The Concrete Castle

At our Quakertown PA campsite in October, Chuck and I looked through brochures describing attractions in small towns north of Philadelphia. We’d done one day in Philadelphia, standing enthralled where a few brave and determined men made final decisions then signed, sealed and delivered (as in birthed) our nation. We’d walked through wonderfully preserved hallowed buildings amid crowds and intense but very polite security and explored the surrounding blocks - a mix of new tall office buildings, small struggling trendy businesses, rebirth and decay. We decided that for now, one day in the big city was enough!

Not far away in Doylestown, PA was the Mercer Museum, built by the idiosyncratic and intellectually curious ceramicist- archeologist-antiquarian-writer-collector Henry Mercer, one of the leaders of the early 20^th century arts and crafts movement. Mercer left three edifices made of hand-mixed and poured concrete. The still active Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, where his own unique art was produced is designated a National Historic Landmark. Fonthill is his mansion of 44 tile-lined rooms, full of objects collected from around the world. We visited the Mercer Museum, his repository of early American everyday objects and tools, built by untrained laborers working under Mercer’s direction and without any written plans. A rainy day increased the drama.

Always interested in how ordinary things were done, Mercer observed that at the end of the 19^th century new technologies were changing every aspect of life, from drawing water (find deep well bucket) to door fasteners and hat production! He anticipated that details of early American life from the pre-industrial mid-1800s to 1900 could one day be forgotten, so began to collect material widely and wildly. His own unique system of organization is based upon categories of tools and function in order to show how people lived and worked in early America. His collection of more than 40,000 items represents trades, crafts, agriculture and domestic life in the eastern U.S.

Mercer’s display method was purposeful, but outside traditional museum practice even in his day. The museum seeks to retain his intellectual and display system while attempting with limited resources to prevent time and climatic difficulties (stemming in part from the structure itself) from degrading the collection!  Difficult to illuminate. No climate control - including no heat! Gradual changes continue.

Six stories and a maze of small rooms with sometimes uneven floors surround the center open space. It’s full of drama, possible to become lost in the stairways and confusing passages. On the right central wall are various methods of transportation.

 

Things to sit or lie in  – Advertising - Animal husbandry .

   

 

 

 

 

 

We were fascinated by things we’d never considered, items that we would have known or used had we lived then. How foreign is this one! Hatter’s tools: Bow and bow plucker (the peg in center) used to vibrate fibers, causing them to interlace and form a felt-like sheet.

 

 

Wander, look, read labels, imagine life 150 years ago. Metalwork and stamped wallpaper and fabrics.

 

 

 

Sometimes we guess: musical instrument? Food preparation? Huh? Can you guess?

 

 

 

 

Mercer’s own ceramics embody beauty and function.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our visit was long, we ran out of steam before we could see everything!

‘Tis Holiday Season, New Year 2011 Ahead!

                 IT’S HOLIDAY TIME AGAIN!
Celebrations are underway! This post is our way of sending…
             EXTRAVAGANT HOLIDAY WISHES
to all of our family and friends from coast to coast, and in Hawaii, Mexico and Canada (and to anyone else out there reading). We’re feeling high optimism for a very fine 2011, and wishing the same to you, as well!
Many experiences and contrasts have filled our year. Our trailer has traveled 11,605 miles – not a record, but way far enough! We’ve met great people, experienced diverse cultures and learned something about the history and lifestyles of three countries. We’ve stayed in 70 campsites, two-thirds of them from July to the end of December.
January 2010 found us settled down in one of our favorite campgrounds, Roca Azul in Jocotepec, Mexico. In February we wound our way south through Queretaro, Mexico City and Puebla to Oaxaca, a fascinating city we’ve wanted to see for some time.


Like so many of Mexico’s oldest cities, beautiful Queretaro has a rich history. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site.








Our Mexico City hotel was just $25 a night, within walking distance of many sights. This is Mexico City’s cathedral and an indigenous ceremony outside. This area of the City, built atop the Aztec ruins of Tenochtitlan, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site also! Below, a prehistoric painting at the incredible Museum of Anthropology.




















We stayed a too brief two weeks in Oaxaca, where Mexico cultures intermingle and the Monte Alban ruins stand on the heights above. The ruins are a World Heritage site, too. We like to visit them, and keep a list to check them off!









On our way back north, we visited Cuernavaca and Patzcuaro. 







Again we stopped in Jocotepec, where the campers are a collaborative bunch, then made a straight run to cross into the US at Brownsville in May, getting full use of our six-month Mexico visa.



