in a hurry saying they would never come back and said something about how the bodies could not rest because sacred things had been stolen and needed to be returned. Of course no one has any way of finding out what these “things” are.

I also saw the tree that was planted by Sally Rebecca Walke. Records indicate that  this Southern Magnolia was planted in April 1863 in memory of her fiancé who died during the Civil War  Measured at 131 inches circumference, and 75 ft. tall, in 2001.

The house also has a working well with an old pump that still works

Also if you look closely out back you can see the original road that ran out behind the house. (The front of the home was near the river)

 

I was really glad to get a chance to learn more of the history of the home and not just the “haunted” side. As much as I love the paranormal I have to admit I am glad I don’t live near the home. I was told yesterday that some of the guest of the people who own the homes that were built on the plantation land had been by the house talking about dreams of men hanging in the trees and Indians cutting down the bodies and taking them away. Vivid dreams, but then again look how close the houses are.

 

*Note
Just to clarify things you should know that The Ferry Plantation house sits in the middle of a neighborhood in a cul de sac (court). Several Houses are on all four sides of Ferry Plantation home. These houses sit on what was once the land of the Plantation house.

Haunted Carters Grove

The windy road known today as Route 60 leads from Williamsburg to Newport News. VA. and if your not paying attention you won’t notice the  dirt driveway that once led to Carter’s Grove Plantation.  Built in the early 1700’s it was once one of Virginia’s finest plantations. It was closed to the public around 2003,  but tales of hauntings still linger among the locals.

From what I’ve been told a black man in raggedy clothes can be seen walking towards the Plantation from Williamsburg. Could this be the ghost of Jim, a slave who once worked at the Governors Place and walked the eight miles every Saturday night back to the Grove to see his family. From what they say he died of a broken heart when he came home one weekend to find that his wife and children had been sold and no one knew how to tell him where to find them.

During the time the plantation was open for tours flower petals could be found on the floor after being placed in what is known as the refusal room. Both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington offered marriage proposals to two different young ladies in the room and were turned down. Rumor has it that one of these young ladies still angry at herself for not accepting the life she could have had tears up the flowers any time they are left in the room. She especially hates white carnations. Could this have been what was offered to her along with the proposal? I suppose we will never know.  

Steps are sometimes heard in the halls. A phantom harp is said to play,  and another legend of Carter’s Grove is that Colonel Banastre Tarleton hacked the staircase as he rode his horse up the stairs to wake his troops during the Revolutionary War.


Click to open in new window where photo will be enlarged

I drove past the plantation today, and on a whim stopped at the beginning of the drive. The gates are locked now with big NO Trespassing signs in plain site, but for just a moment I jumped out of the car and took a few photos. When I loaded the photos and took a look I found something unusual in the upstairs window in the center of the house.

Take a look and tell me if it is my imagination or do you see a man wearing white pants and a red shirt.  Could this be Colonel Banastre in his Revolutionary War Uniform?

I may never know now that the plantation is  privately owned but from what I have read sometime in the future the new owners according to the terms of the sale have to open the house one day a year for tours. You better believe when they do, I will be there.