… on Facebook, that is?

You can find the Carriage Association in three separate locations on the Internet.

First, the CAA has a rather ancient website, which we’re in the process of revamping. Later this  year, it will sport a new look and some new and improved functionality. It will still have all the same useful information that’s there now, plus more. 

And, of course, we have this blog, which I (try to) update every day … with carriage- and driving-related things, most of the time.

But did you know that we’re on Facebook as well? You can find our FB page here. Earlier today, I posted on our page a bunch of fabulous old photos that my FB friend Albert Arnhem (in Holland) had shared. If you haven’t already found us on Facebook, we hope you’ll “like” us and join in the fun. And enjoy Albert’s photos!

Are you a member of the Carriage Association? If not (yet), you can read more about the CAA here.

Last Saturday, seven members of the CAA’s Membership Committee met here in the office. We spent several hours discussing a variety of ideas and, in the end, came up with some exciting new plans, which we hope to implement soon. And we’re also in the process of updating both the look and functionality of the CAA’s website. Stay tuned to the website and (if you’re a member) to the weekly e-newsletter for news on these new and improving programs!

Today, all over Alexandria, Virginia, are parades, parties, and celebrations in honor of George Washington’s 280th birthday. And, if you visit Washington’s beloved Mount Vernon today, you won’t have to pay to get in.

Way back when I used to live in Old Town Alexandria, about a dozen years ago, I would sometimes ride my bike or take a drive along the G.W. Parkway, from my apartment building down to Mount Vernon. The scenery and the views of the Potomac along the way are lovely, but I was rarely tempted to stop at Mount Vernon itself because it was always so packed with tourists. I do remember touring the house a few times in the decade I lived in the area, for special occasions or when they had free admission (and no crowds) on  Christmas day.

But next time I’m in Alexandria, I plan to make a point of visiting some of these interesting-looking areas of George Washington’s estate. These have either been renovated / opened in the fifteen years since I was last there, or I just never paid enough attention to what was available. There’s Washington’s whiskey distillery and gristmill, a sixteen-sided barn, beautiful gardens and a hiking trail through a centuries-old forest, heritage-breed farm animals, and more … all in addition to the house itself. Definitely worth a visit, I think.

In today’s mail, I received a wonderful letter from a CAA member in Texas. In it, he shared his own carriage-driving story and the story of the c. 1895 photo he had enclosed. The photo came from a friend of his, whose grandfather, High Sheriff for Lancashire (England), was featured in the photo.

The full version of this photo (and the full story) will be included in an upcoming issue of The Carriage Journal. But, in the meantime, here’s a sneak peek:

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I haven’t seen the new War Horse movie.  I kept hearing people say, “take plenty of Kleenex!” … and I’ll come right out and admit that I was afraid of the possibilty of a sad ending.

But this true story of a brave little mare named Reckless, who served with the U.S. Marines in the Korean War, is really quite amazing.