What's in a Name...?

Well, .... 

We began school last week.  I was decidedly puzzled by my last class of the day.  The boys giggled.  Giggled like little children.  Day after day.  I couldn't figure out what in the world was going on ... until the last day of the week.

Two boys came in from lunch laughing ... like they'd done something bad. I asked what was going on. Nothing. "Boys, is Ms. Ladd going to call in a minute?" No.

One of the boys said, "It wasn't us. It was Doug!" 

Doug! 

"Doug!" I yelled and walked into the hall.

The boys laughed and laughed. I figured they were trying to falsely blame Doug but decided to play along.

No Doug.

Well, Doug came in a minute or two later.

"Doug! Did you do something naughty at lunch?"

"No."

"The boys were trying to blame you for doing something bad, Doug. Imagine!"

One of the original giggling boys said, "Oh, Doug was in on it. So was D----."

Well, at that point, the entire class started laughing. I had a bad feeling and went for my class list.

I prize myself for memorizing their names in the first 30 minutes to an hour. I do it and don't look back.

Yeah....

I have no Doug. I have a D----.

So, there I stood, looking at my list in confusion and horror.

"Ummmm...." I said, looking at "Doug" ... "Is your name really D----?" He nodded his head. "How long have I been calling you Doug?"

"Since the first day."

Sigh....

"I just graded some assignments. You wrote "Doug" on your paper."  

He grinned.

Sigh....

Everyone laughed.

Hellfire!

But, the reason for their giggling has been solved!

Mountains and Rivers ....

The Sound of Music ....  Places have a music all their own.  Stowe, Vermont is doubly blessed.  It has some of the most amazing views and is the home of the von Trapps and the Trapp Family Lodge.  My mother and I took in the sights on a "Mother/Daughter" outing.  

An old maple on the edge of the lodge.  I always thought, if trees could talk, they'd tell lots of stories.  I'm guessing this tree has lots of stories to tell.  Including whether or not Maria was really like Julie Andrews!

Ah, the views....

It's said that ole Mr. von Trapp settled here, because it reminded him of Austria.  Beautiful!

Fighting the urge to spin and sing....

Mmmm....  Vermont mountains and the von Trapp gardens.

A birdhouse atop a grape arbor.

From within the grape arbor ....

GRAPES!  It's the little things in life that thrill me!

Taken as I walked in front of the arbor....

Within the arbor....

Autumnal colors.  I'm not ready.

Ray, a drop of golden sun.

Vermont Strong!  Mountains, trees, and stonewalls.  These are, my mother pointed out, elm trees, which is shocking.  We lost almost all our elms years ago from the blight.  

The lodge, with orange leaves in the background.  Sigh....

A river along the walking path in Stowe.  I bet it's one of the country's most beautiful walking paths.  Think this is the West Branch.

Looking up at Vermont's tallest mountain from the walking path.  Hello, Mt. Mansfield!

Spruce.

The river again.  Not very high for all of early July's rain.  But, a beautiful river and a lovely day.  

The next morning was misty.  Perfect for exploring the mysteries of the Quechee Gorge.

Ahhhh.....  A special land.

Sun breaks through the mist.

Time and rivers, constantly moving....

Mmmm....

A piney wood!

Within the piney wood...!  Summer, becoming more and more crisp, is about to give way to her sister.  Autumn is coming....

Copyright 2013 ->Shannon

If You Don't Like It, Wait ...

Somewhere in New Hampshire ....

How amazing is it that one can drive an hour or so, to a place one has never been, and be treated to such a simple and amazing sight?

Corn!

Somewhere in Vermont....

Ah, ....  Oh, sings my soul!

Love Queen Anne's Lace!

The glorious adornment of August!

We have a saying in New England.  Do other people say the same thing?  Or, is it uniquely New England?  If you don't like the weather, wait a minute.  On this particular day, the weather seemed to change minute to minute.  Rain.  Sun.  Grey skies and blue.

Not bothered by the weather ... 

A storm over the Green Mountains.

...in sunshine or in rain...

Imagine the sun and rain this old tree has seen!

A quintessential New England dirt road, with the potential for tickle bellies.  

Summer!  Coming to an end.

Copyright 2013 -> Shannon

Leadership...

Many years ago, a man, who happened to be a New Englander, insisted on telling the people of Indianapolis of MLK's assassination; he was going there for a campaign stop. He was told it was unwise. He was going to an urban center with many African Americans. They might riot, and he couldn't be protected. He, .... He insisted, penned this while racing toward Indianapolis and gave this speech on the back of a flatbed truck ... only referring to his notes once and quoting the Ancient Greeks.

Riots occurred throughout the country that night in many cities. Not in Indianapolis. 

A statue of MLK and RFK stands there today.

If only these leaders, King and RFK, hadn't been taken from us and still lived.

Nothing under heaven is new.  Who will we turn to when facing difficult times and when seeking guidance?  I, ....  I turn to them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6mxL2cqxrA

Liberty....

"[L]iberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood." 

