Not So Little Village --- Day 8/360

Walk: 1. No  2. Hood
Distance: 1. Yoga  2. 1.5 miles, Yoga

When we entered the current crisis, Ciwt wondered why so many people were travelling to and from a tiny, remote, backward village in China called Wuhan.

Well.....the answer lies in the photo above.  For armchair non-traveller, Ciwt, it was interesting to learn that Wuhan is a capital city in central China and headquaters to domestic car and steel producers.  Known as the Thoroughfare of China, Wuhan serves as a critical industrial, research and educational base as well as an integrated transport hub for the entire nation.  It's importance is far from just domestic as more than 300 of the world's top 500 companies have a presence in the city, including Microsoft, German software company SAP and French car manufacturer Groupe PSA.

Wuhan also appears to Ciwt to be aesthetically creative in engineering and architecture. See if you agree after watching this pretty amazing video.  (You'll need to "Open" bottom left after you get to the link.  Worth it 😀)

War Houses --- Day 8/359

Walk: No (Storm)
Distance: 0, Yoga

So Ciwt has been diving into The British Are Coming, Rick Atkinson's first book in his planned trilogy on the American Revolution.  (press link for trilogy site)


As she read she remembered visiting The Jumal Morris House during her Real New York Walking Tour last Fall. So she let her fingers walk her to the extraordinary New York Public Library's digital division where she found historical prints and photos. 



Located in Harlem Heights, the William Morris house (as it was named before Jumal bought it)  served as George Washington's home and headquarters early in the war.  It is also one of the few historical houses left standing in The City.  This by sheer luck as several other famous and/or notorious people lived in the house after Washington. Usually and ruthlessly development has always taken precedence over history in The Apple. 

In the picture, you can see why The General likely chose the house.  Its slight resemblance to his beloved Mount Vernon, yes, but mostly for the unparalled view.  He was able to take out his telescope and sight all the way down to Wall Street in one direction, across the Hudson at New Jersey in another and a long way up the Hudson River Valley in a third, all three directions from which the English might attack.

Meanwhile, the very man who would have led that attack, Sir William Howe, British Army Commander-in-Chief in America, lived a mile or so downtown in at The Beekman House.  It was located at 50th Street and First Avenue on the East River, a Primo midtown location its future was likely very brief after Howe left it in 1776.

Dinobird!!! --- Day 8/358

Walk: Short Hood (like we are supposed to)
Distance: 1 mile, Yoga

What is this new orange creature out on Ciwt's deck?!

Getting closer.  Hope it doesn't attack.

It's a Dinobird!!

Ciwt's artist friend, K. Libbey Nash is partnered with another artist, a sculptor who has lately been creating Bob's Birds from found objects.  All sorts of shapes and sizes, each with its own definite personality and each guaranteed to make you smile if not laugh out loud.  Even in photos which is where Ciwt saw them.

Just thinking of them brightened her day and then today, unbeknowst to Ciwt, one of them arrived at Ciwt's house!!!   What a pick me up, and how great to have a new friend on her deck during these shelter in place days.

Ah, No More Close Ups for a While --- Day 8/357

Walk: No  (Taking it easy, just like Mona Lisa)
Distance: 0, Yoga (x2)

Sheltering Yoga --- Day 8/356

Walk: Hood (Wine Merchant)
Distance: 1.5 miles, Pedal, Yoga

Even you non-yogi(ni)s might decide to take up the practice after watching this Instructive video.

Highly recommended for shelter in place.

No Amy: Week 3 --- Day 8/355

Walk: Garbage Out, Housework
Distance: A small way, wee yoga

So far Ciwt is keeping up pretty well with housework during these shelter in place times without Amy, her wonderful Tuesday cleaning girl.

Ciwt Weighs In --- 8/355

Walk: Presidio
Distance: 3.6 miles, Yoga

Ciwt is sort of at a loss for a topic today so she's going to stoop to being a nosy neighbor.  New buyers (?)have just had their little Victorian repainted. They must love it, and each to their own.  But, well......Ciwt thinks the whole side of the street has lost its flow and visual appeal because of the new clashing colors.  Classic example of doing it right is the picture postcard block with the famous San Francisco Painted Ladies.  (Thus spoke Ciwt....)

A Little Pink --- Day 8/354

Walk: No, Rain and waiting for grocery delivery
Distance: 0, Yoga

Ciwt was happy to see pink blossoms and new green shoots on her deck trees today.