"You have a safe trip home now." So said a woman to her departing companion at the beach today. I sadly smiled. Isn't that what everyone wants? Just a safe trip home.
We went to Fred Howard Park beach today for two reasons. First, we needed to get out and to relax. Secondly, after El Nino warmth the last three months, we are now promised an unusually cold January and February, so we thought this might be the last time we can go to the beach for some time. The woman's comment at the beach was made to someone, I suspect, who is on vacation here and needs to depart to another state or part of the country.
Been there, done that. Our trip north to Wisconsin for Christmas was hectic but fun. We each saw a doctor for pre-scheduled check-ups, we each went to the dentist for our six-month checks, we celebrated the anniversary of Owen's adoption, and we celebrated Christmas with our family. Lindsay was terribly disappointed that we had a brown rather than a white Christmas. I always tell her to be careful what she wishes for because it just may come to pass. Such was the case again this year. Just as happened last year, Wisconsin received no snow until the day we were trying to get out of the state!
We decided to travel to Milwaukee for our trip back to Florida on a Monday since we had an early morning Tuesday flight. Sure enough, one of the worst snow storms of the season descended on the state this past Monday. Green Bay received 13.2 inches of snow. Milwaukee was hit with 9.4 inches, less than Green Bay because their snow turned to ice. We had a four-and-a-half hour, white-knuckled drive through the snow, then sleet, then icy pellets beating down on our car. All we wanted was a safe trip back home to Gladys.
On Tuesday morning, we carefully made our way to the airport only to learn that our 8:25 a.m. flight was delayed because our plane was coming from Boston which was experiencing the terrible storm that hit Wisconsin on Monday. Then the flight was delayed until 9:20...then 11:55...then 12:40. After a five hour delay, we finally border the plane and were on our way. The flight was fairly smooth and landed with no problem. We were almost safely home, or so I thought.
We had our car at the airport, so Steve and Chris drove back to Dunedin with us. We dropped them off at their house and made a quick stop at the grocery store. When we were about four blocks from Gladys, we had to stop at a stop light. One car was in front of us, and no one was behind us. We were watching the light when BAM!, someone rear-ended our car. We were jerked forward about three feet, stopped for a few seconds, and then heard squealing tires as we were hit a second time. (Thankfully, we were not pushed into the car in front of us.) I figured someone was unable to stop and had rammed into the back of the vehicle that had hit us.
Well, not quite... It turns out that the person who hit us was intoxicated and after hitting us the first time, his truck bounced off our car, and he had his foot on the accelerator, so he hit us a second time!
We just wanted to get home safely, and after a terrible snow and ice storm and a delayed flight, we thought we were home free. Ha. Rick immediately dialed 911. The man came to our car. Rick rolled down the window and the other driver asked if we were OK. We said we were and asked if he was injured. He said that he was not hurt. Then he said, "I'm really sorry I hit you, but it looks like there is no damage, so let's just be on our way."
Rick replied, "No. I've already called the police. We'll just wait for them to arrive." In all fairness, our Honda CRV did not look like it sustained any damage, but we knew with the way we were hit, there probably was some damage. We bought the Honda because it has an excellent safety rating, and I must say that the Honda lived up to that reputation. We were not hurt; however, later examination shows that we will have some repairs on back bumper of the Honda.
We also learned that the man -- who was arrested and charged with a DUI -- has a long list of moving and traffic violations. This was his second DUI, so we suspect that is why he did not want to get the police involved.
One fortunate thing for us was that the clerk in the convenience store whose driveway the other driver had just sped out of came forward and told the officers that he had witnessed the whole thing. His story corroborated ours, so we should have not problems with insurance.
Today we heard from the man's insurance company. Rick told them what had happened and that we had an eye witness. The insurance agent told us that they will probably pay for all damages, even though the other driver told family members that WE had backed up into HIM!!!! (Oh, yeah? Then why did he apologize for hitting us right after it happened?)
Time will tell how this all plays out. Our vehicle is drivable although it will have to be repaired. The man was arrested, and when his case comes to court, I hope that they can order him to get some help for his alcohol problems rather than just fining him. No one was injured, and in the end, we got our wish: we were able to get home to Gladys fairly safely.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Soap and Water
Today started with a brief bike ride to get the blood flowing before the temperatures became too warm to ride. We were in the low to mid 70s this morning, so that part went well. The humidity (91%) certainly caused everything to feel sticky, and by the time we returned home, the wind was starting to pick up enough to be noticeable when we rode against it. Overall, though, the bike ride felt good, so I am glad that we took the time to start our day doing something good for us.
After the ride, we did not bother to get cleaned up. Instead, we took soap and water and started to apply it to the fence. White vinyl fences are great: they look good on both sides (no "front" or "back" since both sides look the same), they don't fade in the sun, and they don't warp with the weather. However, they do get dirty. Mud splatters up from the ground, grass clippings get stuck to the bottom panel, dirt gets blown into every pour, birds love to leave droppings on the top, and small lizards leave their own brown-spotted calling cards everywhere on the fence. Intermittent hosing down of the worst debris helps, but occasionally a good scrubbing is necessary.
We started that process today. We had cleaned the fence when we first came down in October, but the south side fence, in particular, begged for a bath. Rick used a soap solution that we use on the car to scrub the panels and then rinse them off with the hose. I found that taking a rag, not wringing it out, and just swabbing down the panels worked just as effectively as the soap. In both cases, cleaning off the brown "lizard-dots" just takes a little extra elbow-grease. We have the gate, top of the south side, and about half of the panels completed. Then the sun started to come around, so we quit for the day.
Once again, the weathermen have promised us some rain. I have my doubts, but we will see. The radar shows that most of it appears to be north of us once again. This was supposed to be a colder and wetter winter than normal. I admit that the weather IS abnormal, but we are getting just the opposite: warmer than normal temperatures with less than normal rainfall. Go figure. So much for the science of meteorological forecasts!
