On Thursday Barbara’s cousin Eileen came for a three day visit and so even though we had been to Longwood Garden just a few weeks ago we took her there on Friday (Barbara had a free pass for Eileen to use). Our first stop was the Garden Walk were all the bees and butterflies were busy. I was real lucky and got two beautiful butterfly shots (they are in the album). Then we went to the Open Air Theater to watch the 5 minute fountain show set to patriotic music. Next we went to the Italian Water Garden which Barbara just loves. Next stop was lunch which is always good. After lunch we wondered over by the Idea Garden which is all different this year, instead of a vegetable garden (as in other years) they had given spaces to garden architect students, wow did they do a lot in each small space. Next we wondered through the veggie garden (and I had some cherry tomatoes right off the vine). Then we wondered some more through the annual and perennial gardens and saw them putting up the outside trains that will start running next month. We showed Eileen the chime tower and waterfall and then walked back toward the conservatory so we would be there for the 2PM fountain show. Once in the conservatory we went to the reflexing pool and then out to the water lilies. After that it was time to go outside for the main water fountain display. Even though there was no music it was still very impressive. After the fountain display we went in and did most of the rest of the conservatory. On the way out I walked with Eileen into the topiary Garden. By this time we were all getting tired so we went home for pizza. We had a perfect day.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Brandywine River Museum
After another wonderful breakfast at our hotel we went to the Brandywine River Museum (http://www.brandywinemuseum.org/). We got there early and took a short walk down by the Brandywine. On our walk we saw that an artist had setup an easel. We walked a little further and sat for awhile by the cow sculpture (see pictures). After the museum opened we got our tickets for the Kuerner Farm Tour. The Kuerner’s were the neighbors of Wyth’s and it was on the Kuerner farm were Andrew Wyth painted over 1000 pieces of art. You can read more on this at http://www.brandywinemuseum.org/kuerner.html. It was very interesting to stand in some of the rooms were Andrew Wyth had gotten inspiration for some of his work. After the tour we had lunch in the museum café and then headed home. We had a wonderful time and look forward to our next visit to this wonderfully rich area.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Longwood Gardens
After our rest back at the hotel we went to Longwood Garden for dinner a concert and the lighted water fountain display. Our first stop was of course the garden walk and then around to the large pond and the Italian Water Garden. On the way to dinner I got to see something not every one get to see, the parade of the electric carts. After dinner we went to the Roger Day Concert. He sings such memorable songs as Mosquito Burrito, Dream Big and (My favorite) It’s a No No To Kiss a Rino. This guy is full of energy, I set my camera to continuous and took several seconds of him and you can see he was hard to keep in the center of the frame. We only sat for three songs but all the kids there were enjoying him. After leaving the concert we went into the conservatory and Barbara found a whole display about herbs and herb cooking. After that I went into the children’s inside garden and just wondered around and took some pictures. After that we just needed to kill some time until the light show started. We wondered around the different areas of the conservatory starting with the water lily ponds into the the Mediterranean Garden and into the (my favorite) Orchid room. Then we went out and found a place to sit and waited for the show to start. The Fountain show was set to music from Science Fiction Movies. It started with Also Sprach Zarathustra from 2001 a Space Odyssey. It also had music from ET, Star Trek and ended with Star Wars. The pictures I took do not do it justice as I had to play with the settings to find the correct shutter speed. Here are some of the pictures I took for your enjoyment.
Hagley Museum and Library
Our first stop on Friday morning was to Hagley Museum (http://www.hagley.lib.de.us/index.html). We got on the first bus to the DuPont house. When you get off of the bus you are greeted by your tour guide for a walk through the house and around the grounds. You first walk past the garden which is laid out just as it was when E. I. DuPont lived and worked there. Once in the house your guide will tell you how they lived and how the house was expanded over the years. Off of the back porch you can see some of the caldrons they used to refine the sulfur and salt peter (the smell must have been wonderful). Mr. DuPont built the house so close to the early mills to show his workers that he was facing the same environment and dangers they were, smells and explosions. After leaving the house you go into the bottom of the barn were there are a few cars on display one of which was built by the DuPont Motor Company and used by Mr. DuPont (I do not remember which one). We then got on the bus and went to the Workers Hill were the workers lived with their families. There we had lunch in the small café. After lunch we went to the school house were Barbara and I learned what it might be like to be a student and teacher during that time. We then went to the foreman’s house and there Barbara tried her hand at laundry. I went upstairs (look at the pictures and see why Barbara did not come up with me) and saw the parlor and bedroom. Seeing as the house is built into the side of the hill there is a second entrance that comes directly into the parlor. When we left the house we walked down the hill to the machine shop and I joined a group about to go to the river and see one of the powder mills in action. After the guide opened the sloth gate you could hear the water turbine turning the pair of 8 ton steel wheels in the mill that were used to grind and mix the black powder. At the end of that we got a bus back to the visitor center and back to the hotel for a short rest before going to Longwood Gardens. Here are some pictures of Hagley for you to enjoy.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Well today we spent the day at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (http://www.philamuseum.org/) and (cue the music) we even walked up the stairs made famous in Rocky. The museum right now is having an exhibit of Renoir from his later years. The museum itself is huge and will take more then one visit to see it all so we decided to join, this way we get to go back anytime we like and we also will get into 2 more special exhibits for free. Of course I was not allowed to take any pictures in the Renoir exhibit but no flash photography is allowed in the rest of the museum. We decided to wonder around the first floor and went into the American Artist exhibits before lunch. We did not get through all of that before we headed down to the café for lunch. After lunch we went up to the second floor to the display entitled Costume and Textiles that Barbara wanted to see, it was disappointing as it was a very small display and no real costumes in the display case. There were some very nice needle work pieces but no gowns or any clothing to speak of. The Renoir display was very good and the audio player you get as you walk in to the display was excellent. We are now in our hotel room enjoying a bit of a rest before we go out to dinner and then on to Longwood Gardens for the colored fountain display tonight (hope it does not rain on us).
Live Writer still will not let me upload my pictures from here so I had to upload them to my live space and post the link to them here. Just click on the link to go to the pictures.
Because of the weather we are not going to Longwood tonight.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Overdue Update
I know I have not updated this blog in awhile but we have not been going anywhere except to the lake and doctor’s offices.
First a quick update. Back at the end of May (May 24th) I had another heart attack. Called for the ambulance and went to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and got another stint put into my clogged artery. At that time the cardiologist told me that I had another clog that was 70% blocked but he left it alone. After the stint was put in I had to stay in the hospital for 4 days so I was home by Thursday afternoon. I recently had a stress test at the cardiologist’s office and the next day the office called to say the doctor wanted me to come in to discuss the results. We went in to see him last Wednesday and he said that he thinks he should put another stint in where that blockage is, why he did not do that when he was in there in is beyond me. As of now I am going to get that done early in September, I want to get it done the first Monday after labor day. We have to call to schedule that and seeing as it is a couple of months away it should not be a problem.
A somewhat funny story about the ride to the hospital. The hospital is north of here and you have to get on the Garden State Parkway to get there. I am sitting up on the gurney in the back as we are doing the speed limit on the parkway (55 MPH) and watching ALL the other cars passing us on the right.
We have been going to the lake but only early in the morning when it is not so hot and the place is not crowed. The last time we went was Friday morning and at 8:30 there already was a family there for the day. Then we saw something we had not seen before. Five people actually swimming laps. One older gentleman would swim five or six strokes and then switch to the breast stroke and then do another five or six strokes, but everyone was swimming laps, two of the five were much younger and they swam on the outside of the rope (where all the yucky weeds are) but all were swimming.
That is all for now.
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