THE CHEROKEE ROSE

These photos were taken in April 2025, when my niece visited with her partner and his daughter. I have shared a lot from their visit, as many of my regular blogging friends have seen. Today I am sharing this pretty flower taken in Williamsburg on our way back home, after visiting family in North Carolina.

It is called the Cherokee Rose, botanical name Rosa laevigata. You can find information from the link I have provided if you click on its name above. There I read that it "is a woody, deciduous, sprawling shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae), that is native to central and southern China to Vietnam and Taiwan. It was brought to the United States during colonial times and cultivated by the Cherokee." It is described as taking a lot of time and effort to cultivate these. "It is a fast-growing vine that will reach from 15 to 33 feet tall, and scramble over shrubs and trees for support."

"Plant in full sun to partial shade and moist soil. Water deeply and regularly, with a summer application of mulch helps retain moisture. Pruning should take place in the late winter."

It has a sad origin of its name and relates to the Trail of Tears. I won't add any more here but have added links in this paragraph for anyone who is curious about its history. The Legend of the Cherokee Rose can be found here. 

"The canes have numerous hooked prickles, glossy dark green leaves and showy, fragrant 2-4 inch single white flowers with yellow stamens that attract butterflies. Rose hips will follow." 

More information can be read if you click on its name in my second paragraph. Alternatively, you can do your own search. There is lots of information out there.

LAST OF MY PHOTOS FROM COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG - OUR OCTOBER TRIP

I am starting off with the Governor's Palace.  We didn't get off the main street this time.  No photos closer up, except for the one I cropped below.  

The Governor's Palace was the official residence for the royal governors of colonial Virginia during much of the 18th century.  It was constructed in 1706-1722 and housed seven royal governors and two post-colonial governors, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson. The house served as a hospital for American soldiers during the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, and was destroyed by fire later that year.  (I couldn't find out what caused the fire.)  The site ended up in the possession of The College of William and Mary, which erected two school buildings near where the Palace once stood.  The property was purchased by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1928.  In 1930 archaeologist from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation excavated the site and uncovered the original foundation. The entire palace was reconstructed in 1934, and it opened to the public as part of Colonial Williamsburg on April 23, 1934. Originally decorated with inaccurate Colonial Revival style antiques, the interior was refurnished in 1981 with pieces better representing the Palace’s 18th century décor. Additional changes were made in 2006 to reflect the Palace’s appearance during the residency of Lord Dunmore. Today the Governor’s Palace is a part of Colonial Williamsburg.  You can purchase a ticket which will include most buildings (not the ones privately owned obviously) in Colonial Williamsburg.  You can take a self-guided tour of the Governor’s Palace, information of rates and times can be found at the visitor center at this link.

Queen Elizabeth II visited Williamsburg and Yorktown in 1957 and 2007, which you can read about here.  Winston Churchill before her in 1946.  There is a website at this link with old photos of other notables.  You have to scroll down to see, but the information is an interesting read also.

Carriage rides seem to be very popular, though I have never taken one in all the years we have been visiting.  We have just enjoyed walking around but maybe one day we will take a ride.

The history the Duke of Gloucester Street can be found here.  

It said that the street began as a narrow trace.  I assumed 'trace' was the same as a trail (with other meanings), and the definition of 'trace' in this instance means a path, trail or road made by the passage of animals, people or vehicles.

The Courthouse was constructed from 1770 to 1771.  As Clerk of Courts, it fell to Benjamin Waller to read aloud the Declaration of Independence here on July 25th, 1776, after it arrived from Philadelphia.

The old stocks were not in use for photo ops.  There was a sign explaining why, and I read online that they are perhaps getting too old for safe use.  

The Duke of Gloucester Street is lined with these lovely colonial homes.  A few are privately owned, so make sure you are not having a looky-loo in someone's garden before checking to see if there is a sign out front.  I am not saying the building below is one of those homes, I don't know. It's good to check though.

Next is the Greenhow Store which "offers a variety of colonial items similar to those sold by Mr. Greenhow in the 18th century, including wrought iron, willow baskets, fabrics, tinware and porcelain."  

John Greenhow came from High House near Kendal in England, and settled in Williamsburg, America.  The emigrant ancestor of the Greenhows in America was a prosperous merchant of Williamsburg, carrying quality merchandise and fine teas.  He was active in the commercial and social life of Williamsburg for more than a third of a century.

Next is the home of Catherine Blaikely, explanation in the photo below this one.

There is a fascinating podcast about being a midwife in colonial times, not for everyone I know but its more historical than anything else.  You can listen to it at this link.

Next you can see another building with a ladder on the roof, which is there in case of fire.  It is the Hartwell Perry Ordinary.  Hartwell Perry was the gentleman proprietor.  An Ordinary was similar to a tavern or inn but was usually less elegant.  

The sign outside is a rebus based on his name (rebus is defined as a representation of words or syllables by pictures of objects or by symbols whose names resemble the intended words or syllables in sound.  Also, a riddle made up of such pictures or symbols). Now when I go back, I will be looking at all the signs hanging by these shops, trying to figure them all out.  For this 'rebus', someone explained that a male deer is known as 'hart', the 'well' is another part of his name).  Perry (as in his last name) is a drink made from pears.  I found a blog that shows how Perry is made if you'd like to take a look.  You can see it here.  

My research takes me all over the place.  And to repeat something I have perhaps shared before, my parents always said, "She was always a very curious child."  I am not sure that was meant to be said as a good thing or a bad thing, hehehe!  They loved me, that's all that counts.

Also, Gregg made a good point, that many people in those days were not taught to read, and the signs would point them in the right direction.