-John Adams


Happy Fourth of July!  May we remember why we celebrate....

Old and New...

Our area has recently been hit by significant thunderstorms and rainfall amounts.  My town received two inches of rain yesterday from 3:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon.  The result?  Flooding.  Power outages, for the second day in a row.  One whole street looks like it collapsed, with firemen having to evacuate people.  It's reminding everyone of Hurricane Irene.  What did I decide to do?  Today, now that we have sun and power, I decided to cook.  What was I itching to cook?  My Great-aunt Irene's famous goulash.  I couldn't figure out why.  Ummmm....  Now that I've written this, I see the connection, in name only.  I'm not saying she had the temperament of a hurricane.  I swear!  There's something to be said for cooking old family recipes during trying times.  

As I was chopping onions, I wondered about all the times my aunt and other people in the family made her goulash.  I imagine this dish was made in good times and bad.  Maybe when there was too much rain or too little.  Too little money.  For family gatherings, eaten amid animated discussion and laughter.  When someone was sick....  It's somewhat amazing to think about.  

There's a certain amount of comfort in making and eating dishes you know others have made and eaten so many times.  A connection is forged, even if those people are no longer with us.  I stood there, deciding to make my Aunt Gloria's orange salad tonight.  I'm taking both to my parents tomorrow for the Fourth of July.  She always made that salad for July 4th.  My cousins and I could count on a few things once a year, every Fourth.  Our grandparents, a parade, candy in paper lunch bags, a BBQ with our grandfather working the grill, Aunt Gloria's orange salad, a game of croquet and, when we were really little, fireworks in our parents' sleeping bags.  Neither of my aunts is still here, in body, but I'm fairly certain they were with me in my kitchen this morning.  

And, ... I looked around my kitchen, surrounded by so many things.  An ancient cupboard that my mother stripped, painted and decoupaged for me.

A mirror my father carved, with the reflection of a watercolor a former colleague painted.  The curtains my mother made are waiting to be ironed and put back in place.  "Spring" cleaning took place yesterday, a bit late ... interrupted by the power outage.

A quilt rack my grandfather made for me years ago, with a quilt made by my mother and a pillow/quilt made by one of my cousins.  Surrounded by the past, what came before, the people who had a part in making me the woman I am today.  Connected.

To honor the old and move on to the new.  One of my coworkers asked me to attend a baking class with her today.  I've never taken a baking class before, save "Home Economics" when I was in middle school.  It was so much fun!  These are from scratch.  A citrus and berry tart ....

I can't believe I made the crust all by myself.  From scratch!  My grandmother gave me the little potholder.  Aunt Mary Lawrence made it.

Chocolate Truffle Oatmeal Bars!  Wondering if I can get my grandmother, who is only eating a few spoons of ice-cream here and there now, to eat a tiny piece of this tomorrow.  She loves chocolate.  

Thinking about the spiral of time....  All the women who have made such amazing things.  I come from women who can cook and bake, by the way!  Thinking about my mother, grandmothers, aunts ....  Thinking about my new skills in the kitchen.  Not working it to the point when the butter starts to melt.  Chilling the dough.  Not pressing forward when rolling, just pressing down.  Running the rolling pin over the top of the dish to take off the excess, which works slick as anything.  A class with a fairly new colleague.  Meeting new people.  Wondering what time will bring....

New England Gems....

New England is known for many gems, some hidden and some obvious.  On the first full week of summer vacation, I decided to venture forth, find, and explore two of them.  The first...?  Saint-Gaudens National Park, New Hampshire's one and only.

Saint-Gaudens is amazing for two reasons.  Yes, like other parks throughout America, the land is incredibly beautiful.  After parking, buying my ticket for $5, and walking up a trail and through several hedges, this was one of the first sights to greet me.  Such beauty and tranquility!

A verdant field lies beside the birches.  This picture only captures the far end of the field, which is actually quite large.  If I go back, I'll bring a blanket, a picnic and spend a considerable amount of time in this field.  Concerts are also held here, I'm told, throughout the summer months.

This is what makes Saint-Gaudens a different park.  Glaciers?  No.  Waterfalls?  No.  Buffalo, wolves, hiking and camping?  No.  Art!  Art?  Yes.  Augustus Saint-Gaudens was a famous artist, sculptor to be exact.  This park has beautiful scenery and walking trails, but it's really a showcase for art.  I turned from the view of the field and saw this.

Captivated by the opened royal blue door, I wanted to capture what lay beyond it.

Natural beauty, however, beside the door couldn't be ignored.

A sense of excitement and peace at the same time.  A small atrium, with various reliefs, sculptures and a pool.  All of the artwork here was created by Saint-Gaudens, save a few paintings in the home done by his wife, Augusta Saint-Gaudens.  

Again, the beauty of nature also abounds...

Turtles....

And, lily pads....

A view from within the door of what lies without....

A statue of David Farragut.  Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!  This was Saint-Gaudens' first commissioned piece.  His sculpture, so said the movie in the visitor's center and the park ranger, was unique at the time.  Why?  Realism and movement.  The coat, being blown back by the wind.

