Celebrate summer and every new day out at the State Fair Meadowlands with its welcome return. Rainbow colors, catchy pop tunes, the whirring of rides, and shrieks of delight – the fair produced by State Fair Event Management is the launch of summer fun.
Perhaps it is true to form that a fair in New Jersey is on pavement as opposed to being in a cornfield, but a magical transformation delivers both an amusement park and a Garden State country fair with face painting, a petting zoo, pig races, high dives, music (not just live music, but great bands), magic shows, and a renowned hypnotist’s act that has most out-of-staters leaving saying, “Where’s the nearest jughandle so we can turn around and do it all again?” As part of the Meadowlands dynamic, helicopter rides take the place of the traditional hot air balloon ones. The location also gives excellent accessibility, so everyone can attend.
Floating over Root Beer Floats on the Sky Ride ✨
Following so many pairs of tiny hands in big, wandering fairgoers will first encounter a cornucopia of booths with every imagined fair food favorite from cotton candy to tropical smoothies to gyros to empanadillas. (If you’re dieting, wear blinders and track shoes, or better yet, treat your loved ones.) The serene Sky Ride gives fairgoers an overview and #instagreat photos that meet classic thrill rides like the Polar Express with scares galore in the Haunted Mansion. Candy colored kiddie rides are rivaled only by the Petting Zoo. Though scaled back a bit this year, the zoo still provides enough kid to kid excitement with goats and barnyard friends to elicit happy dances from small children. The fun of rides is only part of the “feel good” atmosphere that makes this one of my favorite events in the state. Adding to the daily fair excitement are the Fourth of July fireworks on July 3rd and 4th.
Cotton Candy and Candy Apples 🍎 The popular Taino’s on Wheels
Young Artists
Did you know that you would meet young artists at the fair? Portraiture is the new selfie, proving that everything old is new again, and fairgoers will have the pleasure of experiencing charm in person with no signal dropping. Remember making conversation? New friends will be met at the fair.
Thank you to these young artists. 🎨🌟
Travel Tidbits
To mask or not to mask? Candidly, not many wore masks on this year’s visit, but you can wear one without feeling out of place. If you are concerned, consider going early when it is easier to social distance. Everyone and everything, however, must pass through a metal detector at the entrance. Thank you to security for keeping each and every person safe. Thanks, too, to the amazing professionals calling out to come enjoy the rides and play games, whatever the weather, whatever the crowd, and to those who posed for photos taking it in faith that they were asked for those in good faith.
All smiles at the fun basketball toss at Cully’s Enterprises The delightful Ring a Duck The dynamic duo at the Balloon Game 🎈
Tickets for the fair, June 18th through July 11th, must be purchased online and a barcode downloaded for each instead of printing. A Pay One Price Fun Pass includes free admission, free shows and unlimited rides with some exceptions, and free parking. A Fast Pass, available only at the fair, entitles ticketholders to upgrade tickets and skip the lines for some rides. Children under three feet are free, a generous tradition.
Pikachu and Scooby-Doo 🐾
As for souvenirs, the memories to take back into the workaday world are beyond compare. The fair magician conjures up children’s smiles, peals of laughter, and marvel, shared harmoniously by one and all. With this beautiful weather, what could be better than to rejoin family and friends in fun? With feet on the ground, but hearts in the air, let’s say to each other, “We’ll meet at the fair”.
Charming Kiddie Rides The Haunted Mansion Toy Box Mania The popular Seven Seas The All American High Dive 💦Fun @ The Crazy Outback
(Sources: David Bernenbaum, screenwriter for “Elf”, for the opening quote and State Fair Events Management/State Fair Meadowlands)
As our family wended its way towards cherry blossoms and national icons in 1970, we first had to navigate the infamous Capital Beltway. My brother, a mini-me of our father with the same crew cut, intrepidly served as navigator, a daring feat for a second-grader. When we passed the city’s icons over and over again with no clear exit in sight, sometimes finding ourselves in Virginia as well as Maryland, we felt taunted by the holiday that might not be. Le panique having passed, working together, we eventually got out of the loop. Though some Americans were still reeling from the breakups of The Beatles and Diana Ross & The Supremes, Apollo 13 was safely home after a close call, so everything was possible.
After enjoying an early morning visit to the Lincoln Memorial and the cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin, we walked up the hill on the National Mall towards the Washington Monument. Suddenly, a living tie-dye rainbow danced all around us, young people jubilantly carrying banners, chanting slogans, and looking like extras for a happier occasion than the protest in “Forrest Gump”. We had walked into the middle of one of the first Earth Day events. Impressively, the massive crowd had gathered pre-Twitter, and where they were from, who knew, but given the tee shirts, some had tumbled out of local college dorms. For a Junior Girl Scout, there were so many grooming revelations alone: face painting, uncombed hair, and braless-ness, but these were observations coming from someone who thought wild living was staying up all night at slumber parties with Flower Power sleeping bags and spinning Bobby Sherman 45s with girlfriends.
Squarish 📸
Our father, a Clint Eastwood look-a-like, walked with
determination through the milling crowd.
With a buzz cut amidst cascading manes, he was easy to follow, which all
of us did, each politely repeating, “Excuse me” to the Gaia-revelers who did
not see us. In the rosy hue of memory, when
thinking of these Earth Day free spirits, I see an image of a young woman’s outstretched
hand at the end of an innocent snap-the-whip as if inviting us to join.
Our grandfather, who lived with us, had opted to stay behind in the Garden State and work with the promise of a weekend visit with one of his sons. Coincidentally, our uncle lived near Freehold Raceway, but he was confident that his good looks and charm were always the draw. Our grandfather, a retired firefighter, was patriotic, but the ponies had a certain momentum that the once provincial D.C. of his youth lacked. He was, however, a charming paradox. Whenever asked for life advice, the racing fan playfully replied, “Don’t bet on the horses.” Much to our mother’s dismay, while other grandparents took their grandchildren to museums, concerts, and the theater, ours took us for schooling in applied math, though the main lesson was that he enjoyed spending time with us. *
Even on the road, our mother, a dutiful daughter, reminded my brother and me, “Don’t forget sugar for Grandpa”. This family tradition of bringing a few packets of sugar for Gramps evolved perhaps because he savored the luxuriant feeling of a restaurant while having coffee at home attired in what may now be referred to as pandemic chic. How this began may be as unanswerable as why some of us still wear make-up under facemasks.
Back home were also two sweet sisters who babysat us on occasion. The sisters’ parents had immigrated from Germany, and the young women sometimes impressed us by sharing a few sayings in German. The younger sister, who was delightful, was still in high school and immersed in homework and teen concerns. The older sister, who was in secretarial school and practiced her shorthand at night, seemed quite grown up and filled in if her younger sister was not free. Aside from being willing to play everything from Twister to Monopoly, she fascinated us with photos sent from her fiancé fighting in Vietnam to whom she wrote faithfully.