We have been talking about adding lights on either side of our garage door for added illumination when we come back to Gladys after dark. I know that Rick is more than capable of wiring something that will work. Cutting through the cement block wall will be a little bit of a hassle, but it is doable. Finding the right lights and figuring out where we want to have the switch will take more research.
Rick suggested that perhaps we could "give" each other the lights for our 40th wedding anniversary which is coming up January 2. I think not. If he knows what is good for our marriage, he will come up with a better plan.
After the ride, we did not bother to get cleaned up. Instead, we took soap and water and started to apply it to the fence. White vinyl fences are great: they look good on both sides (no "front" or "back" since both sides look the same), they don't fade in the sun, and they don't warp with the weather. However, they do get dirty. Mud splatters up from the ground, grass clippings get stuck to the bottom panel, dirt gets blown into every pour, birds love to leave droppings on the top, and small lizards leave their own brown-spotted calling cards everywhere on the fence. Intermittent hosing down of the worst debris helps, but occasionally a good scrubbing is necessary.
We started that process today. We had cleaned the fence when we first came down in October, but the south side fence, in particular, begged for a bath. Rick used a soap solution that we use on the car to scrub the panels and then rinse them off with the hose. I found that taking a rag, not wringing it out, and just swabbing down the panels worked just as effectively as the soap. In both cases, cleaning off the brown "lizard-dots" just takes a little extra elbow-grease. We have the gate, top of the south side, and about half of the panels completed. Then the sun started to come around, so we quit for the day.
Once again, the weathermen have promised us some rain. I have my doubts, but we will see. The radar shows that most of it appears to be north of us once again. This was supposed to be a colder and wetter winter than normal. I admit that the weather IS abnormal, but we are getting just the opposite: warmer than normal temperatures with less than normal rainfall. Go figure. So much for the science of meteorological forecasts!
We have been talking about adding lights on either side of our garage door for added illumination when we come back to Gladys after dark. I know that Rick is more than capable of wiring something that will work. Cutting through the cement block wall will be a little bit of a hassle, but it is doable. Finding the right lights and figuring out where we want to have the switch will take more research.
Rick suggested that perhaps we could "give" each other the lights for our 40th wedding anniversary which is coming up January 2. I think not. If he knows what is good for our marriage, he will come up with a better plan.
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Blooming' Lovely
Once again the weather is feeling more like September than December in Florida... as it is, I understand, all across the country. The unusual heat continues, bringing temperatures from the 50's to the 70's across the upper Midwest while we just reached a high of 82 here in Florida. While that is delightful, it also is very concerning. Our weather patterns have become very erratic, and I believe that is directly linked to global warming.
While the weather is still warm, we took advantage of it today. We went to a local nursery where we had purchased our bottle brush tree earlier this year. That tree is doing very well, so we wanted to get some answers to our gardening questions. When can we plant flowers and bushes? When do we need to fertilize the bottle brush tree? What can we use instead of mulch (which attracts terminates!) in the gardens? What plants are drought and cold tolerant? And most importantly, what plants will love growing in a garden that is almost totally in the shade?
The woman at the nursery is extremely patient and knowledgable. She showed us some stone that she said they have been using lately in many of the landscapes they install. She called it "red cedar stone" and gave us some samples to bring home. I think we may have found something we like.
She answered all of our other questions and took us into a shaded area to show us some possibilities for my back garden. For the life of me, I did not know the names of what I bought. The red plants on each end, I found out, are "red sister" cordylines or ti (pronounced "tee") plants. The nursery woman said that they will not get as large as some of the other ti plants, so they should be perfect for this garden. The other plants she called "Lemon and Lime." As you can see by the pictures, they are aptly named. They also are known as "song of India" or dracaena reflexa.
Our back garden is now complete. We may not be able to put in a lanai for a couple of years, so having something that is tropical and lush will give the area a bit of color.
While the weather is still warm, we took advantage of it today. We went to a local nursery where we had purchased our bottle brush tree earlier this year. That tree is doing very well, so we wanted to get some answers to our gardening questions. When can we plant flowers and bushes? When do we need to fertilize the bottle brush tree? What can we use instead of mulch (which attracts terminates!) in the gardens? What plants are drought and cold tolerant? And most importantly, what plants will love growing in a garden that is almost totally in the shade?
The woman at the nursery is extremely patient and knowledgable. She showed us some stone that she said they have been using lately in many of the landscapes they install. She called it "red cedar stone" and gave us some samples to bring home. I think we may have found something we like.
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| Red cedar stone will look good in the garden and against our yellow house. |
She answered all of our other questions and took us into a shaded area to show us some possibilities for my back garden. For the life of me, I did not know the names of what I bought. The red plants on each end, I found out, are "red sister" cordylines or ti (pronounced "tee") plants. The nursery woman said that they will not get as large as some of the other ti plants, so they should be perfect for this garden. The other plants she called "Lemon and Lime." As you can see by the pictures, they are aptly named. They also are known as "song of India" or dracaena reflexa.
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| Red, yellow, and green plants will add some color to the back garden and we don't have to wait for anything to bloom. |
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| The plants are in. We still need to add some fabric and stone to make this complete. |
Our back garden is now complete. We may not be able to put in a lanai for a couple of years, so having something that is tropical and lush will give the area a bit of color.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Back to Playing in the Mud
We both got up this morning with goals in mind, and I love a day where we accomplish everything that we set out to do... and then some!
I wanted to spray the gardenia tree in the back corner garden with some Neem oil. Something is eating little round holes in the leaves, so it needs another application of Neem oil to dissuade the hungry little critters from their breakfast. I used the rest of the bottle of spray on the tree, so hopefully that will help.
While I was de-insecting the tree, Rick mixed a batch of bug spray to apply to the rest of the house. He did three sides and then put that away for a while until we were done with our other chore.
