Did you know that settlers in Jamestown traded boys with the indians? We learned so much at this place it's kind of amazing. Yesterday we went to Jamestown national historic site. Jamestown was the settlement BEFORE the pilgrims ever departed for the east coast of north America. There at the site they had a glass house where glass products were blown using old methods and are being made today for sale to raise money. I took a glass/metalworking class this last summer so i got a lot from seeing the glassblowers make the vases and jars knowing how delicate the work is. It was interesting to see that this was the true first settlement that lasted and is still living on today. Many things came from this place including democracy, taxes, slavery and more. They are conducting an archaeology dig here and have found the actual posts of the walls of the fort and hundreds of artifacts. They made a whole new museum next door housing it and it tells a fascinating and harsh history.
When settlers came here they faced very harsh conditions and hard times. They had to establish a town and rules, laws and ways of living to survive. One of those things was to trade young sons from their settlement to the local native tribe. They did this as both a peace offering and as a means of understanding each other's cultures and language. When the boys returned after a year or more they would be an interpreter for the town or tribe. Can you imagine giving up your child to complete strangers so different from yourself as an experiment? Thinking on it I don't know if I would have gone willingly or not. I know I would have been very frightened as times then were different and things were often hostile. BUt the indians knew better who to keep off mosquitos, fish, get food and stay warm. I might have liked the luxuries the indians had that the settlers hadn't figured out yet. Also, jamestown had very strict rules. If you used bad words, missed church or stole you could be have a metal stake through your tongue or be put to death!
It was really interesting to hear how slavery started here, as a punishment to run away indentured servants. I liked the idea better of people agreeing to come here and work in exchange for passage and protection instead of ships stealing African people off their land and enslaving them. That's another thing...on east coast many places don't use the term slave as that is a mentality not a condition...they use the term "enslaved people" because it was against their will. In Roman times the slaves were called plebs and they accepted their place in the order of things. There were Gods and wealthy people in upper classes and then there were tiers of others down to plebs. People accepted their place and roles then. Slaves had no choice as they were stolen from their lands, shipped in huge ships here and chained and were sold. Their children became slaves too for generations.
The idea of taxes wasn't something I really understood before this trip. It always seemed unfair. The Boston Tea party stories I heard made it seem like the people in charge had no right to charge taxes. But, after studying the east coast and hearing tales of England paying the war bills for earlier wars where they protected early Americans and did all the work shipping and bringing things here it makes more sense. Protecting us from France and the Indians put England in heavy debt and they wanted the new colonists to pay it back. Now they shouldn't have taxed everyone without allowing representation in government and law making but it seems like they should have been able to work this out peacefully. The settlers at Jamestown needed supplies and order and protection too and taxes made sense here as well except for the representation part.
Jamestown was a neat place to visit to see the beginnings and hear of the hardships people had to endure from the worst drought in 800 years to the harsh winter and lack of food. It's really amazing when you think that anyone was able to survive let alone maintain this place from 1607 to now. It's the place we began. There were other places people came but no permanent settlement lasted. Here the toughest survived and went on to spread out and explore and establish new towns. I liked visiting where it all began and really getting a feel for life there and everything they endured or invented. Pocahantas was there doing cartwheels as a kid and to hear she was my age when she married John Rolfe and NOT John Smith like the Disney movie claims was interesting. We run into a lot of places where Disney or movies or old tales have been accepted as true by everyone when the real events were very different. She has a statue there at Jamestown although she's buried in England. She deserved to be remembered among all the great men we studied because of her bravery and help making this settlement a success.
The fact that it had glass blowing, a favorite of mine, was just added coolness. I would suggest everyone stop here and listen to the really funny Ranger who gives the talk. He told us so many funny and interesting stories and facts about this. It was like going to a play. I got my junior Ranger badge too. Check out the pictures on Flickr we are uploading today (now that we have good wifi at the hotel in Florida).
We are in Orlando, FL now and my cousin Tori flies in from home today to spend the week. We are going to Kennedy Space Center tomorrow and hopefully will swim every day. We get to go to Disney World for a few days to show her around for her birthday and PIN TRADE!!! I have a big pin collection as it's a huge hobby of mine. We get a cheap lot of pins off Ebay and then take them into the park where we trade with people from all over the world. You give them a pin, they give you one and I always come out with better pins than I went in. The thrill of the hunt is what I like and meeting new people. It's a great way to start a conversation. I met a man from Beijing, China last time. Tori and I like to find pins the other one wants and then hold it out until one of gets a really good pin the other wants and then we trade. it's a game...almost a sport! Jimmy is great to pin trade with because he is so cute and charming people like to give him valuable pins and then he trades them to me! I wish jimmy was here because then all of us cousins would roam the park hunting for the best pins! Last time we were here jimmy came with us and he got lost in Animal Kingdom and they SHUT DOWNT HE PARK to find him. He wasn't ever really lost, just got separated from us and he knew exactly what to do by going up to someone and giving his name and his mom's name and her phone number and he was only 5!! We found him ten minutes later but went away with a great story. He'd be tall enough to ride Mt. Everest ride this time. I will ride it for you Jimmy! Maybe I can find you a pin from from the ride. I'll make it my pin quest for the day!
Off to finish my six week history project, I wrote ten pages so far and am trying to get it finished today before Tori gets here. Mom said she will post it so I can get "graded".
Happy Trails and pin trading!
Jack
Monday, November 28, 2011
Abraham Lincoln & Ford's Theater
We had the honor of spending four hours with Abraham Lincoln the other day at Ford's Theater in Washington D.C. The theater is the place where President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth ( who yelled "Sic semper tyrannis!" after shooting him which means And thus to Tyrants! the same thing men who stabbed Julius Caesar said) and it also happens to be a museum and a Junior Ranger site for the National Parks. The president did not die there at the theater he actually died hours later across the street at the Petersen House which is also now a museum called The House Where Lincoln Died. I think it's a funny name for a house. I didn't enjoy the house because they didn't have the exact bed or furniture from that night it was all replicated.
If you would like to visit it or know more here is the link: http://www.nps.gov/foth/index.htm
One thing the Ranger at the theater wanted to make sure we knew was that Lincoln did not abolish slavery but he is credited with doing it by a lot of people. People thought Thomas Jefferson was an inventer too but really he just modified people's good ideas. It's interesting to hear the real version of things and get the straight story. Lincoln did not believe slavery could be abolished in his lifetime because it was such a part of people's lifestyle and money making ability. He said is would have ot be left for another generation. His goal was to fight for what rights and ideas he could to further the cause of anti-slavery. Befriending Frederick Douglass was one way he did this. Another was to encourage people to question their beliefs. A great quote of his is: "Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."- Abraham Lincoln
If you watched the movie The Conspirator like I did you would know about the unfairness of the trials of the killers and conspirators who were tried in military court under marshall law (military law in times of unrest or war). It is easy to hate the killers. It isn't as easy to understand some of them were "innocent" or had a side to their story. The people felt justified and in times of war kidnapping and killing didn't seem so wrong. It was interesting to see things from their point of view. The movie and the museum also showed that killing President Lincoln was not the first option, kidnapping him was. Another fact was that there were multiple kidnappings and then killings planned by a whole group of people. The other intended victims were Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward. Here are the details of the plot: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USACWatzerodt.htm
Lincoln was the 16th president and was one of the first to change what being a president meant. Before Ronald Reagan was called the "Great Communicator" or FDR had his fireside chats Lincoln with no secret service connected with people and made himself accessible to everyone who wished to speak with him. People would visit the White House and arrive late and Lincoln allowed them to sleep in the entry room until he could greet them the next day to talk. He rode his horse around Washington DC talking to people and trying to be as normal as he could and approachable even though everyone kept saying they were afraid for him. Like me he loved to read and he loved words. For dessert he often read Shakespeare after a long day being president. He used these words and ideas to help people, inspire people and bring them together. He gave wonderful speeches and at the Lincoln Memorial they have two of them really big on the wall. They are the Gettysburg Address and
One of the most impressive things about him was his ability to bring together a country at war with itself. The Civil War was the bloodiest battle and the worst because it was brother against brother and our own citizens killings each other over politics, slavery and money. Lincoln had a tough job in a tough time and a lot of people hated him and wanted him dead because he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation which made it easier to free slaves and allowed them the ability to fight for the Union North army which ended up being the reason the North won the war. Without the black soldiers there wouldn't have been enough men to fight.
President Lincoln was an amazing man and I admire him very much because he was able to stick to his own plan and ideas even when it was unpopular. He held things together during a time when things were falling apart. He had calm, clear words and cool head which was greatly needed then. We could use a President Lincoln right now. Our country seems way off-track from the beginning where we were united. People seem to like to not get involved or just argue and not accomplish anything. President Lincoln did things and got things done and didn't try to be popular with everyone all the time. He listened and was approachable but stayed firm to his beliefs and tried his best to get others to see reason. It's kind of like my mom who helps and gives advice and is a catalyst to change things for the better. (We call her the catalyst as her nickname) She isn't always popular and sometimes can't get people to listen but she tries. Lincoln could have given up and let the South secede from the union but he felt preserving the union at all costs was his highest priority because we had just fought bloody battles to be a union and a free united states of America. If they had torn apart all the deaths of the young men and all the sacrifices would have been pointless. We fought the British for our freedom only to tear each other papart later? It seems so silly. Us kids are told to not fight and make up and compromise and respect each other. Why do adults not have to follow this same advice?
My favorite quotes by President Lincoln are:
"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
"When you have got an elephant by the hind leg, and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run."