Lest sweet sisters and Earth Day revelers seem sent from central casting, like actors who do not want to be typecast, everyone wants and deserves appreciation for having depth. Our father with the buzz cut loved the arts and was a talented writer, especially gifted with descriptive writing. Earlier that April, we had had fun on his April Fool’s birthday, with our usual jokes, “You have ketchup on your tie,” phony bad grades, and plastic spiders in his food, etc.. Nothing could top the whimsy of the cosmos, however, that fated the birth of such a serious fellow on April 1st, but this was also the man who could juggle plates like a top “America’s Got Talent” contestant, a skill acquired from his days waiting tables in his beloved Pocono Mountains.
Though now might not be the time for jokes about the Earth’s revolutions, Mother Earth or “Terra Mater,” the Roman goddess, intrigued me, as did all mythology. My father once delighted me with a beautifully illustrated book of creation myths from around the world, now safely tucked away along with family photo albums as we sail the pandemic seas, brought home from a business trip to the Philippines. What I recall of these myths or faiths, for many of us, are their extraordinary commonalities.
Every culture has its beliefs, and collectively still, we share the American Dream. For anyone who is feeling pessimistic, our grandfather would wink and say, “Don’t bet on the horses.”
*From a review of past posts, this is not a repeat in the abundant Gramps repertoire, but my editor is on holiday. ⛵️☀️
(Sources: Memory lane, NASA, Wiki)
“Earth Day Collage” @ 2021 Kathleen Helen Levey. All rights reserved.
“…and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!” A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol stays with us as a spellbinding tale of redemption that keeps the spirit – and spirits – of Christmas alive. As we all debate which movie version of the tale is best (partial to the Albert Finney musical “Scrooge” and Michael Caine & the Muppets), and ideally, revisit the book, friends and family, now far afield, come to mind.
Our family friends, a wonderful couple, knew how to keep Christmas year-round in a home that was open to everyone. As people of faith, they followed the example of humility and generosity bestowed on us through Christ’s birth. Though they had struggled for many years, no one kept Christmas like them, the ultimate year-round Christmas customers who wholeheartedly had bought into seeking grace. During the holidays, their home was a delightful Christmas town with illuminated miniature houses and decorations floating on sparkling snowy cotton with holiday songs playing all day long.
Christmas magic in Bradley Beach
While working for their family owned business, I learned excellent customer care: take calls immediately, get back to people promptly. Listen. Nurture the loyalty in clients that they showed each other, family, friends, and employees. The customer is indeed, always right, delicately balanced with not letting him or her take advantage. Smile. Often. Customer satisfaction not only means return business, but pride taken in a job well done.
Princeton Floral Design, Princeton
The added bonus was the Fezziwig Principle. Like Ebenezer Scrooge’s favorite boss Fezziwig, our CEO “…had the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil…The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” Our CEO might have preferred a likening with Cary Grant as the angel in “The Bishop’s Wife,” as he was a man of meticulous style, but he had the heart of a Fezziwig. He took a personal interest in each employee and would brighten everyone’s day with a story or a joke, essentially creating an extended family. This debonair man, who had grown up on a family farm, wrote all about that life that led to his success as a gift to his children and grandchildren. His kept his family and the farm close with his own beautiful gardens that shared nature’s beauty and a reverence for the Master Gardener.
Our CEO’s “bride,” as he liked to call her, and board member, who was sweet and shy, decorated the office with a joy that brought immediate smiles from everyone who crossed the threshold. Christmas for them started in November. Cookie tins, candy boxes, bottles, all wrapped elegantly and divided according to customers’ preferences were set out on tables around the largest room of the office, each labeled, so many that they spilled over onto the heating vents. The most important part was the CEO’s personal delivery of these several hundred gifts with a “thank you” and a handshake for each customer, fading traditions that one hopes will make a comeback after these days of isolation.
Lambertville Trading Co., Delaware River Towns ☕️
Each a model Christmas customer, what our friends were teaching us was not just how to treat customers, but how to treat everyone.
Enjoy making
Hamantaschen, a pastry-like cookie for Hanukkah. Popular at Purim, this treat
is a also a favorite for celebrating the Festival of Lights. This recipe is
from “Cuisine at Home” and adds cream cheese to the traditional recipe for
flavor. In this first attempt, dashed past the two-hour freezing step, which
would have resulted in a neater cookie, but everyone enjoyed these and will
make them again. Have fun and Happy Hanukkah!
“Cream
Cheese Hamantachen with Fruit Filling”
Mix:
2
sticks unsalted butter, softened (16 Tbsp.)
1
package cream cheese, softened (8 oz.)
½
cup sugar
Minced
zest of orange
Add:
2
½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
½
teaspoon salt
For
the filling, spoon:
¾
fruit butter or preserves
1
egg, beaten
Note:
For jam, the recipe suggests levkar, a kosher Hungarian jam or fruit butter.
Instructions:
Mix
butter, cream cheese, sugar, and zest with a mixer at medium speed until
smooth. (Note: Vanilla works if orange zest is not available.)
Add
flour and salt to the butter mixture and mix.
Divide
dough in half and shape those into disks; wrap each in plastic and chill 8-24
hours.
Line
baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll
one disk into 1/8 inch on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a 3-inch
cutter (a scalloped edge would look nice if available). Pinch into
triangles and leave room for jam. Brush with egg wash. (Note: You
many want to add a teaspoon of water and sugar, recipes on this vary.)
Add
filling and pinch closed into triangular shape. Freeze two hours.
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees.
Bake
until golden, 20-30 minutes. Let cool on cookie racks.
Enjoy a view at the source, Cuisine at Home. Happy Festival of Lights!
“I don’t think Christmas is necessarily about things. It’s about being good to one another.” Carrie Fisher
A slightly curving panoramic shot to capture this 8 foot long painting at the Norman Rockwell Museum
At Christmastime, Norman Rockwell’s “Home for Christmas (Stockbridge Main Street Christmas),” which perfectly captures Christmas joy, comes to life the first Sunday of December with a living recreation of the painting which is now on view locally at the Norman Rockwell Museum – Home of American Illustration Art. “Gilmore Girl” fans will recognize the tradition of tableau vivant from “The Festival of Living Art” with Stockbridge’s delightful, real-life atmosphere outdoing even the charm of Stars Hollow. In a festive tweaking, the historic Red Lion Inn from the painting, now open in winter, twinkles with lights and features harmonizing carolers on the porch. Passers-by join in song with the same delight of the Berkshires proud who cheer at the words “from Stockbridge to Boston” from “Sweet Baby James” performed by their neighbor James Taylor in his summer visits to Tanglewood. Holiday concerts fill the churches and halls while both residents and visitors stroll along Main Street, closed to traffic for a few hours, each person truly part of the holiday canvas in this highlight among a weekend of events.
