Monticello.

Good old TJ. Our third president, author of the Declaration of Independence, philosopher and that's just the beginning. Not a bad resume. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have lived in that day in age...seems to be a life full of hardships but grand rewards as well (depending who we are speaking of).

Monticello, probably one of the most beautiful historic sites in the DC area.

We had company in town that have never seen Monticello and one being a history major it was a must! So, off we went, family and friends, piled into "Driftwood" rolling three deep and headed down the road. Liz and I drew the short straw...

I love all the gadgets, clocks, etc Jefferson created. There were maps, clocks, globes, sundials, all over the plantation. This compass he had connected to the weathervane.

The sundial.

The architecture of the house evolved through Jefferson's time living there. The domes, octagon rooms were pretty unique then and still now but personal favorite is the underground rooms and passageways he had.

This is also where his brewery and wine cellar were located. He installed some sort of dumbwaiter that went from the dining room to the wine cellar so the servant didn't have to disrupt dinner they could just send the bottle up!

And the kitchen. I adore the copper pots and pans!!!

Even when the gardens are entering winter mode the plantation still maintains it's stunning landscapes.

The lighting was beautiful that afternoon, sun was shining, good company; and for that I'm thankful.