We both wanted to add dirt back around the newly-laid concrete. Additionally, I wanted to use some of the old paver blocks that we had to edge the slabs and give them a drainage edge and an incline slope to better get the cans on and off. We took the mounded dirt from under the air conditioning drainage pipe to fill in around the slab. Then I took flat pavers to edge the slab. Finally, we moved some of the temporary building materials from the small flower garden behind the garage to store on the slab. The result is an area that stores the garbage cans, holds the building forms, and drains water away from the house.
Once that area was complete, we were halfway done to cleaning out the debris from the small garden. We buried an almost-above-ground ground cable that had worked its way up through the years, and I sifted out some large stones that I put under the gutter downspout. The stones will help keep the soil next to the slab from washing away.
Then we raked out the soil and stored the edgers along the back of the garage. That will help keep the soil from the garden from splashing up. Then Rick finished spraying the insecticide around the remainder of the house.
I would like to spend a few dollars on some plants for the small garden that will keep the soil in place and will give us something pretty to view from the Florida room. This garden is temporary, so I do not want to spend a fortune on plants. I would, however, like something transplantable to fill the space until we can take it all out and have a patio lanai slab poured. That will not be until next year, so a little greenery will be nice to view until then.
I wanted to spray the gardenia tree in the back corner garden with some Neem oil. Something is eating little round holes in the leaves, so it needs another application of Neem oil to dissuade the hungry little critters from their breakfast. I used the rest of the bottle of spray on the tree, so hopefully that will help.
While I was de-insecting the tree, Rick mixed a batch of bug spray to apply to the rest of the house. He did three sides and then put that away for a while until we were done with our other chore.
We both wanted to add dirt back around the newly-laid concrete. Additionally, I wanted to use some of the old paver blocks that we had to edge the slabs and give them a drainage edge and an incline slope to better get the cans on and off. We took the mounded dirt from under the air conditioning drainage pipe to fill in around the slab. Then I took flat pavers to edge the slab. Finally, we moved some of the temporary building materials from the small flower garden behind the garage to store on the slab. The result is an area that stores the garbage cans, holds the building forms, and drains water away from the house.
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| The slabs serve their purpose of holding the building materials and the garbage and recycling cans out of the mud. |
Once that area was complete, we were halfway done to cleaning out the debris from the small garden. We buried an almost-above-ground ground cable that had worked its way up through the years, and I sifted out some large stones that I put under the gutter downspout. The stones will help keep the soil next to the slab from washing away.
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| Rick buries the ground wire before I clean some rocks out of the garden. |
Then we raked out the soil and stored the edgers along the back of the garage. That will help keep the soil from the garden from splashing up. Then Rick finished spraying the insecticide around the remainder of the house.
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| The edgers line the back of the garden which awaits some flowers. The stake in the front is my "door stop' which keeps the laundry room door from slamming into the cement edgers in the front. |
I would like to spend a few dollars on some plants for the small garden that will keep the soil in place and will give us something pretty to view from the Florida room. This garden is temporary, so I do not want to spend a fortune on plants. I would, however, like something transplantable to fill the space until we can take it all out and have a patio lanai slab poured. That will not be until next year, so a little greenery will be nice to view until then.
Vacation: Tuesday Afternoon
As I mentioned earlier, Flagler was known as a modest man who did not-so-modest things for the east coast of Florida. Flagler-built hotels can be found from Jacksonville to Miami, and The Breakers in Palm Beach is one of them.
Flagler originally bought a small hotel on the Atlantic Ocean which he renovated to house people who traveled on Flagler's railroads from cold New England to spend "the season" (winter) in Florida. While the season lasted only from six to ten weeks (March through May), anyone who was someone during the gilded age was sure to be seen in the area. He knew that his hotel was a hit when people requested accommodations "near the breakers at the beach," so when the first motel burned to the ground, he built another in its place. The Breakers was an instant hit, but after Flagler's death, that hotel, too, was completely destroyed by fire.
Flagler's heirs knew a good thing, however, so in 1925 they built the current day Breakers which is still a destination of choice for those who can afford to stay there. (Rick and I are not two of those people!) The hotel is stunning, from the ornate ceilings, the gold-leaf crown moldings, the parquet inlaid and marble floors, to the seven 15th and 16th century tapestries that hang on the walls.
Our tour took us through many of the lounges were people met to mingle during the 1920s. Even the reception area was intimidating, but I could see the Gatsby-type of people coming for the season to enjoy the beautiful Palm Beach weather.
The trip was enjoyable because we do not often get a change to see how "the other half" lived. While I could not spend the money to stay at The Breakers for even one evening, going there to view its splendor was an enjoyable way to spend a Tuesday afternoon.
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| The Breakers is a short walk from Whitehall, but it is located on the beach so all of the rooms on the east side have a magnificent view of the atlantic Ocean. |
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| The grounds and fountains of The Breakers are beautiful. |
Flagler originally bought a small hotel on the Atlantic Ocean which he renovated to house people who traveled on Flagler's railroads from cold New England to spend "the season" (winter) in Florida. While the season lasted only from six to ten weeks (March through May), anyone who was someone during the gilded age was sure to be seen in the area. He knew that his hotel was a hit when people requested accommodations "near the breakers at the beach," so when the first motel burned to the ground, he built another in its place. The Breakers was an instant hit, but after Flagler's death, that hotel, too, was completely destroyed by fire.
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| The front desk reception area of The Breakers. |
Flagler's heirs knew a good thing, however, so in 1925 they built the current day Breakers which is still a destination of choice for those who can afford to stay there. (Rick and I are not two of those people!) The hotel is stunning, from the ornate ceilings, the gold-leaf crown moldings, the parquet inlaid and marble floors, to the seven 15th and 16th century tapestries that hang on the walls.