“Home for Christmas” and The Red Lion Inn A real-life detail from “Home for Christmas” A Bay State classic
Everyone from our proud veteran bus driver to the carriage drivers who smiled for the camera three times while visitors like us got photos in motion right was wonderful. The vintage car owners meet up year after year, welcoming honored new ones into the fold with a neighborly rapport. Filled with goodwill, part Stockbridge, part Rockwell, strangers offer to take photos for each other and talk about their affection for the town and their favorite Rockwell paintings as if they, too, were coming home. So warm and wonderful is the atmosphere that when looking up the photos, I had forgotten that it had rained that day just two years ago.
Beautiful detail from The Red Lion InnPopular carriage rides
Though the live event did not take place this year, the good news is that a virtual version and seasonal events are online through December 31st to plan ahead for next year. Even better news, Stockbridge is open and welcoming friends in a safe way via the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce. The Norman Rockwell museum offers a train set replica of the painting along with the incredible art collection, both viewed on a timed schedule. Enjoy reading about one summer visit and the profile of the self-defined “illustrator” via “Frankly Norman: A Sketch” with a surprise guest. (Hint: The Hoboken, New Jersey guest’s “Christmas with the Rat Pack” had a unique holiday spin.) Fun tidbits are that Mr. Rockwell’s first Stockbridge studio was above the supermarket in “Home for Christmas” and his models, like Pop Fredericks who portrayed Santa in the artist’s “storytelling” and at events, were often his neighbors
“Couple Dancing Under Mistletoe,” 1928, from Norman Rockwell’s Charles Dickens series for “The Saturday Evening Post”The Norman Rockwell Museum – Home of American Illustration Art“Golden Rule,” 1961, at the Norman Rockwell Museum
Enjoy, too, the otherworldly beauty of “Winterlights” and Christmas trees at the McKim, Mead & White architectural gem Naumkeag, nearby Lenox’s virtual “A Christmas Carol” at the Gilded Age Ventfort Hall, and “NightWood” the outdoor “sound, light, and color” show at Edith Wharton’s home, all through late December – early January. With our renewed appreciation of nature, the Berkshire Landkeepers have ideas for taking in the woodland beauty. A Stockbridge Virtual Arts & Crafts Show, Gingerbread House Contest, and Hometown Christmas Light-Up Contest keep the season festive. Though the shops along Main Street offer everything from tech to nostalgia, the bow on top is the Stockbridge holiday spirit.
Stockbridge Fire Department Carolers at The Red Lion Inn Santa at the wheel Naumkeag Christmas tree Naumkeag holiday wishing trees Naumkeag Christmas tree Stockbridge Bowl Lake Tanglewood entrance, Lenox A snowy Tanglewood Tanglewood Downtown Lenox De Vries Fine Art, Lenox Shots Cafe, Lenox Snowy, scenic Lenox Merry & bright, Schots Cafe Sweet tree at Cramwell, a former resort, now a spaGreat Barrington Holiday cheer in Great Barrington A view to spring with Norman Rockwell’s “Spring Flowers,” 1969 (WikiArt)
The most expensive piece of real estate that we may own is sweetness. As fortunate as we all may be while navigating through life, it would be far easier to let go of a quality that exudes vulnerability. Sweetness is usually not provoking, quite the contrary, but it may be catnip to some in this month of mischief. Like consideration or politeness, a kind disposition may come across as weakness to the wrong people. They see it as an invitation of an unsociable kind.
One may contemplate a life where sweetness goes underground, which could stir a Hallmark-ian imagination to think of hidden acts of charm. On the road, however, we see sweetness all the time: a father drives his dirt bike down a long driveway in South Jersey to get the mail which prompts whoops of glee with the hit of every bump from his toddler son who sits in his lap; a woman places dozens of small flags on a town hall lawn against a dewy sunrise downashore for Veterans Day unaware of passers-by; a mother alongside the Carranza Memorial in the heart of the Pinelands shares the story of the heroic aviator Captain Emilio Carranza with her daughters. Current examples come to mind: families and pets 🐾 don costumes in town-and-city proud Halloween parades, a mother listens to her child play the flute on a family farm as they keep each other company during a pumpkin sale, and green-thumbed urbanites’ window boxes overflow with autumn rainbows of flowers New York City way.
The sweetest person whom I have known, and I am fortunate to know many, was our grandmother Helen, whose name meant “light”. Though she was exceedingly shy, people gravitated to her kindness and warmth. She was a five-star baker, a reflection of her Bavarian heritage, and the house we all lived in was full of the conversation and laughter of family and friends who often dropped in to visit at the cozy home by the firehouse in Vailsburg, Newark, where our grandfather was a firefighter before he retired. Despite having a large dining room table, we all gathered around the small Formica kitchen one. While the coffee brewed, the percolator often going haywire somehow, everyone gabbed in overlapping dialogue and non sequiturs like that fabulous family in “While You Were Sleeping,” taking leave only to sing songs around the player piano in the foyer. Casey had the girl with the strawberry curls, and our grandfather had his girl with her hazel green eyes.
Sweet sisters, Anna and Helen
When a kind reserve was once mistaken as hesitation when I was a child, someone remarked to me, “You’re spending too much time with your grandmother,” meaning that I was becoming like her. My thought was and is, “I hope so.” In the wayof the good having consideration over the bad in making life decisions, this is a roundabout avenue to arriving home to sweetness, no better place to be in this Anti-Bullying Month of October.
Our grandparents at our parents’ wedding at Sacred Heart Church, Vailsburg A dapper love Lifelong sweethearts
December and the holidays bring joy and sometimes reflection, but it is January, the heart of winter, that can become the month of rumination. The start of the year, however, is also when the days grow longer, and we appreciate the sun in a bright blue sky glistening on the snow – usually. If accustomed to snow, the absence of it offsets in that inexplicable way that setting the clocks forward and back sometimes does. January can become like this one a month played in minor key depending upon where our paths take us. With travel, like life, we may say that the timing is not right and never go, but think of 2019 as the year of heading out.
One such trip would be to the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Parks in Hyde Park, which offer not only history but the beauty of the Hudson Valley. For those interested in history, Ken Burns’ “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History,” brings home the relatable parts of the family story as well as world events: Teddy, a young man who lost both his wife and mother within a day, Franklin, a favorite son of a doting mother and the privileged man struck by illness, Eleanor, a girl who felt that she never fit in with her peers, and Eleanor & Franklin and the dynamics of a marriage.
