Tuesday, June 19, 2012

430. Outspoken

430. Outspoken
Definition: (adj) frank in stating ones opinion; candid and forthright
Location Placed: Longstreet Farms, Holmdel, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/18/12 at 2:04pm





So our final stop was at Longstreet Farms. My friend had never been there before and I figured she would enjoy it. While there was no cow milking this time around, we got to see the house for a bit longer than I had last time. Granted we saw far less house this time than I saw last time, but there was a lot more background information given about the family and the rooms than before. I loved the the wallpaper they used was made to look like marble and broken up into sizable pieces so it looked as though the walls were made of marble instead of just papered. (It wasn't terribly convincing but I loved how inventive they were.) And I loved the overhead lights on springs to light them back in the times of candle light. Definitely a cool house to visit!

429. Deserving

429. Deserving
Definition: (adj) worthy of being treated a particular way
Location Placed: Holmdel Park, Holmdel, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/18/12 at 1:36pm





The activity center had some pretty cool wildlife in their nature area. Although I think I might've frightened a turtle or two, I really enjoyed getting to see them and the other reptiles up close. In addition to these captive creatures, we also saw lots of different types of wildlife on our outdoor adventures. Lots of groundhogs, rabbits, chipmunks, and even a cat. The animals were certainly getting out and enjoying the lovely weather as well!

428. Airy

428. Airy
Definition: (adj) delicate, as if filled with or made of air
Location Placed: Tatum Park, Middletown, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/18/12 at 11:57am





There is just something about the word airy that I love. I totally associate it with summer. I don't even know exactly what it is about summer that makes me think airy (as often the humidity and heat makes the atmosphere quite dense.) I guess it's just the lightness I feel toward summer and the ability to get out/about, lapping up the longer days and warmth. Although my favorite season is autumn, summer definitely has some wonderful charms.


Monday, June 18, 2012

427. Fortunate

427. Fortunate
Definition: (adj) lucky, favorable, auspicious
Location Placed: Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/18/12 at 11:20am





I was most excited to come to Deep Cut Gardens today. I had never been but my love of gardens made this a clear choice. I didn't know this before I went, but the property had been owned by an infamous mobster. The original house on the property burned down, although I'm not sure if the circumstances were shady or not. There were a number of little gardens with lots of pretty flowers. My friend and I agreed that the gazebo would've been a good spot for a bit of afternoon tea.

426. Worthwhile

426. Worthwhile
Definition: (adj) worth the time, money, or effort spent
Location Placed: Poricy Park, Middletown, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/18/12 at 10:47am





It was a crisp day off so a friend and I decided to hit up several parks in the area that we hadn't been to. Poricy Park was first on the list. It seems like it would be a lovely place to do a bit of trail walking. We had hoped to do a bit of exploring but it appears that the farmhouse was only open for one hour the last Sunday of the month so we just opted to enjoy the nature center and head to our next destination.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

425. Sensible

425. Sensible
Definition: (adj) chosen with wisdom or prudence
Location Placed: Crumbs Bakery, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 6/16/12 at  8:45pm





So on our way home from dinner, we stopped at Crumbs Bakery. Having had Crumbs cupcakes a number of times previously, I was super happy to stop into the actually bakery for the first time. And it didn't disappoint. I ended up snagging 4 cupcakes: Peanut Butter Cup, Oreo, Grasshopper, and Mudslide. (I brought them all back with me, but am totally itching to put a dent in them right now as I type!) I was super happy to see there was a Father's Day cupcake. My Dad used to golf a lot so if he were still living in the area, I totally would've given him one of these. Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there!

424. Placid

424. Placid
Definition: (adj) calm and peaceful
Location Placed: The Metropolitan Opera, NewYork City, New York
Date Placed: 6/16/12 at 5:02pm





Yesterday I went with a few other ladies to my first professional ballet. I used to go when I was younger with my Mom to see one of my neighborhood friends in the Nutcracker a number of years in a row. But that was different. I was unsure how I would do with following a storyline I wasn't familiar with when there was no talking, so I opted to see Romeo & Juliet with them. It was a lot of fun! The costumes were fabulous and the dancing was quite impressive. Since the group I went with were die-hard ballet fans, we waited at the stage door. We ended up being able to meet the lead female dancer, which was pretty cool. Definitely an awesome experience that I'm glad I got to enjoy.

Monday, June 11, 2012

423. Handy

423. Handy
Definition: (adj) convenient to use or handle
Location Placed: FedEx Copy Store, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/10/12 at 3:04pm





I don't know about you guys, but I take tons of digital pictures. And then those digital pictures either just live on my memory card or languish away on my computer. I never manage to print them out and put them in scrapbooks or frames or anything. I always say I'll print them out and do something with them but never do. It looks like it would be pretty easy to do something with them at the handy photo kiosk I was looking at. Originally I was just looking for a flat surface to place and run so I didn't get caught, but then I did a little reading. I might have to look into it. What do you guys do with all the pictures you take? Do you do anything with them or are they untouched in your hard drives?

