Please Sit Down

If my dad hadn't been watching a three o'clock news program and if I hadn't been at his house making out his grocery list, I probably wouldn't have know about a wonderful exhibit at the Arkansas Arts Center until it was over. It wasn't the type of exhibit I expect to be at the Arts Center. When I think of art exhibits I think of photography, paintings, or sculptures. This exhibit was "The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Design" sounded intriguing! And, it was!

Over forty chairs were exhibited showing the unique history of each chair. The earliest chairs in the exhibition were made in the first half of the 19th century. One of the oldest is this Ladderback Doll's Chair. Wood samplings identified the chair as probably being made in what is now the state of Maine. So very sweet and so very small.

Beside it sat a Rocking Arm Chair designed and made by the Mount Lebanon Shaker Community, New York, about 1840. I loved the chair, I really did, but the shadows  below it captivated me.

In 1857 two-hundred and sixty-two House of Representative Chairs were designed by Thomas Ustick Walter. Many patriotic symbols were carved into the wood of these chairs: the federal shield bearing the stars and stripes is centered on the crest rail; olive boughs, a symbol of peace, run down the left stile; oak boughs, symbols of strength, run down the right stile; and stars decorate each corner. I was amazed at the wood carving, so precise and so beautiful!

I know I went to see the chairs, but the lighting created such great shadows, especially behind this Gothic Revival Side Chair which was made between 1845 and 1855 in New York, NY. 

The intricate carvings on some of the chairs were breathtaking. These two different Slipper Chairs (on the right in the photo above) were carved out of rosewood about 1855 and 1860 by John Henry Belter. The low seat height made it easier for 19th-century women to put on their stockings, slippers, and other attire. I could use one of these for putting on my shoes!

And then we came to this lovely ruby red chair. In the 19th century furniture makers became enchanted by what was know as "patent furniture." Patent furniture was created by using either new materials or a unique process of manufacturing for which a patent was sought from the government. One such chair is the Centripetal Spring Arm Chair, designed by Thomas E. Warren and manufactured by the American Chair Company of New York in 1850. The stationary back and seat sit on light cast iron springs. The chair could rock vertically and laterally rotating in any direction by just shifting your weight as you sit. My grandsons would love to sit and wiggle in this chair. We might have to change the fabric color. I don't think they'd like the red or the fringe! It looks a little feminine. 

As the chair became more modern they didn't appeal to me as much. They were unique and interesting, but they didn't have the nostalgic feel of the older ones. I have an old soul that loves really old things!

The exhibit, though so very different from any I've seen at the Arts Center, was both fascinating and enlightening. Who knew chairs could be art! Let me leave you with a quote that was written on the wall as we entered the exhibit area.

"The discontented man finds no easy chair."

~ Benjamin Franklin

Scene & Story - September 2017

Each evening as the day wears down, I sit and reflect on the events of the day and then write in my gratitude journal things I am grateful for. Sometimes the list is long and other times it may be only a few items. Always at the top of the list are my God, my family, my country, and my health, but many days there are things added that seem trivial, maybe even silly. I recently went to a museum that was full to overflowing with antique items and took this picture. Reflecting on just this one picture, I realized how much I have to be grateful for and that nothing is too trivial to write down. On this day I was grateful for . . . 

electric stove,
butter in a tub or stick,

vacuum cleaner,

washing machine,
dryer,
ready made clothes,
sweet smelling soap,
and a large bathtub.

Rarely do we give modern conveniences a second thought, unless they break or we're out of them! Seeing how those in past generations lived and what they had, makes me grateful I live in this century, in this place, and have what I have.

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This is a day late, but i'm linking with Scene & Story hosted

by Sarah and Lee.

Join us each month as we choose a photo and tell a story.

