Annapolis, Maryland: Spring Is In The Air

Spring To Do List in front of a store on Main Street

Flowers!

Shorts!

Flowers

Sailing Lessons in Annapolis Harbor

Flowers

Ready for a Ride

Flowers

The Easter Bunny and his Eggs, and. . .

Flowers!

Annapolis, Maryland: The Perfect Vacation Rental (Part 2)

Welcome back!  Now, to show you what's at the top of the spiral staircase--and what the rest of "the perfect vacation rental" looks like.

As you reach the top of the spiral staircase, you find yourself
in a small room that was once the bell tower of the church.

Windows in the bell tower still contain wooden slats like those used
to cover the church bells.  The view from here is stunning!  From
this window we could see the Maryland State House plus the old
cobblestone street and buildings on Maryland Avenue.

The original brick walls and wood floor of the bell tower has
been preserved, and the owners have turned the space into
an intimate sitting room.  The room holds a counter with a
 couple of cabinets and a small sink and refrigerator.  There
are also a couple of chairs, a small table, and a television.
The ladder in this photo leads to a wooden door with access
to a tiny bit of attic space.

Like the rest of the condo, unique touches add even more character to the bell tower.
The tabletop is made of an old Annapolis storm drain cover.

There are a couple of "bats in the belfry," too.

Head back down the spiral staircase to the main stairs or the elevator to access the fourth level of the condo.

The fourth floor contains another bedroom, a bathroom, a sitting area, and a laundry room.
This space is shows off more stained glass windows, exposed brick, and old wooden beams
and arches of the church.

The sitting area contains a sofa bed and an oversized armchair
that converts to a twin bed.

I liked this chippy old lamp with the metal top hat shade.

These crosses were another beautiful and thoughtful addition to the home.

Making your way back down the stairs from the fourth floor,
you may notice a hole in the plaster wall--and something
inside the hole!

Upon closer inspection, you'll see there's no need to be alarmed.  It's only the resident
church mouse.

39 1/2 Maryland Avenue is in the middle of historic homes and buildings.  Two doors away is
a used bookstore and cafe owned by a descendant of John Adams.  Four doors away in the
other direction is a pub owned by two brothers from Kilkenny, Ireland.  The Maryland State
House and the Governor's Mansion are a block away, as is St. John's College.  The United
States Naval Academy and the shops and restaurants of Main Street are two blocks away, and
Annapolis Harbor is a mere three blocks from the condo.  This may be the perfect vacation
rental!

Annapolis, Maryland: The Maryland State House

The Maryland State House
Constructed between 1772-1779, this is the oldest state house
in America still in continuous legislative use.  The Maryland
State House sits at the top of State Circle in the heart of
the Annapolis historic district.

The State House contains the senate and house chambers as well as
the offices of the governor and the lieutenant governor.

The senate chamber features portraits of Maryland's four signers of The Declaration of Independence.

Detail of inside of the Maryland State House

The dome of the rotunda rises 113 feet from the state house floor.

The old House of Delegates Chamber has been re-created as it appeared from 1876-1905.

Ceiling of the old House of Delegates Chamber

The stairwell leading to the governor's and lieutenant governor's
offices features this painting of George Washington resigning his
commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
Washington's resignation took place in the Maryland State House
on December 23, 1783.  The Treaty of Paris, which ended the
American Revolution, was ratified by Congress here on January 14,
1784.

This skylight in the stairwell plus two others located in the senate and
house chambers are all by Tiffany & Company.

Maryland's state flag is displayed proudly in the State House
and throughout Annapolis.

Legislative sessions still begin at 8:00 PM as the
original state constitution designated.  Originally
the sessions were held at night to accommodate the
needs of the many members who farmed.

During our visit to Annapolis, educators staged a protest at one of the nightly legislative
sessions.  They were protesting state budgets cuts to education.
Photo by Chip Southworth

Annapolis, Maryland: First and Lasting Impressions

Annapolis welcomed us.  People were friendly, gracious, and helpful.

The dome of the Maryland State House dominates the skyline day. . .

. . .and night.
Photo by Chip Southworth

Crab is king.

History is everywhere--and it is preserved, respected, and displayed.
The William Paca House, c. 1763

All kinds of history abounds!

Wherever you are in Annapolis, you're never far from the water.

Annapolis has a large Irish population--and lots of Irish pubs.

This is a fun city around St. Patrick's Day!

Perhaps the most telling and endearing impression we had of Annapolis
is that it is a very dog-friendly city.

In the front window of a local bookstore