Charlottesville Encore

We just can't get enough of certain spots in the South!  A few weeks ago, on our Southern Swing Road Trip, we visited Abigail's B.F.F., Joy, in Charlottesvilla, Virginia.  Unexpectedly, we were invited to a wedding back in Charlottesville, and thus we made a revisit to the Shenandoah Valley this past weekend. 

This visit provided further opportunity to explore some of the historical roots of Charlottesville, the home, of course, of Thomas Jefferson.  I'm a bit uncertain of how to describe 'TJ,' after all, on his tombstone, he asked for only three epitaphs: 'Author of the Declaration of Independence,' 'Author of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and, 'Father of the University of Virginia.'  Notably, he ignored his storied presidency (which is notable both for giving rise to Supreme Judicial Review and for the Louisiana Purchase).  We know all this, of course, because we toured the beautiful Monticello (pictures here).

Any visit to Monticello, of course, requires some discussion of the Sally Hemings controversy.  The issue, at the very least, invites discussion of the tension between Jefferson's authorship of the 'All Men are Created Equal' clause and his ownership of more than six-hundred slaves over the course of his lifetime.  Most interesting to us was the issue raised by one docent at Monticello: that as to whether the Hemings descendents have claim to membership in the Monticello Association, and thus to burial rights at the Monticello Cemetery.  As of now, only proven Jeffersonian descendents can be buried at Monticello.

Also, while down in the Souther parts, we enjoyed more of Joy's favorite vineyards: Veritas & Pollack.  And we visited a very nice Jefferson Vineyard, as well.  We may have imbibed our annual ration of Virginia's state grape, the Viognier.

Oh, and of course, there was a wedding.  It was beautiful, too!  Our warmest wishes and congratulations to Larry and Brittini!!