just add good corn and tomatoes

oh buoy!

Amerigo Vespucci was a Italian explorer about the same time as Columbus.

But America is actually his namesake, and the Italian Navy named a sailing ship for him.

I first saw the Amerigo Vespucci when she sailed up the Hudson in 1976 for our bicentennial celebration.

Forty-one years later and she returned, offering onboard tours to the public. 

I didn’t even think twice.

She is 270 feet long, just 30 feet short of a football field.

Built in 1930, she has been active every year since except laying low during World War 2. 

She looks big from the dock then feels much smaller once on board.

Rifles, lanterns, bugles and swords, what else does a young sailor need?

She can fly 26 different sails, requiring 30 kilometers of hemp rope to control them.

And there are four steering wheels, 2 men on each, for a total of 8 strong men to control her.

Her standard crew is 16 full officers, 70 non-commissioned officers and 190 workman sailors. 

When she is in training her crew can top 450 with all the interns on board.

Vespucci is represented in more than just name, that’s him in gold leaf, full scale, on the bow of the ship.

Have a great weekend of smooth sailing!

clocktower summer

how this accumulation of wealth will all play out

Loading Bezos, Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Tim Cook and Eric Schmidt

 as the end draws near.

http://clocktowertenants.com/2012/04/and-you-think-im-full-of-hot-air.html

the revolution will not be televised

https://www.asmp.org/small-claims-report/asmp-visual-artist-groups-intensify-lobbying-efforts-house-judiciary-committee-focuses-small-claims-copyright-legislation/

born to be wylde

New York is olde but Philly is older, 

and Elfreth’s Alley is the oldest of all.

Still largely intact since the early 1700’s, Elfreth’s is billed as the oldest continuously occupied residential street in all of America.

It looks it, too.

Jeremiah Elfreth was a blacksmith and one of the more significant artisans who lived on this little stretch.

He built his house in 1741, adding to it in 1762, and today you can go inside and look around.

The St. Regis it ain’t. 

They lived small in those days because large volumes were harder to heat.

But the architecture is important and the Library of Congress has a large collection of stills for documentation.

https://loc.gov/pictures/item/pa1211/

It’s quaint and fun to walk around imagining life without electricity, never mind being constantly connected. 

I felt a kinship with the basic survival of living in colonial times.

The period still hangs in the air here. 

I was born 300 years too late.