If you would like to visit it or know more here is the link: http://www.nps.gov/foth/index.htm
One thing the Ranger at the theater wanted to make sure we knew was that Lincoln did not abolish slavery but he is credited with doing it by a lot of people. People thought Thomas Jefferson was an inventer too but really he just modified people's good ideas. It's interesting to hear the real version of things and get the straight story. Lincoln did not believe slavery could be abolished in his lifetime because it was such a part of people's lifestyle and money making ability. He said is would have ot be left for another generation. His goal was to fight for what rights and ideas he could to further the cause of anti-slavery. Befriending Frederick Douglass was one way he did this. Another was to encourage people to question their beliefs. A great quote of his is: "Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."- Abraham Lincoln
If you watched the movie The Conspirator like I did you would know about the unfairness of the trials of the killers and conspirators who were tried in military court under marshall law (military law in times of unrest or war). It is easy to hate the killers. It isn't as easy to understand some of them were "innocent" or had a side to their story. The people felt justified and in times of war kidnapping and killing didn't seem so wrong. It was interesting to see things from their point of view. The movie and the museum also showed that killing President Lincoln was not the first option, kidnapping him was. Another fact was that there were multiple kidnappings and then killings planned by a whole group of people. The other intended victims were Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward. Here are the details of the plot: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USACWatzerodt.htm
Lincoln was the 16th president and was one of the first to change what being a president meant. Before Ronald Reagan was called the "Great Communicator" or FDR had his fireside chats Lincoln with no secret service connected with people and made himself accessible to everyone who wished to speak with him. People would visit the White House and arrive late and Lincoln allowed them to sleep in the entry room until he could greet them the next day to talk. He rode his horse around Washington DC talking to people and trying to be as normal as he could and approachable even though everyone kept saying they were afraid for him. Like me he loved to read and he loved words. For dessert he often read Shakespeare after a long day being president. He used these words and ideas to help people, inspire people and bring them together. He gave wonderful speeches and at the Lincoln Memorial they have two of them really big on the wall. They are the Gettysburg Address and
One of the most impressive things about him was his ability to bring together a country at war with itself. The Civil War was the bloodiest battle and the worst because it was brother against brother and our own citizens killings each other over politics, slavery and money. Lincoln had a tough job in a tough time and a lot of people hated him and wanted him dead because he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation which made it easier to free slaves and allowed them the ability to fight for the Union North army which ended up being the reason the North won the war. Without the black soldiers there wouldn't have been enough men to fight.
President Lincoln was an amazing man and I admire him very much because he was able to stick to his own plan and ideas even when it was unpopular. He held things together during a time when things were falling apart. He had calm, clear words and cool head which was greatly needed then. We could use a President Lincoln right now. Our country seems way off-track from the beginning where we were united. People seem to like to not get involved or just argue and not accomplish anything. President Lincoln did things and got things done and didn't try to be popular with everyone all the time. He listened and was approachable but stayed firm to his beliefs and tried his best to get others to see reason. It's kind of like my mom who helps and gives advice and is a catalyst to change things for the better. (We call her the catalyst as her nickname) She isn't always popular and sometimes can't get people to listen but she tries. Lincoln could have given up and let the South secede from the union but he felt preserving the union at all costs was his highest priority because we had just fought bloody battles to be a union and a free united states of America. If they had torn apart all the deaths of the young men and all the sacrifices would have been pointless. We fought the British for our freedom only to tear each other papart later? It seems so silly. Us kids are told to not fight and make up and compromise and respect each other. Why do adults not have to follow this same advice?
My favorite quotes by President Lincoln are:
"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
"When you have got an elephant by the hind leg, and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run."
Jack's Fun and Useless Facts
I like to know things the way other kids like sports. I like to know factual and important things and I like useless and fun things. The book I am reading is called World's Greatest Book of Useless Information by Noel Botham & The Useless Information Society.
Here are some FUN FACTS for ya!
Henry the III receive a polar bear from the King of Norway he was allowed to hunt in the river at the end of a long rope.
University graduates live longer than people who did not complete school.
In America when moving to a new home a cat should be put in through the window and not the door.
In India men wear pajamas in public as they are standard daytime apparel.
Dogs do not have an appendix.
The ant always falls over on it's right side when intoxicated. (how do they know this?)
Starfish don't have brains.
A female mouse is called a doe. A male guinea pig ...a boar.
The roadrunner is a member of the cuckoo family.
The average person spends 30 years being angry with a family member. (WOW)
1 in 3 male motorists pick their nose while driving.
Some psycholigsts contend many people enjoy anxiety thus the popularity of horror movies and rollercoasters.
Mageirocophobia is the intense fear of having to cook!
Irrational fear of meat is called carnophobia.
Know any you can share with me????
Here are some FUN FACTS for ya!
Henry the III receive a polar bear from the King of Norway he was allowed to hunt in the river at the end of a long rope.
University graduates live longer than people who did not complete school.
In America when moving to a new home a cat should be put in through the window and not the door.
In India men wear pajamas in public as they are standard daytime apparel.
Dogs do not have an appendix.
The ant always falls over on it's right side when intoxicated. (how do they know this?)
Starfish don't have brains.
A female mouse is called a doe. A male guinea pig ...a boar.
The roadrunner is a member of the cuckoo family.
The average person spends 30 years being angry with a family member. (WOW)
1 in 3 male motorists pick their nose while driving.
Some psycholigsts contend many people enjoy anxiety thus the popularity of horror movies and rollercoasters.
Mageirocophobia is the intense fear of having to cook!
Irrational fear of meat is called carnophobia.
Know any you can share with me????
Vocabulary, Spelling & Words
I love words. Words for me are like jigsaw puzzle pieces for puzzle makers...put them together and they can make a masterpiece. I've always liked words and started to read very early. One of my favorite books when I was a little boy was A Color of His Own about a chameleon who doesn't like changing colors every time he's on something new so he starts on a small journey to find a stable color of his own. My Grandma read that to me all the time when I was 3-5 years old. The first words I ever read were squirrel, pie, mom, dad and Tori. My mom used to write them on Magna-Doodles and I would write words on it when we drove in the car. I love to read and I read all the time! I like fantasy books, educational, science fiction, historical fiction, useless information and series like The Hunger Games. On this trip I usually have three books going at once. Currently I am reading The World's Greatest Book of Useless information, The Usborne book of Religions where I just learned about Buddhism and How to Hug a Porcupine and Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers washed down with the book I just finished, Fablehaven. I am now going to add the History of Art and Words that Lincoln Loved.
I really enjoy the weekly vocabulary lists we do where I have to write each word three times and then the definitions, take the test and verbally have to explain each and every word to my mom. Last week's test I got 24 out of 26 correct for spelling missing one letter in two words. Here's the list...see how you would do by giving yourself a test: Many of these are from the Declaration of Independence or famous landmarks and parks by the way.
necessary sovereignty confederation self-evident grievances
colossal intolerable concession parliament delegate/ delegates
conquering ambassador strategies federalist republicans
teeming amendments typifies neoclassical inherent
prosperous inalienable unanimous inevitably nationalism
tempest (tempest-tost) tranquility
Bonus word: despotism
THIS WEEK's...way harder! Try these words on...
adornment ubiquitous absterse superfluous Buddhism
zeitgeist gumption canoodle enlightenment flouting
flaunting disdain capital capitol stationary
stationery nirvana liberty justice pursuit
domestic tranquility ordain union affluent
indentured flummoxed archaeology House of Burgesses
Bonus words: sagacious vicissitude vamoose samatha
archaearium (a museum was called that and we didn't think it was a word :-)
I really enjoy the weekly vocabulary lists we do where I have to write each word three times and then the definitions, take the test and verbally have to explain each and every word to my mom. Last week's test I got 24 out of 26 correct for spelling missing one letter in two words. Here's the list...see how you would do by giving yourself a test: Many of these are from the Declaration of Independence or famous landmarks and parks by the way.
necessary sovereignty confederation self-evident grievances
colossal intolerable concession parliament delegate/ delegates
conquering ambassador strategies federalist republicans
teeming amendments typifies neoclassical inherent
prosperous inalienable unanimous inevitably nationalism
tempest (tempest-tost) tranquility
Bonus word: despotism
THIS WEEK's...way harder! Try these words on...
adornment ubiquitous absterse superfluous Buddhism
zeitgeist gumption canoodle enlightenment flouting
flaunting disdain capital capitol stationary
stationery nirvana liberty justice pursuit
domestic tranquility ordain union affluent
indentured flummoxed archaeology House of Burgesses
Bonus words: sagacious vicissitude vamoose samatha
archaearium (a museum was called that and we didn't think it was a word :-)
Junior Ranger
National Parks Junior Ranger Program
Everywhere we go there are National Parks, forts, monuments, historical sites, battlefields and forests. And most National Parks have a Junior Ranger Program. The Junior Ranger Program is usually a packet full of questions and activities that you look in museums, visitor centers and on placards throughout the exhibits to find the answers for. They teach you all about the place and history while being really fun at same time. You can find more information here:
You do not have to visit the park to complete the packet but it is far easier to do it that way and I think you get way more out of it that way. It's been easier to learn history by being in the actual places and seeing things for yourself than just reading about it in a text book or on the internet. You get a badge or patch or certificate or all three when you finish even if you send in the packet through the mail. So if you cannot get to the National Mall you don't have to miss out on the experience or information as you can print them online.