Franklin, Eleanor, Anna, and Franklin’s mother Sara (Springwood)
Springwood, FDR
Library and Museum, and Top Cottage
Springwood estate in Hyde Park, New York is the birthplace and home of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, which the family referred to as “Hyde Park” and the “Big House”. The house is impressive, but the sweeping view of the Hudson River rivals it. One could see why FDR returned to Springwood often during his three terms as president. On the grounds are also the FDR Presidential Library and Museum and the burial site of the president and first lady. The estate is beautiful with trees that FDR, a conservationist like his cousin Theodore, had planted. Top Cottage, the president’s retreat, is about two miles away and accessible via the park shuttle.
Eleanor and Franklin welcome park visitors
Our first visit was on an impromptu stop while traveling to the Berkshires where my friend spent summers as a boy and enjoys returning as we both do. Hyde Park in Dutchess County, part of the Mid-Hudson Valley, however, is a destination in itself with FDR’s home, the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Park and the nearby Sixteen Mile Historic District in Columbia County, all part of The Hudson River National Landmark Historic District, the largest historic district in the continental US.
Side view of Springwood with floral trellises and ivy
On this initial Springwood trip in June, we had a chance to tour FDR’s home. Among the fascinating accounts that the park ranger shared on the tour, a few stood out. Sara, Franklin’s devoted mother who owned the house and Franklin’s New York City home, interestingly, revamped Springwood to look more “presidential” years before Franklin was president with an idea like dressing for the job to which one aspires. Franklin assisted with the designs that transformed the exterior of Springwood from a pleasant “clapboard farmhouse” to Colonial Revival Style. Visitors, many political allies, could easily envision FDR in the White House.
Springwood before the remodeling Hudson River view from Springwood, now somewhat obscured by the trees FDR had planted, but still beautiful
The president, the “Great Communicator,” delivered two of his famous fireside chats from Springwood with his Scottish Terrier Fala, a favorite of children across the country, including our mother, by his side. Grown-ups, too, seemed to enjoy Fala. The FDR Library blog shares that sailors got the idea of cutting off locks of Fala’s fur for good luck on one of FDR’s WWII battleship visits. Fala had a habit of dashing off to the decks below to get treats, and he slipped by his “walking officer” on the USS Baltimore. The sociable Fala did not bark while being clipped, but FDR had to put a stop to this as the terrier looked quite shorn.
Fala with FDR (Wiki photo)
Fala depicted with FDR at the wonderful Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC, sculpted by George Segal (Wiki photo)
Before Fala’s antics, along the tree-lined driveway to his boyhood home, the 39-year-old Franklin pushed himself to walk farther and farther each day after being stricken with polio. Researchers speculate that the president may have had Guillain-Barré syndrome, which is a nerve disorder and not a viral disease, but that did not change what FDR dealt with in 1921. Franklin never made it to the end of the driveway, but he continued to try.
For our mother and many of her peers, FDR was president throughout their childhoods. Our mother recalls that Mrs. Branigan, a Vailsburg, Newark neighbor and an Irish immigrant, got off the bus from work one day and walked along the street sobbing. When Mrs. Branigan passed our mother’s house, she saw the little girl sitting on the porch glider, and between tears, said, “Our president is dead.” Hearing this, our mother, too, burst into tears feeling a family attachment to the man whose voice had come into their homes to reassure them during the Great Depression and World War II.
A familial warmth is part of the delight of visiting historic sites in Hyde Park and the area. Many residents knew the families who were also part of their community, and they shared life stories. After each winning election, neighbors carried torches up to the front of the house at Springwood to wish FDR well. The wonderful feeling of community in Hyde Park remains to this day.
A radiant young Eleanor proud of her accomplishment (Springwood) An impressive collection of Roosevelt family equestrian prizes The stable Daffodils at the stable Horses had names like “New Deal,” “Lady Luck,” “Pal O Mine,” and “Patches”
The elegance of the Rose Garden, here blooming with peonies, befits its stately purpose as the resting place of Eleanor and Franklin. The beloved Fala is also buried nearby and daughter Anna’s German shepherd.
The burial site of Eleanor and FDRFDR bust and FDR Presidential Library, the view from Freedom Court. FDR bust by Walter Russell.FDR Library entrance
On another visit, we enjoyed exploring the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, the first US presidential library, which we enjoyed exploring ohas the compelling pull of history. Seeing the president’s memorabilia from his White House years has a resonance beyond his delightful boyhood collections and the family photographs in his home. Historic photos come to life in the library. FDR was the first president to donate his letters to the public, leaving them to the National Archives. The innovative design of the entrance celebrates this historic boon. At FDR’s request, the library also includes the letters of the First Lady. The library also has virtual tours. Given park budgets, Top Cottage has limited tours, and after our wonderful library visit, we looked forward to seeing FDR’s retreat another time.
FDR Library entrance, partial viewFDR campaign hat FDR’s desk from the Oval OfficeFDR’s 1936 Ford Phaeton The library notes that Fred Relyea, a Poughkeepsie mechanic, adapted the car for FDR’s use
Top Cottage was the second home that FDR designed with architect Henry Toombs with the thought that the president would retire there after his second term. The fieldstone Dutch Colonial Revival home, in keeping with the historic houses in the area, is one of only two buildings designed by a US president and one of the first in the United States with wheelchair accessibility. Primarily, it was a peaceful getaway. Springwood was often hectic during FDR’s presidency, and well-wishers entered the grounds hoping to see the president, unimaginable with 21st-century security.
Like Springwood, Top Cottage had many famous visitors: Winston Churchill, CanadianPrime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Princesses Juliana and Beatrix, Norway’s Crown Prince Olaf and Crown Princess Martha, and interestingly, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek. On the first visit to the US by British monarchs, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were guests at the celebrated Top Cottage “hot dog summit,” where the president introduced the royal couple to American dishes at a picnic and took the king and queen on one of his hurtling car rides. The picnic had a serious and successful purpose in making the British monarchs seem relatable and more democratic as they ate and drank beer with Hyde Park staff. Months later, FDR was able to send supplies to help England after their declaration of war on Germany. All of FDR’s guests appreciated this woodland retreat from the public eye as he did and the warmth of being entertained in a home.
Winston Churchill by Oscar Nemon in Freedom CourtThe Four Freedoms: A sculpture based on FDR’s “Four Freedoms” speech that inspired Berkshire neighbor Norman Rockwell. Mr. Rockwell’s famous paintings, now on tour, but based at the Norman Rockwell Museum, raised money for war bonds on exhibit around the country. Speech admires May also enjoy the FDR Four Freedoms Park in NYC.
