WASHINGTON, DC and MUCH MORE

 By

Minuet in G (MinnieG)

(a 1979 Argosy, made by Airstream, that can't get enough of fall leaves, our nation's capitol, and friends)

So many beautiful leaves...

So many friends...

So much to see...

How can we do it all????

Susquehanna Trail campground

$40 a night

Beautiful leaves at a nice campground

somewhere along our journey...

...and then there it was...Hersey, Penn...

Vannie and Dave had read about this place in 

their Weekly Reader in Elementary School

in Bernice, LA.

I think the Weekly Reader has come up in

our conversation before...

Well, The Reader talked about those Hersey Kisses lampposts...

Vannie just had to see if that was REALLY true.

And guess what...it was...there they were.

Just look for yourself...Hersey Kisses on the lampposts.

A Dream Come True!!!!

Western Village RV

Carlisle, Penn

$48 a night

Capitol KOA

Washington, D.C.

$74 a night

Dave's coming out of the store with his stash.

They were having a 50% off sale.

Can't miss a bargin!!!

The next morning after arriving,

V and D hit the streets.

Washington Monument

Built in honor of our 1st president,

George Washington

555feet 5 1/8 inches

Jefferson Memorial

Built to honor the Founding Fathers of the U.S.

and to Thomas Jefferson

Lincoln Memorial

Built to honor our 16th president,

Abraham Lincoln

After walking around the monuments,

V and D headed out to find the White House.

This was what they found first...just a lot of roadblocks.

They passed by the Dwight D. Eisenhower Building.

Then they rounded the corner...

and there it was...

in all it's glory.

Looks the same as it did when Vannie took her 3rd graders

to D.C. on a field trip many moons ago.

Of course, we all got to go in then...not so much now.

The home of some very special people in Vannie's life.

The Mills' Family

Vannie taught all of them in Lafayette, LA.

This is Martina's home in Silver Spring, MD (suburb of D.C.)

Martina and her husband, Chason, live here.

Chason was in California visiting family.

Martina works for Dept. of Veterans Affairs.

Jennifer Mills is a medical doctor with an office

right around the corner from the White House.

David Mills works in D.C. and St. Louis, MO.

All good strong Broadmoor Elementary Gifted Students.

Martina had prepared a yummy butternut squash soup for dinner.

...but the crème de la crème was when she stirred up... from scratch,

rice krispy treats...

Oh my goodness, we all inhaled them. 

We talked and laughed until late...

finally said our good-byes

and headed back to the campground.

Dave took this great panorama of the D.C. area as we were crossing the Potomac River.

The Washington Monument is on your left,

and the capitol is on your right.

The white specks in the water are sailboats.

Heading on down the road...

...and on...

Chester, VA

$47 a night

Some cute little town...

One of my favorite pictures...

Definitely a glamour shot!!!

Wytheville KOA, VA

$62 a night

Will be in Nashville tomorrow...

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS...WAY WAY UP THERE

 By

Minuet in G (MinnieG)

(a 1979 Argosy, made by Airstream, that would like to "ring that bell")

188 year old Paul Revere Bell

First Church of Christ Unitarian 

Lancaster, Massachusetts

This bell is securely nestled in the top most tip of the church.

It was made in 1822 by the Raul Revere Foundry.

The bell weights 1067 pounds.

Yep...The bell is WAY WAY up there in that tower.

The church was built in 1816.

It was the last building designed by 19th century

American architect Charles Bulfinch.

...and guess who got to go WAY WAY up there...

Vannie and her friend, Sara

Vannie and Dave visited Sara and her husband, Tom for several days.

They first met them at the Airstream Balloon Rally in Albuquerque, NM.

Later Sara and Tom visited Louisiana.  Vannie and Dave loved sharing the

Festival International experience with them.

Sara and Tom live in a wonderful picturesque little village...

Lancaster, MA

This picture was taken on Vannie and Sara's visit to the bell.

This was the last of the steps before arriving at the bell.

Vannie said that she would have taken more pictures

of the journey up, but she was holding on so tight

with each step, she couldn't get her phone out.

The trip up was taken one step at a time, along with

the dust, spiders, cobwebs, and whatever else was

lurking in the dark recesses of the bell tower.

Our guide, Winn Clark, had lots to tell them about the bell.

This mechanism allows the bell to ring on the hour

and half hour...without having to manually do it.  
Vannie said it reminded her of the workings of a sewing machine.

Mr. Clark said that all it needed was a little kindness and a little oil,

and it will work like a charm.

These are some of the beams inside the church tower.

Notice the numbers...making sure everything fit together just right.

Mr. Bulfinch obviously knew what he was doing

The interior of the church...

still heated by 2 wood burning stoves.

During the winter, Mr. Clark arrives at 5:30 on Sunday morning

to start the fire in the stoves.

He says it's still a bit chilly in the sanctuary

if there snow on the ground. 

Lancaster Town Hall

Thayer Memorial Library

The church, town hall, and library (along with other historical buildings)

are located on the Town Green.  

The present Green began around the late 1700's and

early 1800's by the Reverend Nathaniel Thayer.

The Green is used for concerts, picnics, and other

community events.

Sara and Tom were perfect tour guides.

The highways in the area were framed with beautiful 

hardwood trees in all their fall glory.

We headed up a nearby mountain

to check out the foliage. 

...and, it seems climbing was in order...

..another WAY WAY up there experience...

Vannie enjoying the beautiful day...

...and the magic of goldfish...

I had a perfect place to rest my tires.

Sara and Tom's house is peeking out on the right.

Vannie could not get enough of the fall colors.

She said it seemed the trees put on their Sunday best just for her.

Check this out...

Can you see me?

Sara's flower garden is a perfect place for me to hide.

Marigolds

Dahlias

s

...and she even grew pumpkins and butternut squash...

Sara made a big pot of butternut squash soup

while Vannie and Dave were visiting.

Dave said it was delightfully yummy.!!!

...and Sara hooks rugs...

Her own designs...

Exquisite Work... 

Dave...the experienced laundry man...

but he had never hung clothes on a clothesline.

He now feels complete...

Vannie said it brought back so many memories

of hanging out clothes in the backyard in Bernice, LA.

...and the smell of those clean clothes was breathtaking...

What a great visit!!!!

Thank you, Tom and Sara, for taking care of me

while Vannie and Dave went to NYC for a few days...

for taking and picking them up at the bus...

for cooking for them...

for being incredible tour guides...

and for being their "forever" friends...

...and we'll "forever" forgive you for selling your Airstream

and buying this SOB (some other brand).

Until me meet again.!!!

WAY WAY DOWN THE ROAD