On a beautiful day in late April the kids and I went with some friends to Monticello (which means ‘little mountain in Italian), the home of Thomas Jefferson.  Here the kids are overlooking the grounds gardens, and sitting on some grounds ruins.  We spent the entire day walking the grounds and even got to enjoy the house tour.  Well, Beth had to remove the two youngest ones half way through, but the older ones stayed and enjoyed the entire house!  The favorite room— the dining room, which was set up for 7pm tea and dessert!

This was a very cool sugar maple tree on the grounds to the cemetery.  The kids learned why there were so many ants on and around the tree— hint is in the type of tree it is!

The ruins of this old chimney are being held up by cables.  When you see how high up we are, you know why these are needed!! 

A side line nature study takes place looking at tent caterpillars nesting in a tree on the property. 

Thomas Jefferson’s Grave

His stone marks the things he thought he should be most remembered for.  Interestingly, one of them NOT mentioned is being President of the USA! 

He died on July 4th.

 

Time for a cool off under the shade of a tree in the grove, where Thomas Jefferson took to eating some meals and reading books.  That was one of his favorite things to do.  There are many books in the house that are his own original books!

Overlooking the lawn out the back of the house, the kids imagined what it was like to be one of Thomas Jefferson’s grandkids who got to play in this great place for a number of years.  The gardens were full of tulips!

The kids probably most enjoyed the fish pond...until they understood that was where the fish were ‘stored’ until it was time for them to be on the plate!  They also enjoyed watching more toad spring time antics! 

Things we didn’t know before:

He was good at making clocks, and had a very extensive collection of clocks

He was a kind and generous man

He started the University of Virginia

His father and grandfather owned the surrounding mountain tops, and when they passed Jefferson owned them all.

He had almost 600 slaves and owned over 5,000 acres

Monticello means ‘little mountain’ in Italian

He wrote the Declaration of Independence.

He died on July 4th, the same day as John Q. Adams 1826

They ate two meals a day, breakfast and dinner at 4pm.  Tea was served as dessert around 7pm

He was fluent in five languages, and often read books in their original language