The last two photos I took I was near Merchant Square, and looking at a sign in the flower bed.  At the bottom it thanks us for giving the Ground wasps their space, and a short explanation of how they protect our deciduous trees.  At this link you can read more about them, but here are a few facts:

Solitary wasps are common beneficial insects in landscapes * they hunt and capture other insects or spiders to feed their young * they are not aggressive toward people and rarely sting * Solitary wasps should be tolerated and ignored whenever possible.

And, if you enlarge the sign below, you will read that they are Cicada killers and protect deciduous trees from leaf damaged caused by Cicadas.

I found two interesting articles, the first of a blogger on a walking tour around Williamsburg.  You will find it here.  Also, a gentleman who is one of those in costume, was interviewed here.  

That's about all for now, and the 'curious child' is going to give you all a break.  This will be the last of my photos from Colonial Williamsburg, until we can go next time.  We are hoping to see it all decorated for the holidays before the end of the year.  Fingers crossed!

Have a great weekend everyone. 

CONTINUING OUR WALK AROUND WILLIAMSBURG ON 10-21-22

I have enjoyed looking up a few of the homes in the town.  This is the Bowden-Armistead House, a three-story Greek Revival surrounded by black wrought-iron fencing.  (There is a good explanation of what Greek Revival is at The Spruce.)  It is an antebellum relic, the last remnant of the post-colonial homes and businesses present before the 1930s restoration of Williamsburg was finished.  I also looked up 'antebellum'.  It is defined as "Occurring or existing before a particular war, especially the American Civil War."

The Bowden-Armistead house is privately owned so is not open to the public.  I noticed a few privately owned homes along the road.  I was surprised and wondered how many tourists had walked through their gates without reading the sign.  This one was built in 1858 by prominent lawyer Lemuel J. Bowden, and the locals were astonished at the cost, which was more than $10,000.  It is located on Williamsburg's main street.

I loved the old wrought iron fencing.

Stepping right back into the past with all its history.  There is more information at this website.

You will find several people walking around town or at the entrances of some of the old stores, dressed in colonial garb.  They must have been asked a thousand times for a photo, but they are always gracious and speak as if they were actually from colonial times.

On one of our trips here many years ago, I remember a colonial gentleman with a lovely smile,  nodding his head as he touched his hat to say, "Good day to you Mistress."  I could get used to that!

Old-world charm at its best, very gracious indeed, and they do the town proud. 

The leaves put on a gorgeous display of Fall, and the weather was incredible!

Here is a poem from Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

"Go sit upon the lofty hill, 

And turn your eyes around,

Where waving woods and waters wild

Do hymn an autumn sound. The summer sun is faint on them

The summer flowers depart

Sit still - as all transform'd to stone,

Except your musing heart."

That's the end of my post today.  There will be more as soon as I can put another post together.

Have a great day and...

WILLIAMSBURG - IS IT A DOG FRIENDLY PLACE?

The answer would be yes!  One of the many things I enjoy about Williamsburg is that I can always count on seeing dogs being taken for walks around town.  I managed to get photos of a few of them.  The only dog I had a chance to be introduced to by their human was Mackenzie Rose.  She was adorable!  

Everyone else was busy getting somewhere.

These were across the street.

“Old dogs, like old shoes, are comfortable. They might be a bit out of shape and a little worn around the edges, but they fit well.”  

~Bonnie Wilcox~

“No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as much as the dog does.”  

~Christopher Morley~

And these two were out of there. Those little legs were moving very fast, and they were chuffing along like a steam engine going uphill. Perhaps they will be back?

Thanks for looking and enjoy your day.

LONG WEEKEND IN WILLIAMSBURG - BRUTON PARISH CHURCH IN COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA

 Gregg and I were in Williamsburg from Thursday to Sunday.  We were there to join in the celebration of a nephew getting married.  The Bride and Groom had glorious weather and it was a wonderful gathering of family and friends. 

Not wanting to drive up on the same day as the wedding rehearsal, we left 24 hours earlier and was able to enjoy a leisurely walk around Colonial Williamsburg.  It has always been one of our favorite places.  We have taken many people who visited, from both sides of our family, friends also, all of whom enjoyed it tremendously.  Most of Gregg's immediate family have lived not so far away since the 60s. I have been coming here off and on since we were married, as we only lived an hour's drive away for several years. Even now it is only a short three-hour drive.

I saw the above artwork on the wall of one of the gift shops. I thought it was delightful!

The painting shows part of The Bruton Parish Church, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 as a well-preserved early example of colonial religious architecture.  

The church was named after Bruton in the County of Somerset, England.  The name honored the prominent Ludwell family and Governor Sir William Berkeley whose ancestral homes were from Bruton.  It traces its roots back to both the Church of England and the new settlement of the Colony of Virginia at Jamestown in the early 17th century.

There is a lot of history at this website also.  It says it was the first Anglican church built in 1660, and its first rector was Reverend Rowland Jones.

In 1761, merchant James Tarpley presented the church with a bell. Bids for a steeple or belfry to house the bell were let on January 1, 1769. The vestry awarded a £410 contract for a brick tower surmounted by a wooden octagon and for miscellaneous repairs, to Benjamin Powell that September 14. The addition can be seen from outside the church, as the steeple bricks have a darker color than the salmon-hued bricks of the rest of the church. Tarpley's bell is still in use.

From this website, I read that among the Williamsburg notables buried beneath the marble flagstones inside the church was Governor Francis Fauquier, one of the best loved of the colonial governors, who died in 1768. 

The same year an English organ was installed. Gaolkeeper Peter Pelham was hired to play it for £25 a year, a position he held until about 1802. Pelham brought to church with him a prisoner from the Gaol, whose job it was to pump the instrument. The organ remained in service until 1835. The present organ, the church's fourth, was presented by John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1954.

There is a lot more interesting history at the links provided above.  I will have more posts of our time in Williamsburg when I can put them together.