Delaware Canal Trail
New Hope, PA
February 17th, 2020
Tag: pennsylvania
The spirit of Halloween is very much alive in Doylestown
All year round
Doylestown, PA
February 16th, 2020
One of the most peculiar, unexpectedly Halloween-worthy Museums in the U.S., is in Doylestown
The Mercer Museum is a six-storey reinforced concrete castle designed by Henry Mercer (1856-1930), completed in 1916. Henry Mercer was a child of Doylestown who, having started his professional life as a lawyer, went on to become an archeologist, historian, avid collector, dog lover and a successful tile-designer.
By 1897, Mercer realised that handmade objects were being discarded in favour of new machine-made ones, and felt the need to collect and preserve them, and with them, parts of the daily life in America before the Industrial Revolution. He gathered almost 30,000 items ranging from hand tools to horse-drawn vehicles and, in 1913, began working on plans to build a museum to house his huge collection and share it with the world.
Among the oldest artifacts in the Mercer Museum are a 2,000 year old whale oil lamp and Native American implements dating to 6,000-8,000 BC.
Tip: if you visit on a chilly day, leave your coat on! I think we were the only ones that used the cloakroom, not realising the building is so drafty, we might as well have been outdoors.
February 16th, 2020
Captivated at the Michener Art Museum
Outdoors
Barry Johnston || King Lear, 1985. Bronze [detail] 
Barry Johnston || King Lear, 1985. Bronze 
Barry Johnston || King Lear, 1985. Bronze [detail] 
Barry Johnston || King Lear, 1985. Bronze [detail] 
Greg Wyatt || Wind God, 1983. Bronze (Background: George Trivellini || Empire, 1982. Stainless steel) 
Greg Wyatt || Wind God, 1983. Bronze [detail] 
Greg Wyatt || Wind God, 1983. Bronze [detail] 
Greg Wyatt || Wind God, 1983. Bronze [detail] 
Barbara Lekberg || Sea Wind II, 1988. Bronze
Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, PA
February 16th, 2020
Getting inspired at the Michener Art Museum
Indoors
Harry Leith-Ross || Of Days Long Past, c. 1959. Oil on canvas 
Harry Leith-Ross || Of Days Long Past, c. 1959. Oil on canvas [detail] 
Daniel Garber || Up the Cuttalossa, 1915. Oil on canvas 
Alice Kent Stoddard || Girl with Cat, 1935. Oil on canvas 
Helen Mirkil || Lovel Letter/Gene Rochberg (after “Woman with a Pink” by Rembrandt, 1662), 2009. Oil on canvas 
Henriette Wyeth || The Picnic, c. 1928. Oil on canvas 
Henriette Wyeth || The Picnic, c. 1928. Oil on canvas [detail] 
Henriette Wyeth || The Picnic, c. 1928. Oil on canvas [detail] 
Rob Evans 1959 || Cicada, 1998-2000. Acrylic and oil on board 
Rob Evans 1959 || Cicada, 1998-2000. Acrylic and oil on board [detail] 
Rob Evans 1959 || Cicada, 1998-2000. Acrylic and oil on board [detail] 
Rob Evans 1959 || Cicada, 1998-2000. Acrylic and oil on board [detail] 
Clarence Holbrook Carter || Over and Above, No.14, 1964. Oil on canvas 
Mavis Smith || Hedge Fund, 2007 
Louis Bosa || Taking Down the El at 57th Street, 1940. Oil on canvas 
Louis Bosa || Taking Down the El at 57th Street, 1940. Oil on canvas [detail] 
Phillip Lloyd Powell || Door and Surround, c. 1967. Stacked cared softwoods, polychromed
Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, PA
February 16th, 2020
I Set Before You This Day || George R. Anthonisen
This work, part of the James Michener Museum collection, was created to honour Holocaust survivors and those who risked their lives to protect them from the Nazis during WWII. In all honesty, I didn’t mind the ephemeral intervention (by an unknown ‘artist’) – on the contrary, I thought it was harmless, and quite endearing.
