Battleground Park - 5 August

Another post dated post. I will catch up on things very soon.  Battleground Park aka Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.  Maya took me to the park so we could play an interactive game.  I love that park.  It's the site for a Revolutionary War battle between General Greene (colonist and supposedly Greensboro was named after him) and General Cornwallis (British), who lost.  Amazing tactics on General Greene's part and now I must brush up on my Revolutionary War history.  There's tons of it right here in my backyard.  This is my first historic battleground I've visited.  I drove past Gettysburg once and that was solemn and creepy at the same time.

There are many monuments and graves there.  The walking/biking/car trails are excellent.  The Visitor's Center is very nice with a museum, small auditorium and gift shop with some awesome books in it.  And once a year, not too far from the park, there is a reinactment of the battle.  I have a friend who would go out there in costume.  I may just have to join her next year, if she's still going.

One cool story (this is a present day person looking back on history and it's many stories, war is not cool at all) is of a British soldier who died and was never found.  Years later, a farmer was plowing the area and found skeletal remains.  Years after that, DNA testing was done and his family found back in England.  I want to find other stories like that and get my costume designed.

Statue of General Greene.

Hello July

A new day, a new month, and a new year for me.  I had fun celebrating my birthday this past weekend.  I was kidnapped again by two friends and a baby.  We went to botanical gardens in Greensboro, and did wine tasting at three vineyards.  The baby got a taste through mom's milk.  We had a small lunch, the weather held out and it was great.  That was Friday.  On Saturday, Maya took me to some towns south of where I live.  Lots of history; saw where Cornwallis' men were buried, part of Daniel Boone's trail, saw the beautiful cemetery where his parents are buried, saw a cemetery for war dead with dates going back to the Revolutionary War.  And the architecture, so wonderful.  Many Victorian homes.  Will have to go back and get some serious photos.  Also learned that President Andrew Jackson got his law degree and passed the Bar Exam here in this state before he went off to do other things and became president.  On Sunday, I recovered by watching Captain America (which I hadn't seen) and The Avengers (which I had seen).  I liked both.

I am going to take a different approach to my life this new year.  I will make a separate post for that.  The past year has been okay.  Not great, not horrid... okay.  I want more than okay.  It's time to ramp things up again and make this continuing journey a bit more interesting.

Richmond, Virginia Part II

I tell you, when you go away for a short time, there's so much to do to catch up. Here is the last leg of my trip from the Quinlan Doll & Teddy Bear Convention. After the con I stopped back to Annie's. We went to an art fair and then to Hollywood Cemetery. It was called Harley's Woods but the name was changed to Hollywood for the numerous variety of holly trees.

There was this huge stone pyramid. When the recent earthquake hit, some of the headstones and decorative statues were damaged. But not this pyramid, only because no mortar was used to build it.

The tip of the pyramid.

There were many Confederate soldiers buried here. And 2/3 of Confederate officers are buried in this cemetery.

There is a President's row.

The James River. Across the river is Bell Island that was used as a Union prisoner of war camp. There is a beach over there and this part of the river is used for canoeing and kayaking.

This is a wonderful cemetery and it seems to go on and on. It's 180 acres and 165 years old. 3,000 are interred with room for 5,000 more.

Part of the James River.

Here is one of the pathways. I found it very inviting and mysterious.

Tours of the cemetery are given.

The stonework on the headstones is amazing.

One of several US presidents buried there.

James Monroe's tomb plaque.

Monroe's tomb. His body was moved from New York to this spot. It looks like a big bird cage. A grand birdcage.

Buster, Annie and Mark's pooch is ready to drive. Or at least go home.