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| One of the lounge rooms, today used for special meetings and parties, is ornate from floor to ceiling. |
Our tour took us through many of the lounges were people met to mingle during the 1920s. Even the reception area was intimidating, but I could see the Gatsby-type of people coming for the season to enjoy the beautiful Palm Beach weather.
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| The ceiling of the room shown above illustrates how much time and money went into each detail of the rooms in the hotel. |
The trip was enjoyable because we do not often get a change to see how "the other half" lived. While I could not spend the money to stay at The Breakers for even one evening, going there to view its splendor was an enjoyable way to spend a Tuesday afternoon.
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| The inner courtyard of the Beakers was kept quite simple to allow the guests to relax. |
Vacation: Tuesday
On Tuesday of this week, we drove to Palm Beach to view Whitehall, the home of Henry Flagler (1830 - 1913), and The Breakers which is a Flagler hotel.
Henry Morrison Flagler was born on January 2, 1830, the son of a poor minister. By age 14, armed with an eighth grade education, he was on his own. He worked in a grain company, saved his money, and eventually married the grain company's owner's daughter, Mary Harkness.
While working at the grain company, he met a commission agent who worked with the company. Flagler was interested in getting into a new industry that had started to develop in the Cleveland area: oil refining. He needed a partner, and the commission agent agreed to join him. The agent's name? John D. Rockefeller. Together they and a third party started a new business which they named Standard Oil. And that, of course, is how a young poor minister's son grew up to be a man who, when he died on May 20, 1913,, was worth the equivalent in today's standards of approximately 12 billion dollars.
Flagler married three times. He and his first wife had three children, two daughters and a son. The eldest daughter died in childbirth as did her child. The second daughter only lived to age 3. His son lived to adulthood, but an argument caused them not to communicate for the last 20 years of Flagler's life. I guess money truly cannot buy happiness.
Flagler's first wife, Mary, was often ill. The doctor's suggested that Flagler take her to Jacksonville, Florida, for the winter. When they arrived, they found little that could be called suitable accommodations. Mary did not recover from her illness, but this introduction to Florida spurred Flagler on to be one of the key developers of the east coast of Florida. He built a railroad which eventually went all the way to Key West. He built bridges, roads, hotels, colleges, churches, and schools as he worked his way south down the peninsula. He is said to be one of the founders of the city of Miami.
Flagler's second wife, Ida, eventually suffered from mental illness. Flagler divorced her and then married his third wife, Mary Lily Kenan. He was 71 at the time; she was 34. The biography of Flagler as presented by Whitehall staff says, "Built as a wedding present to Mary Lily in 1902 and designed by architects John Carrère and Thomas Hastings, Whitehall became the Flagler's winter home. With more than 100,000 square feet and 75-plus rooms, Whitehall was described in 1902 by the New York Herald as, '... more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world.'
Whitehall was magnificent. Think "Downton Abby" on steroids with an American accent. This house is the epitome of the gilded age (1865-1929). Actually, Downton is set in the same time period. A docent took us through the first floor of the mansion, and then we were able to view the second floor bedrooms with a self-guided audio tour.
The docent told us that Whitehall had all of the modern conveniences: electric lights, indoor plumbing, and even a telephone (which Henry had installed not in his library, but rather in the master bathroom upstairs!).
Each room was decorated with a "theme" or period. The public rooms downstairs were opulent in every respect.
The bedrooms were literally decorated from floor to ceiling, each containing a fireplace, a private bathroom, and a large closet. The master bedroom had a walk-through closet/ dressing room since women of the age changed clothes as many as seven times a day.
After we toured Whitehall, we took a half-hour for lunch and were then on our way to The Breakers. While Flagler originally built the first two Breakers, both of which burned to the ground, his heirs built the third Breakers in 1925. I'll detail more of the Breakers in my next blog.
Henry Morrison Flagler was born on January 2, 1830, the son of a poor minister. By age 14, armed with an eighth grade education, he was on his own. He worked in a grain company, saved his money, and eventually married the grain company's owner's daughter, Mary Harkness.
While working at the grain company, he met a commission agent who worked with the company. Flagler was interested in getting into a new industry that had started to develop in the Cleveland area: oil refining. He needed a partner, and the commission agent agreed to join him. The agent's name? John D. Rockefeller. Together they and a third party started a new business which they named Standard Oil. And that, of course, is how a young poor minister's son grew up to be a man who, when he died on May 20, 1913,, was worth the equivalent in today's standards of approximately 12 billion dollars.
Flagler married three times. He and his first wife had three children, two daughters and a son. The eldest daughter died in childbirth as did her child. The second daughter only lived to age 3. His son lived to adulthood, but an argument caused them not to communicate for the last 20 years of Flagler's life. I guess money truly cannot buy happiness.
Flagler's first wife, Mary, was often ill. The doctor's suggested that Flagler take her to Jacksonville, Florida, for the winter. When they arrived, they found little that could be called suitable accommodations. Mary did not recover from her illness, but this introduction to Florida spurred Flagler on to be one of the key developers of the east coast of Florida. He built a railroad which eventually went all the way to Key West. He built bridges, roads, hotels, colleges, churches, and schools as he worked his way south down the peninsula. He is said to be one of the founders of the city of Miami.
Flagler's second wife, Ida, eventually suffered from mental illness. Flagler divorced her and then married his third wife, Mary Lily Kenan. He was 71 at the time; she was 34. The biography of Flagler as presented by Whitehall staff says, "Built as a wedding present to Mary Lily in 1902 and designed by architects John Carrère and Thomas Hastings, Whitehall became the Flagler's winter home. With more than 100,000 square feet and 75-plus rooms, Whitehall was described in 1902 by the New York Herald as, '... more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world.'
