Christmas 2011 at Mt. Vernon

Going out to Mt. Vernon in the fall has become one of our mini-family traditions. It’s one of Henry’s favorite places in DC, which is a little weird because he has absolutely no interest in going inside the house. He always wants to walk around the vegetable plots in the Upper and Lower Gardens, read the reproductions of the farming notes George would leave his gardeners, and sit on the back lawn overlooking the Potomac. Maybe he’s not that much of a city boy after all. And there are lots of pumpkin patches Lucy can pretend to be Linus in.

cruising George’s gardens with Daddy

Thanks to the Nats President’s Race and her explorations of Lafayette Park across from the White House, Lucy is super-interested in presidents, which made this visit even more fun. Her favorite president seems to go back and forth between George, Tom [Jefferson] and Abama. One of her favorite bedtime stories is one her Dad tells about a little girl named Lucy who wins a science fair and does so well that President Abama asks her to go into space because he needs someone who is small enough to do very delicate space experiments yet is excellent at science. Then when she completes her mission there is a parade in her honor and the President asks her to be Vice President for Science Education, and she says yes but only after asking her Mommy first if it’s OK. She was super-excited to meet George’s family.

Hi Martha!

George’s family are my friends.

There are also lots of paddocks with animal shelters and sheds around the grounds. This Christmas, we were able to meet Aladdin, this year’s Christmas Camel. Apparently George was a huge fan of camels and he paid 18 shillings in 1787 for a camel to be brought to Mt. Vernon so his holiday guests could see it. In the spirit of the Nativity, I guess.

sheep spotting

closeup of Aladdin’s curlies

admiring Aladdin (from afar)

Aladdin in ornament form

And it wouldn’t be Mt. Vernon in December without Christmas decorations.

I love her.