If we drove like FDR, we may have made it on time to tour Top Cottage, but missing the shuttle bus went from our running joke about timing, somewhat akin to having missed the rocket launch for life, to a lesson in saying good-bye to perfectionism, a good resolution. Travel writing should make people want to go to a place and enjoy it – informative fun does not have to be a dutiful treatise. And yet, we still tried. Top Cottage closes in the winter, another discovery on a different visit, which meant a great excuse to enjoy the beautiful tulip poplar trees outside the library and have lunch in the café before driving home. Other trips to the FDR historic site have brought more walks and gift shop stops for ornaments at the holidays. So a missed shuttle bus here and there has led to making the FDR historic site a regular stop like walking the grounds at the Vanderbilt Mansion.
Posting, too, went the way of the elusive Top Cottage. Even with the buffer of history, a post in the fall of 2016 was not the best time. Over the holidays, rethought this with the idea for Top Cottage as a metaphor for new beginnings, still the timing was not right, but better now with thoughts of spring visits.
Val-Kill, the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
Stone Cottage, Eleanor’s residence at Val-Kill
Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt’s historic site, is two miles from Springwood and a little over four miles from Top Cottage. Perhaps that is part of how Eleanor and Franklin’s marriage lasted or that the demands of public life required personal space. A warm June sun, chirping birds, and beautiful flowers, show the simple residence as what it was, a haven for the first lady. With the exhibits planned by the park rangers, visitors feel Eleanor’s uplifting spirit. Practically, Val-Kill gave the first lady opportunity to work on her own projects including the development of off-season jobs for local residents, which became Val-Kill Industries. The name “Valley Stream” is from the Dutch for both the valley location and the wonderful stream that offered the Roosevelt family swimming in the summer. The grounds are beautiful with a charming footbridge and a wonderful garden with peonies in season. Val-Kill later went to Eleanor’s son Elliott, who had attended the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, a Garden State connection.
Eleanor’s photo at The Poughkeepsie Post OfficeEleanor’s work spaceThe beautiful stream at Val-Kill
Vanderbilt Mansion
The Vanderbilt Mansion at the holidays
If you enjoy history, the tours are where you get the great tidbits. Our park ranger, part of the esprit de corps of rangers like those at Springwood, brought the beautiful mansion to life.
Frederick Vanderbilt, grandson of Cornelius, along with his wife Louise commissioned Charles McKim, a name partner in the country’s top architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, to build their Neoclassical-Beaux Arts home. As the Historic Resource Study for the site notes, the elegant architectural combination was unusual for a country home and is the only one of its kind in the Hudson Valley. With a newly restored exterior, visitors can now enjoy river views from the balcony in warm weather. Completion of the 54-room mansion brought the top craftsmen for woodwork and stone design, many from Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. The interior is incredible as you can see from the photos. Much of the furniture and art was brought from Europe, a trend at the time, and Stanford White was Frederick’s antique dealer. James Greenleaf designed the Italianate garden, which we look forward to seeing on another trip.
The Neoclassical-Beaux Arts mansion designed by Charles McKimThe mansion restoration Hudson River view
During the two years it took to build the mansion, 1896-1899, Louise and Frederick periodically stayed in the Pavilion, now the Visitor Center, to oversee building. The Gilded Age families were the generation that spent the fortunes that their grandparents had made. In the case of Frederick and Louise, they were generous as opposed to frivolous. Frederick had architect McKim build the Howard Mansion at Hosack Farm across the road for his niece Rose Anthony Post Howard and her husband Thomas Howard, a descendant of the founder of Rutgers University and Revolutionary War general, John Neilson. Rose and Thomas were the maternal grandparents of Thomas Howard Kean, the Governor of New Jersey. Well-liked in Hudson Valley, Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt did not have children and enjoyed giving gifts to those of their staff in addition to showing their appreciation for their work. Though they had their bedrooms designed as if they were European royalty, the fashion of the day, the Vanderbilts were warm and accessible. Louise herself oversaw gift-giving for the staff. They left a great deal of their fortune to charity, loyal staff, and a niece. The ultimate donation of the mansion to the public, like that of Springwood, was FDR’s idea.
The Pavilion, now the Visitor Center The Pavilion was once a guest house for gentleman visitors Play garden gift from Louise and Frederick. Many gifts generously make their way back to the mansion museum for the public’s enjoyment.
The estate provided local jobs year-round with the mansion, the grounds, garden, greenhouses, dairy, vegetable garden, orchard, and a dock where guests could arrive on their yachts. The ice box is representative of how eco-friendly the property was. Long after the invention of refrigerators, Frederick kept these efficient ices boxes in use. Not only did the ice boxes operate without electrical power, but the staff who maintained the ice remained employed.
Ice boxes Household kitchen
The beautiful holiday welcome, done at the initiative of the park rangers, is breathtaking. Like other Gilded Age families, the Vanderbilts had several homes where they usually spent different seasons. The mansion was their country home where they celebrated Easter and visited in the fall, though they did give Christmas gifts to staff. New York City was their primary residence and Newport, Rhode Island, Bar Harbor, Maine, and the Adirondacks, their summer retreats. (Springwood also has Christmas decorations.) In warmer weather, visitors may go out on the balcony, opened after the restoration.
Grandeur of the entrance hallDining room The beautiful decorations by the park rangersMagnificent tapestry
Hyde Park
The Hyde Park Drive-in,opened in 1950, is across the street from Hyde Park. An in-season classic, it is another reason to stay over in the area to enjoy the sites and charm. If you enjoy these drive-in photos, you may want to follow the wonderful Cinema Treasures on Instagram, which documents movie venues all over the country.
The appropriately patriotic diner across the street from Springwood
Poughkeepsie
At the Vanderbilt Mansion, a number of loyal Poughkeepsianstalked up their town, which called for a return trip first to enjoy the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park. The views matched “The Queen City of the Hudson,” as Poughkeepsie on the east bank is also known, which is across the river from the charming Kingston. Even on a minus-degree wind chill December day, the Hudson River was spectacular. An active park group takes year-round advantage of the trails and you can connect with them on their social media. During the holidays, the nearby Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Husdon Bridge is lit in red and green lights at night.
Hudson River view of FDR Mid-Hudson Bridge from Kingston side of WalkwayBreathtaking views
The all too brief visit to the City of Poughkeepsie led to stops to admire the fine architecture and an informal tour of Vassar College. Look forward to visiting the charming Mid_Hudson Children’s Museum and more on the next visit to the city, which also has a drive-in, the Overlook.
The charming yellow building is the Children’s Museum
A delight of the December return trip was the holiday cheer and navigational expertise of the area toll takers. GPS is not the same as directions shared with smiles and the admiration of a cheerful holiday pin or Santa Claus gel nails. Our family knows the area from growing up, a story for another day, but these quick chats were not only helpful, but reminders of nice visits and family stories.