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| Whitehall in Palm Beach, Florida. This is SOME wedding present! |
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| Whitehall was decorated for Christmas as the giant wreath on the main gates shows. |
Whitehall was magnificent. Think "Downton Abby" on steroids with an American accent. This house is the epitome of the gilded age (1865-1929). Actually, Downton is set in the same time period. A docent took us through the first floor of the mansion, and then we were able to view the second floor bedrooms with a self-guided audio tour.
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| One of the most ornate parts of each room was the ceiling. This plastered ceiling is on the front veranda outside. |
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| Once inside the foyer, a grand staircase leads up to the second of three floors. The second floor held bedrooms while the third floor contained accommodations for the servants. |
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| The master bathroom at Whitehall, complete with a flush toilet, a free-standing tub, and marble sinks. |
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| The bathroom holds the only telephone in all of Whitehall. |
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| Part of the music room at Whitehall shows not only instruments and the magnificent organ at the end, but also the paintings and wonderful hardwood floors. |
The bedrooms were literally decorated from floor to ceiling, each containing a fireplace, a private bathroom, and a large closet. The master bedroom had a walk-through closet/ dressing room since women of the age changed clothes as many as seven times a day.
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| The corner master bedroom allowed breezes to flow into the room from two directions. Large windows also bathed each room in natural light. |
After we toured Whitehall, we took a half-hour for lunch and were then on our way to The Breakers. While Flagler originally built the first two Breakers, both of which burned to the ground, his heirs built the third Breakers in 1925. I'll detail more of the Breakers in my next blog.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Vacation: Monday
In 1938, FSC had three buildings -- large, red brick squares that resembled every other college across both the United States and Europe. Dr. Ludd Spivey, the president of FSC, wanted something different and uniquely American. An article in Time Magazine brought the work of Frank Lloyd Wright to his attention. The rest is history.
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| Write's influence is apparent even in the fountains and the landscape on campus. He believed that buildings and nature should enhance one another. |
The already 70-year-old Wright agreed to plan and to build a campus that he called the "child of the sun." His plans called for 18 structures, 12 of which were actually built in the next 20 years. Since the construction took place from 1938 - 1958, events like the Great Depression and World War II made both money and manpower short. Spivey saved money by using native materials like cypress trees and building blocks made from local sand and stone, and he solved the manpower problem by offering students free tuition if they would work on building the campus. When WWII took many of the young, able-bodied men off campus, Spivey offered the same free-tuition idea to young women. They accepted and built at least two complete buildings during the war years.
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| A huge fountain is the counterpoint of the campus. When the fountain is turned on, the water jets form a water dome. |
The campus today is a wonder of Frank Lloyd Wright designs. Present are the flat roofs, the almost-hidden doorways, the entries opening to expansive room, the use of natural materials and abundant light through stained-glass and soaring windows, and the covered walkways and gardens that are earmarks of Wright's architecture.
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| Over one mile of covered "esplanades" offer shade to the students and protection from Florida's intense rain showers. |
While OSHA regulations have spoiled parts of the designs by demanding railings on staircases and exhaust ventilation systems in science labs, the majority of his structures are intact. We had an excellent tour guide who shared stories about what Wright wanted and what reality dictated. One story explained the metal lattice work on the top of the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel. Wright loved bougainvillea, and ornamental climbing bush that blooms year-round in Florida. What he did not understand was that while summers were wet, winters are dry. And if the rain does not come every day in the summer, those metal supports on the roof would become so hot in the intense Florida sun that anything touching them would just fry. Sadly, while the idea was good, the bougainvillea were short-lived.
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| Bougainvillea does bloom beautifully on the ground of the campus. |
The tour took over 2 1/2 hours, and we had to leave before it was completely finished, but it is a destination work seeing. I will let the rest of the pictures tell the story of Monday's adventure.
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| The reading room of the original library was filled with light from overhead windows. This entire structure was built by women who attended the College during the war years. |
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| Florida sunshine streams through the clean lines of the stained glass windows in the William H. Danforth Chapel on campus. |
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Cement Success -- Part 2
Yesterday after our hard work in the morning, we had to head back to the store to pick up 11 more bags of Sakrete for today. We did not want to battle the hordes of people that descend of Home Depot on a sunny Saturday morning!
After our shopping, we took advantage of our membership in the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg by driving down to attend a lecture on their Escher exhibit. We wanted to beat the Friday night rush-hour traffic, so we left early and arrived without too much hassle.
We had packed a picnic supper to eat while sitting on a bench by the waterside; however, when we arrived we learned that St. Petersburg was hosting a boat show along the waterfront. We did not have our usual access to the waterfront area, so we improvised by having our picnic at the outside dining area of the Dali.
After dinner, we went into the Dali and revisited the Escher exhibit. We actually bought two Escher prints. One is called "Three Worlds." It shows the top of a pond, reflecting the air, the trees growing on the land, and the fish in the water. I want to frame that one and hang it in our main bathroom.
The second print is called "Reptiles." It depicts an alligator-like reptile that starts out as a two-dementional drawing, then it crawls out of the paper as a three-dimensional creature, and eventually circles around and melts back into the two-dimensional drawing. I am not sure where I might put that print yet, but it is one of my favorite Escher woodcuts, and the creature seems right for Florida.
At 6:00 p.m., we went with others into the theatre for a presentation by the owner of the Escher artwork on display, Paul Firos. Firos was an excellent speaker who gave us insight into how Escher completed his work and how his work was influenced by his experiences. The lecture was well worth the trip down to the city.
This morning we tackled the second half of our concrete project. We learned from the experience yesterday, so this pour actually went a bit easier and, we hope, with better results. We will learn tomorrow how good the actual pour looks when we take off the forms.
Rick was pleased with how easily the inside form came off from the first pour. This form, with holes drilled in it, allowed us to add rebar which will stabilize the two sections together. Thankfully, we do not have to worry about the ground moving with a freeze-thaw cycle here like we do in Wisconsin, but the ground still does move a bit, especially if the sandy soil under the slab gets washed out for some reason.
