Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria

I just really love this place.

Walking around Mount Vernon gives me a sense of nostalgia...which is weird, because I personally have no memories there, but I can imagine that I do (doesn't that sound SO Anne Shirley). Strolling down the dirt paths and I must have told my dad a dozen times , "I think I was born in the wrong century."

There's something about the creeking old floors of the mansions combined with the musky aroma of hay and animals in the pasture that gives me an overall feeling of calm and simplicity. I'm sure life in that time was anything but easy...but simple it had to be.

There were such defined roles and responsibilities for men and women. Women took pride in their feminine calling to be homemakers, teachers, friends and mentors. Men took pride in their responsibility to provide for their families and worked hard at their craft. They believed in something greater then themselves and they fought for it. Courtesy and chivalry were an expectation not an exception. Horses were THE way of life...not A way.

The scenery at Mount Vernon was beautiful. It always is, but this time the leaves were a rich amber and soft golden yellow and the air was crisp. The animals stayed huddled together to keep warm instead of venturing to the gate to sniff the hands of passers by.

Once we had made our way around the scenic acreage, we headed back to the museum and educational center. We sat down for a quick lunch before Paul and I noticed the droopy eyes of our tuckered out girls and decided to head home while my dad stayed around to take in the rest of the museum.

On the way home, we noticed the signs for Old Town Alexandria and they poked at our curiosity. We peered back at the girls in the rearview to assess the level of exhaustion and to see if we could predict how long it would be before tempers started flailing and eventually made the decision to stop. I'm so glad we did.

Old Town is beautiful. So quaint and historic.

We grabbed some hot drinks at Starbucks and meandered up and down the old streets. Paul and I made a plan to come back one day, just the two of us, for a whole day date (anyone want to babysit?).

And an hour later, when we noticed the emotional state of our eldest becoming just a bit more irrational than usual, we made the call to pack it up and head home. The girls slept the whole way home and I gazed out the van window at all the colors in the trees flying by at 60mph. Reds, yellows, oranges and greens.

I really love where we live.