Poe Paddy State Park is in the heart of Amish country. Think that is why it took so long to get there. Sunday is courting day with buggies filled with young Amish guys taking their gals for a ride.

The Farms

What a lovely visit!

Let the fun begin…

Went wilderness camping in Poe Paddy State Park in Pa. Had stunning weather and enjoyed the ride on their tubing stream. It was quite a loop!

No that’s is not poop, it is a ⛺️ tent. I will be in the Appalachian Mountains camping with an acquaintance for the next 2 nights. Will be “roughing it,” but am sleeping in the hatch of my car and brought a mattress so no 🐻 gets me and I’ll be able to walk the following day. I was never able to sleep on the ground without consequences.💤

I’m not as adventurous as my hostess who sleeps on the ground in a lean to.

Am sure I will have many stories, and who knows maybe a bear 🐻 will come knocking at the hatch window…

Stay tuned..

And as I always say, you never know what you’ll find when you 🧳 travel.

He is a 41 year old who makes his living, and a nice one, by competitive eating. Winning 17 of the Nathan’s hot dog eating contests, and 50 other contests to boot, he’s doing well at this career which began in his early 20’s. And Joey doesn’t do bad money wise either with a salary of $500,000. a year, and a net worth of 3 million.

So how do you prepare for these feats or feasts?

Six months out he starts training by doing jaw and throat exercises to strengthen the necessary muscles which allows him to swallow more easily. Then two days before the event he does a cleanse, and in the middle of the cleanse the event occurs. After the event another cleanse is done. Then a normal diet is resumed.

While he’s a big fish in a small pond, think Joey can keep the job.

…OR is it a big hot dog in a small pond?

While I am not a fan of deer 🦌 after they’ve eaten thousands of $ of my deer resistant, (or so they say), plants. However, when I gazed out my back door recently, and found this among the wheat grass I was a bit shocked,

Then I noted she, or he, was alone for 2 days but did not leave. However, after speaking to others was told this is normal behavior for the deer 🦌 mother. Apparently, she comes back and forth tending to her needs then returns to her babe.

Well, finally on day 3 they departed but at 5 am the next day they returned as when I opened my drapes they were feasting on my front lawn.

Go figure….. I am not a Bambi fan🦌

Attended the July 4th, celebration at this National Historic Landmark. This is the home of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Stockton.

However, the house has much history as it was once rented by Robert Wood Johnson, of Johnson and Johnson fame.

When he became divorced, he traveled to Europe, and found a beautiful model to marry. They returned to New Jersey and raised a family at Morven using the stables for his horses, adding a pool house, gardens, and orchards to the property.

The interior of the pool house

The Gardens

The home was sold in 1954 to the State of New Jersey and became the Governor’s Mansion till 1982. There are pictures and placards describing this time period but no furnishings for this or the colonial time period. Sorry, not a placard person.🥺

However, there was this lovely chandelier,

and an original Steinway Brothers piano with a painting of one of the original owners (who was a trumpian type character, much hated by his troops)…

A close-up and what extraordinary carvings.

The home caters to children, and most of the July 4th celebration revolved around their interests.

The back of the home.

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxx

And down the street…

The Battle of Princeton was on view.

The farmhouse of the Quaker family where the battle took place.

The stables are now rest rooms..

Here on this Quakers Farm a major Revolutionary War battle was fought. While pacifists, the owners allowed both British and American soldiers to use their home as a military hospital after the battle for several weeks.

The Battle described

Cooking Utensils

Bedchamber

Some military displays

And outside fun and games for children

Military Might – the musket

Later returned to downtown Princeton for some grub.

Found the new art museum,

And if you get the chance visit Princeton,

Went to the movies 🎥 while at Princeton. Saw this Dakota Johnson and Chris Evan’s flick about a current day matchmaker in NYC. Cute film with a happy ending, and who doesn’t want that in these gray days.

Looking over the cast of characters they are all children of the greats in this film with Meryl Streeps daughter, Spielberg’s son, and of course Melanie Griffith’s daughter. That said, it was still a cute, uplifting flick and worth $11.25 to be uplifted.

The next stop 🛑 was in Ringwood, New Jersey, to see the lovely state gardens. Hadn’t been in the summer in decades! If you recall this is the spot where the 🎅 Christmas open house was held .

But what a feast for the eyes this summer version brings. Check it out..

And they even had a meadow just like me!

And the hosta garden is the most varied I’ve ever seen. Since these are a deer favorite 6 foot fencing surround these beauties.

In the butterfly garden captured two on film ..

And will end with this rather uniquely formed tree..

What a lovely and relaxing visit..

What a beautiful community! Arrived on a slightly humid stellar day at this picture perfect town. Every home was unique and well manicured on cobblestone streets.

The Museum of the college was closed in anticipation of a new building to open in the fall. however, a small display of works by an African American artist was on view.



 This Philadelphia based artist is reworking the Roman urns of 2000 years ago. In his work, he is adding contemporary scenes of the issues of today. Here are a few pictures of the old and the new in this fascinating concept. 

The New..

The Old

The New..

One last – which do you prefer?

And while I did not receive a tour as I did at Harvard recently I explored some of the campus to find these jewels 💎. While closed for renovations the facades remain. Will return at a later date to see the new Museum and these building interiors.

And they have a meadow on campus!

With a place to relax – priceless!

Among flowers to enjoy.

What I wouldn’t give to live in such a perfect community, but wonderful to have the ability to have visited it.

Tomorrow: A nearby July 4th event.

Will we make it through one more year to our 250th?

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Dam, if I know but here’s what I’ve done to 🎉 celebrate!

Went to my local playhouse where I have season tickets and saw The Full Monty. What a hoot and all the senior ladies at the afternoon performance adored it.

Gotta laugh.

Next week Young Frankenstein.

After that stopped at the BPOE for their barbecue 🍖 chicken 🐓 dinner. For $15., had enough food for 2 🥘 meals, and always delicious.

Then this morning 🧳 traveled to northern NJ and spent a few hours at Wawayanda State Park. The water was just the right temperature and the weather perfect.

NJ is quite progressive even their toilets at the park were the compost type. No didn’t get a picture for you of them- sorry…

The Park also has a bit of history.

The furnace..

What a fascinating trek and the day isn’t over yet..

Stay Tuned.