We visited Montpelier, the home of President James Madison, today. We didn't tour the house. Instead, we strolled the grounds -- including a restored garden -- and we walked through a forest on the property. Called "the Landmark Forest" (and also known as an "old growth forest"), this wooded area supposedly contains no invasive species. Of course, the forest is not exactly like the one that James & Dolly Madison would have roamed through because we have lost trees to blights over time. There are no chestnut trees, and I'm not sure I saw any evidence of hemlocks other than rotting stumps of ancient fallen trees.
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| By Emily Dickinson: Four Trees – upon a solitary Acre – Without Design Or Order, or Apparent Action – Maintain – The Sun – upon a Morning meets them – The Wind – No nearer Neighbor – have they – But God – The Acre gives them – Place – They – Him – Attention of Passer by – Of Shadow, or of Squirrel, haply – Or Boy – What Deed is Theirs unto the General Nature – What Plan They severally – retard – or further – Unknown – | Above: Bark from four trees in the old growth forest. The bark on the far right is from the tree pictured below:  |
Below: James & Dolly Madison's Montpelier
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Below: Miscellaneous shots from Montpelier's gardens. NOTE: Slide shows don't always work on Androids, so the pictures below are best viewed on a laptop, an iPhone, or an iPad.
Below left and right: Madison's grave and pictures from the family cemetery.
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Below: Miscellaneous shots from our walk in Montpelier's old growth forest.
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