The first packet I completed was the one on Ellis Island in New York. I had to watch the movie, explore the exhibits and do the interactive activities like take the computerized citizenship test that immigrants take to become citizens of the United States. One of the questions was What branch of the government writes the law? and another asked How many votes you needed to override the President's Veto on a law? I only missed one out of ten questions! You attend a Ranger talk and complete activities where they ask you to write essay or answer questions that are about your life now. There are also fun activities like crossword puzzles and word searches. Manny could sure be a good Junior Ranger as she is the best cross-worder we know! I wonder if they have an Elder Ranger program for grandparents?
The part of the Junior Ranger program that I like the best is having the goal of finishing the packet which makes learning all about the park or monument much more fun and easier because it organizes the information and helps me retain it all better. When I'm watching the films or reading the wall exhibits it makes me scan for the important messages and once I get the answers I read through the rest for fun and feel like I get more out of it. At the Ford's Theatre where we studied about President Lincoln's assassination and life there was a film about Frederick Douglass. I didn't know who he was and found out that he was a black man, abolitionist author who was good friends with Lincoln and argued for black soldiers to get paid the same amount of money as white soldiers in the Civil War. He was the first black man to be invited and allowed to dinner function at the White House. The program gets me more excited about the films and exhibits and I get more out of them since the packet makes it easier to organize the information. It's kind of like a scavenger hunt each time. My mom doesn't have to make me do it because I'm excited to earn the next one like a Boy Scout badge for each place. There are so many places to see and do this program at. In Washington D.C. alone there was National Mall, Ford's Theater, Civil War, East Parks, Underground Railroad, President's Park, Anacostia Park, White House and Theodore Roosevelt Island. Some programs are special like the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War and for those programs they give out patches. I've earned three patches so far and eight badges. You also get your booklet stamped like a passport with the date you finished it. One kid had every badge from every state done when he graduated high school and that's what I'm going to do!
The part that makes me the most nervous is the verbal test they give you at most of them. They make sure you know the answers and your parents didn't do it for you or you didn't cheat. Some Rangers are more strict than others so beware lazy tweeners, do not cheat and think you'll get away with it. I like the pride I feel when I get to raise my right hand and they swear you in to give you your badge. I feel like I didn't just go to the park and half-heartedly looked at stuff and passed things over or just gawked at the cool big cannons. If I had not done the packets there is so much I wouldn't have ever learned or known about cool things in our parks and history. For example...at Fort McHenry I would have never known how little soldiers were paid ($8/month) or how the residents of baltimore dug earthworks around the city to protect it or the meaning behind the Star Spangled Banner. I would have just seen barracks, a flag and some models or cannons or walls with a bunch of writing. The Junior Ranger packets make it fun to read and get the cool facts and stories behind all these relics. I encourage to check them out online or find the closest park to where you live. These places could be just filling apart forts or parks to walk your dog and they are pretty and it's nice to walk around them but to learn who lived there or died there, fought there or what it's history is makes it much more meaningful.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Gobble Gobble... THANKSGIVINGS HERE
Thanksgiving is here...
Turkeys last word is gobble...
Let the feast BEGIN!
I'm SO excited for thanksgiving at Opus 9! Opus 9 is a buffet-style feast that you get a reservation a long way in advance but we squeezed in. Lobster mac and cheese, smoked turkey and honey glazed Smithfield ham is only a small portion of the mouthwatering menu. Smithfield hams are special because they are only made in Smithfield, VA and they are fed only peanuts and aged a long time. Raising hogs we learned that what they eat matters as it flavors the meat. I can't wait to try it.
I'm very happy that both my mom and dad are here to celebrate thanksgiving and not so tired from hosting everything they get to relax! I get to enjoy them and shop with me on black friday. THey always go without me. But i miss Benny, who was with us the first leg of the trip and was my game partner, my dogs cooper and cadie always begging for food, my cousins Jimmy and Tori and the rest of the group. Manny doing word searches with me and Ben and Kayla Jo laughing at the table together. But...I get cranberry pear sauce and chocolate peanut butter tarts! Happy thanksgiving! Hope you all have a great holiday!
Happy Turkey (or sad turkey?) Day
Jack
P.S. Theodore Roosevelt was given a turkey one thanksgiving for the next year, and it was considered as a family pet by one of his kids. He named it Jack and Jack followed one of his kids wherever he went. When next Thanksgiving rolled around, the kid interrupted his fathers cabinet meeting crying. When the president asked his son why he was crying, he said the "executioner" was going to kill Jack, and wanted a pardon note. After a little thought, he obliged and wrote out a pardon slip for the family turkey. when he obtained the note, he ran down to the executioner to stop him. Now the president pardons turkeys every year as the tradition and they reside in Santa's Roundup of Disneyland.
Turkeys last word is gobble...
Let the feast BEGIN!
I'm SO excited for thanksgiving at Opus 9! Opus 9 is a buffet-style feast that you get a reservation a long way in advance but we squeezed in. Lobster mac and cheese, smoked turkey and honey glazed Smithfield ham is only a small portion of the mouthwatering menu. Smithfield hams are special because they are only made in Smithfield, VA and they are fed only peanuts and aged a long time. Raising hogs we learned that what they eat matters as it flavors the meat. I can't wait to try it.
I'm very happy that both my mom and dad are here to celebrate thanksgiving and not so tired from hosting everything they get to relax! I get to enjoy them and shop with me on black friday. THey always go without me. But i miss Benny, who was with us the first leg of the trip and was my game partner, my dogs cooper and cadie always begging for food, my cousins Jimmy and Tori and the rest of the group. Manny doing word searches with me and Ben and Kayla Jo laughing at the table together. But...I get cranberry pear sauce and chocolate peanut butter tarts! Happy thanksgiving! Hope you all have a great holiday!
Happy Turkey (or sad turkey?) Day
Jack
P.S. Theodore Roosevelt was given a turkey one thanksgiving for the next year, and it was considered as a family pet by one of his kids. He named it Jack and Jack followed one of his kids wherever he went. When next Thanksgiving rolled around, the kid interrupted his fathers cabinet meeting crying. When the president asked his son why he was crying, he said the "executioner" was going to kill Jack, and wanted a pardon note. After a little thought, he obliged and wrote out a pardon slip for the family turkey. when he obtained the note, he ran down to the executioner to stop him. Now the president pardons turkeys every year as the tradition and they reside in Santa's Roundup of Disneyland.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Email me if you would like to pen pal
Some people have asked for the direct email and you may feel free to write anytime to: Jack@stellarvista.com
I met a really nice couple with the woman from Brazil tonight at Ft. Washington and if you see this... my mom took photos of you there and of the orange sunset and we would be happy to email them to you or pictures of Monticello or Mt. Vernon if you don't make it there. Congratulations on getting married!
Also... I not only got my Junior Park Ranger badge tonight they gave me a big parks patch for my bag and it is really cool! I want to set a goal to do as many of the junior ranger programs as I can get to. Everyone should do these.
Happy Trails... pics and info from Mt. Washington to come tomorrow.
Jack
I met a really nice couple with the woman from Brazil tonight at Ft. Washington and if you see this... my mom took photos of you there and of the orange sunset and we would be happy to email them to you or pictures of Monticello or Mt. Vernon if you don't make it there. Congratulations on getting married!
Also... I not only got my Junior Park Ranger badge tonight they gave me a big parks patch for my bag and it is really cool! I want to set a goal to do as many of the junior ranger programs as I can get to. Everyone should do these.
Happy Trails... pics and info from Mt. Washington to come tomorrow.
Jack
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Vermont Maple Syrup
Maple syrup...one of my favorites!
Did you know that in most maple syrup brands like mrs. Butterworths there is 0% maple syrup? Want a real taste of syrup? Come to Morse farm in Montpelier, Vermont, a 200 year old place that makes 100% PURE MAPLE SYRUP! Yum! It takes 40 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup out the sugar maple trees. To keep their sap sanitary they use plastic tubes to bring in the sap. They have only 6 weeks to collect their syrup and as these six weeks progress, different grades of the sweet sugary goodness is made. First is a transparent, light-flavored syrup called Fancy. A little later in the season they produce a darker, sweeter flavor Grade A medium. . The third grade is darker and distinct, my personal favorite Grade A Dark. It is sweeter and the flavor is more defined than the other two grades. The final grade is Grade B for cooking or die-hard fans, it is made at the very end of the season when the bugs are on the verge of emerging and it's very strong.
We liked visiting the 200 year old Sugar Shack and learning about how this process is done each Feb/March! Was on my mom's life's checklist. She'd always wondered. Now we know! No more Mrs. Butterworths!
http://www.vermontmaple.org/grades.php
You can order from them too by mail...visit their site.
Did you know that in most maple syrup brands like mrs. Butterworths there is 0% maple syrup? Want a real taste of syrup? Come to Morse farm in Montpelier, Vermont, a 200 year old place that makes 100% PURE MAPLE SYRUP! Yum! It takes 40 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup out the sugar maple trees. To keep their sap sanitary they use plastic tubes to bring in the sap. They have only 6 weeks to collect their syrup and as these six weeks progress, different grades of the sweet sugary goodness is made. First is a transparent, light-flavored syrup called Fancy. A little later in the season they produce a darker, sweeter flavor Grade A medium. . The third grade is darker and distinct, my personal favorite Grade A Dark. It is sweeter and the flavor is more defined than the other two grades. The final grade is Grade B for cooking or die-hard fans, it is made at the very end of the season when the bugs are on the verge of emerging and it's very strong.
We liked visiting the 200 year old Sugar Shack and learning about how this process is done each Feb/March! Was on my mom's life's checklist. She'd always wondered. Now we know! No more Mrs. Butterworths!
http://www.vermontmaple.org/grades.php
You can order from them too by mail...visit their site.
