Life of Washington Tour - Day 5

Posted by Gabrielle

On the fifth day of the Washington Tour, we visited two important sites - the Washington Monument, and Mount Vernon. It was a wonderful day!

Our first stop: the Washington Monument. It was enjoyable finally to be able to see it up close and take pictures instead of snapping crazy shots as we zoom past as was the case in our Massachusetts trip at the end of May. :)

The entrance to the Monument. There were strict security rules, so I brought nothing but my camera, obviously. :) Thankfully, we were warned to leave all knives and any similar weapons on the bus and there were no problems getting in. We rode the elevator to the top of the tower and were able to look down on Washington D.C. from all angles. It was breathtaking to realize how far up we were. I'm very thankful for a wonderful optical zoom on my camera and was able to capture great pictures of many of the famous buildings in D.C. including...

the White House!

The next stop of the day was at Mount Vernon, George Washington's estate. There was so much to see that, in the few hours we were there, we were not able to see everything.

Mount Vernon

Some of the smaller outbuildings

Unfortunately, I did not get on the tour of Mount Vernon as I ended up with the last group from our buses and we ran out of time. In spite of that, I enjoyed observing an amusing dialogue between Mr. Brown and a couple of reenactors - Washington's surgeon, Dr. James Craik who was with him during the war, and his granddaughter, Nelly Parke Custis.

Mr. Brown asked them a number of questions, including what year it was, about their life with Washington, how engagement and marriage worked in their society, and more.

One of the highlights of the conversation was when Mr. Brown asked Dr. Craik what year it was. He replied, completely seriously, "The year is 1797. What year do you think it is, son." Mrs. Brown whispered in an aside to me, "Don't tell him; he'll take your temperature." You couldn't have told them it's 2010 after that. :)

Washington's surgeon, Dr. James Craik. He had a very dry sense of humor which kept us laughing.

Nelly Parke Custis, Washington's granddaughter, who explained her engagement to us and how young men and ladies interacted in that society.

Overlooking the river and lush lawns of Mount Vernon

After most of the group had finished the tour of Mount Vernon, both Mr. Brown and Mr. Horn gave talks on Washington's character and life here at Mount Vernon, and about his Presidency.

Mr. Brown gave a short talk on Washington's character, and outlined three traits for young men to follow: His clarity, his vision, and his dominion. Washington was a determined man who knew who he was and what he was called to do, and he did it. He was a man of clarity and vision; he plotted out his future and lived his life that way. He practiced "incremental dominion", taking control of what was put into his power and doing it with all his might.

After the talks, we were given fifteen minutes to see more at Mount Vernon and get back to the buses. Of course, we couldn't see everything in that time, so several of us opted to walk down to see the graves of George and Martha Washington.

The fields and gardens of Mount Vernon, snapped on the way back to the bus.

We were running late, especially since we had to get to the church and then to our new hotel for the last night of the trip. We ended up having a pizza dinner in the park across the street from the church.

St. John's Episcopal church. This was where a group of professional reenactors enacted the famous Virginian convention for us where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech ending in "Give me liberty or give me death!"
We were not allowed to take pictures during the skit, but there was enough to watch and listen to without. :)

Timothy talking with George Washington afterward. Sorry for the quality of the picture; my camera didn't like the lighting in the building and there's some things even a little photo touch-up can't fix. :)

Thomas Jefferson

Several other girls and I went on a tour of the graveyard with Delegate Richard Henry Lee (directly to the right of the girl in front).

Of the graves he showed us was that of the poet Edgar Allen Poe's mother, Elizabeth Arnold Poe.

We arrived at our new hotel for the last night of the trip rather late after another exciting day.

Life of Washington Tour - Day 4

Posted by Gabrielle

The fourth day of the Washington Tour was a very full day, but enjoyable nonetheless. Our first stop was at Brandywine battlefield. This was the site of another of Washington's numerous defeats. In his talk here, Joshua Horn outlined three reasons why Washington was defeated here:

• Washington did not adequately study the grounds.
• He did not have enough cavalry.
• He did not use the cavalry the way he should have.

Even though this was only one of Washington's numerous defeats, he didn't give up, and ended up winning the war. What an inspiring role model for us!

Part of the group at the officer's headquarters building at Chad's Ford on the Brandywine

The Brandywine Battlefield

The bridge over the Brandywine

Mr. Horn talking at the Brandywine Battlefield Monument. He climbed up to read the writing on the side.

Elliot and friends listening to the talk. From left to right: Matthew, Elliot, Armando, and Ethan

The building in which the British barricaded themselves. It looked like a beautiful old building from the outside and I'm still regretting we were not able to go in.

Joshua Horn gave a short talk here on what happened in this short battle and the implications. This battle was also called the Battle of the Clouds (if I'm deciphering my scrawled notes correctly). The British regiment that had sheltered in the building was the same 140th regiment that had barricaded themselves in Nasa Hall in the Battle of Princeton. Col. Henry Knox, Washington's fellow strategist, opted to attack the house as doing otherwise would be seen as unmilitary-like. Washington, with Generals Sterling and Sullivan led the attack against the house with two brigades after an unsuccessful truce.

In spite of their seeming advantage, the Continentals were forced to retreat and flee, for several possible reasons:

• They were confused from the fight
• Disordered from the fog
• They were running out of ammunition

Following the retreat, the Continental troops went into winter quarters at Valley Forge.