The First Day Hikes tradition Johnson-Iorio Memorial Park and the FDR Mid-Hudson Bridge Riverside park sponsored by Scenic Hudson, this one dedicated to the conservationist Teddy Roosevelt display at the Poughkeepsie Post Office. Looking forward to seeing his historic homes.Walkway holiday decorations
Vassar College
As a Seven Sisters graduate, it was delightful to visit Vassar College campus in Poughkeepsie. Now coed, the beautiful campus has a wonderful atmosphere and delightful shops and restaurants nearby.
Main GateMain BuildingChapelVogelstein Center for Drama and FilmNew England Building
Milton
Named after English poet John Milton, the hamlet in Ulster County delights with historic homes, churches, and welcoming shops in a scenic setting. With such a brief visit, look forward to another. A fun tidbit is that Marlon Brando’s “A Fugitive Kind” was filmed here in 1959. Enjoyed spectacular river views from the Milton Landing Dog Park with a truly merry Christmas tree out on the dock.
Milton Post OfficeFirst Presbyterian Church of MiltonMethodist Episcopal ChurchA delightful surprise on the dock at the Milton Landing Dog Park
Rhinebeck
Rhinebeck charms in every season. The former “Violet Capital of the World,” later renowned for its anemones, Rhinebeck is known for its hospitality, and to this day, a warm welcome awaits visitors. FDR gave campaign speeches from the porch of the historic Beekman Arms, 1766, which hosted everyone from Founding Fathers George Washington and Robert Livingston to New Jerseyans Frank Sinatra and Jack Nicholson. A further New Jersey connection goes back to Robert Livingston’s brother William, who signed the Constitution and was the first governor of New Jersey during the Revolutionary War. William resided at Liberty Hall, Union. Liberty Hall, now part of Kean University, was sold to Kean relatives, family of New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean on his father’s side. Alexander Hamilton was a guest at both Liberty Hall and the Beekman Arms.
Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn
German settlers from the Bavarian Palatinate named the beautiful area “Ryn Beck” in 1714, because it reminded them of their Rhine Valley home. Rhinebeck dates back to the Sepasco and Eposus, Lenape Native Americans who were later joined by Dutch settlers in 1686. The Dutch brought the Sinterklaass tradition now celebrated in an annual December nondemoninational festival. Well-known residents like John Jacob Astor IV followed the Dutch and Germans to what became “Rhinebeck”. The village, a National Historic District, is remarkable in that so much of its original architecture remains.
The photos here are from a December trip to the Village of Rhinebeck within the larger town both within the “Sixteen Mile Historic District”.
Rhinebeck Savings BankBeekman Arms and Delamater Inn Village Pizza of RhinebeckRhinebeck Department Store Samuel’s Sweet Shop
A well-known resident, Hilarie Burton, who stars in one of my favorite holiday movies, “Christmas on the Bayou,” is an active sponsor of a local charity Astor Services for Children and Families and has invested in a town business, Samuel’s Sweet Shop, both co-starring her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan and friends Julie Yeager & Paul Rudd. Rhinebeck is also the hometown of Rufus Wainwright, whose performance at the Asbury Park Convention Hall on his tour for “All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu” was so incredible that it was like being transported out of time and place. In real time, however, my friend stepped out for a snack on the boardwalk and returned for the encore. Mr. Wainwright was in competition with the PGA Tour, which is not to slight a true artist who had sold out the venue, but it helps with perspective when putting work out there.
World War I heroes remembered Rhinebeck firehouse
Wilderstein and the Hudson Valley
A brief moonlit stop with just a hint of the “Central Park serenity” of the Calvert Vaux design
The Hudson Valley has so much to see and do that we may never make it to Top Cottage. We look forward to discovering other sights that range from the High Falls Conservation Area to the Culinary Institute of America, which our mother has enjoyed with friends. Wilderstein, where FDR’s cousin, confidante, Fala gift-giver, and one of the first archivists of the FDR Library, Margaret “Daisy” Suckley lived, was and is on the visit list. Though arriving after dark on the most recent Mid-Hudson Valley visit, still took a loyal fan photo at the Victorian mansion with its grounds designed by Calvert Vaux, because all roads lead to Central Park and New Jersey at one time or another.
Home Travels with You
Once in a surprising turn of events, while traveling with a summer study group, we rode in a boat taxi along the Grand Canal at sunset in Venice. The sun splashed a million shades of gold along the colorful palazzi in “La Serenissimo,” the “Most Serene Republic of Venice”. Inexplicably, most of the students were arguing over the rooms, but the wonderful sound of rushing water and the steady hum of the engine could still be heard between sharp words. Looking across the boat, another classmate, like me, marveled at the panoramic beauty before us. She smiled serenely. We did not know each other well. From our remarks in class, we had different opinions on things, but we both had an appreciation for our good fortune. Our classmates missed the sunset, not having noticed, or not having minded. Later, when we all returned to school, work, and occasional turmoil, my fellow traveler and I would sometimes look at each other and smile. We had shared a love of beauty.
People will surprise us. Before going on the trip, our Uncle Ray, a comedy writer for Steve Allen, Bob Hope, and Phyllis Diller, and at times, presidents of both parties, whose favorite movie preferences were lighthearted ones featuring Laurel & Hardy and Hope and Crosby’s “Road pictures,” suggested, “Watch David Lean’s ‘Summertime’ before you go. Venice looks like a dream.'” The film, if you have not seen it, is a visual love letter to the city as much as it is about lost opportunity and timing. For our uncle who was so talented that he did not easily fit in, which ultimately led to full-time work in a factory, the film may have had a particular meaning. Generous, his career advice was his life advice, “Cheap shots are easy, it’s the clever jokes that are hard.”
In a pessimist’s theory of reductionism, Serenissimo is
overcrowded, Fala was the invention of wartime propaganda, and Teddy’s bad side
is on Mount Rushmore. On a certain level, these assertions may seem
true, but it would be like describing Venice
without the light. Happy New Year.
Eleanor Roosevelt stamp First Day of Issue, a gift along with a collection from Uncle Ray
The temple exterior and entranceway. The interior temple resembles the style of the marble arches.
This magical-looking place nestled in the rolling green fields of Robbinsville, New Jersey is a Hindu temple, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. The temple, or mandir, is one of approximately 100 in the United States and 1,000 globally. The grand exterior, or mandap, houses the inner sanctum, the actual mandir, and the entire complex is is an “akshardham”. By definition, “mandir” in ancient Sanskrit means “means a place where the mind becomes still and experiences inner peace“. The atmosphere upon arrival is immediately uplifting and reflected through pleasant exchanges with devotees and visitors on the way into and within the mandir.
Beautiful floral entry
Magnificent temple sculptures
Art, Architecture, and the Divine
The Robbinsville temple is in the Nagara style of Hindu mandir architecture found in Northern India. Nagara style temples are square with graduated projections and towers that give the mandir height. Characteristic features in addition to the towers are domes, golden spires, flags, the sanctum, and pillared halls. Each has symbolic meaning like the pinnacles, aspiration, the golden spires, the immortality of the soul, and the flags, spiritual attainment. The inner sanctum is where one will find the most important deities. These elements of temple architecture combined create a link between devotees and the Divine.
