Flotsam & Jetsam

Isn't that a cute car? I thought it was an old Simca, but the doors make me skeptical. I spotted it on my way to work the other day. It's like a retro version of the smart car. Note the way the front doors open.
(Update: it's a Fiat! Click here for photo evidence)

This post is just a collection of accumulated photos. Bits & pieces from here & there, like debris afloat in the sea. The next three pictures were taken on a day trip to North Carolina last Saturday to see Sheldon's brother and sister-in-law, Bill & Wanda. They live in a lovely old home in Eden, North Carolina. The house was built in 1926.

The first shot is Sheldon in front of the house, and the next photo shows Sheldon and his mom. The third picture is of Francesca, Bill & Wanda's little goat, assisting with groundskeeping.

The area containing the town of Eden was once part of a 70,000 acre estate owned by William Byrd II (who founded Richmond, Virginia, on land he inherited from his father). William Byrd II dreamed of founding a "Land of Eden" by importing Swiss Protestants to his land, but things went awry when a boatload of the settlers perished in a shipwreck off the Virginia coast. William Byrd II died in 1744, the land then passed to his son. Billy Byrd the 3rd was not interested in colonization; he liked to spend money, so he sold off his father's land piecemeal. Scotch-Irish settlers moved into the Land of Eden, and then everything went to Hell, of course.

The Land of Eden (North Carolina version) existed only in William Byrd III's mind, apparently, until 1967 when the towns of Leaksville, Spray, and Draper voted to join hands and incorporate under the new name of Eden. Today, Eden still has remnants of these original towns' distinct business districts. Bill & Wanda were gracious hosts, and drove us all around Eden showing us the sights.







Meanwhile, back in Richmond, Penzey's Spices operates a shop in Carytown. My friend Sherry & I went there earlier this month. We bought some spices and then went to World of Chocolate and Jean-Jacques Bakery. That's Sherry below, selecting some spices to take home.


Last week a couple of friends from Chicago were in town on vacation. They stayed at the Commonwealth Park, which is right across the street from Virginia's State Capitol. I snapped a few photos of the capitol grounds when I picked them up at their hotel.


Thomas Jefferson designed Virginia's Capitol. A new visitor's center opened recently, strangely embedded in Capitol Hill. Jefferson was all about symmetry. He's probably spinning in his grave when he thinks about the new visitor's center.


Thus always to tyrants...we'll step on you and knock your crown off your head.




You can get a glimpse of the Bell Tower in this photograph.


This view is looking south from Capitol Hill.


After I picked up Lauren & Andy from their hotel, we went to dinner at Bacchus, and then took a walk along Monument Avenue to walk off a few calories. I took a picture of them in front of Robert E. Lee's monument. It was a pleasant evening, and we were adopted by a cat who accompanied us for several blocks until we got back to the car. She was happy, well-fed, and wore a collar, so we concluded that she was just being a good Virginia hostess.