We are staying at Chesapeake Bay, a Thousand Trails campground in eastern Virginia on the Piankatank River. It's been so much fun watching the ospreys flying over the river in search of their next meal.

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Our neighbors have a bird feeder out that has attracted a pair of cardinals. We don't have those in California so were thrilled to see them here.

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Every day we've been here we've seen turtles sunning themselves on the logs in the campground. I'm not sure how so many can fit on this log but they do!

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Determined to make Tryna Southern, Debra presented her with self-rising flour to make sonkers and fried chicken and self-rising cornmeal to make proper cornbread!

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It was here in Gloucester that Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas' father and John Tyler lived as well as the place that Dr. Walter Reed, the conqueror of yellow fever was born. Gloucester's historic Court Circle is the oldest living village in Virginia. The 1766 brick Colonial Courthouse is the oldest courthouse still in use and the 1823 Debtor's Prison is one of only three remaining in the state.

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New Point Comfort lighthouse is the third oldest lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay and was commissioned in 1804 byThomas Jefferson. The 55-foot octagonal sandstone lighthouse sits on an island, separated from the mainland by the Hurricane of 1933.

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Old Point Comfort Lighthouse is located at Fort Monroe at the entrance of the historic Hampton Roads. It was commissioned by Thomas Jefferson and built in 1802 It is the second oldest lighthouse on the bay and is operated and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. The keeper lived in the adjoining house. The lighthouse stands 54 feet tall and is an octagonal sandstone structure. During the War of 1812, it was used as a watch tower and during the Civil War, it was riddled with bullets by naval guns.

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Hollywood Cemetery is 135 acres and is located in the middle of Richmond, the capital city. It was begun in 1847, was designed in the rural garden style and named for the many holly trees that dotted the hills of the property. One whole section of the property is devoted to Confederates. Larry explained to me that this flag is the first flag of the confederate states while the stars and bars is the flag of the Virginia army.

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Jefferson Davis is most noted for serving as the President of the Confederate States of America. Historians have criticized Davis for being a much less effective war leader than his Union counterpart Abraham Lincoln but over time admiration for his pride and ideals made him a Civil War hero to Southerners.

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Two United States Presidents are buried here. James Monroe who was a Virginia governor and the fifth President and John Tyler also a governor of Virginia and the tenth President of the United States.

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The dogwood was beginning to bloom.

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The Hollywood Cemetery sits high on a hill and overlooks the rapids on the James River.

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The neoclassical capitol building is home to the oldest elected representative legisture in the world. The old part of the building, which includes the rotunda with a beautiful statue of George Washington and the old Senate and House Chambers, was designed by Thomas Jefferson and occupied in 1788.

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The battlefields in Yorktown were the site of the last major battle of the American Revolution. On Main Street one finds buildings such as this Customs House which was built about 1721 by Richard Ambler and used as his office while he served as a collector of customs.

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The Yorktown Victory Monument is the name most commonly used to describe this monument, however, officially it is the Monument to the Alliance and Victory. The first idea of constructing a monument to victory came as soon as word was received back in Philadelphia of Cornwallis' surrender.

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We had to delay our departure a day because we had slide problems. Since we had one more day together, Debra decided we should have a supper of fried chicken, southern potato salad, cole slaw (Northern style made by Tryna) and sonker for dessert. It was the first time we had eaten homemade fried chicken and was it ever yummy!

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On our retirement trip 15 years ago we spent a week in western Virginia at this campground and loved it. We came back today and unfortunately they gave us a campsite in an area that is less then desireable. We walked around to find out what we liked about this place and when we found the campsite in our picture we knew. Every other part of the park is beautiful!

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