We started at approximately 8:30 a.m. and were finished by 9:40 a.m. Twelve bags of concrete mixed and poured in that amount of time. Once again, thank God for the concrete mixer. It allows us to work quickly and to do a generous pour without the earlier pours getting too stiff for us to manipulate.
Now we just have to let the concrete dry. We will give the slabs at least a week before we put the garbage can and recycling can back in place. I am certainly looking forward to not trying to drag them out of the mud to take to the curb on rainy garbage collection day!
Tomorrow is Sunday, and I, for one, am going to use it as a much-needed day of rest.
After our shopping, we took advantage of our membership in the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg by driving down to attend a lecture on their Escher exhibit. We wanted to beat the Friday night rush-hour traffic, so we left early and arrived without too much hassle.
We had packed a picnic supper to eat while sitting on a bench by the waterside; however, when we arrived we learned that St. Petersburg was hosting a boat show along the waterfront. We did not have our usual access to the waterfront area, so we improvised by having our picnic at the outside dining area of the Dali.
After dinner, we went into the Dali and revisited the Escher exhibit. We actually bought two Escher prints. One is called "Three Worlds." It shows the top of a pond, reflecting the air, the trees growing on the land, and the fish in the water. I want to frame that one and hang it in our main bathroom.
 |
| M. C. Escher's "Three Worlds." |
The second print is called "Reptiles." It depicts an alligator-like reptile that starts out as a two-dementional drawing, then it crawls out of the paper as a three-dimensional creature, and eventually circles around and melts back into the two-dimensional drawing. I am not sure where I might put that print yet, but it is one of my favorite Escher woodcuts, and the creature seems right for Florida.
 |
| Escher's "Reptile" which shows his fascination with multi-dimensional work. |
At 6:00 p.m., we went with others into the theatre for a presentation by the owner of the Escher artwork on display, Paul Firos. Firos was an excellent speaker who gave us insight into how Escher completed his work and how his work was influenced by his experiences. The lecture was well worth the trip down to the city.
This morning we tackled the second half of our concrete project. We learned from the experience yesterday, so this pour actually went a bit easier and, we hope, with better results. We will learn tomorrow how good the actual pour looks when we take off the forms.
 |
| Our equipment is staged and ready to go. The inside form is out, and we are ready to start mixing concrete. |
Rick was pleased with how easily the inside form came off from the first pour. This form, with holes drilled in it, allowed us to add rebar which will stabilize the two sections together. Thankfully, we do not have to worry about the ground moving with a freeze-thaw cycle here like we do in Wisconsin, but the ground still does move a bit, especially if the sandy soil under the slab gets washed out for some reason.
We started at approximately 8:30 a.m. and were finished by 9:40 a.m. Twelve bags of concrete mixed and poured in that amount of time. Once again, thank God for the concrete mixer. It allows us to work quickly and to do a generous pour without the earlier pours getting too stiff for us to manipulate.
 |
| Rick works the concrete to smooth it in the first phase of the finishing process. |
 |
| An hour later, Rick adds the edges for the finishing touch. |
Now we just have to let the concrete dry. We will give the slabs at least a week before we put the garbage can and recycling can back in place. I am certainly looking forward to not trying to drag them out of the mud to take to the curb on rainy garbage collection day!
Tomorrow is Sunday, and I, for one, am going to use it as a much-needed day of rest.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Cement Success
Once again we are blessed with dry weather -- which also happened to be quite cool this morning (60's) -- so we were able to get outside to complete our planned work.
We were set up and ready to go by 9:00 this morning, and overall the pour went well.
We ended up with six mixes of concrete (Sacrete). The first five mixes were two bags each, and the last mix was just one bag. The mixtures were quite dry and stiff, but the concrete set up well. Thank God for the portable concrete mixer. We would not have been able to do this if we had to mix the concrete by hand; life it too short to be in pain for something that we want to accomplish.
We learned some lessons with this project. First, we would make the mixes just slightly more wet. Secondly, we would pour half the slab and then work that part into place before pouring the second half. Today, the first part began to dry too much before we had it all poured which made working it into a smooth surface more difficult. We'll try something different for the second part of the slab.
Rick has said multiple times that concrete is finicky. It cannot be handled too much or the surface is ruined. Right now we are pleased with the appearance. We originally toyed with the idea of brushing the surface, but in the end we like what we see and decided to leave it smooth. No one is going to walk or slip on these slabs, so there is no reason to roughen the surface.
We suspect that the edges may be a little rough. With the next section, we'll make sure the edges are worked enough to get the air out so all looks great when we take off the forms.
The final conclusion we reached is that we probably would be able to pour sections which eventually would be used as a patio or as a base for a shed. One step at a time. Right now, we just need to go out to buy the next five bags of Sacrete for the second section of the present slab.
We were set up and ready to go by 9:00 this morning, and overall the pour went well.
We ended up with six mixes of concrete (Sacrete). The first five mixes were two bags each, and the last mix was just one bag. The mixtures were quite dry and stiff, but the concrete set up well. Thank God for the portable concrete mixer. We would not have been able to do this if we had to mix the concrete by hand; life it too short to be in pain for something that we want to accomplish.
 |
| Rick starts to work the surface of the pour. |
 |
| Rick continues to make the surface smooth while trying not to work the concrete too much. |
We learned some lessons with this project. First, we would make the mixes just slightly more wet. Secondly, we would pour half the slab and then work that part into place before pouring the second half. Today, the first part began to dry too much before we had it all poured which made working it into a smooth surface more difficult. We'll try something different for the second part of the slab.