Monticello & Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson autobiography is read in the acres of his beautiful home called Monticello. It means Little mountain and if you stand on the little mountain and look East it is the highest spot until you reach Portugal. I wasn't sure what to expect of this place my mom had described to me as being a house I would love for it's secrets and inventions and special features, I really liked it. There's a neat lookout which was like his little fort with windows and I think I'd spend a lot of time there. Being farmers, we loved the gardens and the fact being terraced gives them 2 extra months of growing season. I learned what neoclassical was and that he liked modifying things. He has a book pedestal where he read 5 different books at once and often in 3 different languages. He was a big reader like me and is quoted as saying "I cannot live without books". His 6000 book collection became the start of the Library of Congress when British burned our library down. His house had dumbwaiters that brought up bottles from the basement with underground tunnels and secret doors the butlers used and the pond is where they kept fish because they had no fridges then. He was a clever man and his house is a place we would love to live.
I HEART New York
I told my mom I was not really interested in seeing New York. Okay, in fact I flat out said "Mom, do we have to go there?". Yes, we did. She wanted me to ride the subway and experience a really big city with a lot of different kinds of people that was the total opposite of Buckley, WA. Boy, was she right...it was really big and really different. But, I'm glad I went.
9/11 Memorial: One of my favorite parts of NY was the memorial. We had to get timed tickets at 11am after making a donation and so we came back at 6:30 p.m. for our viewing. It took 30 minutes to wait in line and go through security just like at the airport. Finally, we emerged on to the plaza where the two pools/fountains were located that took the place of the towers that fell. The pools were black and very large, square fountains with an almost perfectly smooth waterfall off all the sides to a square pool in the middle where water falls again. The names of those who had died were etched on all sides of the fountains above the still smooth pool that collects at the top. It really showed me how many people lost their lives on 9/11. I had no idea how many until I saw that. It was their tombstone like a graveyard but it was the most beautiful one I'd ever seen. The water shimmered like silver threads as it fell. The lihgts that lit it up glinted off the water and made everything sparkle and glow. Some nights they light up two giant lights that reach into the sky like the towers that used to sit on the skyline. We saw the survivor's tree that withstood the whole thing and learned they remove the leaves from it in Fall and dip them in silver and gold and make ornaments from them. I thought it was strange to have a gift shop but it had a great movie explaining things and artifacts from that day like firefighter helmets and pieces of building that melted. It was really moving and connected us to that place, these people and what happened that we should never forget as it was the second time terrorists attacked our country, the first being 200 years earlier when the British invaded and burned our capitol, books and buildings.
Commotion: The streets of NY were the 2nd busiest and most chaotic and insane place I'd ever been in, only falling short of the NY underground subway. Walking is very difficult, like Disneyland on Spring Break where you can barely move and get around and get bumped by everyone. To look at or take a picture of a building you have to walk to the far edge of the sidewalk or risk annoying the city people around you who walk very fast. Everyone walks in Manhattan and they are used to getting there fast. They don't like slow tourists looking up at buildings. You cannot walk more than two people across/wie or you block the business people and frustrate them. Seems like the only way to not anger the locals is to stay home or tread carefully. I'm just happy I'm not old enough to drive because forget trying to drive on these crazy streets. Cabbies are whizzing by almost hitting people every block and the honking... EVERYONE HONKS AT EVERYTHING! It would make me insane. I could talk for a long time, but Central park makes the streets and subways worth it all...
Central Park: CP is HUGE! To be exact it is 863 acres big! The massive park is my favorite part of NYC. We set out on a mission to find my Mom's favorite, Alice in Wonderland, as there was a statue we'd heard about somewhere in the park. We soon found out that there were many hidden treasures and statues throughout the park. I had my picture taken there and as we walked around we found ponds with boats racing, trees with countless squirrels just barely off the peaceful path. Along more main trails we found countless stands selling candied peanuts, almonds and cashews. While the squirrels found the acorns we nibbled on warm almonds and made our way past the ice rink Trump impatiently built when the city couldn't get it done, horse carriages carrying tourists and statues of literary giants and explorers. The sun was setting through the trees lighting up the leaves in gold and orange. I liked climbing the rocks and ducking under bridges. We saw red cardinals and lots of fat finches who live off everyone's snacks. People seemed relaxed and happy here not like Times Square which was like walking into a television commercial theme park with traffic and protesters. We could have spent days in the park but it got dark and we had to catch three subway trains back to New Jersey where our RV park was. It had a view of Statue of Liberty that's how close we were. It was expensive, the most expensive place we've stayed the whole trip. Out of 47 days we have spent only 15 in paid places and out of those we mostly stay at National Parks for $8 a night so to pay almost $70 a night...we only stayed two nights. We were all ready to leave subway behind us but did like some of the cool things we encountered. If the goal was to see a big city different than my own...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Statue of Liberty: Lady Liberty was amazing! I knew she would be cool and big, just not how cool and how big. On the cruise over to Liberty Island where she stands across from Mahattan they stopped at Ellis Island which used to be the Gateway to America for immigrants. They would come over in big ships and sit for hours only to go through a series of tests and searches to make sure they were healthy, safe, sane, and could support themselves with a job and place to go. Any people who didn't meet these rigid requirements were sent right back home on the same ship! Here on Ellis Island I learned about the Junior Ranger program through the National Parks Service. Most Nat'l Parks participate nd you can even do them via mail in a lot of cases if you cannot visit the actual park. Check them out online. You ask the ranger at most parks and they will give you a packet full of questions, activities and "quests" to fulfill. You go through the exhibits, park and watch films and talk with rangers on duty to get acts about the park and history. Ellis Island's packet was very difficult, the most difficult I'd say although National Mall in Washington D.C. was pretty huge and hard too. Some of the questions are facts in hidden places, others you have to write your own perceptions or ideas, then you take your completed packet back to the rangers and they check it. Some give you oral tests to see how much you learned and what you thought. Then when you pass, you get it stamped and you receive your oath about protecting the parks, doing your part to educate others about it (my blog) and get your badge to show you completed it! I did.
The Statue of Liberty cruise was spectacular because it was a really nice sunny day and the cruise home was at sunset with a bright orange sky (mom's favorite). The statue was awe-inspiring. Did you know she was a gift from France and she was shipped here in over 300 pieces in 216 crates! WOW! She was originally copper like a penny but over time the elements have made a patina effect and turned her finish green. She was closed so we could not go up inside her. It was really neat to see all the families from other countries adore her and get so excited to see her and get her picture...it was probably like that when the first immigrants came here and feasted their eyes on the new country and the land of new opportunities and freedoms. The movie they showed us was really moving because it explained how many people escaped their countries and never wanted to go back to places like Russia and they said if they had been rejected by the USA they would have jumped off the ship on the return trip to kill themselves because they hated their old governments. It was sad but also showed me how much America means to people. As we sailed away the sunset rays were facing the same way.pattern as the crown Lady Liberty wears (the spikes coming of her headdress) so we took a photo of that and the full moon that was shining over the NYC skyline of Manhattan.
Overall New York was awesome like eating our homemade lunches on the sunny pier of the market overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge that was so big and old as it was built in 1883! But, big cities are not my taste (Vermont's small town where Ben & Jerry's is made is though).
Misc: We ate cannoli twice and I decided it was cool to try but also not my thing. The Chrysler building was cool with the metal gargoyles. The Museum of Natural History was incredible and had so many impressive things we had never seen anywhere else and we've seen a lot of museums so far!! They had a whole room full of meteorites that have fallen to Earth. A whole room! Mom's favorite was the sparkly orange one that looked like gems. They had plants and animals we;d never seen, the biggest dino bones we've ever encountered and the giant life-size Blue Whale model. It was the most expensive thing we've done so far but we felt like it was worth it for the planetarium show alone. It was narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and if it ever comes to town by you...see it! Journey to the Stars. WOW! It made so many things clear and effects were awesome. My cousin Jimmy would have LOVED this place. All the animals and creatures all hung together on walls. They had the biggest lobster I've ever seen and a crab the size of a car. They even had their own stop underground on the subway so you didn't have to even go outside.
We wished we could have seen Wicked or the Lion King but tickets were over $100 each. I'd like to see those someday though. I know Boo wants to visit New York someday so maybe we will get to see one with her some day. Just no street vendor dirty water hot dogs for me!
9/11 Memorial: One of my favorite parts of NY was the memorial. We had to get timed tickets at 11am after making a donation and so we came back at 6:30 p.m. for our viewing. It took 30 minutes to wait in line and go through security just like at the airport. Finally, we emerged on to the plaza where the two pools/fountains were located that took the place of the towers that fell. The pools were black and very large, square fountains with an almost perfectly smooth waterfall off all the sides to a square pool in the middle where water falls again. The names of those who had died were etched on all sides of the fountains above the still smooth pool that collects at the top. It really showed me how many people lost their lives on 9/11. I had no idea how many until I saw that. It was their tombstone like a graveyard but it was the most beautiful one I'd ever seen. The water shimmered like silver threads as it fell. The lihgts that lit it up glinted off the water and made everything sparkle and glow. Some nights they light up two giant lights that reach into the sky like the towers that used to sit on the skyline. We saw the survivor's tree that withstood the whole thing and learned they remove the leaves from it in Fall and dip them in silver and gold and make ornaments from them. I thought it was strange to have a gift shop but it had a great movie explaining things and artifacts from that day like firefighter helmets and pieces of building that melted. It was really moving and connected us to that place, these people and what happened that we should never forget as it was the second time terrorists attacked our country, the first being 200 years earlier when the British invaded and burned our capitol, books and buildings.
