The Many Daughters Of Afong Moy

 Jamie Ford is the author of The Many Daughters Of Afong Moy. This is the same author who wrote Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet and I loved, loved, loved that book. I liked this book but didn't love it. Afong Moy was the first Chinese woman to set foot in the United States. Each generation of her descendants has a story in the book all the way to Dorothy Moy who lives in the future (2045). Dorothy has memories of her ancestors that affect her brain and cause depression. She is seeking a modern treatment involving epigenetics. The novel does not progress chronologically but weaves back and forth in time which can be confusing at times.

Monocasy

On our way back to Pennsylvania from Williamsburg, Virginia, we stopped in Maryland at the Monocasy National Battlefield. We were greeted by our national bird. According to what a lady photographer told me, this eagle sits in this tree almost every day. The nest is on a local farm.

This battlefield is near Frederick, Virginia. The Confederate army was marching north and their intent was to take Washington, D.C.  which is 44 miles away. Although the Union Army didn't technically win this battle, they did manage to stall the Confederate Army until Washington, D.C. could be fortified with more soldiers.

We walked the 3 mile loop around the farm. We declined to take the 1 hour auto tour.

 

Colonial Williamsburg

Yesterday we went to colonial Williamsburg, a sprawling park that includes many origini\al colonial buildings. Behind this grand house was a maze. The grandgirls absolutely love hiding from the adults. We all walked through it. Eventually the adults left and went to a high spot where we could watch the two girls run crazily through the maze for another half hour. They had an absolute blast and a cardiac workout..

We toured a few buildings including this home of a political leader and naturalist.

The home owner had fossils and bones on display in his study.

We went to the courthouse. Here we sit in the jury box as the docent tells about the justice system in colonial times.

Colonial reenactors wander the streets talking about colonial times. These two guys are going to a party tonight to celebrate the boys that King Herod put to death. They are wondering how the toasts will read.

Thomas Jefferson gave us a speech. In Virginia in the 1780's, about a third were for independence, a third weren't sure, and a third were against it. If the revolution failed the fighters for the revolution could be hanged, drawn and quartered. All their assets would be given to the King leaving their wives and descendants penniless. They had a lot to loose.

This is the inside of one of the four gaol (jail) cells. Atop the third step on the right is the privy.

A windmill at the farm.

After a meal at a Italian restaurant we walked back to the car. We went back to our hotel to enjoy the pool for a spell. And then we had birthday cake. The Yule log has chocolate cake rolled with Oreo cookie ice cream Delicious!

 

Yorktown

We also visited the National Park at Yorktown. This park had a museum and history center, an old town we walked through, and 2 2 hour auto drives showing the locations of the troops during the siege of Yorktown in 1781. This diorama shows the British troops surrendering to the American and French troops. The exhibits at this national park had fewer words and more sensory components which made the visit more comfortable.

 

Jamestown

Today we visited the Jamestown National Park. Here is a statue of Pocahontas The weather was warm but the rain fell steadily all morning.. 

This is the Tercentennial obelisk which was built in 1907.

This is the church where the first group of men from England decided to make laws.

A statue of John Smith stands looking over the James river. This park had an inside museum and history center also. I was disappointed. The exhibits have so many words on them and are set so close together everything becomes overwhelming.

 

The Aviator's Wife

 Anne Morrow Lindberg is the subject of The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin. The author studied the diaries of Anne to write her story. Before she met Charles Lindberg she was the daughter of the U.S. ambassador in Mexico. She attended Smith College and majored in English. During her life she published half a dozen books. She won awards for her writing. Being married to Lindberg was not an easy life. He was not always a kind man. Together they were a power couple and the media hounded them constantly. Things got so bad they left the United States and lived in Europe to avoid the press. I enjoyed reading about Anne.

Jamestown

Today the five of us traveled to Jamestown, Virginia. The travel took longer than we expected due to a vehicle on fire on the highway. We didn't make it here on time to visit any historical sites but after dinner we did have time for a swim in the hotel pool. Walking back we saw a boy looking up in a tree along side the road. A barred owl was looking down at us. We watched it leave from the lowest branch and fly higher and perch again. We suspect it had killed a mouse and was waiting for us humans to leave so it could enjoy a snack. 

Happy Holidays!

 

Gettysburg

After touring the Eisenhower farm, we drove to some of the battlefields around Gettysburg. We climbed up 112 steps to an observation tower where we looked to the west,

to the north,

to the east,

and to the south.

Then we went to the cemetery to look around.

Lincoln gave his speech here in November. The battle was actually fought on July 1, 2, and 3. The regiment from the state of Minnesota was very influential in that they held off the attack until reinforcements arrived.

A Lincoln memorial.

Many states have monuments here but Pennsylvania had the largest.

The monument from Minnesota shows action.

 

Eisenhower Farm

Today we drove 45 minutes south to Gettysburg to visit the Eisenhower farm.

The house was decorated for the holidays.

While President, the Eisenhowers spent Christmas Eve here but went back to the White House for Christmas. Dwight and Mamie wanted the secret service to be closer to their families on the holidays.

Mamie's favorite color was pink. Even the sink was pink.

Dwight had a personal flag. His flag was red with five stars because he was a five star general. Here the flag flies over his putting green. Winston Churchill, Charles De Gaulle, and Nikita Khrushchev all visited this farm.

 

The Night Ship

 Jess Kidd is the author of The Night Ship. This novel is based on a true story about a ship called the Batavia. The Batavia sailed from the Netherlands and was shipwrecked near a small island west of Australia. Aboard that ship was Mayken, a young girl who is traveling to meet her father with her nanny. Mayken travels around the ship including the lower quarters where she is not allowed to go. Three hundred years later a boy named Gil comes to the same island to live with his grandfather. Gil does not want to fish like his Grandfather does. Gil struggles to blend into life on the island. He learns the story about Mayken. The story is told through the eyes of the children. Mayken tells an excellent story that includes her beliefs about magical creatures. Gil tells a more pragmatic story but both are interesting.

Miss Benson's Beetle

Rachel Joyce is the author of the fiction novel called Miss Benson's Beetle. This fine story is about the relationship between Marjorie Benson and Enid Pretty. The book is set in London in 1950. Marjorie has quit her job teaching at a girls school. She wants to travel to New Caledonia to find the golden beetle. No one has ever found the golden beetle. Since her father showed her a drawing of the golden beetle when she was a girl, Marjorie has wanted to find it. She puts an ad in the newspaper looking to hire an assistant on her trip. She has all the equipment for preserving beetles. Five people respond to her advertisement. Enid Pretty is the least qualified. Also, Enid is not telling the truth about her situation nor her experience. As the journey commences Enid comes clean about her lies gradually so as not to overwhelm Marjorie. As they struggle with life in New Caledonia, Enid and Marjorie become friends. The story is about travel but also about the developing relationship between Enid and Marjorie.

Happy Winter Solstice!

 

A Delectable Treat

 Today I did something for the first time. For years I have listened to friends who get to pick up their grandchildren from school at the end of the day. Today was my time. After a note was written to the teachers and I had two cards with student numbers in my hand, I waited on the sidewalk for my grandgirls to come out. Together we walked the 20 minute walk back to the house. I got to hear about their school day before anyone else. What a delectable treat!

The Girl Who Wrote In Silks

 Kelli Estes is the author of The Girl Who Wrote In Silks, a historical fiction novel set in Seattle and nearby Orca Island. The novel is about Chinese immigrants and first generation Chinese- Americans and the discrimination they faced in Seattle. Much like now, xenophobia is alive and well. The story seesaws back and forth from present time and 1882 which the Chinese Exclusion Act was in force. Mei Linn, who lived in 1882, is shipped away from Seattle due to the Exclusion Act. When she learns that the captain intends to throw his cargo of Chinese Americans overboard instead of taking them to China, she tells her father of what is to happen. Her father saves her life by throwing her overboard near Orca Island. A farmer on the island happened to witness this and he saves her life. Mei Linn is a seamstress. She sews her family history into a beautiful garment for her son. Years later the sleeve of the garment and the main body of the garment are brought back together. This was a truly wonderful story. Due to the perseverance of the present day woman who found the sleeve, Mei Linn's story finally comes to light.

Holiday Preparations

Today was a rainy day here in Mechanicsburg. After breakfast we played a crazy board game called Quelf. After that the cookie baking began. The oven ran from 10 a.m. to almost 3 p.m. We made Russian tea cakes and thin ginger cookies. The grand girls love icing so some got icing.

The traditional ginger cookies do not have icing. The round tin on the right is for the teachers at the elementary school. After all that time in the kitchen I needed to get some exercise. So I walked in the rain for an hour. I neglected to wear my waterproof boots and rain suit. When I got back my jeans were wet to the knees, my shoes were wet, and some of my sleeves were wet too. After dinner we watched an animated movie about the Grinch. Today was a nice day.

 

Mechanicsburg!

 

Pittsburgh

 

Excavations

 I listened to the audio book called Excavations by Kate Myers. This story is about an archeology dig in Greece headed up by a college professor. The professor, Charles, is about to retire and is trying to increase his income to support his retirement. He hires college students and other experienced archeologists. Four women are among the crew. The professor has maintained for years that this site was for male Greek athletes. The four women find out that this was a female athlete site. This quirky, humorous book definitely has a feminist twist.

Chartier's Creek

Yesterday I left Columbus, Ohio and drove east. I drove through a portion of West Virginia before arriving here in Pittsburgh. I went for a nature walk to stretch my legs.

This is Chartier's Creek.

Dandelions are still blooming. I saw a tufted titmouse, mallard ducks, Canadian geese and robins.

 

Franklin Park Conservatory

 

Today I went to the Franklin Park Conservatory here in Columbus, Ohio. Outside they had a four part train garden. This was the fairy tale section. There was an old woman who lived in a shoe . . .

Two trains ran on the elevated track. Seven  trains rode on the lower track.

The Palm Room. Today 4 school buses of what appeared to be first graders were visiting.

They had a gingerbread house contest.

Toy Story won first place.

Polly Pocket also won first place.

This is a very nice conservatory.