Summer Trip to the East - Virginia - Monticello

Because La Vallee is only 45 minutes from Charlottesville, we wanted to take the opportunity to visit Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson was a brilliant man - a scientist, inventor, naturalist, innovator, and of course, politician.  Monticello is filled with his inventions, his books, his collections and more.  Unfortunately, we couldn't take pictures of the inside.  These two pictures were taken on the front porch.  This compass is attached the weather vane on the roof of the home - in order to tell the direction the wind is blowing!

This clock is on the outside of the home but is connected to a large clock on the inside of the home in the entry way.

Monticello's grounds past and present are known for the great variety of flowers, trees and a very extensive vegetable garden.

The plants that Thomas Jefferson grew when he lived at Monticello were marked with these sticks that had "TJ" printed at the top.

The vegetable garden.

The kids trying to write with a real feather quill.

Exploring the replicas of Thomas Jefferson's inventions.

After visiting Monticello, we decided to stop for a traditional Southern lunch at the historic Michie Tavern.  Fried chicken, pulled pork, green beans, black-eyed peas, beets, biscuits, and mashed potatoes.  Good cookin'!

And for dessert we drove to Apple Mountain Orchard for fresh peach ice cream cones.

We also left with some peach cider donuts (to die for!) and fresh peaches for eating.

We spent the evening shopping and walking around a neat pedestrian mall in Charlottesville.