Scene & Story May 2017

The month of May was a busy month with family times, beautiful garden strolls, and road trips. Needless to say I took a lot of pictures, but as I looked back through them one stood out above the others. It was taken at Springfield Botanical Gardens in a section which included the oldest cabin in Springfield, barns, a kitchen, a granary, and a one-room schoolhouse. The buildings weren't open the day I was there, but steps had been provided under the windows so you could peek inside. As I stood there with my face pressed to the window of the schoolhouse, memories flooded through me. First, memories of a scared little girl as she walked into a classroom on the first day of first grade and then memories of a smiling little girl as she met friends and fell in love with her teacher. The little girl was me and my first grade classroom looked much like this one. It was not a one-room schoolhouse nor did we have slates to write on. but my classroom did have desks, book shelves, and a world globe just like these. What really stirred my memories were the books scattered about. I remember some of these books like the one on the lower right desk, Someday Soon. I read that book. In fact, I have a copy of that book. Since I didn't go to kindergarten or day school, the first grade was where I learned to read. I still remember the excitement of learning to read simple words.

Run Spot.

Run, run, run.

Oh, oh, oh.

Funny, funny Spot.

In case you don't know, Spot was a dog belonging to Dick and Jane in a series of school readers. While there are many memories of my first grade, learning to read was the best!

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I'm linking today with Scene & Story hosted

by Sarah and Lee.

Join us each month as we choose a photo and tell a story.

Lately. . .

It's spring! I'm supposed to be lively and energetic, but I'm not. I've been fatigued, yawning my head off, and feeling irritable! It's called Spring Lethargy. The opposite of Spring Fever, where energy levels rise! Leave it to me to do the opposite of everyone else! I've been trying to overcome this ailment through photography.

So, here's a list of twelve things I've found or done lately.

1. I went to a photography exhibit featuring Ansel Adam's early works. Very impressive and inspiring. Makes me want to take more black and white photos!

2. I worked in my shade gardens getting the last of the fallen leaves removed and burned.

3. I picked one of my mom's peonies to bring in the house to enjoy. Of course, I waited until the bee left.

4. I walked in the woods a little. Not much, the mosquitoes are out in massive numbers. I had to wait for a cool, windy morning!

5. I found some honeysuckle and tasted it. Did you do that as a child; hold the honeysuckle in one hand, pinch off the end,  pull out the stamen and then lick the drop of nectar?  I did! For some reason though, they don't seem to be as sweet and tasteful as when I was a child. This photo makes me laugh. The bloom on the left looks like it's sticking it's tongue out trying to get rid of the spider web!

6. I mowed again! The weeds seem to be winning the battle!

7. I did a little traveling. As Jerry drove, I took pictures out the window. I enjoyed the beautiful spring greens surrounding my favorite barn!

8. I finally purchased a plant I've been wanting for a long time; a hellebore. They aren't showy flowers, just very simple with elegant colors and lines. They do like to keep their heads down which makes photographing them difficult. They remind me of myself when I'm walking; always keeping my head down. There's such interesting things on the ground, but I miss the view that way!

9. Quite by accident I was able to go into a small, old post office (someone left the door unlocked.) It was once the Detonti post office and now sits with an old church and historical home in a town near me. There's not much inside, a bulletin board with old pictures and papers, a typewriter, and a book, The 1932 edition of the Postal Laws and Regulations. Among the papers was a copy of an old envelope. The postmark reads North Hollywood California Feb. 4, 1946. The postage was only 3¢. The fascinating part is the address: This letter is going to Uncle Lee down in Tull, Arkansas, Grant County, between Mud Creek and Saline River, and across the field from Uncle Hardy's, better know as Detonti, Arkansas RR#1. Uncle Lee got the letter all the way From His Nephew Grady DuVall out in California! Wasn't the world simpler back then!

10. I've been watching for the buckeyes to form on our buckeye tree. We had three last year, but the squirrels got them first! This year there are several and also a strange looking bug!

11. We took our car to the shop where it will getting it's new upholstery. You can't tell by this picture, but there are six people in this little car. Jerry, our son, and four grandsons! Just so you know, no child was on the road for the making of this photo! They met Jerry at the end of our long driveway and road to the house. I say that because there are no seat belts yet and three of the boys were on their knees facing backwards. There is no back seat!