Commotion: The streets of NY were the 2nd busiest and most chaotic and insane place I'd ever been in, only falling short of the NY underground subway. Walking is very difficult, like Disneyland on Spring Break where you can barely move and get around and get bumped by everyone. To look at or take a picture of a building you have to walk to the far edge of the sidewalk or risk annoying the city people around you who walk very fast. Everyone walks in Manhattan and they are used to getting there fast. They don't like slow tourists looking up at buildings. You cannot walk more than two people across/wie or you block the business people and frustrate them. Seems like the only way to not anger the locals is to stay home or tread carefully. I'm just happy I'm not old enough to drive because forget trying to drive on these crazy streets. Cabbies are whizzing by almost hitting people every block and the honking... EVERYONE HONKS AT EVERYTHING! It would make me insane. I could talk for a long time, but Central park makes the streets and subways worth it all...
Central Park: CP is HUGE! To be exact it is 863 acres big! The massive park is my favorite part of NYC. We set out on a mission to find my Mom's favorite, Alice in Wonderland, as there was a statue we'd heard about somewhere in the park. We soon found out that there were many hidden treasures and statues throughout the park. I had my picture taken there and as we walked around we found ponds with boats racing, trees with countless squirrels just barely off the peaceful path. Along more main trails we found countless stands selling candied peanuts, almonds and cashews. While the squirrels found the acorns we nibbled on warm almonds and made our way past the ice rink Trump impatiently built when the city couldn't get it done, horse carriages carrying tourists and statues of literary giants and explorers. The sun was setting through the trees lighting up the leaves in gold and orange. I liked climbing the rocks and ducking under bridges. We saw red cardinals and lots of fat finches who live off everyone's snacks. People seemed relaxed and happy here not like Times Square which was like walking into a television commercial theme park with traffic and protesters. We could have spent days in the park but it got dark and we had to catch three subway trains back to New Jersey where our RV park was. It had a view of Statue of Liberty that's how close we were. It was expensive, the most expensive place we've stayed the whole trip. Out of 47 days we have spent only 15 in paid places and out of those we mostly stay at National Parks for $8 a night so to pay almost $70 a night...we only stayed two nights. We were all ready to leave subway behind us but did like some of the cool things we encountered. If the goal was to see a big city different than my own...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Statue of Liberty: Lady Liberty was amazing! I knew she would be cool and big, just not how cool and how big. On the cruise over to Liberty Island where she stands across from Mahattan they stopped at Ellis Island which used to be the Gateway to America for immigrants. They would come over in big ships and sit for hours only to go through a series of tests and searches to make sure they were healthy, safe, sane, and could support themselves with a job and place to go. Any people who didn't meet these rigid requirements were sent right back home on the same ship! Here on Ellis Island I learned about the Junior Ranger program through the National Parks Service. Most Nat'l Parks participate nd you can even do them via mail in a lot of cases if you cannot visit the actual park. Check them out online. You ask the ranger at most parks and they will give you a packet full of questions, activities and "quests" to fulfill. You go through the exhibits, park and watch films and talk with rangers on duty to get acts about the park and history. Ellis Island's packet was very difficult, the most difficult I'd say although National Mall in Washington D.C. was pretty huge and hard too. Some of the questions are facts in hidden places, others you have to write your own perceptions or ideas, then you take your completed packet back to the rangers and they check it. Some give you oral tests to see how much you learned and what you thought. Then when you pass, you get it stamped and you receive your oath about protecting the parks, doing your part to educate others about it (my blog) and get your badge to show you completed it! I did.
The Statue of Liberty cruise was spectacular because it was a really nice sunny day and the cruise home was at sunset with a bright orange sky (mom's favorite). The statue was awe-inspiring. Did you know she was a gift from France and she was shipped here in over 300 pieces in 216 crates! WOW! She was originally copper like a penny but over time the elements have made a patina effect and turned her finish green. She was closed so we could not go up inside her. It was really neat to see all the families from other countries adore her and get so excited to see her and get her picture...it was probably like that when the first immigrants came here and feasted their eyes on the new country and the land of new opportunities and freedoms. The movie they showed us was really moving because it explained how many people escaped their countries and never wanted to go back to places like Russia and they said if they had been rejected by the USA they would have jumped off the ship on the return trip to kill themselves because they hated their old governments. It was sad but also showed me how much America means to people. As we sailed away the sunset rays were facing the same way.pattern as the crown Lady Liberty wears (the spikes coming of her headdress) so we took a photo of that and the full moon that was shining over the NYC skyline of Manhattan.
Overall New York was awesome like eating our homemade lunches on the sunny pier of the market overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge that was so big and old as it was built in 1883! But, big cities are not my taste (Vermont's small town where Ben & Jerry's is made is though).
Misc: We ate cannoli twice and I decided it was cool to try but also not my thing. The Chrysler building was cool with the metal gargoyles. The Museum of Natural History was incredible and had so many impressive things we had never seen anywhere else and we've seen a lot of museums so far!! They had a whole room full of meteorites that have fallen to Earth. A whole room! Mom's favorite was the sparkly orange one that looked like gems. They had plants and animals we;d never seen, the biggest dino bones we've ever encountered and the giant life-size Blue Whale model. It was the most expensive thing we've done so far but we felt like it was worth it for the planetarium show alone. It was narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and if it ever comes to town by you...see it! Journey to the Stars. WOW! It made so many things clear and effects were awesome. My cousin Jimmy would have LOVED this place. All the animals and creatures all hung together on walls. They had the biggest lobster I've ever seen and a crab the size of a car. They even had their own stop underground on the subway so you didn't have to even go outside.
We wished we could have seen Wicked or the Lion King but tickets were over $100 each. I'd like to see those someday though. I know Boo wants to visit New York someday so maybe we will get to see one with her some day. Just no street vendor dirty water hot dogs for me!
House of the Seven Gables (Salem , Mass 2 the lost blog)
I knew nothing about Salem Witch trials or anything about this town until I got here. We started at the very cool House of the Seven Gables made famous by an author I had never heard of...Nathaniel Hawthorne. What I found interesting about this whole thing was that his relationship to the house that everyone made such a big deal about turned out to be that it wasn't his house and he never actually saw it with seven gables. His description of the house came from the verbal description of the woman who owned it while there was still seven gables. Why was there not always seven gables and what the heck is a gable? Glad you asked.
A gable is a pointy protruding part of the house that MUST come off the roofline. If it doesn't it's merely a dormer. Once upon a time when the house was built it was fashioned after houses in Eurpose especially England. After all the hullabaloo with a little things like the British invading us people wanted to have their homes NOT resemble that of the homes back in England. So, they remodeled and removed key pieces like gables. THis house has seen many renovations but fortunately they never removed the coolest part...the hidden staircase. In the book the butler seems to disappear and reappear as if by magic but we found out it was the very narrow hidden stair that hugged the chimney and led to the servants room upstairs.
The house was nice enough and we learned some great history and had fun in the mariner's cabin with map activities but really the highlight was the gift shop and the ladies who worked there. They were funny and spent a ton of time with me.
A gable is a pointy protruding part of the house that MUST come off the roofline. If it doesn't it's merely a dormer. Once upon a time when the house was built it was fashioned after houses in Eurpose especially England. After all the hullabaloo with a little things like the British invading us people wanted to have their homes NOT resemble that of the homes back in England. So, they remodeled and removed key pieces like gables. THis house has seen many renovations but fortunately they never removed the coolest part...the hidden staircase. In the book the butler seems to disappear and reappear as if by magic but we found out it was the very narrow hidden stair that hugged the chimney and led to the servants room upstairs.
The house was nice enough and we learned some great history and had fun in the mariner's cabin with map activities but really the highlight was the gift shop and the ladies who worked there. They were funny and spent a ton of time with me.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Mount Vernon
Did you know George Washington gave most of his adult life to the service of his country but really just wanted to be home farming at Mt. Vernon? He only got about 6 years to do that before he was called away to serve in armed forces and later in government and later died and couldn't enjoy his lovely home.
My mom visited here when she was 16 and it made a big impression on her. She remembered the use of his bold colors throughout the house which were very uncommon and only wealthy people could afford it. Washington wasn't a fancy man but he had very good taste. The white house wasn't built yet so he didn't get to live in fancy places as he served as our first president the way other ones got to. They said Washington never wrote his autobiography but that Mt. Vernon was his autobiography. It tells the story of a simple man who loved farming and trying new crops and having a beautiful view of the Potomac river and woods beyond it. Everyone felt is was the best placed home of all the estates because of it's view and grounds. We even saw huge trees Washington planted himself! He loved nature and peace it brought after years of unrest with the wars. He saw horrible things and escaped death many times once being shot four times through his jacket and having two horses shot out from under him. He was a very brave man and outstanding leader. mom has spent a lot of time covering him with me and all sides of who he was because she would like me to be like him. She admires everything about him from his personal life to his public service, his speeches and attitudes to his courteous ways. When George was a young man his father died early and his older brother went off to war. George decided early what kind of man he wanted to be and read the codes of conduct of the 15th century monks and applied them to his own life at 15 creating Washington's Cod of Conduct ( the book is: Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior In Company & Conversation) and decided to copy them all down to commit them to memory and he used them throughout his life in almost all his dealings until his death in 1799. So, guess what my mom asked if I'd like to do... and after visiting his home and museum, his monument and battlefields I said YES! So she got me a quill and ink and parchment and I will set out to the same. I can be grouchy at times and procrastinate and I am trying to set goals for myself to improve things and be more easy going and polite. George Washington is a great man to admire as almost everyone thought very highly of him and he was very modest but courageous and always felt compelled to serve his country and good causes and do his duty. He was a great example of self-sacrifice for greater good. He was an amazing leader and President.
