Pollinator Palace, Williamsburg Botanical Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia

The pollinator palace is a win/win effort. Built of clay pots, bottles, bricks with holes, plastic pipes, and pallets, the recycling effort is placed in the garden providing a nearby place for the garden pollinators and garden friendly critters to nest and rest.

Market Chef, Yorktown, Virginia

Visitors to farmers' markets expect fresh produce. At Yorktown, they get yummy offerings from talented chefs too.

Governor's Palace Entry, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

 

The Governor spared no effort in impressing upon visitors to the Palace the power behind his rule of the king's colony.

Summer Stroll, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Cool summer clothing makes for comfortable stroll despite the summer heat.

Ebb And Flow, Jamestown Island, Williamsburg, Virginia

 

The ebb and flow of the tide in the James River makes this spot beautiful and unpredictable. The "Island Drive" on Jamestown Island provides a three or five mile drive, ride, walk or run through the woods and over the marshes. The site in the photo is "Black Point" at which you can leave the paved road and walk to the river's edge. Depending on the tide, you will have a large or small beach to navigate. This is about the midway of the tides. Eagles, osprey, deer, turkey and other residents are often seen on the drive.

Beauty In Simplicity, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

 

This simple shelf beautifully displays plants offered for sale by the Colonial Williamsburg Nursery. 

Beach Butterfly, Williamsburg, Virginia

While visiting one of the local beaches, we found this beauty sunning herself. Everyone likes a beach vacation.

Living Shelter, Williamsburg Botanical Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia

This shelter at the Williamsburg Botanical Gardens features a "living" roof. Rather than employ typical shingles, it features a dirt covered eco-friendly roof growing a variety plants for the enjoyment of human and animal visitors alike.

Chocolate Cravings, Merchants Square Farmers Market, Williamsburg, Virginia

The farmers market at Merchants Square provides a number of offerings. A costumed employee of Colonial Williamsburg and modern woman each satisfied their early morning chocolate craving.

Broom Corn, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

 

This patch of broom corn dwarfs the merchandise tent in the nursery at Colonial Williamsburg. A variety of sorghum, it has been used to make brooms since at least the Dark Ages.

Believe It Or Not, Williamsburg, Virginia

Ripley's mobile advertisement, believe it or not.

Go Ape, Freedom Park, Williamsburg, Virginia

 

 

Freedom Park offers a variety of hiking and biking trails along with Go Ape; a climbing course high in the trees and featuring a zip line. Great fun for the not so faint of heart. 

Butterfly Bench, Williamsburg Botanical Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia

A butterfly bench nestled in the butterfly garden of the Williamsburg Botanical Gardens seems quite appropriate. This section of the garden includes plants attractive to butterflies. It creates a colorful backdrop for the delicate Swallowtails and other species that stop for a snack and put on a show.

No Idle Hands, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

 

 

This young colonial woman threads her needle so she can needlepoint between waiting on customers and her other duties at the nursery shop in Colonial Williamsburg. No idle hands here.

Oh Deer, Williamsburg, Virginia

Deer abound in the Williamsburg area. This beauty lives in the woods along the Colonial Parkway. Many are so used to cars and people going by that they break from eating momentarily, if at all, as they pass. This one graciously posed long enough for this shot.

Nature's Way, Williamsburg, Virginia

Nature finds a way to take care of its own, in this case by providing a wonderful shade tree for two beautiful horses in need of a respite from the summer sun.

Second Season, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

 

The extended growing season in this part of Virginia allows gardeners to grow and harvest well into the fall and early winter months; longer if they have cold-frames. This photo show young plants sprouting next to more mature plants to the left and newer plantings under the bell jars.

Beautiful Glasshouse Hand-Blown Products, Jamestown Island, Virginia

A few days ago, we featured a photo of the glasshouse on Jamestown Island; an attempt to make money in the new colony in the 1600's.  These are some of the beautiful results of the artisans who work there today, demonstrating the craft.

Red Dragonfly, Williamsburg, Virginia

While hiking along one of the local waterways, we came across this bright red dragonfly. Actually, they were everywhere but this sat still long enough for us to get a close up.

A Gorgeous Garden, Williamsburg, Virginia

 

This gorgeous garden is full of lush vegetation, towering blooms, and the shade of a crepe myrtle tree.

Recycled Mailbox, Eco-Discovery Park, Williamsburg, Virginia

The Eco-Discovery park, adjacent to Jamestown Settlement, provide eco-friendly activities for visitors. This is their mailbox, so you know they are fun to hang out with.

Glasshouse, Jamestown Island, Williamsburg, Virginia

The Virginia Company settlers who arrived in 1607 were tasked to find ways to establish money-making industries for the investors. In 1608, German and Polish artisans arrived to set up a glasshouse. This is the replica of that facility, which produces a number of blown glass items for sale. We will feature some of them in an upcoming post.

The Morning Commute, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

 

This young lady heads off on her morning commute to work with the long, early morning shadows at her back and her neighbor's wares already on display for would be customers. Many of the employees at Colonial Williamsburg live in the colonial houses not used for public exhibition, making the commute a little easier.

Farmers Markets, Williamsburg, Virginia

Farmers Markets abound in the area and usually draw a steady clientele interested in meats, produce, cheeses, candies, pies, seafood, flowers and more. They are a cacophony of colors and aromas.

Summer Stroll, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

A few cooler days, with temperatures dipping into the low eighties, brought forth a number of folks visiting up and down the street. These three young ladies practiced their social skills the length of Duke of Gloucester Street.

Sheepish Grin, Williamsburg, Virginia

This wooly resident took a break from munching the succulent grass in his pasture to give us an incredibly sheepish grin about the attention we paid him.

Incognito, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Colonial Williamsburg is no stranger to celebrity visitors. Some travel incognito. This could be one hiding behind the dark glasses.

Famous Horses, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Horses grazing in a small, in-town pasture is not an uncommon sight in Colonial Williamsburg, As we took the photo, a very pleasant lady told us these are Captain and Ranger, Belgian crosses, and they have a claim to fame. In addition to the thousands of tourists they have escorted on carriage rides, they also pulled the Queen of England during her 2007 visit for the Jamestown 400th anniversary celebration and actress, Betty White, when she visited in 2011.

Colorful Walkabout, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

This lady embarked on a walkabout the colonial district with walking stick in hand.

The Well Path, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Every house needs a well and this lattice-covered version is surrounded by lovely hedges, paved walkway and flowering trees and shrubs.