422. Stunning

422. Stunning
Definition: (adj) extremely impressive or attractive
Location Placed: Starbucks, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/10/12 at 2:59pm





Sometimes I forget how much hotter it can be inland compared to living on the coast. Definitely was one of those days. I needed a little something to cool me down and it didn't hurt that it was close off the main road and allowed for a crane placement. And definitely a bonus that I didn't get lost getting to it or getting back to the main highway! GPS is a lifesaver.

421. Jazzy

421. Jazzy
Definition: (adj) bright, colorful, and showy
Location Placed: Rest Stop, Deepwater, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/10/12 at 2:21pm





Not that I needed a rest but I like to stop at rest stops to see what sorts of interesting brochures they have. And since I'm on a quest to be a tourist in my own area, I figured it wouldn't hurt to pick up a few to prompt me to do them on a spare weekend or day off. The summer is young and my engines are revved and ready to go.

420. Nurturing

420. Nurturing
Definition: (v) to care for and encourage in growth and development
Location Placed: Longwood Gardens Visitor's Center, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 10:17pm
Status: FOUND!





So the reason we were at the gardens so late is that they were having a night lights display, which was stellar. They had all these different sort of fiber optic lights set up in different areas. I wish my camera hadn't died halfway through otherwise I would've gotten a bunch more photos. But it was cool to be in the woods and see hundreds of lit spheres through all the trees. It sort of made me feel like I was in the movie Avatar! Well worth a visit if you're in the area.

419.Splendor

419. Splendor
Definition: (n) magnificent and splendid appearance
Location Placed: The Conservatory, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Date Placed: 6/9/12 at 8:16pm





The number of beautiful and wonderfully fragrant flowers there is just impressive. I've seen some that I had never even heard of before. I absolutely love honeysuckles, the silly vine they are, but they had ones that were hot pink on the outside and faded into a regular honeysuckle color. And roses of all sorts of hybrid shades. Definitely the place to go if you're interested in flowers or picturesque areas.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

418. Winsome

418. Winsome
Definition: (adj) attractive or appealing
Location Placed: Pierre du Pont House, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Penmsylvania
Date Placed: 6/9/12 at 7:28pm





One of my favorite things to do when I go to visit is go to Longwood Gardens. I love the different types of installments and garden components that they have. The last time I went was in the winter where they had the Christmas trees and lights up. But of course it was a bit too cold to wander the gardens. So it was nice to come during the warm weather and see everything that the gardens had to offer.

417. Gracious

417. Gracious
Definition: (adj) courteous, kind, and pleasant
Location Placed: Penns Woods Winery, Chadds Fords, Pennsylvania
Date Placed: 6/9/12 at 6:31pm





I made a last minute decision to visit a friend in Delaware this weekend. So we decided to adventure up to the Penns Woods Winery after dinner to enjoy the nice warm evening. It was definitely feeling like a summer evening, that's for sure! It's hard to believe that it's not even the proper summer season, but we've had such mild and wonderful weather. It's got me hoping it will be a nice and mild summer.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

416. Candid

416. Candid
Definition: (adj) truthful, frank, or straightforward
Location Placed: Mountain Lakes House, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 4:44pm





If I can be candid here, this crane placement was a last minute thing. I saw a park with a visitor's center sort of house and just went with it. Usually I plan things out. This was a time where a little planning and forethought would've been appropriate.  It had gotten a little cloudy, but I thought nothing of it until I was 3/4ths of the way to the house and I heard a single rumble of thunder. Now, what I should've done was turn around. What did I actually do? Well, from this placement, I think you all know the answer. I continued on and checked the Doppler radar on my phone as I walked. Unfortunately as I started walking back to my car it started drizzling. I thought I could smartly jog to beat the rain. Perhaps if I was a runner, this plan may have worked. I can't remember the last time prior to this where I moved quicker than a brisk walk. Needless to say I got caught in the downpour and was completely drained.

I've learned my lesson to check the immediate weather forecast before starting our for an impromptu walk/hike! Who am I kidding though? This isn't the first time I've been caught outside in the rain, and it likely won't be the last.

415. Adaptable

415. Adaptable
Definition: (adj) able to adjust to new conditions
Location Placed: Morven House and Gardens, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 1:25pm





Much of my day trip emphasized my adaptability to my own schedule. There was definitely a lot of rearranging. In this instance, I realized I was far closer to Morven than my car. Rather than walk back to my car and drive to Morven to then drive to other destinations, I opted to walk there and was able to catch the last tour of the day. (Not to mention I was a bit bummed because I was out of cranes and definitely had more places I could've put them. Note to self: don't leave spare cranes in car; always carry them with you!) But it was a nice house and grounds, not to mention the lovely battlefield memorial that I passed by to get there!

414. Plucky

414. Plucky
Definition: (adj) having or showing determined courage in the face of difficulties
Location Placed: Princeton Public Library, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 1:25pm
Status: FOUND!





I hadn't even gotten home yet and I had an email waiting for me from the finder of Plucky!