George R. Anthonisen, I Set Before You This Day, 1979-87 – Bronze
”I call on heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; thereofre, choose life, that you and your descendants may live…” – Deuteronomy 30:19
James Michener Museum, Doylestown, PA
February 16th, 2020
Oscar Hammerstein II Farm
”In 1941, during a lull in his career, Oscar Hammerstein II and his wife, Dorothy, came to Bucks County looking for a retreat from New York City. While driving up the hill to Highland Farm, Dorothy spotted a rainbow and sensed this would be a magical place for her professionally floundering husband and their family. The move proved immensely wise as the bucolic countryside truly inspired Mr. Hammerstein. Legend is told that he was so moved by the views of cattle and corn fields in the early morning that he was inspired to write, “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” the opening song for Oklahoma!, on the front porch. Arguably, his most famous works were written while residing at Highland Farm including South Pacific, The King and I, Flower Drum Song, and The Sound of Music.
The Hammerstein family lived at Highland Farm for 20 years. During their residence, the home was constantly alive with many guests and children. Mr. Hammerstein was known to fly different colored flags as a message to the local children. One said, “Come and swim.” Another meant, “Let’s play tennis.” And still another said, “Stay away today.”
Oscar died at The Farm in August 1960 and was buried in New York. After his death, Dorothy moved from Highland Farm and sold it a year later. By the mid-1980’s, Mary and John Schnitzer had purchased the home, renovated it, and operated a Bed and Breakfast for almost 15 years. Mary sold Highland Farm to Shawn Touhill, a local developer, in 2003.
In 2007, Highland Farm was purchased by Doylestown resident, Christine Cole. While looking for a Bucks County barn to renovate, she was shown Highland Farm and instantly fell in love. Her business plans changed and she embraced the idea of becoming an innkeeper and starting a new venture. She immediately began remodeling and redecorating the home.” [source]
Each guest room has a theme dedicated to one of Hammerstein’s musicals; ours was the South Pacific, once the family’s master bedroom.
While the house is still operating as a B&B, the innkeepers have formed a nonprofit organization in an effort to raise funds to restore the property and build a museum and theatre education centre, in the premises.
Highland Farm B&B – The Oscar Hammerstein Museum
Doylestown, PA
February 14-16, 2020
We Rode in Style
On our way back to New York, we hopped out of the car and into the luxury of a Strasburg Rail Road First Class Parlour with velvet sofas, upholstered armchairs and chilled wine, carried by a steam engine for a 45 minute trip through the fertile, lush Lancaster County where the time stood (almost) still.
The Strasburg Rail Road is a shortline built to connect the town of Strasburg with the main line. It is the oldest continuously operating railroad in the western hemisphere and the oldest public utility in Pennsylvania.
September 3rd, 2018
Fallingwater || The Masterpiece
It is said that Fallingwater is the most beautiful house in the world. Blending in yet somehow managing to stand out, it certainly is one of the most unique structures we have ever seen and, from all Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses, the one I would love to live in (if I could afford the millions necessary for its preservation).
Fallingwater was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2019.
September 3rd, 2018
Kentuck Knob || The Grounds
No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other. – Frank Lloyd Wright
Thus Kentuck Knob was born of sandstone and tidewater red cypress, out of the side of the hill, being one with the hill, belonging to it.
We did not see the interior, building our anticipation and excitement for our upcoming tour of Fallingwater. But the surrounding woodland can be visited at any time during opening hours, no booking slot required (a pass must be bought at the visitor’s centre). It offers a walking trail through a large collection of sculptures adorning the grounds.
And the views over the surrounding hills are simply breathtaking. You can tell by my little ”Sound of Music” moment.
Troilus (1999) by Wendy Taylor – Bronze
Three Right Angles (1992) by George Rickey – Aluminium
Room (1992) by Andy Goldsworthy – Field Stone
Berlin Wall Section & Butterfly
Untitled (1950-) by Michael Warren – Irish Oak and Welded Steel
De-Creation (First Version) by Michael Warren – Irish Oak
Jute (1990) by Nicola Hicks – Bronze
Kentuck Knob, by Frank Lloyd Wright
September 2nd, 2018
The Humble Fabulist 