Susan B. Anthony House

Susan B. Anthony was a powerhouse of a woman.  She is best known for her efforts to get women the right to vote. (the 19th ammendment)  But she was very active in her community and worked tirelessly to help improve the lives of others. Among other things, she was an abolitionist and a temperance worker.  

We visited her house in Rochester, NY and learned about her, her family, and all of the work that she was involved in.  Passionate and Tireless are two of the best words that I could find to describe her.  

This is the view of the front of her house.  We were not allowed to take pictures inside.  It is a fascinating house, with many artifacts from either her time in the house or donations from that time period from people in Rochester. 

If you look up at the 3rd floor of the house, you can see windows in the attic.  This very large space is where much of the work of the suffragist movement occurred.  It was humbling to be in that room and realize just how much of a difference those women made in the world in that little space.

Susan was arrested for voting in the Presidential Election of 1872.  She was tried in the Cannandaigua Court House. She was tried, found guilty, and fined $100.  Note that she never paid the fine.  It's well over 100 years later, and that fine is still on the books! 

I've got to admit - she is one of my all time favorite people.  I am so impressed by everything that she accomplished in her life.  I'd like to think that maybe I've accomplished a small fraction of what she has accomplished.  She's such an icon!

Susan B Anthony House and Museum

https://susanb.org/

The National Archives

https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/eyewitness/html.php?section=3

Watkins Glen

 In New York State, near Ithaca lies an unexpected State Park.  Watkins Glen lies along a 2 mile long gorge.  Over the course of this gorge, you will encounter 15 different waterfalls.  It's a captivating trail!

I found it to be a relatively easy, if somewhat muddy climb.  There were a couple of spots where things were a little closer than I would have liked, but it was worth pushing through to see the wonders of this magical trail.  

As always, when we are hiking, we packed an easy picnic lunch to carry in our daypack so that we could find a magical spot somewhere and sit and eat and enjoy the moment.  

I'm leaving you with a picture dump of some of my favorite pictures from that hike.  My words can't succinctly describe the beauty of that place.  Enjoy!

State Park Website: https://parks.ny.gov/visit/state-parks/watkins-glen-state-park

Eastman Museum

Kodak film.  Do you remember those bright yellow boxes of Kodak film at the grocery store?  And how you'd load the film into your camera, take pictures, and then send the film off to be developed and hoped that all of your pictures came back to you?  

When we were in Rochester, New York we stopped by the home of George Eastman (GE) to tour this wonderland and visit the museum. 

The museum was fascinating.  The public is not allowed to tour the archives, which is below ground, but we were able to tour the public galleries.  The galleries rotate on a regular basis, so what we saw on our trip will most likely not be what you see on your trip!

 

The highlight of the visit was the tour of Eastman's house, and the history behind Eastman and everything he did - not only for the world of photography, but also for the residents of Rochester as well as his employees. He was a phenomenal human being.  

 The house is a showpiece.  We kept thinking of the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, but somehow the Eastman house seemed more regal, yet understated.  After we finished touring the house, we roamed through the gardens before we stopped at the restaurant and had one of the best lunches that we've had in a museum in a very long time!

 

View of a very small portion of the garden.

Above and Below, the Solarium.  I could work in this space!

So peaceful!

 To find out more about George Eastman, the Kodak corporation, and the Eastman museum, follow this link: George Eastman Museum: https://www.eastman.org/about-george-eastman.

My Wayward Laptop, part 2

 The battery is dead on my laptop.  So once again, I am headed off to the Big Box Store to see if they can fix it.  I believe I'm going to have to leave it there.  If the last time this happened is indicative, I could be without my laptop for a significant period of time. 

In anticipation, I have saved 2 weeks worth of posts to automatically release.  The pictures and stories will be about our trip to Upstate New York last fall, and any other random things I can find that might be of interest.

Just letting you know in case if things seem a bit off, or in case my posts suddenly stop.  I haven't stopped posting - I'm just waiting for my laptop! 

 

The Beanery

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with The Beanery.  I stopped by recently on my quest to sample food from bakeries.  While The Beanery is not a bakery, they do have some phenomenal baked goods! 

In an off the beaten path strip mall in  Owings Mills, Maryland lies The Beanery, an independently owned coffee shop.

The food and coffee are phenomenal.  It's a quiet location, which makes this quiet spot a great place to sit down, sip a coffee, read a book or catch up on some e-mail.  I was there to read a book and taste test some of their phenomenal baked goods.

Dubai Style brownie.  OMG, this was good!

Look at all of those tasty muffins!

My cup of Peach Tea!

 

A Founding Mother

*Trigger Warning - breast cancer, surgery, see below* 

Set in Revolutionary America, A Founding Mother is the story of Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams (second president of the United States) and mother of John Quincy Adams (sixth president of the United States.)

Abigail was a frequent correspondent with her husband.  Due to his commitments, they ended up being separated for what amounted to twelve years of their early marriage.  Because Abigail wrote so frequently to John about life, the farm, and the happenings of the day in Braintree, Massachusetts, and because someone in her family held onto her correspondence, we have a unique view of the Revolutionary War and life in and around the times that changed the world.  The authors spent a lot of time reading through the letters of Abigail Adams, and visited the historic sites related to her before they sat down to write this book.  

The result in an engaging story that captures the spirit of a very fiesty young woman who raised children in one of the most remarkable moments in World History.  Their reliance on primary sources elevates this story to something that is a bit more than "historical fiction" and is closer to "historic fact".  I believe that they have done a great job of capturing the voice of Abigail and putting it into the pages of a modern book.

I really enjoyed this book!

If you're looking for a great book to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, this book is the place to start.  

Trigger Warning-

There is a chapter where Abigail's adult daughter Nabby is diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  In an absolutely true story, the authors use Abigail's notes to describe an 18th century mastectomy.  It's a vivid account.  And hours after reading it, the description is still haunting me.  I couldn't sleep last night thinking about it.  I had breast cancer last year, and the description of what Nabby went through is haunting me. It is difficult to read. Do I think that it is important to hear this story?  YES. Do I think it helps to understand the Adams family? YES.  I feel that this is crucial to the story line.  

Paris Baguette

A new location of this chain bakery cafe opened up across the street from my office last month. Now that the novelty has worn off and the lines have gone down, I ventured across the street this morning to pick up my lunch.  I loved my salad!  Korean BBQ.  It was spicy, but it was good!

I also sampled one of the tarts. It was so very cute, and so very delicious!  While I may not have been over there today, several of my coworkers have gone on investigative expeditions and brought back the very tasty results.  I have to say, this little tart is my favorite.  It's just enough to give me something sweet, without being an overwhelming amount of sugar.

Look at all of the beautiful cakes!