Hermione at Yorktown

Quite by chance we arrived at the beach to see Lafayette's stately French frigate leave the dock. It's canon boomed and it's sails wafted as it headed up the Chesapeake Bay to Mount Vernon.

We swam and did the Delly with the Y but they had no flounder... It had been a busy weekend of Revolutionary War celebrations.

Finished with B&J's ice cream as is tradition

Trip 3. Shirley Plantation

Well this had it all for entrances... sweet smelling cotton fields and vineyards, once tabacco,  horses penned behind white picket fences, a tree-lined drive, a circular (!) dovecote, freshly mown lawns, an ice house, giant magnolias and a splendid river view - that now includes the Honeywell Plant on the far bank - one of the world’s largest producers of caprolactam, used in nylon polymer for carpet, plastics and films.

It was peaceful and had been lived in by the family for 11 generations, including a Danish granny who needlepointed the dining room chairs in the 1970s, just like mine did; a female slave abolitionist, confederate politics yet gave safe harbor to wounded Union soldiers and of course their was the original English 'Shirley', the first Governor's wife, who never saw the plantation.

Williamsburg Specials

In the stocks for the first time... though the rest were familiar joys - Mr Bob's carriage ride and brick-making with wholesome youth.

Plus today three children's Pipes and Drums bands were marching through, one from Michigan, with penny whistles, 10lbs of wool uniform each and beautifully painted drums -Yanky Doodle rang out as they took over the Governor's Green.

The Gardens, Williamsburg

We bought an annual pass and gained access to the Governor's Garden and it was magic. The cottage gardens weren't skipped though... our little bit of England over here.

Hollywood Cemetery, Oregon Hill

A friend's birthday stroll amongst the gravestones and sculptures of the Hollywood Cemetery, alongside a few Republicans in pick-ups cruising Confederate graves. Plus a morning picnic overlooking the roaring James River, all in bright spring sunshine with the magnolia about to burst out.

Colonial Williamsburg again...

The chores were completed and for 20 stars the girls earned a carriage ride... plus the dishwasher got emptied and the laundry sorted!

We wanted Mr Bob and his steeds, Captain and Ranger but instead got Mistress Kate, with Thomas and Jeremiah. We went off-road and the girls were bemused - they wanted the proper tour down the streets.

Thankfully we spotted Mr Bob in the blue carriage and waved wildly and then met the stage-coach 'driver' under one of Williamsburg's speciman trees - a Compton Oak - whilst we picnicked. We'll go communal with him next time... It's a longer ride and the girls love meeting crazy tourists who hold our accents responsible for colonisation.

More Colonial Williamsburg

An unplanned afternoon - this one had to have an open aspect and be something that the workers had missed out on. J's favourite memory were noble steeds Ranger and Captain, so we got on the 64 to Colonial Williamsburg... It was humid and full of Sunday tourists but they fell away as the girls climbed up giant trees and then crossed wooden bridges and slipped down to paddle in a little streams.

They gathered daisies a little to enthusiastically, so we headed off on a shady path to the brickyard. They were stomping down the clay pits ready for firing for the future repair of a 17th century church tower in Jamestown. M remained on task long after everyone else. We dunked her in a barrel of water and headed for home. Detouring into a familiar cottage garden with fabulous borders and a bull over the fence.

Captain & Ranger's horseman was on duty and greeted the 'Little Colonials', before they contentedly got back in our wagon chomping on classy crisps and negotiationg in-car music choices.

Colonial Williamsburg

The Union Jack is flying, the cottage gardens are beginning to bloom with tulips and one day soon - wisteria, plus there are wooden bridges across little streams and horse & carts, or rather carriages.

We boarded the Queen's coach and were taken nobly around by Mr Bob and Captain & Ranger. So civilised! The sun beat down a little harder by lunchtime so we picnicked under an expansive notable tree of Virginia and gently strolled on the shady side of the street. J had even got in a bit of watering-can training from a '1770s' gardener.

Even more Yorktown

We saw three (actually two) ships come sailing by... and the bridge swung open.

It was super, sunny, gorgeous and we pottered by the beach, caught jellyfish who stung themselves into a stupor, did the Delly with the Y, got a tram ride with a dash of history (seriously, it was French & Americans vs Brits in 1781- Oh boy, these things can pass a girl by) and found downed bamboo for a horse jumping and races.

Agecroft Hall and Virginia House, Windsor Farms

T'is the place to hear terrible accents...  It be a blend of ye olde English and Irishish. Volunteer wenches introduced medicinal garden herbs and brewing with hops and barley. The pies weren't real, neither was the wattle and daub (concrete!), however the river view, grassy maze and cottage gardens were very real and rather splendid.

Agecroft Hall was transported from Salford, apparently in Lincolnshire, by local shipping line owner Mr TC Williams Jr, to five minutes from our front door. Virginia House next door was a more charming, earlier stone concoction, though the statuary was in rather poor taste, not to the kids however.

Thanksgiving turkey

If you're living the American dream then there's got to be turkey at Thanksgiving and it's got to be done according to Alton Brown. So there was the brining... and then the speedy cycle to the shop at 4pm on the given day for a thermometer and finally the roasting... to the desired 161F for the breast meat and voila, the perfect meal for three, plus the man with the Tofurkey!


All was peaceful and quiet down the street.

More Yorktown, Chesapeake Bay

'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!' The Brits got to hit the beach midweek with enough clobber to set up shop - Barbies and buckets being essentials, of course.

Downtown canal tour

The plan was to go downtown and get a cup of coffee. We parked at the familiar Tredegar but walked towards downtown, across Brown's Island and discovered not-only a restored canal towpath walk, but a boat trip!

So we glided through business and ex-industrial areas with active rail and road fly-over-intersections and culminating in a disused 1930s see-saw rail-drawbridge.

We also tried and liked a new cafe; The Urban Farmhouse where M had minestrone soup and I had a cheese and tomato toasted sandwich.

It felt like a whole other town.

Yorktown, Chesapeake Bay, VA

We've twice driven past Yorktown while complaining about the two hour drive to the coast at Virginia Beach.

On the hottest day so far this year we decided to try this tiny estuary resort recently rebuilt after serious hurricane damage, and 230 years after serious battle damage. The British were a little less welcome at that time.

We all paddled (waded) and swam in the slightly murky York river, made sand angels and enjoyed the sunshine. Note to self: slightly saggy English-pale men need sun screen.

Both girls confidently strode into the water. M attempted swimming and even dispensed with the arm-bands.

We also enjoyed comforting diner food at the River Rooms in the Duke of York Motel and stopped to show our respects, on Memorial Day, at The Yorktown Victory Monument.

Carrot Tree Kitchens, Jamestown near Williamsburg VA

A great luncheon on the road with a colonial twist, thanks to the historically significant location. On the menu was the Colonial Gardners' burger with an awesome sun-dried tomato mayonnaise; Spinach Artichoke Dip, allegedly made famous during surrender negotiations when commissioners agreed to combine French artichokes with British spinach and its namesake 'carrot' cake cupcakes.

Carrot Tree Kitchens