~ a short visit to Richmond, VA ~

Spent the last few nights in Richmond, VA

 with our daughter Hannah

walking the brick-lined & ancient cobble-stoned streets, seeing the sights...

just taking in the old-city 

and being amazed at all of the wonderful diversity she has to offer. 

We dined at a few locales, thrifted at a few dusty little shops

and then headed out on our walking tour of her neighborhood:

a.k.a. 'The Bottom' {Shockoe}

I didn't want to infringe on anyone's privacy, so I did not take photos of private homes.

But let me tell you this ~ row after row of beautifully appointed and historically known homes line the streets there, my head was spinning around like an owl's!

Our plan was to take in a few museums, then maybe head over to Hollywood Cemetery.

 but we just took our time and enjoyed each others company 

walking on those old streets and being voyeurs of those old houses.

We did however, visit the Edgar Allan Poe museum, 

...which is in walking distance from Hannah's home.

and what a loverly museum! 

a small home { ca. 1700's} is used for the entrance to the museum and gift shop,

 and walking through it & out the back door brings you to a delightful tiny courtyard surrounded by high brick walls, pathways. and a bubbling fountain ~

I made fast-friends with two resident cats

...they are brothers.

 

the shrine's statue of Poe is laden with coins, pebbles and other gifts of remembrance...

{there is a penny in Mr. Poe's right ear...very strange indeed.}

 

I tried my best to stay focused on the subjects of the tour

and not drift off to this spot...

but he was calling me.

 

the grotto that the Poe shrine is in 

was a cool respite from the day's almost 90* heat & bright sun.

my girl is a beautiful soul ~ inside and out.

 

I would love to make a courtyard here at the farm ~

complete with a bubbling fountain...

maybe in place of the kitchen garden!

 

ok, so my attention span is short.

I couldn't bear not to hold one of these big-boys...

oh, and we ducked into this to get out of the hot sun:

thought it was a phone booth at first, but....

no.

 

Perfect spot to REST in.

I drove home from Hannah's this morning, 

and once here I set to work cleaning up the kitchen garden

 {with thoughts of that courtyard in my mind}

and it's overgrown mass of sweet annie...

while I walking {always barefoot}

I tripped over a three tiered wire plant stand on the porch and busted my left heel.

~ so now I am walking with a cane. {ok, it's a walking stick I use when we go hiking}

cannot put any weight on it without shooting pain, so I think I fractured it.

ugh.

I'm just glad I didn't hurt it before the weekend 

... or I would have never been able to go to Richmond.

Now that I have to sit with this blasted foot up on a pillow on the couch for the rest of the day,

and possibly tomorrow ~

I will be perusing my sketchbooks for something new to needle punch.

{just hoping I don't need to get x-rays, not much they can do for a fractured heel anyway}

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori