Jockey Hollow by Adrian

Here is the follow up blog about Jockey Hollow. It is part of the Morristown National Historical Park in Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey, United States. It was twice used as a winter encampment by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (Wikipedia).

Wick House served as the quarters of Major Joseph Bloomfield of the Third New Jersey Regiment during the winter of 1776-1777. Later, it also served as the winter headquarters of General Arthur St. Clair in 1779 through 1780. 

Map table (I won't be surprised this is where they planned for the attacks on the British)

Henry Wick's desk

Kitchen

Bed

Wick House Garden

Directions to Soldier Hut

Abundance of trees surrounding the area used to convert into lines of soldier huts

Soldier hut

Soldier hut with split quarters

Recreation of the hut at the visitor's center. There is nothing in the soldier hut replica except bunk beds made of pieces of wood.

Call me history buff but seeing and researching historical places like this one is fun and very educational. Hope you enjoy reading and seeing as much as I do.

Easter Sunday Egg Hunt by Adrian

And may the odds eggs be ever in your favor-Katniss Everdeen Brandon....!

Good luck Brandon

Can you spot the eggs? Brandon: Yeah...! Let me show you daddy. Ahem ..ahem .! Daddy was the one who hid it and mommy also helped as well.

Egg #1

Egg #2

Egg #3

Egg #4

Egg #5

Within two minutes Brandon spotted the first egg.

Brandon: Daddy I found the first one..!

Brandon: I found another one...!

Another...!

Mission accomplished. Found all...! Time to go in and watch my Kung Fu Panda

Five eggs made by mommy and one from school 

Happy Easter everyone from Serene, Brandon and Adrian.

Ford Mansion home to George Washington's former headquarters 1779 to June 1780 by Adrian

The weather has started to warm up for Spring and we decided to drive around and tour Ford Mansion located at Morristown, NJ.  It is about 40 minutes by car from our place. We were there a few years back but it was already closed for the season. If you decide to tour the building, you need to buy the ticket from Washington's Headquarters Museum located behind it.

Washington's Headquarters Museum

Our tour guide started the story by saying imaging having someone just sleep over at your house for a long period of time. So that was the arrangement with the owner of Ford Mansion's Theodosia Ford to have 25 people from George Washington's entourage to stay at the premise for six months. Of course George Washington was paying rent to Theodosia Ford for the entire stay. The location was selected as it was very strategic to George Washington to keep an eye on the British that were occupying Manhattan and Staten Island at that time. He likes the area because it was also defensible terrain, important communication routes and easy access to critical resources.

Our tour guide

The town suddenly being surrounded by 10,000 soldiers and the local residents of 250 were not too happy with so many of them around. It was considered very dangerous as the British can just attack and your life might be caught in between the fight. Or you could be charged for treason to go against the King. The timing was also bad as they arrived in one of the harshest winters in history. The snow was said to be around 10 feet deep. Lots of soldiers suffered extreme cold with insufficient clothing for the winter and limited food. Worse of all, they were not getting paid. Many have deserted the troop and only one third of the soldiers remained at the end of the six months stay.

Study used by George Washington during the war (Only the secretary desk is original and possibly used by him)

Aide-de-Camps Bedroom- General Washington's Aides used this room for sleep and as office space for writing reports

Kitchen

Chamber used by General and Mrs. Washington (Only the mirror is the original)

Campaign beds were used by officers and aides-de-camps during the Revolutionary War

The bed above can be folded and transported all over. It can be used indoor and outdoor just like a tent.

Campaign bed folded and weights 60 lbs and can be drag by a horse.

Servants room (Extra help was always needed as there were too many chores that need to be done to manage a large home)

Xbox or  PlayStation of that time (Mrs Ford's sons toys)

Ford Mansion

George Washington stayed at the Ford Mansion while the rest of the soldiers encamped at Jockey Hollow about six miles south of here. We did not manage to tour the site but we plan to come back again to see how the soldiers live there. I hope you have enjoyed our tour as much as we do. Till next time.

Season's Greetings from Adrian, Serene and Brandon

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us.

Courtesy of ThePianoGuys

NY & About on Black Friday by Adrian

I was not shopping on Black Friday so why not check out New York City instead. It is never boring to stroll in New York City regardless of how many times I have been there. See for yourself..!

The Skating Rink at Bryant Park

Puppet shop

Signage for Bryant Park

The Rink @ Rockefeller Center

Santa Claus made a special appearance

Window display at Saks with Yeti character

Window display depicting "real" New York life

Giant lights

Giant Christmas Ornament

City Bike (This is for you Mike)

Well, nothing would end the outing without a nice meal.  Guess what...! We had late lunch at Les Halles. Yes, the home base of Chef-at-large Anthony Bourdain. Unfortunately, we went to the one at John Street not Park Ave, his home base. He has moved on to "bigger" things in life e.g. a travel show on CNN.

Les Halles

Fries

Portuguese Mussels

Raspberry Rum Parfait (Excellent dessert recommended by our server)

That's all folks. Till next time. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Sleepy Hollow and Philipsburg Manor by Adrian

It has been five years since we last visited Sleepy Hollow and Philipsburg Manor (2007). The are several new things included is this blog that we did not had the chance to explore during the previous trip.

Welcome sign of Sleepy Hollow (It does not look like the one from new series from FOX)

 The Old Dutch Church was opened to the public this time. 

Old Dutch Church

Reenactor portraying Dominie Guiliam Bertholf the first pastor of the church at the entrance

Church Organ added about few years back

Pulpit on raised platform (Family members of Frederick Philipse were buried underneath the communion table)

Washington Irving's tomb

Is this headless Houseman or Headless Jackie (Serene's cousin)?

Philipsburg Manor House (No pictures are allowed inside the house)

Water powered gristmill

Gristmill grinder stone (Notice the wear on the stone)

Gristmill crankshaft

Finished products (flours)

Reenactor explaining the garden herbs and its benefits

According to the Ole Wive's tale the smell of lavender eases headache 

Potato brine helps cure burn and other cuts

Entrance to the barn

Reenact-or explaining how flax is processed to be linen (Important material for clothing during the 1700's)

Barn and plantation tools

I learned something new today. Plantation in the south includes cotton, tobacco (mostly non-food) but in the north they were mostly for food (wheat, dairy, rice, fish, baked goods and etc ). Overall, it was a good Sunday outing.