An old man who walked through the exhibit when we did was actually crying when he saw George Washington's sword in the case. He really admired him too. I like how humble and brave he was. It showed both sides of him as he was also a great general and a good dancer! He loved his wife Martha and even though they had many tragedies like losing their children he was determined to make the best of his situation and do the things that needed doing even though he wanted to selfishly be at home.
My mom visited here when she was 16 and it made a big impression on her. She remembered the use of his bold colors throughout the house which were very uncommon and only wealthy people could afford it. Washington wasn't a fancy man but he had very good taste. The white house wasn't built yet so he didn't get to live in fancy places as he served as our first president the way other ones got to. They said Washington never wrote his autobiography but that Mt. Vernon was his autobiography. It tells the story of a simple man who loved farming and trying new crops and having a beautiful view of the Potomac river and woods beyond it. Everyone felt is was the best placed home of all the estates because of it's view and grounds. We even saw huge trees Washington planted himself! He loved nature and peace it brought after years of unrest with the wars. He saw horrible things and escaped death many times once being shot four times through his jacket and having two horses shot out from under him. He was a very brave man and outstanding leader. mom has spent a lot of time covering him with me and all sides of who he was because she would like me to be like him. She admires everything about him from his personal life to his public service, his speeches and attitudes to his courteous ways. When George was a young man his father died early and his older brother went off to war. George decided early what kind of man he wanted to be and read the codes of conduct of the 15th century monks and applied them to his own life at 15 creating Washington's Cod of Conduct ( the book is: Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior In Company & Conversation) and decided to copy them all down to commit them to memory and he used them throughout his life in almost all his dealings until his death in 1799. So, guess what my mom asked if I'd like to do... and after visiting his home and museum, his monument and battlefields I said YES! So she got me a quill and ink and parchment and I will set out to the same. I can be grouchy at times and procrastinate and I am trying to set goals for myself to improve things and be more easy going and polite. George Washington is a great man to admire as almost everyone thought very highly of him and he was very modest but courageous and always felt compelled to serve his country and good causes and do his duty. He was a great example of self-sacrifice for greater good. He was an amazing leader and President.
An old man who walked through the exhibit when we did was actually crying when he saw George Washington's sword in the case. He really admired him too. I like how humble and brave he was. It showed both sides of him as he was also a great general and a good dancer! He loved his wife Martha and even though they had many tragedies like losing their children he was determined to make the best of his situation and do the things that needed doing even though he wanted to selfishly be at home.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Occupy Wall Street Revisited
As
we left Boston we had a better picture of how the Revolutionary effort
started to move from independent colonies to a united nation. Everyday
guys and early rebel leaders Paul Revere and Sam Adams took leadership
roles and got the word out to people calling for cooperation, meetings
to discuss options and plans and organized messages for the people.
They didn't have the internet or television or radio so back then it was
people who spread the word to other people when things were happening.
So, we asked ourselves, Where were the Paul Revere's of OWS? Where was
the leader of Philly's OWS movement? We looked and found one woman
eager to talk to us but also frustrated herself by her experience with
this group.
We
have visited tent camps in cities from Buffalo, NY to Philadelphia,
PA. We have tried to read their signs, get their core messages and
listened to their speeches and parade chants. Then, I read some
articles and asked my family for their opinions. In Philadelphia Mom
and I went through the tent city and found some people to talk to and
interview about what they were doing. I think I finally have a few answers.
Holding a Anti-racist meeting sign in front of many other signs (that read Forgive my college debt! Repeal the 12th Amendment! Zeitgeist! Our Crumbling Bridges are the Worst in the country! How do you get a 21st century job with a 19th century education? Inter-faith Tent Here! You are existing in the Slave System!) it was difficult to zero in on what they wanted us to support. So we asked what her main messages were. She laughed. "Uh, well...there's many." So we then gave her our impressions over 15 states of observation. We explained that we felt they needed a leader for the overall, a leader for each topic if not and 3-5 core messages for the public to read when they first see the camp. Her reply was that they spend so much time in meetings arguing with city and unions over sanitation, permits and rules that they rarely have time to get down to business. We replied that they started this almost two months ago. She explained that the message got hijacked by homeless and mentally ill people who came for free housing and food and no one took leadership role to stop their messages from crowding their purpose because they wanted to not squash participation and their 1st amendment rights to speak out on whatever they wanted. We explained that sort of ruined it for them and drove people like us away or to confusion and we found it hard to support them. She replied with "Spend time at a GA (general assembly) meeting or a day here and we would stop using words THEM, THEY, YOU and we would start saying US, WE." Mom then said you have not compelled me to bring my child into the cold and around some of these people who are, well, not stable and could be dangerous (like where we were in Burlington, VT where the man killed himself in the tent right where we were a couple weeks ago). We spent about 40 minutes trying to get a clearer idea of things but we did learn they have a library, children's center, regular meetings and the Philly group is actually delaying a wheelchair accessible subway project in hopes of being able to give demands to the city as their leverage. (I learned that word from a great movie called Leverage).
Thanks for all the comments and input on this it was very helpful.
Democracy in action! Don't sit on the sidelines.
Jack
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Occupy Wall Street
Disclaimer: This is about education not preaching or fighting, fun debate welcome and all sides respected here. This is a quest for understanding as my project is how history applies to today and understanding our government and people's attitudes/involvement in it today vs. at the beginning when we formed. Getting to see action while out on this trip is interesting and good to see people participating no matter what they believe.
So, as we have gone through many cities we have come upon the Occupy Wall Street protester tent cities. My first experience was in Buffalo, NY but also saw it in Boston and now NYC. Monday I saw this one up close in NYC:
Link http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2098948,00.html and was headed down there today to interview them to find out what this is all about. But today they are leaving and heading for Washington DC like I am tomorrow. I got to see a huge group of people marching in NY City streets with signs and chanting (mom took pics and video) and we talked about how these people are actively doing what we have been learning about the last 3 weeks (in Revolutionary War times) standing up for their beliefs and making their voices heard and who knows if in those groups there isn't the next Paul Revere or Sam Adams who might lead the way for change somehow. It's been interesting to learn and read distant history and then see this now and close up happening in my time in places I am at. I don't understand it all yet, though it's now going to be the focus of my current events so don't be surprised if I report on it from Washington next week. I would love to know thoughts from you all about what it is and means to you or if you simply don't care about it and think they are a bunch of nuts. I am starting here (for different points of view) please suggest any articles or videos for me if you liked something.
http://www.newburyportnews.com/opinion/x471037000/Wall-St-protesters-still-have-many-lessons-to-learn
http://www.tnr.com/article/the-vital-center/96377/occupy-wall-street-democrats-populism-elites
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loxZ5cQQdbI&feature=related
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/10/14/understanding-occupy-wall-street/
If you need a basic introduction like I did: http://news-basics.com/2011/occupy-wall-street/
First people I interviewed:
Mom's two cents: At any point or place the government starts or is interfering in your life you should be aware, concerned and actively involved in understanding it and speaking up for your place in it while always considering the greater good.
Dad: I think they tend to be people who have not been successful and are complaining that Wall Street and government are in cahoots and that the government is not helping them individually be financially successful and while I defend their right to say whatever they feel I do not agree.
What do you think?
Jack
Link http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2098948,00.html and was headed down there today to interview them to find out what this is all about. But today they are leaving and heading for Washington DC like I am tomorrow. I got to see a huge group of people marching in NY City streets with signs and chanting (mom took pics and video) and we talked about how these people are actively doing what we have been learning about the last 3 weeks (in Revolutionary War times) standing up for their beliefs and making their voices heard and who knows if in those groups there isn't the next Paul Revere or Sam Adams who might lead the way for change somehow. It's been interesting to learn and read distant history and then see this now and close up happening in my time in places I am at. I don't understand it all yet, though it's now going to be the focus of my current events so don't be surprised if I report on it from Washington next week. I would love to know thoughts from you all about what it is and means to you or if you simply don't care about it and think they are a bunch of nuts. I am starting here (for different points of view) please suggest any articles or videos for me if you liked something.
http://www.newburyportnews.com/opinion/x471037000/Wall-St-protesters-still-have-many-lessons-to-learn
http://www.tnr.com/article/the-vital-center/96377/occupy-wall-street-democrats-populism-elites
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loxZ5cQQdbI&feature=related
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/10/14/understanding-occupy-wall-street/
If you need a basic introduction like I did: http://news-basics.com/2011/occupy-wall-street/
First people I interviewed:
Mom's two cents: At any point or place the government starts or is interfering in your life you should be aware, concerned and actively involved in understanding it and speaking up for your place in it while always considering the greater good.
Dad: I think they tend to be people who have not been successful and are complaining that Wall Street and government are in cahoots and that the government is not helping them individually be financially successful and while I defend their right to say whatever they feel I do not agree.
What do you think?
Jack
Monday, November 7, 2011
Real Quick In NYC!
What do you want to see? Don't be afraid if there's something you really want to see to text my mom or post here or email us. Give me a challenge or ask for a pic of something. If you want me to make a goofy face in central park or dance in front of Rockafeller Center... tell me, ask. It's fun to have connections from home or people. We love to take pics...request away. We are in BIG APPLE TODAY! Just got here and ready to hit city. WOW! Next up will be Washington D.C., then Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia down to Florida.
