Another Horizon

We started the day with news of a sinkhole on our route to Mount Vernon.  Luckily it was on the other side of the boulevard/parkway and didn't slow us down.  We did take an alternate route back though.  I visited there when I was about six years old and looked forward to sharing the experience with my partner.  It was again cold and spitting rain on and off.  Par for the course at this point.  We got there early to avoid crowds and my experience is that it is the best time to go.  There were hardly any lines, but when we left, lines were all we could see.  Mount Vernon looks totally different from when I saw it as a child.  The color of the home is not creamy white anymore as you can see from the photos.  Apparently, this is the color Washington preferred.  If you click on the photo you can read about his choice of local sand.  I have to say it was rather clever, achieving an excellent stone appearance.  It must have been a constant challenge though as it seems to wear off rather quickly now.  Perhaps it is a new environmental challenge?  I don't know.  Really enjoyed the day and the grounds.  The foxgloves were in beautiful bloom and I enjoyed the gardens tremendously.  The green room, his favorite room in the house, well...nice to know he appreciated color.  But the view is spectacular!  Hard to Imagine that he was willing to give up all that wealth and stature for the birth of this nation.  I picked up some heirloom seeds from the garden to give to my friend back home.  It is the only souvenir I purchased the entire trip.  Wonderful meal with friends that evening and met another watercolor artist too!  Good times.  Back to my brushes.  

"Bad seed is a robbery of the first kind; for your pocketbook not only suffers by it, but your preparations are lost and a season passes away unimproved."  - George Washington