12. And lastly a fun surprise as I was driving down some country back roads. I spotted a camel enjoying himself in the spring sunshine. I imagine he was glad to be done with winter! The strangest thing is he doesn't live too far from me and I've never seen him before! Maybe he was there to bring me a laugh!

That about wraps it up! I'm trying very hard to get through these few weeks of low energy. All will be well as soon as I adapt to the seasonal changes. I'm hoping your spring is filled with beauty and that you're enjoying it RIGHT NOW!

Let's Finish The Tour!

In my last post I took you on a tour of this gorgeous Victorian home. I didn't show you much, just the ceilings and the Nickelodeons. While those things were impressive there was more to the house. So come on in for the rest of the tour . . . 

First, let's meet the current owner, Carl Miller. He graciously invited 236 people into his home. I don't know much about him, but it was easy to see that he enjoyed collecting antiques.

I've always been in love with grand staircases. This one did not disappoint with it's gorgeous, rich wood. It was said that Dr. Dibrell was so caught up in the booming machine age that not one original feature was handmade; it was all mass produced by machines. He definitely was a forward thinking man! In contrast I cherish the handmade. I don't think that makes me backward thinking, just nostalgic. I had to wait a long time to take a picture of the staircase free of people. Patience is good when your a photographer!

Antiques filled the home; furniture, vases, clock, lamps, quilts, anything you could imagine.

The main bedroom was fit for a king. I didn't get a lot of pictures inside the home. Unless I was shooting up or at a specific item close to me, there were just too many people in the way!

The door hinges were even ornate!

Fireplaces, of course, were used for heating. This grand house has eight! They were definitely going to stay warm. The fireplaces were not simplee. They were all different in style and color and decorated with tiles. During nice weather they could choose to sit on one of seven porches.

  

We think nothing about large homes, but at the time this home was built Little Rock had only been a city for 61 years. The first structure build in Little Rock, described as a cabin or shanty, was built only 72 years before the Dibrell house. During this time period this house was definitely a mansion. The Dibrell house was built for around $1,000. Of course, that was 1892, when the average days wages was $1 to $1.50!

I'm always excited when the Arkansas Historic Preservation program tours historical homes near me. There is no other way I'd get to see inside!

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Let's Take A Tour

The first Friday of each month the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program conducts a tour of historical homes, churches, or buildings in the central Arkansas area. I've been attending these tours for several years. It's such a wonderful opportunity to see inside beautiful and fascinating places. The last tour was of the Dibrell House built in 1892, the home of Dr. and Mrs. James A Dibrell, Jr.*  By the 1960's the house had been structurally changed and divided into apartments. An extensive restoration began in 1967 to restore it to it's original appearance. The house is of a quality rarely seen outside of museums. I don't know how else to describe it, but simply beautiful.

The home became known as "the gadget house" because of Dibrell's love of devices. The house had electric and gas lighting, an electric doorbell and a burglar alarm. There's also a system of speaking tubes (intercom) and a heating system that warmed every room in the house. All these things were very unusual for that time. We're talking late 1890 to early 1900's here!!

I took a lot of pictures, but there were two things that impressed me the most. One was the incredible hand-stenciled and painted ceilings. My favorite ceiling was in what I would call the drawing room where guests would have been entertained.

The four pictures below show closeups of the ceiling. The same scene had been painted in all four seasons.

In the same room above the bay window area was this lovely stenciling. It was so light and cheerful with pretty flowers and bluebirds.

Now, to the best part of home. The current owner is a collector of antiques. The house was filled with vases, books, and furniture. But, there was one collection that topped them all . . . his collection of eight Nickelodeons. Nickelodeons are amazing mechanical music machines. All eight of them were in pristine condition. One of my favorites was the Mills Violano-Virtuoso. Here's a link if you'd like to hear one playing. The Violano-Virtuoso was introduced in 1912 as "The Mechanical Musical Wonder of the world."

All you had to do was put in a nickle and they played the liveliest tunes.

My other favorites were a gorgeous piano Nickelodeon with stained glass and a banjo one. Some of them even had other instrument sounds as well, such as drums and tambourines.

