Stayed at Comfort Inn, Towson MD, out of the rain, so Vicki used the gym and I rested and watched some TV. During free breakfast, we chatted with a lovely couple with infant twins, a boy and a girl, just adorable-the entire family. Premise that violent rap music adversely affects our culture, and debt slavery, too. Quite a lively and interesting conversation. To Hampton NHS shortly after 9 am in rainy, overcast weather; but, the purple flowers on vines in front of the Visitor Center were more fragrant than ever! Up to the mansion being early for the 10 am tour. Sign for Orangery building was mysterious, but mystery solved later when told there were orange, lemon, and lime trees kept in a warm temperature so owners had fresh citrus ALL year-wow! Also, ice cream all year since a hole was dug deeply to access the cooler temperatures and suitably finished for easy access to the ice house. The Ridgely family over the generations lived well, indeed. One generation was barren, but a nephew was promised the property if he would change his last name to Ridgely, which he did. Mostly there were many offspring with not all living to adulthood, and one mother who died in childbirth. Monetary resources do not shelter lives from losses. Eventually the financial resources dried up because the iron that was mined there decreased as demand also decreased. Hundreds of slave and prisoner laborers did the work. One of the black slaves who cared for the last family there is buried in the family plot and she was cared for by the owners in the mansion in her later years. A harp and pianos must have brought much fun to the household through the years. The entrance area could seat 51 for dinners, of which President Teddy Roosevelt and his first wife were once in attendance. There was a record of the children having a snowball fight in the same indoor location! The wives were non-drinking Methodists, but the males embibed. What thrilled me the most was was the huge Cedar of Lebanon tree one of the wives brought back in a shoebox from a trip which is now at least 100 ft tall and around 60 ft wide! The mansion is magnificent! Down the road apiece were the farmhouse, the well House, and additional slave quarters which had a cinder house from which cinders were kept to make it easier to start a fire in fireplaces-I never saw one before. The caretaker at the farmhouse rang for us the same bell that was used to signal meal breaks. The mansion had 8 or 9 bells rung to call servants, each of a different tone to indicate the location where service was required, but only one now works. There are 6 gardens outside the mansion, named the falling garden, because they were lower than grade. Each of the 6 gardens had different shaping inside their rectangular garden. Fascinating stuff! No one is now allowed to go to the cupola, but a video of the granddaughter in that area was provided. Back to Montgomery NY afterwards in the pouring rain to arrive around 6:30.
Now Is Heaven 
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