Friday, October 11, 2013

Friday 10.11.2013

We had a number of major projects that required
the better part of the summer to complete.
Primary among them was the renovation of the
brick walkways around the Main House, the
Parterre Garden, and the path to the Guest Cottage.

These pictures tell the story of the path
from the ellipse to the Guest Cottage...

(1) Removing old brick - mid June

(2) Modifying old ellipse/rose garden - late June

(3) Establishing new ellipse - early/mid July


(4) Establishing new path - early August



(5) Laying new walk to Cottage - mid/late August

(6) Spreading new top soil - early September
(7) Placing new sod - early September









(8) Grass seed begins to sprout - late September


(9) 6pm this evening!!! 10.11.2013

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Thursday 10.10.2013

Today is best summed up in the following
2,000 words!!

This shot is postcard worthy for sure...

View from the Farm House deck window...






















Sherry and SY holding down the misty fort today
 In addition to guests at the  Cottage this weekend, we will 
host our first guests in the new Carriage House apartment.
 It's a bit sparse on furnishings at the moment, but the 
charm and setting will provide adequate distraction!!
This is the view from the Carriage House deck!!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Wednesday 10.09.2013

Tuesday afternoon...




The last vestiges of Summer linger over the landscape northeast of the Main House. Much needed rain is falling again this evening (8:30pm as I write) and is forecast to continue through to the weekend. Although the leaves have just begun to turn, the afternoon light and cooler temps announce and celebrate the arrival of Fall!!
View from north portico of the Main House
























Kevin Kennedy, our master carpenter and Richard King  our loyal handy man held forth on the Carriage House deck today while Sherry continued prepping the Guest Cottage for guests coming in this weekend.

Snap shot from early September...






Our new neighbors, John and Brenda Plantz paid a visit this afternoon with relatives from out of state, and enjoyed a tour of the grounds. And a good friend came out to exercise the horses late in the day. 


"What's that, Dad?.... Go to the barn?"

"OK Dad, whatever you say!"


Monday, October 7, 2013

Monday 10.07.2013

Susan greets the lapping waves at VA Beach!


The weekend found Susan and Stephen enjoying a brief dash
to VA Beach--a well-deserved little break after the crush of
activity in August & September! A small world found them
greeting some good friends from Crozet, staying in the same
beach-side hotel and having breakfast at the same time in
 the hotel Diner on Saturday morning!
Upon returning late Sunday afternoon, we found Bessie & Beulah 
hard at work being the "Ramsay Cows"acting as though nothing of 
any import had happened during our absence.


This morning (Monday) brought us some long-needed rain--
not nearly as much as forecast, but enough to take the edge
off the dry grounds and gardens, keep our workers away
 for the day, and begin driving the leaves from the trees.
 Fall is knocking at the door!
The view from our Farm House deck

Sunday evening sunset
.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Thursday 10.03.2013

Last week, Monday - Saturday, we had a cumulative
 total of over 100 people working at the estate--and the resulting  
Farm Dinner on Saturday evening was spectacular!
 
This week (including tomorrow) the cumulative total will be twenty!
The pace of "business-as-usual" is nice and genuinely welcome.
(But the "buzz" of last week was pretty cool!)
 
This week there was actually some time to

 welcome the morning...





 behold some of our handiwork...




...and consider offering some equine counseling for Monty and Star 
who have apparently chosen to go their separate ways!


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Wednesday 10.02.2013

Sherry and I (SY) are overwhelmed with the quiet
pace this week!! Such a contrast to the last 3-4 weeks!

Just time for a few more pics from the dinner...
from the slide show prepared by our photographer.


Festive tent in the shadow of the old Milton Grigg barn!

Probably one of the most photographed views in Greenwood!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Tuesday 10.01.2013

Ramsay Farm Dinner
Saturday, September 28th
Hosts: Tom & Reae Sargeant