NOVEMBER 20 "The Spirited War: Ghosts of the Revolution" at the Van Wickle House!

The Meadows Foundation proudly presents “The Spirited War- Ghosts of the Revolution"!

DATE: Saturday, November 20, 2010
TIME: 2:00PM
PLACE: Van Wickle House
1289 Easton Ave., Somerset
TKTS: $10./Person, Reservations Recommended
INFO: 732-560-1977, chrisflp@aol.com

Halloween may be over, but the Meadows has a wonderful ghostly treat for you! Don Peck will join us to discuss his book, The Spirited War, which deals with Washington and the ghosts of the American Revolution in central New Jersey. Specifically, he will discuss the historic peace conference of September 11, 1776 and the ghosts he has uncovered at the Conference House on Staten Island, where the failed conference took place. Mr. Peck discovered many other ghosts in historic central New Jersey during his research, and will discuss them during the Q&A after his presentation.

Copies of The Spirited War will be available for sale and signing after the presentation. Priced at $20, the book is an excellent way to start your holiday shopping.

Please note that there will be a brief Annual Meeting prior to the Fireside Chat presentation this month.

OCTOBER 9-10: Colonial Times IV, Event & Banquent!

Please join the Meadows Foundation for their fourth annual Colonial Times Event & Banquet at the Wyckoff-Garretson House!

DATES/TIMES: Saturday, October 9, 2010, 10AM-5PM
Sunday, October 10, 2010, 12PM-5PM
PLACE: Wyckoff-Garretson House
215 S. Middlebush Rd., Somerset

Exciting & FREE family-friendly events include:

• Live Music of the Period!
• Open Hearth Cooking Demonstrations!
• Encampment of Daniel Morgan's Rifle Company & John Lamb's Artillery Company!
• Rifle & Cannon Demonstrations!

THE BANQUET
DATE: Saturday, October 9, 2010
TIME: 6PM
PLACE: The Hageman Barn
209 S. Middlebush Rd., Somerset
TKTS: $30.00 per person
Checks payable to: Van Wickle House, 1289 Easton Ave, Somerset, NJ, 08873
RSVP: MUST reserve before October 4

After dinner, Dr. Marc Mappen will speak about his latest book, There's More to New Jersey than the Sopranos! Books will be available for purchase and signing for $20.00.

READ ALL ABOUT IT! 1777 London Chronicle Reports on British Raids in the Millstone Valley!

The following images are from an authentic edition of the London Chronicle, dated "From SATURDAY, April 12, to TUESDAY, April 15, 1777" that was recently purchased on eBay by Jan ten Broeke. This exciting historical document will be preserved for posterity in the Kells Swan museum collection at the Washington Crossing State Park in in Titusville, NJ.

More detailed scans will be available shortly, but enjoy the exciting drama recounted in the article below!

See reference to the Somerset Court House.

See reference to Millstone River & Brunswick.

All photos appear courtesy of Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers.

November 7: MEADOWS ANNUAL PRESENTATION OF NEW JERSEY POETS!

The Meadows Foundation is delighted to invite you to their annual presentation of New Jersey Poets, featuring two award-winning talents, Charles Johnson and Diane Lockward!

DATE: Saturday, November 7
TIME: 2:00PM to 4:00PM
PLACE: Tulipwood
1165 Hamilton St., Somerset
TKTS: $10.00 per Person
Light refreshments will be served!
Books will be available for purchase!
RSVP: 732-560-1977
Reservations Strongly Recommended

Each poet has several volumes of poems to their credit, as well journal publications and high-profile readings!

[From the Meadows Foundation website]
Mr. Johnson’s third poetry collection, Smoke Signals, is forthcoming. He was a first-place winner of the 1998 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Award. A two-time Pushcart Prize nominee, he received a 2007 Paterson Award for Literary Excellence for his book Sam’s Place.

Diane Lockward is the author of What Feeds Us, which received the Quentin R. Howard Poetry Prize. Her poem “Linguine” was featured on Garrison Keillor’s “The Writer’s Almanac” newletter on February 20, 2009 and others in his book, “Good Poems for Hard Times. In May 2009 she was named “Poet Laureate” of West Caldwell. Her poetry has been nominated for several Pushcart Prizes. She has been featured in a number of festivals, including the Dodge Poetry Festival.

May 16: CANAL AUTHORS EXTRAVAGANZA!

The D & R Canal Watch proudly invites you to meet authors of canal-related books and hear them read from their works and enjoy other entertainment throughout the day!

DATE: Saturday, May 16
TIME: 12:00PM to 3:00PM
PLACE: Griggstown Causeway
INFO: Linda Barth, (908) 722-7428 or (908) 204-0488

ADMISSION IS FREE!

Children's stories will be read throughout the day and Roy Justice will entertain you with songs and stories from the old time canallers' day. There will also be video presentations about the D & R Canal, including the delightful NJN production produced by Cliff Crawford and narrated by the beloved Jean Shepherd!

The exciting authors in attendance include:

• William McKelvey, The Delaware & Raritan Canal, Champlain to Chesapeake
• Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon, Moy Sans and Gravel
• Marie Murphy Duess, The Delaware Canal: From Stone Coal Highway to Historic Landmark
• Linda J. Barth, Bridgetender's Boy, The Delaware Raritan Canal
• Walter Choroszewski, Somerset County: A Celebration of Communities
• Jeanette Muser, Rocky Hill, Kingston and Griggstown
• Susann Carroll Agin, Max: A Griggstown Mystery/Un Mystere de Griggstown
• Jessie Havens, Somerset County: Three Centuries of Progress
• Poet Penelope Schott, Canal!

March 29: Special Reading by Hungarian Poet, Paul Sohar!