"Hello,

Just wanted to drop a line and say you brightened my day! I work at the Princeton Public Library and was making my rounds and tidying up when I found crane #414 (Plucky) hanging out on a table between two comfy chairs. Obviously I had to go check out your website and saw you also placed a crane at the Jackson library in my hometown where I worked during high school! I am really inspired by your mission to spread a little joy around. I will be taking Plucky on my ride home (about an hour across the state) and finding a neat place to "re-release" him (her?).

Sincerely,
Elizabeth"

She also brought up a few other good ideas that I might have to do some thinking on. I was so happy to see this in my inbox. It reminds me that I'm not just putting pieces of paper in random places but I'm helping to bring smiles and brighten days. Glad I could reach at least one person today!

413. Banter

413. Banter
Definition: (n) a playful exchange of teasing remarks
Location Placed: Labyrinth Books, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 1:06pm





So for some reason, I've become obsessed with acquiring (and reading) all of Bill Bryson's books that I've not yet read. Not sure exactly what brought this desire on. I've read 4 or 5 of his books, starting in 2006. So it's not like I have just recently heard of him and need to read all the books. But I had to pop into the bookstore and see if they had any sort of deal on the remaining Bill Bryson books. They didn't carry the few I am looking for but it was nice to pop into a local bookstore rather than a megachain store. (But I love me some books any which way!)

412. Frisky

412. Frisky
Definition: (adj) playful and full of energy
Location Placed: Bainbridge House, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 12:56pm





The Bainbridge House is part of the Princeton Historical Society. So there was a little bit of everything in there. Some information about the house, who owned it, and how it got its name were in there, but the majority of it was related to Albert Einstein and his residence in Princeton. (I believe the house is now a private residence, so it makes sense that they have put a lot of the bits and pieces into other museums and areas.) It was interesting to learn a bit more about his history and achievements.

411. Courtly

411. Courtly
Definition: (adj) polished or refined
Location Placed: Frist Campus Center, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 12:27pm





I particularly liked the Frist Campus Center. This might have been mainly due to the fact that I have been a large House, M.D. fan when it was on the air. The back of this building, and the surrounding buildings, are the overhead shots when you see Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital exterior during the course of an episode. (PP Hospital is a fictional hospital.) While it took a bit of looking, some head scratching, and some googling images of the Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital from House, I decided it must be the helicopter angle and was pleased enough to have seen it.

410. Earnest

410. Earnest
Definition: (adj) resulting from or showing intense conviction
Location Placed: Rocky Common Area, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 12:05pm





What a common room!! I was impressed by the dormitory common room in this one college, Rockefeller (or Rocky as it is charmingly called.) The tour guide even commented that it looked downright Hogwarts-esque. I think she even mentioned that a portion of a movie was filmed in this common area. (A Beautiful Mind,maybe, but don't hold me to it!) Maybe it was because I went to a much smaller school, but none of our common areas were so elegant as this one. I hope these students realize how good they have it!

Friday, June 8, 2012

409. Jocular

408. Jocular
Definition: (adj) humorous or playful
Location Placed: Princeton University Chapel, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 11:44am





This is the chapel were students of a graduating class, or at least the same year in school, gather together. It is apparently the only building large enough to hold such a group of students. It sounded like they had a similar ritual to where I went to school by greeting students in their freshman year in the chapel and wishing them well at the end of their time on campus. Definitely a beautiful building. Fun fact: The architect was actually a Yale alum. During the building of the chapel, the architect actually put the Yale mascot, a bulldog, on one of the back drain pipes "to get the last laugh." However, the tour guide informed us that Princeton still got the last laugh as Yale is "in the gutter where they belong." Who doesn't love good-spirited rivalry!?

408. Quizzical

408. Quizzical
Definition: (adj) indicating mild or amused puzzlement
Location Placed: Clio Hall Undergraduate Admissions, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 11:13am





The best way to get to know a place is to take a tour. So I did! I jumped on to a campus tour with a few dozen prospective students and their parents. It made me feel quite old! But it was nice to have fond memories of the campus tours I went on when I was searching for a school. While I didn't apply to any schools in New Jersey (and my high school academics weren't on par with Princeton's standards), I definitely was able to put myself in the shoes of an incoming student and get excited about the campus. Heck, they had basically sold me on it!

407. Sapient

407. Sapient
Definition: (adj) wise or trying to appear wise
Location Placed: Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 11:04am





As I tend to do, I packed my itinerary a bit tight (and woke up a bit late!) and wasn't able to properly see the art museum. I had intentions of going back later on in the afternoon after several of the other things I planned closed, but with free parking being so far away and it being late in the afternoon, I just opted to skip it. But I was able to get a few glimpses from outside as I had a quick nose around the gift shop. I definitely want to go back and check it out because it's free and fabulous (from what I hear!)

406. Amity

406. Amity
Definition: (n) a friendly relationship
Location Placed: Lewis Library, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Date Placed: 6/8/12 at 10:42am





So I decided to take a day trip out to Princeton today on my day off. I had heard of an interesting garden I wanted to see a few weeks back. Today seemed to be the perfect sort of weather day to go exploring. I had never been to Princeton before, University or town, so I was excited to see what it was all about. Boy is the campus big! I got lost just getting to one of the visitors parking lots!