Rick has said multiple times that concrete is finicky. It cannot be handled too much or the surface is ruined. Right now we are pleased with the appearance. We originally toyed with the idea of brushing the surface, but in the end we like what we see and decided to leave it smooth. No one is going to walk or slip on these slabs, so there is no reason to roughen the surface.
 |
| The finished first part of the slab and the rebar that will connect it to the second part of the slab. |
We suspect that the edges may be a little rough. With the next section, we'll make sure the edges are worked enough to get the air out so all looks great when we take off the forms.
 |
| The second section awaits concrete tomorrow. |
The final conclusion we reached is that we probably would be able to pour sections which eventually would be used as a patio or as a base for a shed. One step at a time. Right now, we just need to go out to buy the next five bags of Sacrete for the second section of the present slab.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Prep and Pain
OK, once again we both ache. Some might say that our aches and pains are due to old age. Perish the thought! I choose, instead, to blame my aching back on overuse of neglected muscles. I admit to being out of shape, but never old.
We decided yesterday that we would do a "test pour" of concrete to see how difficult it would be for us someday to pour a small slab in the back yard. We have long wanted to have a concrete base on the north side of the house on which to store the garbage can and the recycling bin. That area is low which means that it always floods and becomes a mud patch when we get a heavy rain. With a concrete slab on which to store the bins, rolling them out to the curb on garbage days will be much easier, and we will not have to slog through the mud to do so.
So this morning Rick started the day by framing the area in question with 2 x 4s. Our slab will be 3 feet wide by 10 feet long. We will pour the slab in two 3 x 5 sections joined with 1/2" rebar. Each section will take approximately twelve 60 pound bags of Sacrete which we will prepare in six 2-bag mixes. Hopefully, the pours should be fairly quick to complete since we have the portable concrete mixer.
Yesterday we picked up the first five bags of Sacrete. We can only get five or six bags in the car at one time. We have the space, but we do not want to load any more weight to the back of the car. If we had our truck here, we could pick up the Sacrete more quickly.
The framing took until about noon. We broke for lunch and then returned to our work to dig out the dirt in the center of both frames. Thankfully, the temperatures were in the high 70's, so working outside was tolerable as long as we were in the shade.
The area is riddled with stones, so we agreed that we would take the dirt by wheelbarrow to the back garden and then sift out the stones. Although this took a few hours this afternoon, the result was worth the effort. We were able to fill in the corner garden with clean sifted soil to the level that we needed as a base for planting flowers. If we had had to buy this dirt in bags from the store, it would have cost us at least $50.00.
We both ache as a result of all the digging and sifting, but we are happy with the results. We were able to fill the garden and to return the stone to our frames to be used as a good drainage base under where we will pour the concrete.
We still need to return to Home Depot one more time for a few more bags of Sacrete; we'll do that tonight after dinner when the traffic settles down. Then we will hope that tomorrow dawns cool and clear, and that we both will be able to get out of bed to actually do the work.
We decided yesterday that we would do a "test pour" of concrete to see how difficult it would be for us someday to pour a small slab in the back yard. We have long wanted to have a concrete base on the north side of the house on which to store the garbage can and the recycling bin. That area is low which means that it always floods and becomes a mud patch when we get a heavy rain. With a concrete slab on which to store the bins, rolling them out to the curb on garbage days will be much easier, and we will not have to slog through the mud to do so.
So this morning Rick started the day by framing the area in question with 2 x 4s. Our slab will be 3 feet wide by 10 feet long. We will pour the slab in two 3 x 5 sections joined with 1/2" rebar. Each section will take approximately twelve 60 pound bags of Sacrete which we will prepare in six 2-bag mixes. Hopefully, the pours should be fairly quick to complete since we have the portable concrete mixer.
 |
| Rick starts to remove dirt and stone from inside the frames for our concrete base next to the house. |
Yesterday we picked up the first five bags of Sacrete. We can only get five or six bags in the car at one time. We have the space, but we do not want to load any more weight to the back of the car. If we had our truck here, we could pick up the Sacrete more quickly.
The framing took until about noon. We broke for lunch and then returned to our work to dig out the dirt in the center of both frames. Thankfully, the temperatures were in the high 70's, so working outside was tolerable as long as we were in the shade.
The area is riddled with stones, so we agreed that we would take the dirt by wheelbarrow to the back garden and then sift out the stones. Although this took a few hours this afternoon, the result was worth the effort. We were able to fill in the corner garden with clean sifted soil to the level that we needed as a base for planting flowers. If we had had to buy this dirt in bags from the store, it would have cost us at least $50.00.
 |
| The sifted dirt in the corner garden looks great as it awaits flowers. |
We both ache as a result of all the digging and sifting, but we are happy with the results. We were able to fill the garden and to return the stone to our frames to be used as a good drainage base under where we will pour the concrete.
 |
| Tomorrow we will fill the first of these two frames with concrete. |
We still need to return to Home Depot one more time for a few more bags of Sacrete; we'll do that tonight after dinner when the traffic settles down. Then we will hope that tomorrow dawns cool and clear, and that we both will be able to get out of bed to actually do the work.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Pipes and Pains
After working hard in the front yard late last week, we actually were kind to ourselves and took the weekend off from hard work. I don't know about Rick, but I needed that.
We spent part of Saturday running errands and then meeting our nephew's fiancee. Rachel is a delightful woman, and we are very happy to have her join our slightly insane family. My sister is quiet, so I am sure she wondered how this talkative woman could ever be her future mother-in-law's sister. Who cares? We went to lunch with Jon and Rachel and had a wonderful time.
Sunday was truly a day of rest. After church, we did some planning for this coming week which resulted in lots of shopping on Monday. We went everywhere from Kohl's Department Store to Home Depot and Lowe's.
Today we made up for our slough of the past few days by tackling our next project: routing the drainage from our front gutter/ downspout into an underground water removal system. We needed to do that to carry the rainwater away from the front of the house. The ground is uneven, so when the water goes down the downspout, it tends to backwash down a slight hill and puddle where our new pavers and front sidewalk eventually will be built. Water is always the enemy of construction of any kind... save, perhaps, a water-driven mill.
