Columbia University, NYC

"Kings College, founded in the Province of New York, by royal charter in the reign of George II, perpetuated as Columbia College by the people of the State of New York, when they became free and independent. Maintained and cherished from generation to generation for the advancement of the public good and the glory of Almighty God."

Liz, Ben and Josh have all been to school here. This particular afternoon the first spring warmth brought students out to the quad and to the Library steps to bask in the sun and pass around a few footballs, frisbees. The library is designed after the Pantheon with its dome, oculus, pillars, niches for statues of Roman gods (and later Christian statues.)

NY Revisted

I'm back from NY where I got to be at Maude's baptism. SO GOOD to see all the East Coast contingent, plus Salem! More on the trip soon.

Grantsville

Fun to be in Grantsville on Monday to see Christine and meet Ross. Cousin Peter drove GG up for a stay. Emily and Curtis came out too, with their kids and their four-wheelers. Of course, Janet fed us well and then sent a full box of food for the "trip" home.

GG; Fawson's traditional good-bye wave.

"Grandpa's in his underwear!"

November 1976, on Hart St. in Van Nuys. Photo by Uncle Gary.

Form Follows Function

IN ART:
Form Follows Function, the design maxim, is attributed to architect, LH Sullivan. He wrote:

"It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic. . . Of all true manifestations of the head, Of the heart, of the soul, That the life is recognizable in its expression, That form ever follows function. This is the law.”

"[Sullivan] developed the shape of the tall steel skyscraper in late 19th Century Chicaco at the very moment when technology, taste and economic forces converged . . .and made it necessary to drop the established styles of the past. If the shape of the building wasn't going to be chosen out of the old pattern book something had to determine form, and according to Sullivan it was going to be the purpose of the building. It was 'form follows function', as opposed to 'form follows precedent '" (Wikipedia).

On a smaller scale, the ceramicist designs the teacup so that it's convenient to hold, to drink from.

AT HOME:
We live the principal daily. The design (form) of a sofa attracts us, but if it's so uncomfortable no one will sit in it (function) we pass. The principle seems to apply to relationships, to stewardships, to homes. I like this "gift" story of an Idaho woman's happy childhood memory. She says, "Years later, as a teenager, I ran across the snapshots my mother had taken that day. I was so dirty and ragged! My wispy white hair looked as though it had never known a comb. Shocked, I wondered why I remembered that day as one of the happiest of my life, when I had obviously looked like one of Dickens’s street urchins." Her joy that day had nothing to do with her appearance. The function of her family was intact, and the form was left to follow.

Finally, the Perfect Gingersnap

I'm so happy. Those perfect, spicy gingersnaps from my youth had disappeared. Nowhere could I find the cookie with the right spicy heat. Well, thanks to the WWW, I just made the best gingersnaps ever with their Magic Ingredient. (If you already have a recipe you like, I think you could just add the cayenne.) On the link I used the first recipe.
Love, Mom

I just washed my hair

For our Relief Society Birthday program woman will dress in outfits from past decades, so I've been remembering. In the 1950's we didn't wash our hair daily. In fact, it was common to say, "I just washed my hair and can't do a thing with it." In those pre-product days, natural oils made hair easier to mold.

Photo from 1955 university yearbook.

Smart Kids

Here's an article to consider about smart kids and achievement. If you don't want to read it all at least read the last paragraphs about the survey.

Art that Inspires #2

When putting up art in my home in the past, sometimes I liked the spirit a picture conveyed more than I liked the artwork itself, but I think that doesn't need to be the case.


In fact, more and more I notice fine art that inspires, some that has been around a long time. I like these pictures.

While on the subject, the LDS Church's updated site has a link to printable images. Very nice to have.

Pictures: l., detail from Carl Bloch's, Pool at Bethsaida; Rembrandt etching.
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Turkeys

Wild turkeys! I knew they roosted all over the valley, but these are the first I've seen, a tom and four hens beside the road. I was driving the exercise car pool home or I would have stopped and taken more pictures. The big turkey displayed tail feathers just like the ones everyone colored at Thanksgiving.

Art That Inspires #1

Since it's a given that homes teach , I'm thinking of what goes on the walls of one's home. We had a Declaration of Independence framed on the stairwell wall for awhile. I would do a little more of that, especially considering my recent love of the American Revolution.

This picture is good, although at the heighth of mothering I might have winced at the mess on the floor--one more untidy thing in the house.

Actually, it wouldn't have to be pictures. GG has American Eagle bookends.