9/20/2010

Can I Get A Witness


Audio Version:  http://passiondale.podomatic.com/entry/2010-09-20T07_40_01-07_00





There's an excellent documentary about Frank Lloyd Wright by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick I'd seen on PBS, but experiencing genius up close adds dimension and wonder that film can't always capture.  Our plan for the weekend was to see Mr. Wright's Fallingwater house in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.

Our seven or so hour road trip began as every journey into America seems to, with an interrogation of the sort that tells you the border guard has a little to prove but not enough to pull you over and ask for answers to the questions on the glove test.  From there, a quick stop at Premier Liquor and the four of us were ready to drink in the landscape and a few other things, though not of course, while driving.  A near constant downpour accompanied us trying its best to thwart, but was no match for hearts (and wallets) ready to be lightened at the outlet shopping mecca of Grove City.  It stopped raining long enough for us to find a few bargains in the mist and rejoined us as we continued our drive.

The rainy overnight stay in Mt. Pleasant found us feeling smug over the foresight of earlier collecting more than enough wine.  We drank up as we dried out and after ordering food in to the hotel, we went to sleep happy.  The following morning, after making friends with the cordial breakfast room employees, we headed for Mill Run.   



In visiting Fallingwater, I more expected to remove something from my list of things to do rather than add to it but when life throws you beauty, sometimes the list gets rearranged. It was a breathtaking and emotional experience seeing the house so beautifully integrated into its surroundings in what seemed like more than three dimensions.  I can now say I'd love to visit it again in other seasons, lighting and weather conditions.  I was bowled over at getting to see such a magnificent dream brought to life.




After marveling all we could, we continued on to Lancaster and Amish country.  While I'd expected to see buggies containing Amish passengers alongside the road, I didn't expect to see the rogue Amish - girls on rollerblades, women leading their children on bicycles across busy highways or the shy smiles and hellos offered as we passed them on the sidewalks in town. 

While I'd threatened to steal the souls of the Amish with my camera, I was too busy to take many photographs being struck at how fresh faced and scrubbed clean they seemed.  As I bought ice cream and souvenirs from them, I'm sure the curiosity was reciprocal.  Among the things I did take away was the thought that I could never rock the bowl haircut as a kid the way some of these children managed. 

After another day of exploring, shopping, having the Plain and Fancy restaurant experience and getting ferhoodled, we started our journey back.  Being the time of year it is, we passed many pockets of beauty as the leaves on the trees boldly flashed their best come hither before I fall looks.  

We were waved through customs even with our declarations of being over our spending allowances and liquor allotments and ended a lovely long weekend in a traffic jam which I took as a sign we should slow down and reflect back on the wonderful weekend it was.  Not everyone felt like this judging by the swearing in the car but soon subsided as the jam cleared and we arrived safely home with fresh souls, our own.

41 comments:

lisahgolden said...

I really like the way your write, Dale. Your trip sounds quite lovely. I'm sure the Amish thought you looked fresh-faced, too.

Marni said...

Gah... that is one house I would love to see. He was an amazing architect.

Glad you had a good time.

SkylersDad said...

What a beautiful house, almost a nice looking as a bowl haircut!

Dale said...

Thanks Lisa, I think they probably thought 'who's this wrinkly old coot who's nearly as polite as we are?'

It was more spectacular than I dreamed it would be Marni. Time to plan a trip!

If only it had been shaped like a bowl haircut Skyler's Dad!

Barbara Bruederlin said...

I sort of always suspected that the Amish were secret Canadians. You have done nothing to dispel this suspicion.

I am so envious of your trip to Fallingwater (less so of your trip to the outlet mall). It's upheld as a symbol of architectural magnificence for a very good reason. Did you try out the bed?

Sans Pantaloons said...

Passion of the Dale will flow. Superlative trip & description.

Dale said...

They wouldn't let me near the bed Barbara! I wanted to have a drink by the fireplace too but apparently I'd missed happy hour. It was magical, that place was!

I'd hate to be sans superlatives Sans, so I'm glad you said that!

Dread Pirate Jessica said...

Oh, US outlet malls. If all the world could use US outlet malls, it wouldn't hate the US so much. Or else it would hate it more. That's my opinion and I'm sticking by it.

尋人 said...

Keep the faith, my Internet friend. You are a first-class writer and deserve to be heard.

Dale said...

Maybe the next G6 and G20 summits should be held at an outlet mall Mistress? We'd know for sure then.

Thanks Wishbone name! I'd trust the comment more if it hadn't been left 15 times with different names. I love complimentary spam!

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X. Dell said...

Looks like my comment will again get lost in the spam.

You know, with everything going on this X-mastime, I was kinda picturing Fallingwater with lights and plastic illuminated reindeer.

Yup, it's pretty easy to ruin beauty, isn't it?

Dale said...

Nothing you write is ever lost on me X Dell. I was just thinking it's time to exercise my writing muscle before it completely atrophies. Happy New Year!

Coaster Punchman said...

Sounds lovely. The only thing that would have made this outing lovelier is if I still lived in the Nord-east.