The temple’s style is not purely architectural. The Robbinsville mandir is built according to Scripture as are all traditional mandirs. This influence of religion on architecture echoed in a recent tour of Central Park when the staff guide mentioned that the landscape designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux took inspiration directly from the Bible to create serene pastoral settings, though the mandir follows specifications for scared architecture. These sacred temples are not exclusively traditional. More modern temples, hari mandirs, are smaller, and ghar mandirs, shrines within devotees’ homes, are where families perform rituals and discuss scripture together.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is made of white marble, white limestone, and pink sandstone, selected to last in this cooler climate. As the mandir’s introductory film notes, the use of natural stone is similar to that of iconic spiritual centers like St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Angkor Wat. The stone-carving process is extensive and fascinating. For an idea of the undertaking, artisans in India created the sculptures. Many volunteer, but the carving also provides work to skilled artists whose talents are not in demand as they once were. The marble is primarily Italian Carrara, totaling 68,000 cubic feet, and the limestone is from Bulgaria and India. The sculptured stone, some 13,499 pieces, arrived in Robbinsville 98% complete after a journey of 21,500 miles. Additional volunteers finished the work. All this is breathtaking, but it does not prepare one for the splendid interior of the mandir with white marble and golden statues that appear silver in the lamplight. The sacred images, or murtis, within the mandir and on the pillars in the mandap are not just deities, but “living works of art” and “liberated souls…ancient sages, and exemplary devotees” that are models of spiritual inspiration.
What may surprise visitors is that the grand, beautiful temple holds fast with interlocking stone. Quotes from the Rig Veda, hymns in ancient Sanskrit, are inspiring poetry in stone that one can read throughout the temple. Skylights and white marble floors add to the lightness of the interior. The tradition of the lamplight in the mandir pre-dates electricity and skylights and once provided the only light in the temple within the temple. Among the sculptures, visitors will see peacocks, particularly at the entrance gate, which are the national bird of India, and elephants, which represent “resolve, grace, and nobility”. One devotee mentioned that the elephant is honored for the many centuries when it carried stone to build the mandirs in the days before other transportation. Ganesh, the popular deity known as the Lord of Good Fortune, the Lord of Beginnings, and the Remover of Obstacles, who is also important in Bhuddism, is depicted with the head of these beloved animals that reflect different accounts of his origin.
Entranceway
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS) is a branch of Swaminarayan Hinduism. Devotees believes that Bhagwan Swaminarayan, or the yogi spiritual leader, was God on earth and his Divine presence continues through succession. The Swaminaryran, also referred to as “Swaminaryran Lord,” was born as Ghanshyam Pande (1781-1830). His philosophy led to social reforms in India. His follower, Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951), a sadhu and Sanskrit scholar, or holy man of ancient Hindu letters, formed BAPS on June 5, 1907 based on his interpretation of the Swaminarayan’s teachings. One of his successors, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, blessed this site in August 2014. The present spiritual leader of BAPS, His Holiness, Mahant Swami Maharaj, bestowed his blessing in September 2017.
BAPS in Robbinsville continues the ancient Hindu tradition of “worshipping the Divine through murtis, or sacred images, enshrined in mandirs”. The BAPS communities worldwide focus on spiritual living, family values, and community service. Though the mandir has a respectful quiet on a visit, rituals and festivals involve music. The mandir also offers Indian cultural events and celebrations for devotees in the great hall.
“A place of paramount peace” is an apt description. While walking through the beautiful inner mandir, devotees brushed aside concerns about interrupting them at prayer. The devotees warmly shared aspects of their faith and excitement at the near completion of the spiritual center. Construction on this mandir began in 2010 and though it is complete, the mahamandir, a greater temple, reportedly the largest in the world, is under construction adjacent to the mandap where there will also be a youth center and an exhibition hall which will feature “Indian history and culture”.
Visiting
The mandir is an active house of worship. Visitors are welcome to take photos outside, but the temple kindly requests a respectful covering regarding clothing and no photo-taking inside. Please respect their wishes. For visitor information, please see BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.
The visit is free, but donations, however modest, are welcome as a thank you. Reservations are not required for individuals or families, but do call for larger groups: (609) 918-1212. Upon arriving, you will be asked to remove your shoes as a respectful courtesy. The welcome is most cordial with the gift of prasadam (“prasad” grace and joy), a sanctified sweet, for each visitor. An introductory film and a free guided tour with a volunteer will add to your appreciation of the temple. If a guide is not available, the audio tour is excellent, and the book available to visitors at the welcome desk is helpful as an introduction to both the mandir and Hinduism. There is a snack shop and café.
To the right of the entrance, one may participate in the ritual of abhishek, or pouring water over the “sacred image of God,” here, Shri Ghanshyam Marahaj, the childhood form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Though the deities may seem confusing initially to those who are not familiar with Hinduism, the belief is that there is one supreme God, Brahman, the creator. Along with Shiva, who preserves the earth, and Vishnu, who destroys the earth so it can be created anew, the three are both one and separate in a mystical way like the Holy Trinity. All the deities and even devotees are the Divine presence on earth. “That which we call the Hindu religion is really the Eternal religion because it embraces all others.” The temple guidebook complements this thought, “Without the deities, the mandir would be no more than a beautiful building. With them, it becomes a sacred place of worship wherein God resides”.
There is so much to see and the atmosphere is so peaceful that you will want to return. We had wonderful practicing neighbors while growing up, but my knowledge of Hinduism is more academic going back to incredible studies as an exchange student at Bowdoin College. This visit is was a welcome opportunity to talk to people about their faith without being intrusive. Devotees were warm and gracious in doing so as well as proud and excited to share their beautiful spiritual home. By no means is this modest travelogue definitive about BAPS or Hinduism, so please do enjoy a visit yourself to learn more.
In researching, this Hindu proverb stood out as a cornerstone of many faiths, “There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is being superior to your previous self.” The faith that brings the mandir’s stones to life is indeed at the heart of its beauty.
(Sources: www.baps.org/Global-Network/North-America/Robbinsville.aspx, BAPS publication for visitors and visitor film, bbc.co.uk, definitions.net, kashgar.com.au, Swami Sivananda quote, Sri Aurobindo quote, iasmania.com, americanshipper.com, Britannica.com, Wiki)
Beautiful grounds
Behind the striking temple exterior (mandap), the construction continues to complete the center (akshardham).
