George Washington Commemoration

Happy 293rd Birthday,  Mr.  President...

Every year Tony Gerring hosts a George Washington Commemoration party,  celebrating the birth of the Father of Our Country.  Since his death in 1799,  Washington has become larger-than-life --- a near mythical figure.  It's almost difficult to accept that he was,  at one time,  a real man who lived and died.  In fact,  I would say that,  aside from George Washington,  many of our Founding Fathers can fit into the myth category:  Thomas Jefferson,  Paul Revere,  Ben Franklin,  John Hancock...and we could also include other well-known folks in American lore such as Abraham Lincoln,  Johnny Appleseed/John Chapman,  Sacajawea,  cowboys,  and even Bonnie & Clyde  (among many,  many others).  But they all were living,  breathing human beings.  

The men who were at the gathering.
No George Washington here,  but I do see Paul Revere...

George Washington felt pain,  anger,  sorrow,  joy,  love,  nervousness/anxiety,  pride...and he got sick,  he went to the bathroom,  he had an itchy back,  I bet his stomach growled when he was hungry,  stunk when he didn't clean himself up,  and I'm certain he coughed and sneezed.  

And,  of course,  he had tooth aches.

He was as human as you and I.

But we sometimes tend to forget thinking of him in that manner.

I mean...he was George Washington...GEORGE WASHINGTON!

The lovely ladies of our gathering.

And a few of us here in Michigan gathered together to cewlebrate this man in his birthday.

Deb & Mark came to celebrate.

Ken had his Madeira wine.

A fortified wine produced on the Portuguese island of Madeira in the eastern Atlantic, madeira in the eighteenth century was common in Britain and particularly popular in the American colonies.  George Washington had an affinity for this particular type of wine.

Pastor Gerring said a grace before our meal.
Okay,  so he's not a licensed minister,  but he doesn't have to be. 
He does an amazing job and I do call him pastor - because his heart
is in it and his biblical knowledge is top-notch---he's earned it.

This time of year does not offer many opportunities to do living history,  so when one does come along,  you grab it with both hands.  For me it's been since February 1st,  so it really felt good to get back into my period clothing on this later February day.

We went as long as we could without turning on the electric lights overhead.
Mill Race Village does not allow for flames inside  (or anywhere near)  their historic buildings,  so no canfles were to be lit.
Well,  with the amount of daylight seen here,  we would not have wasted
precious candle wax.

Charlotte cooked up the Fraunces Tavern Carrot Tea Cake for dessert.

(From the Fraunces Tavern web site):
Sam Fraunces'  Carrot Cake-----

The recipe first appeared in The Thirteen Colonies Cookbook in 1975 and was purportedly served at the Evacuation Day Dinner,  hosted at Fraunces Tavern on November 25,  1783.  As The British were finally leaving New York for good,  a small celebration was given at Fraunce’s Tavern.  Though we don’t have an official record that Fraunces served this exact cake,  it is likely he regularly served carrot pudding at the Tavern as it was a simple,  hearty dish to serve to hungry patrons.  It’s also likely that Washington,  a documented fan of Fraunces’  cooking,  enjoyed the dish.

Baking in 17th and 18th century in America wasn’t nearly as glamorous as it is today.   Our 21st century carrot cake is much different than its 17th century origin recipes.

The Pilgrims first brought carrots with them to North America,  intending to harvest it in the colonies.  The root vegetables then,  however,  were not as sweet as the carrots we enjoy today.  In fact,  carrots didn’t gain popularity until the 18th century when the French developed a sweeter,  longer version similar to what we enjoy today.

As the sun began to set,  and given that it was a warm upper 20s temperature,  I decided to take a quick jaunt outdoors to get some February winter photos.

Here is the 1831 Cady Inn,  where the gathering was held.
Even though it was built in 1831,  it can easily pass for a tavern from decades earlier,  for it is built in the old lean-to/break-back architectural style.  Today,  most folks would call it a saltbox style.

The setting sun's glow on the trees across the main street was striking.

The Cady Inn window reflection of the sun behind me was awesome~

Here is a wintery pic of Mill Race Village,  including the new brick road.

I've never been to Mill Race Village in the evening,  so a few of us grabbed the opportunity for a nighttime walk and a few posed pictures.

Here is the same picture from above a few hours later - - 
That silhouetted figure is me!

Walking toward the church~

Here is Pastor Gerring welcoming Ken Roberts.
"Wherefore receive ye one another,  as Christ also received us to the glory of God."

Charlotte enjoying a winter's night~

Charlotte~
"And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven,  and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars,  even all the host of heaven,  thou be drawn away and worship them,  and serve them,  which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all the peoples under the whole heaven."

Tom also joined us on the evening walk.

That gazebo certainly is bright!  Never have I seen such brightness in the dark of night - they must have a thousand spermacetti candles lit!

Tom,  stepping up to the gazebo where he will once again be presenting during the upcoming Patriot's Day commemoration  (Battle of Lexington & Concord)  reenactment on April 26~

Mill Race is on the outskirts of the City of Northville.
Bright lights---big city...
We see Ken and Charlotte walking back to the Cady Inn.
During our Patriot's Day reenactment,  the Cady Inn will be transformed into Buckman's Tavern.

One last shot taken inside the Cady Inn:

A George Washington pottery plate made at Greenfield Village.
And there's my Colonial Williamsburg Brass Long Handle Chamberstick.
No,  I didn't light the candle - it was just for show.

So now,  293 years after his birth,  we still remember him...and commemorate him.

I think he'd be a bit surprised,  don't you?

Happy Birthday George~

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I collect candle holders - actual antiquated or very good older-style replications,  and recently I purchased this late 18th or early 19th century  "hog scraper"  candlestick.  A friend of mine pointed out a sketch of one of these in an Eric Sloane book.  So when I returned home from the Washington party,  I made the gallant attempt to replicate the drawing,  which is what you see here.

I must admit,  I was not initially very fond of the style of candleholder - this hog scraper style - but my friend sort of cajoled me into buying this one.  I'm glad I did for there is history behind it:

"The hog scraper candlestick is an early  (c. 1780 – 1860)  form of lighting device commonly used in 18th and 19th-century North America and Britain,  and was mainly made in England.  The device is manufactured of tempered sheet iron,  wrought in several pieces and joined by metal joinery and silver soldering."

So---March looks promising for me to be in my period clothing---I know of three events---look for them in future blog posts right here!

Until next time,  see you in time.

HERE are links to the American Revolution from Passion for the Past postings

If you are interested to see a list of filmed depictions of George Washington,  please click  HERE

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