We started by removing the current downspout and laying out the path of our new underground system. Then Rick became a modern-day sod-buster, taking up the sod along the path for the underground pipes. We both dug out the trench until we were sweaty and filthy. Sweaty? Yes. Today is December 1, and Florida is still experiencing above-average temperatures. By the time we finished this project at 1:40 this afternoon, the temperature had climbed to 81 degrees.
Rick glued lots of 4" drainage pipe together until we were approximately 30 feet from the house. We wanted to get the drainage out beyond the slight rise in the front yard so that when the run-off surfaced again, the water would run down our yard into the street.
Of course, the transit again was invaluable to make sure that we had the pipe pitched low enough to carry the water away. Thank you, Steve, for lending us the transit. We may have to start paying rent on it yet!
The good news with our dig was that we found the buried house sewage pipe without damaging it, and it was actually closer to the house than we had anticipated, so it worked fine with the decline of the underground pipe. We safely passed above the sewer line without incident.
The second break we realized was when we hit only one 3 inch root from the now-departed bottle brush tree. We both feared that we might run into some major roots, but Rick soon dispatched the small branch with a little SawsAll action. A couple minor roots were sliced though with the shovel.
After much digging, gluing, and reassembly of the downspouts and new drainage pipes, we now have a working underground water-removal system for our front gutter. All of that rainwater used to pour down like a waterfall onto our front porch before we added gutters. Now it will not only be captured in the gutter, but also it will be carried safely away from the house.
This was the next step in our plans for re-landscaping the front yard. We both are sore and exhausted which leads us to second-guessing whether we really want to put the pavers down for the front porch and sidewalk. Laying the pavers is relatively easy; doing the prep work with crushed concrete and sand is another story. We are re-evaluating what we are physically capable of doing. My muscles certainly are not what they were, and Rick has made no secret that digging and lifting things with a shovel is hard on him, too.
We are pleased with the results of today. Yes, we have a scar down the center of the yard that must smooth out and grow over. That will just take a couple of months. We tested the system and know that it works. And that is good. Rain is predicted tomorrow evening and Thursday morning, and no place has rainstorms quite like Florida!
We spent part of Saturday running errands and then meeting our nephew's fiancee. Rachel is a delightful woman, and we are very happy to have her join our slightly insane family. My sister is quiet, so I am sure she wondered how this talkative woman could ever be her future mother-in-law's sister. Who cares? We went to lunch with Jon and Rachel and had a wonderful time.
Sunday was truly a day of rest. After church, we did some planning for this coming week which resulted in lots of shopping on Monday. We went everywhere from Kohl's Department Store to Home Depot and Lowe's.
Today we made up for our slough of the past few days by tackling our next project: routing the drainage from our front gutter/ downspout into an underground water removal system. We needed to do that to carry the rainwater away from the front of the house. The ground is uneven, so when the water goes down the downspout, it tends to backwash down a slight hill and puddle where our new pavers and front sidewalk eventually will be built. Water is always the enemy of construction of any kind... save, perhaps, a water-driven mill.
We started by removing the current downspout and laying out the path of our new underground system. Then Rick became a modern-day sod-buster, taking up the sod along the path for the underground pipes. We both dug out the trench until we were sweaty and filthy. Sweaty? Yes. Today is December 1, and Florida is still experiencing above-average temperatures. By the time we finished this project at 1:40 this afternoon, the temperature had climbed to 81 degrees.
 |
| Rick shovels out the trench for the pipes. (Actually, I dug the trench, too, but he never takes a picture of me working hard.) |
Rick glued lots of 4" drainage pipe together until we were approximately 30 feet from the house. We wanted to get the drainage out beyond the slight rise in the front yard so that when the run-off surfaced again, the water would run down our yard into the street.
 |
| Sections of pipe await final construction. |
Of course, the transit again was invaluable to make sure that we had the pipe pitched low enough to carry the water away. Thank you, Steve, for lending us the transit. We may have to start paying rent on it yet!
 |
| The glued, finished pipe is ready to be glued onto the downspout at the house. |
The good news with our dig was that we found the buried house sewage pipe without damaging it, and it was actually closer to the house than we had anticipated, so it worked fine with the decline of the underground pipe. We safely passed above the sewer line without incident.
The second break we realized was when we hit only one 3 inch root from the now-departed bottle brush tree. We both feared that we might run into some major roots, but Rick soon dispatched the small branch with a little SawsAll action. A couple minor roots were sliced though with the shovel.
After much digging, gluing, and reassembly of the downspouts and new drainage pipes, we now have a working underground water-removal system for our front gutter. All of that rainwater used to pour down like a waterfall onto our front porch before we added gutters. Now it will not only be captured in the gutter, but also it will be carried safely away from the house.
 |
| The completed downspout hugs the house. Once we add shrubs in front of it, it will be almost unnoticed from the front of the house. |
 |
| The finished project from the downspout to the egress which pops up when water fills the pipe. |
This was the next step in our plans for re-landscaping the front yard. We both are sore and exhausted which leads us to second-guessing whether we really want to put the pavers down for the front porch and sidewalk. Laying the pavers is relatively easy; doing the prep work with crushed concrete and sand is another story. We are re-evaluating what we are physically capable of doing. My muscles certainly are not what they were, and Rick has made no secret that digging and lifting things with a shovel is hard on him, too.
 |
| After lots of intense labor, Rick deserves a rest. I took the picture from inside, through the screen, so I would not awaken him. |
We are pleased with the results of today. Yes, we have a scar down the center of the yard that must smooth out and grow over. That will just take a couple of months. We tested the system and know that it works. And that is good. Rain is predicted tomorrow evening and Thursday morning, and no place has rainstorms quite like Florida!
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