Whatever Wednesday - More corners of Glencairn

Let's poke about a bit more and admire  the craftsmanship at Glencairn

I loved this lamp. The shade just  glowed

Creepy king eyes watched as kids had to walk by him to enter the children's room

My head stayed on a swivel to try to see everything.  Look up, down, and sideways

Carvings in the library

And the master bedroom.  Note the turtledove post carvings. A sign of love

 Incredibly amazing place to visit.  I hope you enjoyed this quick few days of blog  posts as an overview. 
 

Monday Moments at the Dallas Arboretum

It wasn't all pumpkins at  the arboretum.  Plenty  of fall color plants flourished

Monarch migration time. I was happy he posed for me

Purple posies

lush lemon yellow mums

You can't  escape the pumpkins as you round the corner

We  were there almost two hours.  No, we didn't count the  pumpkins.  Maybe next year. 

Happy November!
 

Happy Halloween - Friday Frights

Happy Halloween!  

 We have  the spirit at our house

Meanwhile, more pumpkins to show you from  the Dallas Arboretum

I just love the fall colors

Ray and I enjoyed the displays.  I wore my Charlie Brown Halloween t-shirt. 

Poor Charlie - all he ever got was a rock.  Hope plenty of treats abound for you this weekend. 

Whatever Wednesday - Pumpkin Palooza

October at the Dallas Arboretum means pumpkins galore

A variety of displays

Plus a special Mundo Mexico theme with sculptures of spirit guides

colorful art to observe and learn

The colors were popping!
 

Monday Moments - More Glencairn

More Glencairn to explore, as promised.  The stone work is stunning

Doors brought back from  Europe

Tilework

A  view of Philly from their tower

and a view of their church - I believe around four hundred members now.
 

Finally Friday - Glencairn

Glencairn was the home of a family ( Raymond Pitcairn) that founded a religious group ( the  New
church - Late 1800s), emphasizing family, community, and faith.  The founder traveled Europe a lot and brought back art, stone masons to replicate works he saw, tile masters, and more.

This "castle" is in suburban Philly, PA. (Bryn Athyn) It housed the husband, wife, and nine kids. 

Here's the general foyer

Pretty dramatic and gorgeous.   Lots of medieval art.

This is only your introduction.   More to follow. 

 

Whatever Wednesday - Book Club Delight

 My PA gang held our book club meeting in Florida, even though the story - History of the  Rain by Niall Williams - takes place in Ireland.  (Well, it did rain in FL, so that counts. )

We are our stories. We tell them to stay alive or keep alive those who only live now in the telling. That's how it seems to me, being alive for a little while, the teller and the told.   (back blurb)

Ruthie Swain is the  daughter of a dead poet. She's living in FaHa, County Clare, and recovering from a collapse in college. She's in  her attic room, with the rain rushing down the windows. She writes Ireland, with its weather, its rivers, its lilts, and its lows. 

I loved Ruthie. I loved all her references to her dad's books as she puzzles her way through family history. She's a twin, and slowly tells Aeny's joyous short life.  I laughed out loud at her descriptions of town folk. I teared up at other writings - p. 311  But  the fact is grief doesn't know we invented time. Grief has its own tide and comes and goes in waves.  

Williams writes lyrically, humorously, and with a passion for Ireland - its quirks, its people, and its rain. That's  a character itself. I loved this book - it meanders, it goes off  on a bender, and it's gentle. 

Take your time,  find a comfy  chair, pour a cuppa, and settle in for History of the Rain. Let the words pour over you and enjoy.