Staircase At Monticello

There are no grand staircases in Thomas Jefferson’s home. He thought they were a waste of space that should be devoted to the public rooms. Visitors to Monticello can participate in a guided tour that requires you to climb up and down the original stairs, which are very steep and very narrow. Imagine being a woman in a corset and a long skirt. Imagine being a slave carting laundry, water or the remains of chamber pots. The enslaved people who kept the house running used those precarious stairs all day and all night. Jefferson did not consult them when he designed Monticello.

 

Lichen-Covered Tree

 On a hot day we paused at a rest stop where tall trees sheltered a few picnic tables. The canopy of leaves cast an overwhelmingly green coolness about us. I studied the lichen on the trunks, admiring its sea green color and lettuce leafy flaky paint texture. No time to ponder the mysteries of lichen, which are a partnership between fungi and other organisms. It was time to get back on the road. But we felt several degrees cooler.

Dream House, Dream Garden

 As a teenager I loved walking along  the streets near my high school. Most of the homes were built around 1910 with friendly-looking front porches, big windows and gardens full of hydrangeas. I used to dream about being a member of one of those families, climbing the stairs lit by the stained glass window or coming home to the door with leaded glass twinkling in the light. Now I have a better idea of the work and responsibility it must be to be a caretaker of those elegant homes. But I still enjoy marveling at the bay windows, balustrades and turrets waiting to be discovered on each block.

Rookwood Test Vase

 In 1908 Edward Hurley created this vase to test-fire Rookwood Pottery’s vellum-finish glazes. If you own or have handled ceramics from this time period, your fingers are probably recalling the special feel of these glazes that were so popular in the early 20th century. Unlike a cold, shiny glaze, vellum glazes feel warmer, with a bit of texture, sometimes with drips or a slight crackle. Finely painted details can be a bit misty. All of this is part of the charm. What struck me is the wide range of greens, taupes, and tans that were available, each one subtly different from the next. Those subtle colors are a hallmark of the Arts & Crafts movement of that time.