Poplar Forest

It looks like a little Monticello. And it should, since it was a Thomas Jefferson home. We went to see it while visiting our family in Lynchburg. It's only fifteen minutes away and something I had heard about for quite some time. It is being restored to its' original structure after being actually inhabited by various families in to the 1980's. it's hard to imagine modern living in a place like this - rather isolated and historical at the same time.  But the suburban neighborhoods are creeping up around it. There were a few other visitors there when we arrived for a 4 PM tour - including three young men from Germany. I wondered what they thought of it all. The house has no furnishings - just the basic structure. If it wasn't connected to Thomas Jefferson it would probably be long gone. But his style was obvious in spite of it all and very Virginian in appearance. And nestled in among the Blue Ridge Mountains it is a very peaceful place - something my husband would never endure! It was a nice little getaway - something we haven't done for quite some time. 

"Out of the Ashes" - Thomas Jefferson Exhibit

My walk yesterday took me to the 200 year old collection of Thomas Jefferson books. They are housed in the Library of Congress Jefferson Building. Just outside the collection is a new little exhibit "Out of the Ashes" that has several documents describing the background and history of  it. Only 2,000 of the original 6,400 volumes remain due to not one, but two fires. Having also been to Monticello several times one can only imagine how these books got transferred here to DC from Virginia by wagon. The theme of the Library's book festival this year reflects the feelings of Mr. Jefferson and this anniversary - "I can't live without my books!" Things have changed a lot since his time, but the desire to learn and be surrounded by subject matter on just about every topic is mesmerizing for the time. This collection became the Library, and it is admired by anyone who steps in to it. 

Library of Congress Gift Shop Items - a Futuristic Display?

During my afternoon stroll along the Madison Building corridors It is not unusual to come across new displays and events. I saw Danny Kaye's daughter by his exhibit, have run in to the Librarian of Congress, and seen lines waiting for annual flu shots. In the lobby are bunches of hydrangeas for the spring and Easter season and chrysanthemums in winter at Christmastime. There was a new display being erected last week. When I went to check it out, it was a display of items that are available in the gift shop. I was expecting something a little different, but it's probably not a bad idea since the gift shop is located in the Jefferson Building across the street. The one item that caught my attention was the birdhouse made with a book roof.  I know it is probably odd and unpopular to say, but I'm just not in to hard cover or paperback books anymore. My 90 year old mother buys her books and downloads them on her iPad. Our household has only a few books in the house - everything else is digital. We left a house full if books in Milwaukee when we moved. I'm glad we did. I suppose it is appropriate that they really do belong in display cases - because it just seems so old fashioned to me.