Keli travels

My grandmother Wright, Mabel Inez Simmons Wright was born in Lancaster County Virginia. She was my dad's mom. She died when I was only six years old. I do not remember much about her, but I do know that I sure did love my Granny Wright. She grew up in Kilmarnock, VA along with her seven brothers and two sisters. Every year I do my best to go to a Simmons Family Reunion that we have on Labor Day. ..there are a lot of little tourist attractions down there and I thought I need to start visiting some of them.. so in 2013 I went and visited the Kilmarnock Museum right in downtown Kilmarnock, VA. 

They had some neat displays of the Kilmarnock of yesteryear and I had an enjoyable time looking through photo albums and finding several family members.. I looked and looked and I finally found a class picture with my Granny Wright in it...

 how cool is that!?? SO COOL! 

besides lots of family in newspaper clippings and yearbooks and other random photos I also found out this ..

 my great-aunt Louemma donated her curling iron..pretty neat.! 

THEN I SAW THIS AMAZING RED CHAIR.. they said that every year that Kilmarnock crowns someone QUEEN OF THE HOLLY REALM ... I had to BEG to sit in it PLEASE! they said "well usually only the Holly Queen gets to sit in it...but I begged and begged.. and well..

 they let me sit in it and hold her sceptor.. 

 there I am close up.. when I showed these pictures later to some of my relatives they said "HOW DID YOU GET TO SIT IN THE HOLLY QUEEN'S CHAIR?" I said "well.. I begged...." hahahahah 

I had a great rest of the afternoon in Kilmarnock.. going to boutiques.. thrift stores ..consignment stores and checking into the Whispering Pines..where they gave me a great room with a sitting room and a really nice bed.. I told Ralph I feel kind of bad that they gave me this large room and I am all by myself.. he said " don't feel bad.. just enjoy it" ..

and I did! 

next year I think I will visit the historic Christ Church that they have down there and who knows maybe some of my family will even come with me!