Our next stop was lunch stop! During the lunch break, a number of boys made several attempts at a human ladder up the side of one of the huge trees growing in the park. They provided entertainment and much laughing.

Our next stop of the day was Valley Forge, where the Continental troops wintered after the Battle of Germantown. Touring Valley Forge occupied the rest of the day. We definitely did a lot of walking and were very grateful for the bus ride back to the hotel!

The beautiful meadows and hills in the distance...so lovely and relaxing!

Our first stop at Valley Forge was at the replication huts that the soldiers would have lived in during the winter.

Jedidiah...

and Tobias enjoyed the bunks!

Personally, they don't look that comfortable! :)

From there, we walked to the monument that the Masons built in honor of George Washington, and here, Mr. Horn gave a short talk on the history of the Masons and how Washington was involved.

Washington was a Mason at some point and time in his life. Even though members were required to profess Christ, this does not mean that the masons were a Christian organization. We have mixed views regarding Washington being a mason. While it seems out of his character that he would join them, he did refuse to pose for a picture in his mason's uniform which seems to intimate he did not wish to be known as a mason. Now,the new-age masons are trying to claim Washington as one of their members.

Tobias showing off a bird's nest he found

Our next stop was at the "Mad" Anthony Wayne Statue. Unfortunately, I did not get any notes at this talk because I was frantically trying to fix my camera which had stopped working, so I have just the highlights that I remember.

Anthony Wayne was one of Washington's trusted Brigadier Generals and he earned the title "Mad" Anthony Wayne from the interesting and often eccentric ideas and strategies he proposed.

From the Anthony Wayne statue, we spent the rest of the day touring the rest of Valley Forge on foot and visiting a few other highlights as time permitted, including Washington's Headquarters, the Baron Von Steuban statue, Redoubts 3 and 4, and the Artillery Park.

Arianne (left) and friends Anastasia and Merisa at the Artillery Park

Wordless Wednesday: Does This Scare You?

Posted by Gabrielle

Pictures with Oma

Posted by Gabrielle

This morning, Oma left after a week-long visit of fun and great memories. I have pictures and lots to write about, but no time right now to do it in, so I shall leave you with a few of the many pictures from her visit.

Of course, not to be forgotten: our family picture with Oma!!!

We three girls after our trip to the mall to purchase boots as late and early birthday gifts. :)

Meme, Oma, and Timothy waiting to begin the gift-giving festivities at Arianne's 16th birthday party

Someone goofing around while preparing for pictures with Oma

Our happy little boy at the restaurant!

What Happened when Little Boys...

Posted by Gabrielle

Asked me to take pictures of them! A couple evenings ago, the little boys asked me to take pictures of them, and then started hamming up for the camera. How could I resist?! :) I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

I will set My bow in the cloud

Posted by Gabrielle

After enjoying the rainy day all day yesterday, I was called outside to see this magnificent double rainbow. It lasted only a few minutes.


"I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be fore a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." Genesis 9:13-16

What a sweet promise this is that allows us to enjoy the rainstorms and know He will always keep His word!

Life of Washington Tour - Day 3

Posted by Gabrielle

Our first stop on Day 3 of the Washington Tour was Washington's Crossing. 

This was where Washington crossed in the middle of the night to attack the Hessians camped at Trenton before they could attack him. The troops crossed the Delaware River with Henry Knox in charge of the crossing and successfully surprised the Hessians as they were not expecting him to attack. This was the victory that the young officer Washington needed to establish his military renown.

 

Washington's Crossing

 Young men at one of the canons at Washington's Crossing

Our next stop of the day was at Trenton Battlefield, the site of the attack on the Hessians after Washington crossed the Delaware. We had lunch at the monument.

Examining more closely the entrance to the monument

It was a long ways up!!!

Our next stop was Princeton Battlefield.

This was a crucial battle in the war; one, which if Washington had not fought it, we would not have won the war.

Mr. Horn brought out several crucial points that Washington accomplished in winning this battle:

• The British were not allowed to capture Philadelphia. In spite of this, they later captured it in 1777.
• The ragtag continental army gained more experience and prowess in fighting.
• This improved Washington's military reputation as he had won three battles by now.
• This improved the general morale of the soldiers and made them more willing to fight.

Playing frisbee on Princeton Battlefield

From Princeton Battlefield, we went on to Princeton University where Mr. Horn gave a talk about how this college was founded.

Princeton University was a split from Christ Presbyterian Church during the Great Awakening. At this point, pastors who did not have a degree, namely pastors of the Great Awakening called New Lights, such as George Whitefield, were not allowed to preach in the pulpit. Princeton University, which had a predecessor called Low College, was founded as a conservative university to give New Light pastors a degree so they could preach from the pulpit again.

 

Timothy reading the plaque before one of the two great lions guarding the entrance to the university hall.

From Princeton University, we walked to Princeton Chapel and visited two highlights:

A statue of John Witherspoon in the chapel courtyard, and

The Princeton chapel. It had gorgeous stained glass windows on all three walls as you walked in. The dimly-lighted interior enhanced the solemnly majestic effect as the organ-player played.


Some of the quaint shops along the streets of Princeton

From Princeton Chapel, we walked to Princeton Cemetery where Mr. Brown gave a brief talk on the Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, whose graves we stopped at.

As our last stop of the day, we headed to the Spaghetti Warehouse in Philadelphia. There, we enjoyed a delicious dinner and time of singing and reading the Declaration of Independence with Charlie Zahm.