Allen's Brick House

Around the last of June we took a little day trip to a 17th century plantation home that has been restored beautifully.   Surry County Va. where the oldest brick home in the U.S is located.   Built in 1665 by Arthur Allen and known as "Allen's Brick House" with Jacobean architecture.  It was occupied a little while in 1676 as there was a planters revolt, by Nathaniel  Bacon's  rebels, thus the name - Bacons Fort or "Castle"..  Bacon never lived here and nowhere recorded that he ever visited here either.
Preservation of Virginia acquired Bacons castle in the 1970's at auction.



The only surviving Jacobean structure.

Not sure of when the addition on right was constructed.

Triple stacked chimneys

17th century English garden beautifully restored.  I thought I had snapped a long shot of the wall that the plantings are in front of but obviously not, dern.
Some plantings

Beans and a plant that looks to be red perilla.  I am thinking that is what it is.  I have it in my yard and has frilly leaves.  Mint family it belongs but doesn't taste a thing like mint, well to me anyway.  Tasty and I have used it in salads and sauces.  Lot of people mistake it for purple basil and some call it coleus.  Very pretty plant.

 While I am thinking about it, here is a picture of some Perilla growing in my yard.  I dry some leaves and use it in my sauces.  I like it in my spaghetti sauce. I have always eaten it. Perilla an herb. The leaf and seed are used to make medicine.

Web MD - says it's used for treating asthma, nausea, sunstroke, reduce muscle swelling etc..

Back to the  garden at the Castle

This soil has sand in it like mine does where I live, not quite this much.

Tobacco.  My Mom lived in Chase City Va. and she talked about picking off the Tobacco worms on the plants and how they would hang the leaves up in the barn to dry.  She also told me that she used to sneak out, roll a leaf and smoke one.  No, she didn't take up the habit of smoking either.

In the distance Steve taking a walk

Gotta have grape vines

Inside we go for a tour - I noticed right away I have the same door knocker.  Named Doctors door knocker. .  Georgian design. Used to identify the front doors of doctors.  Ours was on the door when we purchased our house.  I like it and will not change it.

More tomorrow of the inside.

Oh yeah,  it's haunted.  Aren't they all?  I have never been one to really believe in ghosts like some do.  I have yet to hear or see one and have been in a lot of these old structures.
Fun to read about though.

back to June

Some pretty flowers from June walk at Lewis Ginter.
I miss the Magnolia blooms.

Calla lily

those pretty Crotons on the left.  I had to purchase one at Lowes shortly afterward.

Water lily in a pot

close up of the flower

A walk through the myrtles to the garden at the house

A beautiful Oak presented to us, the citizens of Richmond Virginia, named after the English town of Richmond in England.

Little closer look at the leaf on this beautiful Oak

Porch Bloemendaal Home

I like these Lanterns and would like a smaller version for my house

This happy wreath was on sale in the gift shop

til later

Legos at Lewis Ginter

We took the girls an evening about a week ago on members night to see the lego display.  It was fun to see the animals, butterflies and flowers made from them.  Girls had a great time.  

This was just so pretty to see on the ground like this.  A show stopper for sure.

I should have put this first but anyhow, this lily is one we saw as we entered Lewis Ginter

I am looking up at this lily.  I had no idea they got this tall.

A giant Praying Mantis.  I look forward to seeing them every year and so do the girls.

Putting this together together with Legos, amazing.

Squirrels and birds - so cute!

Ducklings by the water

I used one of these while taking the woodland path.  I like the idea of this.  If you click on the picture it will enlarge to read the sign.

Beautiful Monarch

Over in the childrens area is a 100 year old Mulberry Tree that children love to climb on.. Adalyn and Genevieve are two of them.

Yes an all lego Eagle.  I am amazed and so are the girls.

They didn't want to take time out from the tree climbing to get this shot with the Eagle.

Smile girls!

We purchased a dinner there and took it to the tea house tables to eat.  Not a soul was there until someone said we had the right idea and they along with others brought their lunch here too.  It was shady and next to the water.

As we were leaving, the girls always want to roll down this hill.  They did, needless to say, a shower right away when we got home.  They both complained of itching and had dried grass on them.   They knew this but it's worth it to roll down the hill anyway.


This would have given me a head ache.  They look forward to this.  I got a feeling they will be doing it when they are 20, just for old times sake.

One thing we did miss seeing was the Hummingbird.  It was so hot and MUGGY, we decided we would save that for another visit.

Good Evening Everyone.