A button left unbuttoned....  Saint-Gaudens, born to cobblers, was a natural born artist, it would seem.  After saving, through his apprenticeship to a cameo maker, he went to Europe to study art.  He met and wanted to marry Augusta, a young artist born to a wealthy family.  Her father said she could marry only if Saint-Gaudens received a commission.  This was it and led to their marriage.  Given the fact that he later took a life-long mistress, who posed for his sculpture of Diana and bore him a son, I wonder if Augusta had regrets.  Though, given that Augusta turned her second home into a national park to commemorate her faithless husband, it would seem she had something in common with Farragut.  Once the decision was made, she sped ahead.

Turning from the Farragut, I was treated to this view.

Lincoln.  The man who convinced Saint-Gaudens to move to Cornish, New Hampshire used Lincoln to lure ole Gus.  Saint-Gaudens was about to sculpt Lincoln and was told Vermont and New Hampshire was the "land of Lincoln-shaped men" ... in fact, he paid a local farmer to pose for him as he worked on his Lincoln sculptures.

Saint-Gaudens was said to have waited in line, twice, to view Lincoln's body prior to his funeral and burial.  He'd seen Lincoln give a campaign speech when he ran for office and greatly admired him.  

In a room beside the atrium, ... General Sherman.  Sherman actually agreed to sit for Saint-Gaudens, in exchange for being introduced to Robert Louis Stevenson.  The lighting in the room is odd and likely doesn't do this justice.  Saint-Gaudens believed this was his best work.

Practice for a famous memorial....

A memorial to the wife of one of Saint-Gaudens' friends, a descedent of President Adams.  The woman, Clover, was a photographer who did "amazingly well for a woman" at the time.  Sadly, though, she killed herself by drinking developing fluid.  She was insanely distraught after her father's death, ending her life and enraging her husband.  The ranger said her husband supposedly loved her dearly but was incredibly angry with her for committing suicide.  He wanted a memorial but demanded it not mention her by name or look anything like her.

Saint-Gaudens used both male and female models, wanting the memorial to serve as a mirror of sorts.  Those viewing the memorial were to "see" whatever they might feel about death.  

Ahhh, ....  The view.  Mt. Ascutney in Vermont.

This is taken from the porch of their summer home....

A view from the porch.

A studio beside the house....

Imagine the art one could create while feasting upon these sights every day!

Poppies outside the studio....

The house, as seen from an apple tree.

The studio....

The picture of the house that most tourists snap!

A garden beside the studio and house....

Another picture of Mt. Ascutney prior to entering the studio....

Oh, my...!  THE piece within the studio.  Diana.  A smaller version of the scultpure/weathervane that graced the top of a building in NYC.  Hide the children, though.  She's nekkid in the next picture.  ;)

Diana....  

Leaving the studio and taking one last glimpse of the view....

The Shaw Memorial.  This is what Saint-Gaudens is especially known for.  The original is in Boston.  Shaw, the son of wealthy New England abolitionists, became the leader of African-American soldiers.  Yes, think Glory.  

Shaw....

Amazing.  His eyes tell a thousand stories....

While Saint-Gaudens believed the sculpture of Sherman was his best work, the ranger said "everyone else" believes this is his best.

The angel, sprinkling poppy seeds, is said to represent both victory and death.  By the way, Shaw was, when killed, stripped of his uniform and buried in a mass grave with his African-American troops.  (Shocking and unheard of treatment for an officer.  It's thought the Confederates felt particular resentment for a white officer who would lead black men into battle on Carolinian lands.)  When the Union found out, people were outraged and offers were made to exhume the body and bring Shaw home.  

His parents said they wouldn't have it.  Their son was where he should be.  Buried with his men, men he fought and died beside.

Wow!  People who didn't just talk.  People who actually walked.  

When this memorial was unveiled, some of the surviving African-American men who fought for Shaw were present.  Impromtu, they formed up, in formation, and marched away from the memorial.  In the same pattern and on the same route as when they marched with Shaw to be shipped out.

Saint-Gaudens National Park, Cornish, New Hampshire ... part of what became the Cornish Art Colony.  

Near Saint-Gaudens, on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River, one can visit VINS, Vermont Institute of Natural Science.  The people at VINS rescue various birds throughout the state.  Most are hit by cars, but some are injured in other ways.  Some of the birds, sadly, can't be saved.  Others are saved and released when they've healed.  A few, usually due to wing injuries, are kept on the grounds and used in educational programs.  

A bald eagle....

I have to say, ... I think the bald eagles I photographed in nature a few months ago had a different light in their eyes.

A golden eagle....

In addition to running educational presentations each day and showing actual birds, VINS is known for walking trails through the surrounding forest.  

I must admit that I miscalculated.  A forest in New England in June equates with BUGS!  Very lovely and peaceful here, if not for the bugs.  Still, a gem.

Copyright 2013 -> Shannon