The Woodbridge Township Arts Council & Middlesex County College are pleased to feature noted Hungarian poet Paul Sohar reading his recent works at the Festival of Contemporary Immigrant Writing!

DATE: Sunday, March 29
TIME: 2:ooPM to 5:00PM
PLACE: Baron Arts Center
582 Rahway Avenue, Woodbridge
INFO: writingfest@twp.woodbridge.nj

ADMISSION IS FREE!!!

Paul Sohar is a native of Hungary who came to the US in the late 1950s. His writing has appeared in nearly 200 publications including seven books of translations, among them Dancing Embers (poems by Sándor Kányádi) and Maradok-I Remai (anthology of Transylvanian-Hungarian poets). His latest poetry volume is Homing Poems; his latest prose work is the novel True Tales of a Fictitious Spy.

March 27-29: FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY IMMIGRATION WRITING!

The Woodbridge Township Arts Council and Middlesex County College proudly invite you to join 22 award-winning writers as they convene in New Jersey’s oldest township to give new literary expression to one of the nation’s hottest social topics. . . Being and becoming an American!

DATES: Friday, Saturday & Sunday, March 27-29
TIME: Click HERE for Event Schedule
PLACE: Barron Arts Center (Friday & Sunday Events)
528 Rahway Avenue, Woodbridge
Middlesex Community College (Saturday Events)
Performance Arts Center
2600 Woodbridge Avenue, Edison
INFO: writingfest@twp.woodbridge.nj.us

ADMISSION IS FREE!!!

“My New Life, My New Poem”: Festival of Contemporary Immigration Writing features a veritable United Nations of poetry, fiction and essay authors gathering for a 3-day weekend of public readings, workshops, panel discussions, book signings and open mic events.

January 17: Fireside Chat Series, "Ghosts of Central New Jersey"

[Click on image to enlarge.]

The Meadows Foundation is thrilled--and chilled--to invite you to the very first event of their Winter 2009 Fireside Chat Series, "Ghosts of Central New Jersey" with author Gordon Thomas Ward!

DATE: Saturday, January 17
TIME: 2:00PM
PLACE: The Van Wickle House, 1289 Easton Avenue, Somerset (map/directions)
TKTS: $10.00, Reservations Advised
INFO/RSVP: (732) 560-1977

Light refreshments will be served (but bring your own garlic necklaces)!

[From the Meadows Foundation website]
"What ghosts roam within the historic sites and buildings of Central New Jersey? How accurate are the traditional stories? From the shadowed woods of the Somerset Hills to the dappled banks of the Delaware River, “Ghosts” delivers a rich mix of factual history and the sound investigation of ghostly phenomena. The combination of an open-minded enthusiasm and a level-headed approach underscores this collection of reports that will inform, entertain, and lead the audience to places where the past is considered to be very much alive and entwined with the present."

Books will be available for purchase for $18 each and the author will be on hand for signing!

December 14: Book Release Party, "James Parker: A Printer on the Eve of Revolution"

You are cordially invited to a Book Release Party to celebrate the release of Gordon Bond’s new book, "James Parker: A Printer on the Eve of Revolution"!

DATE: Sunday, December 14
TIME: 1:30PM to 4:30PM
PLACE: Woodbridge Township, NJ Main Public Library (lower level)
R.S.V.P.: No Later Than December 10
CONTACT: CBHistorians@yahoo.com or 908-352-0313

PROGRAM

• 1:30 to 2:00: Arrivals, light refreshments.
• 2:00 to 3:00: Presentation, "A Certain Wicked, False, Seditious, Scandalous, Malicious, and Infamous Libel" by Gordon Bond.
• 3:00 to 4:00: Unveiling of the book and book signing by the author (book will be available for $26.95+tax).
• 4:00 to 4:30: Departures, light refreshments.

COMMON BOND HISTORIANS
Gordon Bond & Stephanie Hoagland
1335 Woodruff Place, #2
Union, NJ 07083
908-352-0313
Cell: 908-477-6908

"History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind." - Edward Gibbon

PHOTOS! "Cool Women Poets of NJ" Reading at Tulipwood, 11/8

Thank you, Steve Russel (Meadows Foundation Board of Directors) for sharing these beautiful photos!

And thank you, Meadows Foundation, for sponsoring this wonderful and inspiring event, "Over The River And Through The Woods" as part of their Cool Women Poets of New Jersey reading series at the Tulipwood House!

RMVE blog readers are encouraged to identify anyone appearing in these beautiful photos in the comments section or by emailing the RMVE's main blogger, Jan ten Broeke, tensart@gmail.com.

November 8: COOL WOMEN POETS OF NJ (READING) "Over The River And Through The Woods!"

The Meadows Foundation PROUDLY presents, Cool Women Poets of New Jersey: "Over the River and Through the Woods"!



DATE: Saturday, November 8
TIME: 2:00PM Reading, Light Refreshments to Follow
PLACE: Tulipwood House, 1165 Hamilton Street, Somerset
MAP: Click here for directions
TKTS: $10.00, Reservations Recommended
INFO: (732) 560-1977 or Webpage

The wildly popular Cool Women Poets of New Jersey returns to the Meadows Foundation and the beautifully wooded, historic Tulipwood property with the seasonally appropriate theme, Over the River and Through the Woods!

These gifted poets have individually published numerous books of poetry and prose as well as recorded readings on CD. Materials will be available for sale at the event. Following the performance, the audience will have the chance to engage in conversation with the poets.

“One of the things that makes the group’s performances so unique is that the poets don’t know which poems they will be reading until they interact with the others. Their style of reading is concert-like (jazz), with the performers demonstrating their individual styles as well as being part of the ensemble.”

-Evelyn Maron, Meadows Foundation Arts & Culture Committee Chair