Visiting friends along the way, we went to Austin, New Orleans, Champaign, IL and then to Michigan. There we spent time with Chuck’s family from Temperance to the Upper Peninsula. We also spent an afternoon with Jan & Tom, sailing friends we’d not seen for 20+ years! What fun to see everyone.
In mid-July we crossed from Michigan into Ontario, Canada at Sioux-St-Marie. We sped across the piney province to lovely St. Sauveur, Quebec and the old city of Quebec (previous blog posts) then circled the beautiful Gaspe Peninsula shoreline with its dozens of small towns and fishing harbours (note Canadian spelling!)

Then off through New Brunswick to Nova Scotia to see Paula & Jerry – more fine Canadian camper-folk (earlier blog)! With their good advice and our ongoing fascination for the sea we circled the northern Cape Breton coast, stopping at Judique, Cheticamp, Cape Breton Highlands National Park and Baddeck - just to mention a few of the welcoming, fascinating towns. Once fishing guaranteed a hard but decent living here, but now large scale fish harvests are gone, save for lobster in season for those holding permits. Tourism is a growing industry, building upon outdoor activities and the welcoming nature of residents, their fascinating history, artistic talents and unique cultures.
                                                                                       


 





Propelled by coming fall – beautiful leaves but chilly weather – we crossed into Maine at the end of September. And gladly began to slow down! We still followed the coast, but our stops were a whole week at a time. This is the Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island, which overlooks Bar Harbor.








East coast stops included Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and more sailing pals in Virginia Beach and Washington, NC. In Quakertown, PA we found Sines 5 & 10, a friendly place that would be great for  last minute stocking stuffers.
















We’ve enjoyed being with New Orleans friends for a too short visit, chores and good music. Below, the New Orleans Strathspey and Reel Society, then NO Quarter Shanty Krewe (find Gigi) and Hazel and the Delta Ramblers performing at the New Orleans Preservation Resource Society Holiday Home Tour.  










We’ll be sorry to say hasta la vista to everyone here, but soon we’re rushing off to spend Christmas with nephew Marc in Bastrop, TX! This winter we’re skipping Mexico (we both agree, haven’t we driven enough for awhile, dear?) to hang around the Southwestern states, just to see how they measure up as a potential future home base area.
   WISHING YOU HAPPY HOLIDAY GATHERINGS AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!!

Experience Trumps Having Things

I heard about a recent survey that concluded greater happiness results from “experience” than from “having things.” This is good, because I’d have to say that Experience are Us! And having things is not. It’s been easy - we’ve lived in small spaces for over 25 years and have no place to put things.
                                                                           Our first home, 1984-2005. Here’s La Mouette on a jaunt to Avalon Harbor, Santa Catalina about 1987. We were still working in San Francisco.



La Mouette’s interior is below: the nav station-refrigerator-office-VHF and HAM radio; the galley; starboard-side salon; port-side salon; bunk-bedroom. We sold La Mouette in Slidell, LA the spring before hurricane Katrina swept through.



















Here’s our current home, 2005-present, at the Little Red Barn Campground in Quakertown, PA this October. It‘s a Laredo with no name - maybe we’re not so attached. Boats have personality, life, drama! RVs not so much. Just function. At 32,000 pounds the boat could hold more things – virtually anything you could stuff into the cupboards, hatches and under the floor or tie down on deck! It was rugged. The RV weighs about 7,500 and it’s wise not to reach 10,000 including water and things. It’s way too delicate. And weight affects fuel mileage. Many of our souvenirs are fabric things.
Main room with kitchen-living room-dinette looking forward; then looking aft; and bunk.
     







It’s hard to prove happiness, and assuming that it’s there probably doesn’t change anything. But this made us think: during a May visit to our wonderful cardiologist he remarked, “You’re the happiest people I’ve seen all day!” And happily, we had no worrisome symptoms to report.



Soon after, we got these two fortune cookies:
  You will make many changes before settling satisfactorily.

  Happiness always accompanies with you.

Sometimes I wonder how happy some of Chuck’s experiences here in New Orleans have been. Since we’ve been here he’s been busy:
Repacking trailer bearings (replace 2), replacing brake wires in axles & adjusting brakes, rotating truck tires, greasing trailer spring shackles, repairing a water pump, and searching for source of a fuel leak (this could go on awhile).
Looks like relief + satisfaction = happiness. Does he get points for the scuffs, cuts and bruises?
Still on his list of potentially happy experiences: Replace roof gutters damaged by trees in a narrow Mexican lane, get a new vacuum hose,install new and brighter headlights and adjust rear truck brakes “before long.”