Category Archives: The Northern Neck and Beyond

The Landscape, The Northern Neck and Beyond

It’s a Boy! Eastern Box Turtle at Menokin.

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The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies within a group of hinge-shelled turtles, normally called box turtles. T. c. carolina is native to the eastern part of the United States.

This handsome fella was crossing the lane at Menokin this morning on our way into work. Alice and I stopped to say hello. We remarked on his beautiful coloring and striking red eyes.  A little research into the Eastern box turtle revealed just what those eyes mean.

Eastern box turtles have a high, dome-like carapace and a hinged plastron that allows total shell closure. The carapace can be of variable coloration, but is normally found brownish or black and is accompanied by a yellowish or orangish radiating pattern of lines, spots or blotches.
Eastern box turtles have a high, dome-like carapace and a hinged plastron that allows total shell closure. The carapace can be of variable coloration, but is normally found brownish or black and is accompanied by a yellowish or orange-ish radiating pattern of lines, spots or blotches.
Skin coloration, like that of the shell, is variable, but is usually brown or black with some yellow, orange, red, or white spots or streaks. Eastern box turtles feature a sharp, horned beak, stout limbs, and their feet are webbed only at the base.
Skin coloration, like that of the shell, is variable, but is usually brown or black with some yellow, orange, red, or white spots or streaks. Eastern box turtles feature a sharp, horned beak, stout limbs, and their feet are webbed only at the base.
Males normally possess red eyes (irises) whereas females usually display brown eyes. In the wild, box turtles are known to live over 100 years, but in captivity, often live much shorter lives.
Males normally possess red eyes (irises) whereas females usually display brown eyes.
In the wild, box turtles are known to live over 100 years, but in captivity, often live much shorter lives.

Just think, this turtle may have been around when Menokin was still standing.

The Northern Neck and Beyond

Bourbon Saves the Day at the 2013 Menokin Music Festival Pick Nick

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This past Saturday was the 10th annual Menokin Music Festival. This music festival has morphed over the years into a simple afternoon of pick nicking, music and fun, all in the shade of the beautiful walnut trees surrounding the Menokin ruin.

So, where does the bourbon come in? Here was the weather forecast for last Saturday…70% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms, some severe, with a chance of hail and high winds. Oh, and let’s not forget about the Brood II – the 17-year cicadas that were scheduled to appear by the millions at any moment.

Several skeptical folks called ahead to make sure we hadn’t decided to cancel the whole thing. Nope. No way. Rain or shine. Hail or locusts. If the Egyptians could handle it, so could we.  What the Egyptians didn’t have was bourbon. Buried safe in the ground on the site of the festival exactly one month prior to the day. Wild Turkey to be on the safe side. It’s a Southern thing. Guarantees good weather for your event. Every good Virginia bride knows this old trick.

The day dawned gloomy and blustery, with thick scary clouds laughing at us from the sky. Reports were rolling in of heavy rain to the north and south of Menokin. And to be fair, we did get about 18 drops of rain just about the time the first band cranked up. But by the end of the day? Blue skies, fluffy non-sarcastic clouds and calm, cool breezes. Said one band member,”You have made a buried bourbon bottle believer out of me!”

You’re welcome. Enjoy the pics.

2013 Menokin Music Festival Pick Nick

Menokin Canine Corps Awards

The Landscape, The Northern Neck and Beyond

Here’s What Geocachers Are Saying About Menokin

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Geocaching_logoI have read about this place. Never knew I would make it here. Thanks so much! Awesome place and enjoyed the walk and history!

 

Geocaching_logoMenokin was definitely on our to-do list. It was better than we anticipated. We had the muggle-free run of the place.

 

Geocaching_logoI finally made it down to Menokin. I have been wanting to visit this site for some time now. Nice location.

 

Geocaching_logoI’ve seen these caches on my maps for many months and glad to finally get here. This area is nothing like I imagined.

 

Geocaching_logoIt was difficult to find a cache for this county that didn’t take us completely out of our way. But reading this cache description, we knew this would be the perfect place to stop. We checked out the visitors center as well, and found the volunteer to be extremely helpful and friendly. We are already planning a return trip.

 

Geocaching_logoI am having a great time walking the grounds here.

 

 

The Landscape, The Northern Neck and Beyond

Tree Huggers at Menokin

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The Northern Neck Chapter of Master Naturalists are conducting a flora and fauna survey of Menokin as part of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grant from the  National Park Service that was received in 2012.

The purpose of these volunteers is to help Menokin prepare trails/areas for viewing sheds and soft kayak/canoe public access sites. In addition, the survey will provide information for:

  • designing content for maps, guides and on-line resources
  • researching best alternatives for piers and viewing stations
  • locating and identifying native plants and restoring native habitat displaced during the construction process

In return, these volunteers will receive:

  • practice in the roles, taxonomy, and identification of native plants in Virginia
  • an understanding of living shorelines
  • volunteer hours
  • great walks in the out of doors

A recent team of volunteers shared some photos of their work measuring beech trees in the woods along the nature trail.

Cathy Sachs documents the GPS coordinates of this lovely beech tree in the woods at Menokin.
Kate Daniels measures the diameter of the tree.

