A World Beyond Internet

It was this tower that started it all!
Well that and the lighting storm that caused our internet to go out for four days...
Two days ago, I posted about driving over to the Wifi hot spot and stumbling upon the arts festival & musical.
It was this tower I was looking for, which is located next to the Dogwood Dell Amphitheatre which is across the street from Maymont...

This is a section of the Maymont Children's petting zoo, free to the public (though they have donation boxes located at the entrance). The paths around the children's petting area & farm leads you through gorgeous landscapes...

What was to be a quick viewing of the area turned into a three & a half hour tour
of these gorgeous grounds which are comprised of: Farm/children's petting zoo, nature centre, mansion with free tours,
Italian gardens, native animals keep, Japanese garden, herb garden, stone barn,
carriage house, waterfalls, fountains, statues, grassy hills, gazebos, flower gardens, stone bridges...

after leaving the petting farm area, the path leads down to the native Virginian animal keep...

These bears were wrestling in a huge open area, no more than hundred feet away!
Obviously very well cared for, and their keep was well managed & very natural.

Eagles, male & female, though not pictured.
Maymont houses injured animals, until recovered.

This owl was less than fifty feet from me! So gorgeous.

The grassy hills were so inviting. One can't help but think of winter and all
the fun this hill would bring to sledders.

I was so captivated by all the natural beauty surrounding me I nearly
stepped on this lively green garden snake!!! YIKES!

I'm not certain if you can make out the very tip of that tower I have
pictured in the first photo, but it right in the centre of this picture, slightly
above the tree line in the distance...

Once at the mansion, this lovely statue graces the south side of the grounds,
where the carriages use to enter, load & unload passengers & turnabout.
Grand entrance to the house from this view.

This was the view from under a huge willow pine that must be over one hundred years old.
If you look to the right, you can see the arch to the carriage entrance.

This is the north view of the mansion.

Just one of the dozen or so carriages & one sleigh partially visible.

This is a view of carriage house beyond fountain and tip of mansion.

View of the Italian gardens

One of my favourite spots, in the Italian gardens.
Next post I will cover the remaining grounds & areas of Maymont...