You can also give me questions I have to answer and research or ask questions about anything you want to know more about from history to things about cities we visit.
Don't forget my mom's blog at waywardwind-e-bago.blogspot.com
Have a great day! Off to the big apple with my lunch packed to eat in Central Park...we;re going to try and find the Alice in Wonderland statue.
Happy Trails!
Jack
You can also give me questions I have to answer and research or ask questions about anything you want to know more about from history to things about cities we visit.
Don't forget my mom's blog at waywardwind-e-bago.blogspot.com
Have a great day! Off to the big apple with my lunch packed to eat in Central Park...we;re going to try and find the Alice in Wonderland statue.
Happy Trails!
Jack
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Bahstan (BOSTON) & Freedom Trail
Have you heard the story of Paul Revere riding through the night, the lanterns and calling "The British are Coming!" Well, it's partially accurate. He did ride and warn our troops and hid that hid our guns and he did see the lights in the lantern but he didn't say those words but he said and did a lot more than in the story I knew. Link: http://www.earlyamerica.com/paul_revere.htm He was a silversmith who did an engraving after the Boston Massacre that rallied people together to fight the British rule and bullying. I went to Boston by train from Salem, Mass and went to Paul Revere's house that's still standing. He is a big hero in Boston as is Sam Adams for their bravery & actions. I'd only seen him on a bottle of beer. I didn't know a lot of this history until I got out here and started going to these places, reading, taking tours and asking questions. Boston is home of the Freedom Trail as it was an important city for our independence from British Rule. There are many neat things to see here like the USS Constitution Link: http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/visitor/uss-constitution.html which is the oldest active warship at over 200 years old in our Navy. Once a year she still sails to prove it..."Old Ironsides" with her rows of heavy cannons that fire 24 lb cannon balls that take NINE men/women to load and fire and kick back 6 feet when the do. We crawled all over the massive ship, she's beautiful.
Back in the American Revolution it was a city that had seven generations of people who were born in America, not England, and had never known a government interfering in their lives other than being taxed on everything from England. England didn't help people move here to America, they came to flee the King and persecution for heir religions and ways of life. They built independent colonies where businesses and families thrived and cities were constructed and then England wanted to start to rule things here. The King even said that nothing could be built here out of wood planks larger than 24 inches across because that was "king's wood" and used for his stuff and building his ships so we were to send it to him because he cut down all his trees long ago and never planted any in England. The people of Boston and other colonies said NO. People from other settlements came here to gather and discuss our becoming a free nation at Fanuiel Hall (link: http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/visitor/faneuil-hall.html)since 1742 and it was our favorite place to visit in Boston. They had town meetings where everyone was heard and had a voice in their governing and all that was threatened. People like Sam Adams were leaders in involving people and gathering groups to "start the brushfire of ideas" that would spread through all the colonies and unite us as a "ragtag army" to fight hard & dirty and beat the British even though they were older, more organized and trained and outnumbered us. We outwitted them, out-spied them and outlasted them. It's like survivor for independence. I'd like to see people get as passionate, involved and active in our government process today. I hear a lot of people complaining but no one seems to really do much about it. Voting is important but so is educating yourself and others about how our nation was formed and on what ideas and find a common ground to work together on to fix the issues families like ours face with losing our home and the lack of jobs for people. It's a scary time and I wish we had a confident leader people would support like Theodore Roosevelt Link: http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/biotr.htm who spoke honorably and encouraged everyone to do their part and pitch in. I admire him very much. People can find faults with every leader but I admire them for their bravery to go out in front of people and try things even if they don't get it right all the time. Adults tell us kids to keep trying all the times we mess up but it seems like everyone is giving up on government and history and only caring about their cell phones, video games and money. People also really just like to complain about everything. Hearing about all the rebellious early Americans taking up their guns and not putting up with the British bullying is cool. Read about history for stories as exciting as Captain Jack Sparrow's... like Paul Revere's and George Washington. They faced down a large army and won freedom for us all, not treasures for themselves. Don't forget them on Veteran's Day or Armed Forces Day or Thanksgiving!
Jack (Mom's helped me remember it all there was a lot)
Back in the American Revolution it was a city that had seven generations of people who were born in America, not England, and had never known a government interfering in their lives other than being taxed on everything from England. England didn't help people move here to America, they came to flee the King and persecution for heir religions and ways of life. They built independent colonies where businesses and families thrived and cities were constructed and then England wanted to start to rule things here. The King even said that nothing could be built here out of wood planks larger than 24 inches across because that was "king's wood" and used for his stuff and building his ships so we were to send it to him because he cut down all his trees long ago and never planted any in England. The people of Boston and other colonies said NO. People from other settlements came here to gather and discuss our becoming a free nation at Fanuiel Hall (link: http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/visitor/faneuil-hall.html)since 1742 and it was our favorite place to visit in Boston. They had town meetings where everyone was heard and had a voice in their governing and all that was threatened. People like Sam Adams were leaders in involving people and gathering groups to "start the brushfire of ideas" that would spread through all the colonies and unite us as a "ragtag army" to fight hard & dirty and beat the British even though they were older, more organized and trained and outnumbered us. We outwitted them, out-spied them and outlasted them. It's like survivor for independence. I'd like to see people get as passionate, involved and active in our government process today. I hear a lot of people complaining but no one seems to really do much about it. Voting is important but so is educating yourself and others about how our nation was formed and on what ideas and find a common ground to work together on to fix the issues families like ours face with losing our home and the lack of jobs for people. It's a scary time and I wish we had a confident leader people would support like Theodore Roosevelt Link: http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/biotr.htm who spoke honorably and encouraged everyone to do their part and pitch in. I admire him very much. People can find faults with every leader but I admire them for their bravery to go out in front of people and try things even if they don't get it right all the time. Adults tell us kids to keep trying all the times we mess up but it seems like everyone is giving up on government and history and only caring about their cell phones, video games and money. People also really just like to complain about everything. Hearing about all the rebellious early Americans taking up their guns and not putting up with the British bullying is cool. Read about history for stories as exciting as Captain Jack Sparrow's... like Paul Revere's and George Washington. They faced down a large army and won freedom for us all, not treasures for themselves. Don't forget them on Veteran's Day or Armed Forces Day or Thanksgiving!
Jack (Mom's helped me remember it all there was a lot)
Salem, Mass
Visited the other Salem (my cousins live in Salem, OR on the other coast and we visited the other Portland, OR where Benny lives too) in Massachusettes where the Salem Witch trials took place by the Puritans in 1692. The town gets 100,000 visitors on Halloween weekend every year so the town was still decorated for Halloween with witches and pumpkins everywhere with witchy things in most businesses which seemed overused and disrespectful with what actually happened there. We weren't here to see the ghosts like all the ghost hunters we were there for the history. We had a enthusiastic and wicked smart tour guide who owns Hocus Pocus tours. We went with one other family who were frozen out half way through the tour so we got a personal night time tour of the city walking to important buildings and monuments like the memorial to the 19 victims of the Witch Trials. It was designed by a woman from Winslow on Bainbridge where my parents went to school. She won a contest for the best design out of 200 entries because it's situated next to a Puritan graveyard (the people who both judged, killed and stood by while they were killed) and there is a bench around the wall of ignorance for each victim with their name and how they died so you can reflect on each person and pay your respect to them all around a grove of Black locust trees that rarely have foliage which is the "stark" reminder of the dangers of gossip, hysteria and intolerance. It was really sad that so many innocent people died from such idiotic behavior - like the ideas that people who floated when you bound them and threw them in a lake were witches or so were people with red hair. Guess my cousins Colman and Jimmy are witches. Wanna go swimming in the lake to be sure guys?
I also thought that it was not fair how rich people could buy their way into better positions or even grave sites with the churches. Gossip was really harmful then and spreading them now may not get people killed but it sure can cause a lot of hurt feelings. Best to not be the person spreading news you aren't sure of 100%. One man was pressed to death over the course of two days by the townspeople as they put a board on his chest and kept piling rocks until it crushed him. The rest were hanged.
One thing we thought strange was the Bewitched statue that was whimsical was located right on the path they led the victims on to hang. Seemed inappropriate place but the movie studio was promoting Nicole Kidman's movie and wanted it there years back. With enough money it seems people can get whatever they want. I wish the movie had given money to the town to make the museum less expensive, we often have to split up when we can't all go. a lot of museums are $20-25/person! They are worth it for sure but tough when you are on a tight budget like us. We spent 9 nights in a row boondocking to off set cost of things we wanted to do like the tours.
Salem, Mass was a great city to walk around even in the cold. It was COLD! We went to the House of the Seven Gables made famous by the book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It was a cool big house and very gabley with secret staircases that were very narrow and steep. The front room had a mini store in it where people of the time used it to sell their home made goods to make extra money. Speaking of the store, the gift shop was amazing, the best we'd been in so far not just because they had the best journals and books but because of the game selection and the ladies staffing it. My favorite games were Literati and LitWit. Check them out! We also continued our elephant theme (keep running into elephants everywhere we go and they are in that book we got in bar harbor the story is about) and read the story The Elephant story there about the first Elephant brought over and how they hadn't anticipated who much water he'd need so they fed him beer like the sailors which he loved. Later they let people pay an admission and bring him a bottle of beer and he would take off the top with his trunk, drink the beer and give you the bottle back.