The Colonial Revival-style Washington Headquarters Museum, designed by John Russell Pope and built in the 1930’s, with snowman greeter
With the opening of the new interactive Discovery History Center this week at the Washington Headquarters Museum, we revisit what brought seemingly disparate people together in the fight for freedom in New Jersey, known as the “Crossroads of the Revolution” and the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Among the many stations of General Washington during the Revolutionary War, Washington’s Morristown headquarters at the Ford Mansion marks both his longest stay and a bonding among the brave during the coldest winter on record in 1779-1780. The group, whom General Washington had gathered, had a kinship of vision in the common purpose of freedom: Alexander Hamilton, British West Indies, James McHenry, Ireland, Henry Knox, New England, Don Juan Miralles, Cuba-France and emissary from Spain, and the Marquis de Lafayette, France, helped realize a new country as did homeowner Theodosia Johnes Ford and her children.
Gilbert du Motier, better known as the Marquis de Lafayette, started fighting in the Revolutionary War at only 19 and became like a son to George Washington. The Marquis returned the paternal affection by naming his son “Georges Washington Motier de Lafayette,” Gilbert having lost his own father in the Seven Years War when he was a boy. Their mutually held ideals of equality are what led the Marquis to his friend upon hearing the American Revolutionaries’ quest for independence mocked by British officers in London. Mount Vernon adds this historical note to that of Morristown National Park with the credit that though the Marquis was young, he was already a seasoned officer from a lineage of independence with a forefather who fought with Joan of Arc.
Like his mentor, the Marquis had the strength of character to decline an imperial role as a leader of his native country, preferring democracy that he supported again during the French Revolution. With Thomas Paine, he co-authored the new French Republic’s Constitution that guaranteed equality under the law, “The Declaration of the Rights of Man”. Though it did not include women in a reflection of the times, the Marquis was an advocate for an immediate end to slavery. From his contributions in both France and the United States, Lafayette was known as “The Hero of Two Worlds”. This champion of democracy had the unique experience of later returning to the United States with his son Georges to tour the grateful nation that he had helped create. With the fanfare, a four-month tour turned into a sixteen-month one of all the 24 states that comprised the country in 1824-1825.
In that fateful Morristown winter, the admirable Theodosia Johnes Ford not only risked the safety of herself and her family by allowing General Washington and his retinue stay in her home, but she generously gave Martha and George the bedroom that she had shared with her officer-husband who had recently passed away. Sentiment aside, Theodosia continued to care for her children and carried on her husband’s work with the family farm and iron manufacturing business.
The Georgian-style Ford Mansion, built in 1774 by Jacob Ford, Jr., husband of Theodosia Johnes
An often unknown hero of the American Revolution was the Spanish-born Don Juan de Miralles, another friend of General Washington, a resident of Cuba with French-born parents. He worked for a French diplomat, and in that role, urged Spain to support the Colonial Army. Officially an observer, Don Juan de Miralles was, in effect, an advisor to the Continental Congress and helped with negotiations with Spain. The Colonists had offered the return of some Spanish land lost in the French and Indian War in exchange for backing their new currency, which the Spanish did discreetly, as well as making loans all via a world trading company.
Don Juan personally funded many towns in their resistance to the British and through his Cuban contacts he had supplies and weapons sent to the Colonial troops. Sadly, in that harsh winter of 1779, General Washington’s friend contracted pneumonia, and despite receiving care from the general’s personal physician, he died unexpectedly in April 1780.
At General Washington’s orders, Don Juan de Miralles was the first foreigner to receive a U.S. military funeral, one remarked on for its great ceremony accorded to the highest of dignitaries, solidifying the bond between the fledgling country and Spain and the debt of gratitude owed to Don Juan. The Colonial Army would not have survived that winter without him. The US-Spain connection was so strong that the first US dollars produced with the dollar symbol were similar to Spanish dollars. For the first time, the prospect of victory looked possible for the Colonials. Don Juan’s death pained General Washington who regretted that his friend would not live to see what he had helped realize.
Heading downashore in off hours usually guarantees that at rest stops, one will avoid that quintessentially New Jersey phenomena in the most densely crowded state, the buddy park. This is when the driver feels compelled to pull right up next to your car in an empty parking lot the size of an arena – and then bang his or her car door open directly into yours in such a familiar way that the lively, “Hey, buddy!” wave and grin as he blithely exits his car and dashes away leaves one wondering whether this is subconscious bonding or just plain obnoxiousness. Awhile back, West Orange’s Kyrie Irving either posted on Instagram or liked a hilarious photo of two cars on the NJ Turnpike trying to go through a toll booth at once. For the most part, getting along well in a relatively small space gives New Jerseyans an enviable flexibility of character.
Dazzling gazebo tree
Winter light view on the way, Cape May Light, Cape May Point State Park – with a spacious parking lot 😉
Cape May MAC welcome at Emlen Physick Estate
Counterpoint to the familiar assertiveness is the quiet kindness that you will find among those in the Garden State. The kindness may be a warm welcome such as the one visitors received on the Christmas Candle Light Tour in Cape May this December. The atmosphere in Cape May during the tour is like one big open house. The town-proud Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts sponsors a number of holiday tours as well as lamplighter tours with its anchor in the stately Emlen Physick Estate and Carriage House, adorned beautifully for the holidays and warmed by guides and carolers. The historic sites, inns, homes, and churches are so many that you will want to return to enjoy them all as did our grandparents over a lifetime from their honeymoon destination to summertime pleasure whenever they could make the then day-long journey from Newark. Our grandfather, born on Christmas Eve, would have claimed that the decorations were for him, a favorite joke come birthday time.
Historic inns of Cape May on the tour included The Harrison Inn (tall, middle) with a thank you for the long-time Instagram follow.
Our Lady Star of the Sea
Joy in the details, Congress Hall
A present-day parallel delight is the Winter Wonderland at historic Congress Hall, breathtaking in its charm. An endearing aspect of the hotel that distinguishes it from some fellow iconic ones is that visitors are also warmly welcomed. The lobby, shops, café, spa, and restaurants are available for everyone to enjoy year-round, underscored at the holidays with the carousel, holiday train, and Winter Wonderland village of vendors. The candy cane-lined hallway, elegantly simple, was a joyful welcome for every visitor and a cell phone photo-snapping sensation.
Rejoining the tour and wrapping up the evening on a recent visit, Cape May MAC trolleys and buses were available to complement the walk. One guide was so modest in her kindness that it was not clear at first. She had asked the driver to stop to see if any tour members were left behind at one of the homes, her errand requiring a walk of some distance in the cold. Her thoughtfulness was a good reminder to relinquish my New York Metro area dweller’s focus on “the schedule”.Returning to my car later, the only rival to the beauty of evening was above me. In that clear cold of winter was the panorama of the Shore night sky with stars like diamonds cast across black velvet. At this time of year, it is the star of hope and humility that shines the brightest. May it light all paths joyfully as we celebrate the Lord’s birth.
