MAYMONT MANSION & RICHMOND VA

Knowing that we had one more week before leaving the area, we needed to decide what else we would like to see. There were several plantations, only one of which sounded like it had much to it, along with the history. There also was the Maymont Mansion and Park in Richmond. The thirty-three room sandstone mansion located on 100 acres, was completed in 1893. So I opted for the Maymont in Richmond, which we decided to go see on Monday. Oops!! I forgot that the only day of the week that the Mansion was closed is Mondays!! Thus we spent some time walking over the Gardens that were the creation of Sallie May Dooley, wife of John H. Dooley. John was a Richmond attorney and three term legislator. He also joined a group of Richmonders in financing, rebuilding, and expanding the southern railways. Sally May was a serious student of horticulture, a daughter of the tobacco industry monies. They were beautiful but I am sure that they were even more extensive back in the late 1800 and early 1900's when they were first created. The stairway, that went from the gardens down the steep hillside to a Japanese Garden and the railroad tracks, were built of granite as were many of the retaining walls and walkways. Leaving the gardens after Gary's rest and after taking pictures of many of the flowers, we took pictures of the stairway but did not walk down to the Japanese Garden at this time. This view is looking from the bottom of the stairs upward. As we walked around the grounds, we too pictures of statues, gazebos, and the family mausoleum. From the gardens, we looked in at the carriage house and took pictures of some of the carriages and a sleigh. Then before leaving the park we passed this herb garden and took pictures of the outside of the Mansion, not knowing if we would be back to tour the inside. After all, we had many things to crowd into this last week, the front view and the back view. Leaving Richmond, we stopped at an Antique store. But we did not find anything of interest, except some modern novels. However, they wanted too much money for them to suit me. I am cheap when it comes to reading material that I just give away after I am finished with them.(Many campgrounds have book exchange shelves, so I leave them.) After all there is not much storage space in our house!! We also stopped at a Thrift Shop. Now there I found a real bargain!! They had a small pile of Creative Memories scrap booking materials that she offered to me for $3. That was a real steal as I would have spend probably $30 or more to buy it all new! I did share it with another customer and split the cost. But I really think that I got the best end of the bargain!! Five packages of 12 x 12 page protectors, never opened, for $1.50!! Tuesday we stayed at home and I scrap booked and read most of the day, while Gary watched TV and yakked with the campground owners! They are still busy working on the swimming pool with the home of having it in use by July 4th. One night they worked by artificial light until 1 am!! On Wednesday we decided to go back in to Richmond and see the Maymont Mansion. I was also hoping to go to the Cafe' that we had eaten lunch in before, so that we could say "Goodbye" to the gal from Boardman OH who we had met when we were first in Richmond. But we could not find parking near and were tired from the time spent at Maymont, so we headed back home without seeing her again. Maymont Mansion was heavily furnished and we had a nice gentlemen guide to show us around. But as usual, we were not permitted to take pictures. So I sat in the basement at a slide presentation and took pictures from the slides projected, so that you can get an idea of what it was like. The tables were even set as if ready for a meal or a tea party. Mrs. Dooley was well known for her fine entertainment. And the bedroom with the swan bed! This was given by the family who inherited the Dooley's summer home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, called Swannanoa. While we waited for the Mansion tour to begin, Gary walked down to the Japanese Garden and took a few pictures. There is a 45 foot waterfall there, along with the sculptures. After the death of both John Dooley and his wife, this mansion was left to the city of Richmond to use as a park and museum. However, no funds were left to help maintain it. So it is run totally on donations through a Foundation for this purpose. They left their summer home, Swannanoa, to family. But there again, they did not leave money to help maintain it. Being multi-millionaires, we found this to be unusual. Since they never had any children, their monies were left to several charitable causes in Richmond, St. Joseph's Villa, built the Children's Hospital, the Richmond Public Library, and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. Leaving Maymont Park, we drove back through the downtown area and I took some more photos. We had to get the statue of Robert E Lee also. This building we could see from the freeway, but we never did find out what it is. It is a very attractive old building. Do any of you, who have been to Richmond, know? The house architecture around the city was beautiful also. And then "signs" that this is the capitol of the tobacco industry in the United States. We spent Thursday going back to Williamsburg and Smithfield to do some things we did not do the first time there. Gary went to the William and Mary College Library for genealogy research. In Smithfield, he went to the Art Gallery that he did not have time for before, while I went to the Antique Store that was not open on the day that we had been there before. I am so glad that I got to go back there. It was a very nice large store, very tastefully layed out!! This is the web site for Imagine Art Studios (www.imaart.com) if you are interested. This gallerys art work is colonial, eastern American Indian theme as well as the Civil War. We also had to stop at Walmart for prescriptions. So it was a very full day!! Now Friday is upon us and we must pack as usual. We even turned the motor home around and hooked up the dolly and Jeep so there won't be any hard work in the morning. It has been so unbearably hot here, that we wanted to leaved rested. I think that they said it was 103 degrees yesterday!! I remember those temps when I was a kid, but I don't handle that well now!! See you soon.

Big Bear Campground in Eastern VIRGINIA

Gary was out one morning early this week taking pictures of the Big Bear Campground where we have been for almost a month. We will be moving on soon so I was glad that he got the pictures. The flies have been so bad that I have not walked the grounds much. They bite so bad!! We will be glad to be in Ohio soon, though this is a busy and beautiful area. This is our corner sight here. So we see all of the traffic go by. We are in an area of the campground that does not have too many trees. We like it that way as it does not cause so much mess on our roof. I do not think that Gary has had to clean or polish since we got here. The new owners of the grounds have been here as owners only a little more than three months. As is usual when ownership changes on campgrounds, there was a lot of cleaning and upgrading to do. They have been very busy and it is looking very good. They have a swimming pool that they have been working on and it won't be long before it is ready for use. I imagine that they are hoping for July 4th weekend. There is a little kid's playground with equipment and basket ball hoops. So far there have not been too many children, but I am sure that will change. But the pool will be the real draw! You can see beyond the playground, which is across from us, the rest of the campground is heavily wooded. A lot of people like that setting, and there are tent sights also. In the back part of the grounds, there is a lake which is stocked for fishing.

There are people who camp here all year and work from here. The ones who do not work in the area, but live here full time, like to keep their flowers. Can't say that I blame them. I miss my flower beds.

The weekend after Victor left us we went to Suffolk and drove around a bit to check it out. They have an old area that seems to be in the process of reconstruction.

It is looking nice. There are two railroad depots as well.

We have to go to Suffolk to shop for anything other than groceries. We should have looked around more, if this was any indication of what the rest might have looked like. But we haven't taken the time yet. There is so-o-o much that we could do here!

I promised a review of the cars that Gary saw at the Car Show in Smithfield. So here it is. Seemed like a good selection! Enjoy!

We drove in to Richmond today with the plan to visit Maymont Mansion. I had forgotten that it is closed on Monday!!! So we may -- or may not get back in there again. We did take the time to look around some of the gardens today though. It was a hot one out there!! I hope that the house is air conditioned, if we go back.

We also stopped at an antique shop and a thrift shop on the way home. I got a real steal in Creative Memories supplies. I shared them with another shopper, since she was interested after I found them. I forgot that I could have taken the extras for my sister! Oh well, I did my good deed for the day! I also found baskets, one for me and one to leave here at the campground for a book exchange nook. They don't have one of those yet. So I will start it for them with the books that I have read since we arrived here.

Stay tuned and see what else we find to do this week.