Monday, September 12th, 2011 by P. Allen Smith, 17 comments
Doors are symbolic of opportunity, new life and passing from one state to another. But what about the doors that welcome us home everyday? It seems to me these passages represent a return to shelter and comfort, a return to the familiar.
During a recent trip to Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire I couldn't help but wonder over the building entrances. Since the late 18th century these entries have ushered residents and visitors into meeting halls, workshops, dinning rooms and living quarters. What stories they could tell! Each door must have represented something different to every person who crossed the threshold.
Canterbury Shaker Village is located in Canterbury, New Hampshire. Built in 1792, it was one of 19 Shaker communities in the United States. The last Shaker resident, Ethel Hudson, died in 1992. Today Canterbury Shaker Village is a non-profit museum tasked with preserving the heritage of the Shakers who called the area home for 200 years. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993. If you want to see the Canterbury Shaker Village doors in person you can tour the site May through October and for special winter holiday events. Learn more by visiting www.shakers.org.
Monday, August 22nd, 2011 by P. Allen Smith, 9 comments
One of the pleasures of living is experiencing those moments when the past connects with the present. It's like returning to a seed sown and finding a flower. You know, those instances when you say to yourself, "I understand."
Five or so years ago I discovered garden designer Xa Tollemache while touring Castle Hill in North Devon, England. She designed the Millennium Garden there and I was an immediate fan. I admire her sense of proportion and scale and her ability to create visually compelling patterns with plants that carpet the ground.
Skip forward to spring 2011 and there I am introducing myself to Xa at a fundraiser in New York. After following her work for so many years, the moment was a little bit surreal. I was delighted when she came to Arkansas to speak at the Clinton School of Public Service and tickled pink to host a dinner party for her at the Garden Home Retreat.
It wasn't until I was back in England visiting her home, Helmingham Hall, that I recognized the flower borne of the seed sown so many years ago. Surrounded by the graceful gardens she designed, I was transported back to the Millennium Garden at Castle Hill. The path from past to present was clear and I said to myself, "I understand."
Monday, August 15th, 2011 by P. Allen Smith, 70 comments
We're coming to the end of the summer blockbuster season and I must confess I'm not sad about it. Of the summer's releases my favorite was Rango, but the big budget, supersized special effects offerings didn't do much for me. I'm not a movie snob. I like any genre–comedy, epic, animation, sci-fi and even horror. I'll watch a movie at the theater, at home or even on a plane. I judge a movie by the writing, storyline and cinematography. I also like it when there is a surprise or two.
This Labor Day weekend I plan to spend some of my time relaxing with a good movie or two or three. How about you? Are movies going to be part of your holiday plans? If so I recommend the following:
- Barry Lyndon (1975)
- directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Ryan O'Neal
- Set in 18th-century England, it’s a period movie done in Stanley Kubrick’s quirky style.
- Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi247005465/
- Amélie (2001)
- directed by Jean-Paul Jeunet and starring Audrey Tautou
- I love the colors and imagery in this movie. It's a visual treat as well as a touching story. It's in French with subtitles.
- Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2330460441/
- Being There (1979)
- directed by Hal Ashby and starring Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Warden and Melvyn Douglas
- This movie's script is brilliant. It's a "mistaken for greatness" story with fabulous wit and dry humor.
- Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi489947929/
- Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- directed by Chris Columbus and starring Robin Williams, Sally Field and Pierce Brosnan
- Who doesn't love a good tale of cross-dressing? This is one of my favorite Robin Williams comedies with plenty of slapstick and hilarious lines.
- Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2564882713/
So those are a few of my favorites. What do you suggest I add to my movie-watching list?
Monday, July 18th, 2011 by P. Allen Smith, 38 comments
I discovered my inner Anglophile shortly after college while studying garden design and history at the University of Manchester. England felt like a home away from home for me and I don't think there was a more ideal place in the world for me to hone my landscape design skills.
I recently returned to England on a tour of houses and gardens. While I started in Cheshire for a stay with my friends at Arley Hall, the majority of my visits were made in Norfolk and Suffolk. There was so much to take in and discover. I certainly came home with more than enough material to share with you on my blog. Over the next few months I'll post a series of installments about my trip. This first one gives the 30,000 foot view.