I could have stayed in that room and listened to them for hours. Their music makes you want to kick up your heels and dance a little! Listening to the nickelodeons made me realize just how much music can affect us. They sure brought out the smiles!

I hope you enjoyed the tour. It was very hard to get good pictures as the crowd was large, 236 people attended. Made me wonder how strong the foundation was!!

Until next time,

Cathy

* Dr. Dibrell was "a founder of the University of Arkansas Medical Department (now the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - UAMS) and served as its second dean. As a practicing physician and dean of the medical school, Dibrell was responsible for many of the developments in medical education in Arkansas at the turn of the century." Encyclopedia Of Arkansas

Don't Judge - Scene & Story February

"You can't judge an apple by looking at the tree.
You can't judge honey by looking at the bee.
You can't judge a daughter by looking at the mother.
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover."
You can't Judge A Book By The Cover
lyrics written by Willie Dixon in 1962
sung by Bo Diddley

You also can't judge a business by it's building. On the way to my daughter's house there is a not-so-impressive, dingy white brick building with a bright blue tin roof. All around the building is pottery and a menagerie of bright painted animals made out of metal. You can find roosters, giraffes, cows, pigs, or just about anything you can image. Although I've driven by many times, I've never stopped. The metal art, although it makes me smile, wasn't something I was interested in. But, when I was driving by recently I noticed the parking lot was full of cars. There were very few people wandering among the pottery and animals, so I knew there had to be something interesting inside the building. Curiosity had me turning around to investigate. I was certainly surprised as I opened the door and entered a fascinating gift shop. The building had been divided into small rooms filled with antiques, trendy clothing, jewelry, baby items, pottery, and home decor. Many of the items were beautifully arranged on antique furniture. It didn't take me long to realize why this little shop was so busy. The next time I need to take a break while traveling, I'll be stopping in to see what's new! As I drove away I wondered why I judge things without taking a deeper look. Getting past the outward appearance just might bring a pleasant surprise!

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I'm linking today with Scene & Story hosted by Lee and Sarah.

You can see all those who link up on Sarah's blog.

Join us each month as we choose a photo and tell a story.

Camp Clearfork

Hidden in the Ouachita Mountians down a short gravel road lies Camp Clearfork. The camp was developed in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps and includes several cabins, dorms, and a dining hall. This was the location of the photography workshop hosted by Taylor and Brenda Bellott. As I mentioned in my first post about the workshop, Taylor is a nature/landscape/wildlife photographer. He and his wife put on a fantastic three day workshop. Not only is Taylor an amazing photographer, but he loves to share his knowledge with others. His wife, Brenda, is the perfect partner; while he fed our brains, she fed our stomachs. Oh my, did we eat some delicious food! 

Some might call the location primitive, but I call it rustic. It's vintage, but clean, It smells old, but you can open the windows. It has features that are antique, but the cabins do have running water and a bathroom. Primitive would have been no bathroom in the cabin. There is also no heat or air conditioning, but  the weather was mild so neither was needed.

The first time I went to the bathroom in our cabin I laughed out loud. Instead of the metal rod that locks the door, there was only a very small stick. The stick would only be good for keeping the door shut, not keeping anyone out!

Not all our time was spend in workshops or group photography. There was plenty of time for us to explore and for me to find the little delights of this beautiful area.

After the workshop my sister and I stayed in the area for a while. We walked a trail around the lake until it became very overgrown, then we backtracked. We also went to Camp Charlton which is right across the highway from Camp Clearfork. Charlton is a historic recreation area located on Walnut Creek. The rustic bathhouse was also built by the CCC in 1935. It has the most fascinating shape. As you can see in the picture all the walls curve. From the top they curve in and then curve back out to a wider base. It's not just curved at the corners, but the whole wall is curved.

Walnut Creek is lovely. It was a fun place for rock throwing and looking for fall leaves.

We couldn't have asked for anything better from this workshop. We learned, we took pictures, we made new friends, we laughed, and we ate! I'm already saving my pennies for the next one. A great be thank you goes out to Taylor and Brenda. You made my first photography workshop perfect!