A botanical survey of Menokin prepared by Lise Maring, Northern Neck Chapter of the Master Naturalists, is available on our website. Scroll to the bottom of the Selected Articles and Books section and click on the link.

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The House, The Northern Neck and Beyond

Conservation at Menokin: Pre-register for Carpentry Class

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Conservation at Menokin

CARPENTRY WORKSHOP

October 12 – 13, 2013

Martin Kirwan King
Conservation and Visitor’s Center
4037 Menokin Road  l  Warsaw, VA 22572
Instructors from Oak Grove Restoration
Hank Handler – President
Patrick Handler – Vice President

During more than thirty-five years in business, Oak Grove Restoration Company has evolved from a high-quality woodworking shop into a full-service general contracting and consulting company specializing in historic preservation and the careful conservation of irreplaceable historic architectural fabric. Their diverse client base includes state and local governments, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, private homeowners, historic sites, and house museums.

Oak Grove has worked at Menokin for many years, starting with the return of the interior paneling to the property in the 1990s, and continuing with the stabilization and catwalk system that exists today. They are part of The Menokin Project Team.

Course Description

Day 1: History of Wood

  • Old growth and Second growth
  • Wood quality
  • Grading lumber
  • Specific woods for specific jobs
  • Skills and knowledge gained: a comprehensive understanding of unique qualities of wood species and their use in traditional building

Day 2: Traditional Tools and Methods

  • Traditional woodworking tools
  • How to make repairs to beams, splices, scarf joints, Dutchman etc.
  • Window design, restoration, and maintenance
  • Door design, restoration, and maintenance
  • Skills and knowledge gained: a preliminary
  • Knowledge of traditional wood working tools and their uses; an understanding of the traditional
  • Design of wood windows
Get Your Name On The Registration List now by sending us an email at menokin@menokin.org. Please be sure to include your full name and a phone number.

Once the registration information is finalized, we will contact you to see if you are still interested and would like to confirm with a paid registration.

The Northern Neck and Beyond

The Play’s The Thing

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They’re baaaaaack……….

Bus

(Click photos to enlarge.)

The 4th and 5th grades classes from Aylett Country Day School took a field trip to Menokin this week for a day full of history, hiking, learning and playing. Specifically plays. With puppets. And scripts adapted from the storylines in the much loved The Lees of Menokin by Virginia author Suzanne Semsch.

Menokin’s Outreach and Education Coordinator, Alice French, got the show rolling by introducing the cast of characters:

web_Puppet-Cast.jpg

Volunteers were chosen from the audience to participate in the show. Even though there was no coercion involved (we promised), these kids look a little worried about what’s to come.

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Character assignments are made from left to right and Mrs. French explains how to make the puppets come alive and when.

(Click photos to enlarge.)

After the first show was over, the classes broke up into groups of four or five students each, and scripts were distributed for read-through and character development. Each group used a cast of paper puppets to help tell the story.These kids took this assignment very seriously and gave Oscar-winning interpretations of their characters.

(Click photos to enlarge.)

We really enjoyed having these great kids spend the day with us at Menokin. If you’d like to plan a field trip for your school group, please email us at menokin@menokin.org for information.

The Northern Neck and Beyond

Dogs are our link to paradise

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Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.”
― Milan Kundera

If your dog is not a member of the Menokin Canine Corp, it should be. Come enjoy Eden with your dog at Menokin. And get a cookie. (For the dog, not you!)

The Northern Neck and Beyond

Happy Birthday to the Virginia Executive Mansion!

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The Northern Neck and Beyond

Menokin and Harvard Join Forces

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When the core of your mission is education and you are presented with
the opportunity to host a group of graduate students from the Harvard
Graduate School of Design you vote “Aye!” right?

Of course, right. Jorge Silvetti, lead architect on the Menokin Project, is pencil
also a Nelson Robinson Jr. Professor of Architecture at Harvard. He approached
Menokin Executive Director, Sarah Pope last fall about offering The Menokin Project
as the subject of his studio course for the 2013
spring semester.

Ten students will participate in the studio, and will travel to the site this weekend for an introduction to Menokin and the history of the Northern Neck.

Their initiation will begin on Friday evening with a dinner hosted by Menokin Trustees and staff. Honorary Menokin Trustee Calder Loth will present an indepth look at the current conservation practices at nearby historic sites.

They plan to spend a large part of their time here exploring the Menokin site and facilities.  They will also pay visits to other historic landmarks in the area including George Washington’s Birthplace National Monument, Stratford Hall (c. 1735 and boyhood home of Francis Lightfoot Lee), Grove Mount (c. 1780 home built for Judith Carter) and Mount Airy (c. 1752 and home of John Tayloe II, father of Rebecca Tayloe Lee).

The students will focus on all aspects of The Menokin Project, including the cultural landscape and master site plans, and design solutions for the house.

The course will conclude in the spring when students present their projects before a juried panel. We look forward to sharing these with you as they evolve.

The Northern Neck and Beyond
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Fun way to look at trees. I wonder how many tree characters we could find in the woods at Menokin?