Maple Hall ~ Rockbridge Country, VA

A Happy Mariage ~ Years of Happiness

This gorgeous old home has a special meaning to me and my family, for this is where my daughter ~ now 52 ~ had her wedding reception in the garden area off to the right. It is also where I helped her dress for the last time before she and her husband left to fly off for their honeymoon in Ireland. She wore a baby blue with white polka dotted dress and threw her bouquet from the first balcony which is lots higher than it appears in my picture. I can remember it as if it happened yesterday. It was such a happy day.

“Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years.”

~ Simone Signoret

Maple Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places

 To read more about it and its interesting history, go to the following site:

http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Rockbridge/081-0041_Maple_Hall_1987_Final_Nomination.pdf
It is on the National Register of Historic Places

A Variety of Scenes from Rockbridge County

Skywatch Friday

The hale bales and old fence gate behind Highland Belle...my old school.
There were contrails all over the sky going whichaway and that way
but I was unable to get good pictures of them. The sun was blaring down in my eyes, and I did not know where to do to get away from it.

VA Department of Transportation Rock Pile
The crews have already started stockpiling gravel and rock for our icy roads.
and salt for the snowy icey roads that are coming down the pile.

It was such a gorgeous day last week with unusually blue skies blue.

 This shot was taken from the rock pile looking towards the west.

I still love seeing and shooting his tree after many years. 
It is beautiful all year long, and it has become my friend.

Weekend in Black and White

 This is a single rock from the big pile. 

I thought it was so pretty.

 The DMV road rock pile located behind my old Highland  Belle Middle School.

The road crews are stockpiling getting ready for the icey winter roads.

Good Friday Fences
and
Shadow Shot Sunday 2

The buildings of Maple Hall can be seen in the background.

Here are two views of the entrance to maple hall taken about 5:00 in the afternoon on my way home from substituting all day. When I saw the fencing and the shadows with the light as it was, I just had to stop. I adore these old buildings and a trying to learn about each one’s heritage.

Next week I will share with you photos of the actual Maple Hall
which dates back to 1850. My daughter’s wedding reception was held there twenty-five years ago. 


“I love nature.
I love the landscape, because it is so sincere.
It never cheats me.
It never jests.
It is cheerfully, earnest and honest.
~Henry D. Thoreau
~ 10 November 1850

I wish all of you a fun filled, food filled, family filled, 
and love filled  Thanksgiving this 2015.

This post is linked with:

Good Fences

Skywatch Friday

Weekend in Black and White

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

R.E.Lee Episcopal Church ~ Lexington, VA

I am totally fascinated by the beautiful church steeples in Lexington and the Rockbridge County area. This is my first in a series of posts devoted to these steeples. I chose R.E.Lee Episcopal Church because that is were we have gone to church for years and where my daughter was married. It is adjacent to Washington and Lee University here in Lexington.

Click on the mosaics to enlarge

Robert E. Lee Episcopal Church

Lexington, Virginia

Established in the mid-nineteenth century as Grace Church, and renamed after his death to honor Robert E. Lee who served as Senior Warden. My daughter was married in this church.


Just for fun I wanted to scan a few of the old wedding photos, but it turned out to be a disaster. PSE9 says I have to buy multiple licenses to add it to the new iMac, so there was no way to clean them up. I refuse to pay Adobe anymore money. They are such a pain to deal with and are often very rude. I could not figure out for to scan the old photos on my Canon copier and get the scans onto a thumb stick so here is what you get...poorly taken photos of the originals. Not good, but it does show a bit of the stained glass and of the family.I found a gorgeous photo of the church on Flickr, but it said that all rights were reserved...and that meant to me...DO NOT USE! I respect people’s wishes that others do not use their photos without permission.

August 15, 1987

Mattie’s two year younger brother, Ridgley, is the third boy to her right..

Her youngest brother, Gene, is next to her on the left.

This was taken of the two of us in the vestry room after she had taken her hair out of rollers and was ready to put on her dress. I wore a traditional yellow linen short sleeved suit, and we both wore family pearls. Trust me...I was not 72 years of age in this photo!!!!!

Here are Mattie with Ridge at the reception. There were yellow and white awnings everywhere, divine food, lots of fun and music, and probably 150 of Mattie and Andy’s friends from the University of Virginia and Washington and Lee University Law School. They certainly had a good time*!*!*!*!*!*! The festivities were held at Maple Hall, one of the 3 historical country inns in Rockbridge County.

Mattie threw her bouquet from the upper balcony with all of their friends and family gathered. Her best friend and maid of honor caught it! A happy ending to a happy day.

John B. Gibson built Maple Hall in 1850 to support his growing family.It became known as Maple Hall at the Maple Hill Plantation. Three decades ago, the Peter Meredith Family bought the home from Mr. Gibson's descendants and worked to fully restore the mansion. In 1985 Maple Hall became the third and final Historic Country Inn of Lexington.

This post is linked with Mosaic Monday