The three ladies who worked in the gift shop were so nice! It was good to talk to people. One told us about how she worked the trolleys in Boston giving tours for 15 years and on her suggestion we took one and it was great! We learned a lot of neat things about Boston and history along the Freedom Trail (look it up!). Another one told us about the history channel having a show that is about how the states got their shapes and we were just asking that question a couple weeks ago. The last one spent a long time with us and she used to be a teacher, now retired. She played the games with me and told me about all kinds of different things. We had a really nice talk, it was like talking to my grandma. She drew us a map of how to get on the train to Boston and there we found the greatest parking/camping spot next to the train station and river. A dredging company owned a fenced lot they let people park in and he let us camp there 2 days for $8 a day. He told us to go to the Peabody Essex museum which was free for me but too expensive for my parents to go to. I went and loved the Ripple Effect exhibit: the art of water where a man played ice instruments. You can see him on YouTube Terje Isungset is his name.
I rode my first subway train and it was really easy as long as you are on time. The conductor comes around and punches your ticket just like in the Polar Express. The people are really friendly and come in all colors. I liked the old big mansion houses and unique details on doors and windows. Susan, the Hocus Pocus tourguide told us the windows on the top floor were only half as big to trick the tax collectors of the time who didn't count them as living spaces but assumed they were attic spaces. CLEVER! They even got taxed on how many closets they had. I hope the tour guides know that some of us really like the history and arnen't bored at all and appreciate what they do. If they weren't there to teach us these things eventually they might be forgotten and people should care about the past. We learn a lot from the mistakes and old ways and it's been great having the story of our country and government and our freedom come to life. One day I will vote and be a part of the decisions for America and it's good to know what was in our past and what soldiers died for. It's not silly old places and unimportant dead people, it's a part of who we are. I thought Salem was more than witches and I hope people who come here stop thinking it's all about Halloween and ghosts and realize it's full of interesting places, great people who treat those murders with great respect. The city was by-passed as a major port once the clipper ships were built because the inlet was too shallow and all the attention went to Boston but I think Salem was by far more fun and easy to walk around and you can take things in more personally and and without the mobs of people. The Engine Room food was so good as was the pumpkin bread pudding with pumpkin ice cream! Next stop Boston!
I also thought that it was not fair how rich people could buy their way into better positions or even grave sites with the churches. Gossip was really harmful then and spreading them now may not get people killed but it sure can cause a lot of hurt feelings. Best to not be the person spreading news you aren't sure of 100%. One man was pressed to death over the course of two days by the townspeople as they put a board on his chest and kept piling rocks until it crushed him. The rest were hanged.
One thing we thought strange was the Bewitched statue that was whimsical was located right on the path they led the victims on to hang. Seemed inappropriate place but the movie studio was promoting Nicole Kidman's movie and wanted it there years back. With enough money it seems people can get whatever they want. I wish the movie had given money to the town to make the museum less expensive, we often have to split up when we can't all go. a lot of museums are $20-25/person! They are worth it for sure but tough when you are on a tight budget like us. We spent 9 nights in a row boondocking to off set cost of things we wanted to do like the tours.
Salem, Mass was a great city to walk around even in the cold. It was COLD! We went to the House of the Seven Gables made famous by the book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It was a cool big house and very gabley with secret staircases that were very narrow and steep. The front room had a mini store in it where people of the time used it to sell their home made goods to make extra money. Speaking of the store, the gift shop was amazing, the best we'd been in so far not just because they had the best journals and books but because of the game selection and the ladies staffing it. My favorite games were Literati and LitWit. Check them out! We also continued our elephant theme (keep running into elephants everywhere we go and they are in that book we got in bar harbor the story is about) and read the story The Elephant story there about the first Elephant brought over and how they hadn't anticipated who much water he'd need so they fed him beer like the sailors which he loved. Later they let people pay an admission and bring him a bottle of beer and he would take off the top with his trunk, drink the beer and give you the bottle back.
The three ladies who worked in the gift shop were so nice! It was good to talk to people. One told us about how she worked the trolleys in Boston giving tours for 15 years and on her suggestion we took one and it was great! We learned a lot of neat things about Boston and history along the Freedom Trail (look it up!). Another one told us about the history channel having a show that is about how the states got their shapes and we were just asking that question a couple weeks ago. The last one spent a long time with us and she used to be a teacher, now retired. She played the games with me and told me about all kinds of different things. We had a really nice talk, it was like talking to my grandma. She drew us a map of how to get on the train to Boston and there we found the greatest parking/camping spot next to the train station and river. A dredging company owned a fenced lot they let people park in and he let us camp there 2 days for $8 a day. He told us to go to the Peabody Essex museum which was free for me but too expensive for my parents to go to. I went and loved the Ripple Effect exhibit: the art of water where a man played ice instruments. You can see him on YouTube Terje Isungset is his name.
I rode my first subway train and it was really easy as long as you are on time. The conductor comes around and punches your ticket just like in the Polar Express. The people are really friendly and come in all colors. I liked the old big mansion houses and unique details on doors and windows. Susan, the Hocus Pocus tourguide told us the windows on the top floor were only half as big to trick the tax collectors of the time who didn't count them as living spaces but assumed they were attic spaces. CLEVER! They even got taxed on how many closets they had. I hope the tour guides know that some of us really like the history and arnen't bored at all and appreciate what they do. If they weren't there to teach us these things eventually they might be forgotten and people should care about the past. We learn a lot from the mistakes and old ways and it's been great having the story of our country and government and our freedom come to life. One day I will vote and be a part of the decisions for America and it's good to know what was in our past and what soldiers died for. It's not silly old places and unimportant dead people, it's a part of who we are. I thought Salem was more than witches and I hope people who come here stop thinking it's all about Halloween and ghosts and realize it's full of interesting places, great people who treat those murders with great respect. The city was by-passed as a major port once the clipper ships were built because the inlet was too shallow and all the attention went to Boston but I think Salem was by far more fun and easy to walk around and you can take things in more personally and and without the mobs of people. The Engine Room food was so good as was the pumpkin bread pudding with pumpkin ice cream! Next stop Boston!
New England
Well, We made it! The East Coast, 3000 miles to the other side of the US! The ATLANTIC OCEAN! I have to say that it looks a lot like the Pacific Ocean where I'm from. This surprised us. We thought we might find, well, I'm not sure but something different. Instead there were lighthouses, sandy beaches with seagulls and craggy rocks and cold water. The Sandy beach at Acadia was really nice and we played in the waves and rocks and it was sunny but freezing. We found one thing that differed from our coast though... Maine lobsters! Big red delicious lobsters. I havd never had one before and Mom has a picture of me taking my first bite. YUM! But, I'm already lobstered out after a couple meals as it's rich and I am a steak guy. Pass the Heinz 57 and let's drive to Montana!
I had lots of fun imitating the accent of the locals at Bar Harbor, ME by Acadia National park and drove my parents crazy Ma, I need a Bahbah to get my haircut in Bah Habah before I look like a shaggy LLama. As we moved to Boston the accent got more tough guy and I had a harder time with that but my Mom does a wicked impression.
There were moose warnings all over Maine as the population has exploded there and we got to see some mangled cars the police set out to show you who loses when a moose hits your car...you do! We drove slow just in case.
The people here were kind of rude except two: the post mistress at the Bar Harbor post office was so nice! She told us how to use general delivery so people can send us things and letters. She had postcards from all over the world posted on wall behind her and we promised to send her one from somewhere pretty and far away. We will too. The second person who was nice was the lady at my favorite part of Maine...Sherman's bookstore. She told us about the book As Small as an Elephant which was amazingly about an 11 yr old boy named JACK who was traveling to Bar Harbor,Maine with his MOTHER and she disappears and he has to find her and goes on journey down coast to Boston area...JUST LIKE WE WERE> The author drove same roads we did and as we were in the RV reading it aloud we knew the places she was talking about so it was really cool. We got what we call "rock star" parking in Bar Harbor right next to bookstore downtown in their only RV parking spot. In summer millions of people visit here so I am sure they are worn out from tourists so I understand them being rude. I liked it here a lot and would come back or sure. Only this time we need a map because we almost got stuck under a bridge that was really low.
I had lots of fun imitating the accent of the locals at Bar Harbor, ME by Acadia National park and drove my parents crazy Ma, I need a Bahbah to get my haircut in Bah Habah before I look like a shaggy LLama. As we moved to Boston the accent got more tough guy and I had a harder time with that but my Mom does a wicked impression.
There were moose warnings all over Maine as the population has exploded there and we got to see some mangled cars the police set out to show you who loses when a moose hits your car...you do! We drove slow just in case.
The people here were kind of rude except two: the post mistress at the Bar Harbor post office was so nice! She told us how to use general delivery so people can send us things and letters. She had postcards from all over the world posted on wall behind her and we promised to send her one from somewhere pretty and far away. We will too. The second person who was nice was the lady at my favorite part of Maine...Sherman's bookstore. She told us about the book As Small as an Elephant which was amazingly about an 11 yr old boy named JACK who was traveling to Bar Harbor,Maine with his MOTHER and she disappears and he has to find her and goes on journey down coast to Boston area...JUST LIKE WE WERE> The author drove same roads we did and as we were in the RV reading it aloud we knew the places she was talking about so it was really cool. We got what we call "rock star" parking in Bar Harbor right next to bookstore downtown in their only RV parking spot. In summer millions of people visit here so I am sure they are worn out from tourists so I understand them being rude. I liked it here a lot and would come back or sure. Only this time we need a map because we almost got stuck under a bridge that was really low.
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