Inspiration

Well, by the time you read this I will be on my way back home for Fall Break. There appears to be no storm hitting Orkney; hopefully the planes run on time and tomorrow afternoon I'll be back with Charlie and the dogs on Rousay.

Seven weeks have flown by, just like that; we're half way through the semester, things are hotting up in the architecture school as pin-up after pin-up, deadline after deadline roll up like autumnal storms for the students... the heat and humidity of the Indiana late summer feels like it's passed, and soon we'll be in the depths for winter. For now, I'm home.  Charlie and I have a busy week... a little party for friends for the launch of 'A Year at the Parsonage' (you can buy your copy through the shop complete with a signed bookplate from us!) - and the night before I'm giving a talk at the Garden Museum in case you would like to come along and listen - you can find tickets here, and we'll be both be signing copies of the book as well.  Then, as you can imagine, a fair amount of work to catch up, sites to visit, and spending as much time with the studio as possible. It's actually amazing how well it's gone given the huge distance between us. Teams calls really do work for me right now.

Back, then, to the last seven weeks. You'll perhaps understand why I haven't posted a blog until now. The mornings start early, and the evenings are quite often fairly late, catching up on work, or spending as much time as possible in the studio. And then travel, and exploring more locally!  It's all been something of a roller-coaster.  So buckle up, enjoy the ride, a bit of mid-western Americana!

C L O S E   T O   H O M E

First stop, just a regular first weekend at the South Bend Farmers Market, with a classic car meet on the parking lot next door. It couldn't have been more perfect.

Obviously, the characters are almost better than their cars.

I'm living in a brand new apartment with not a stick of anything old in it and I was feeling extremely discombobulated. On my very first afternoon in South Bend, having unpacked, I found my way to the excellent new local junk/antique store and really started getting my roots down.  How on early I'm going to get rid of or bring things home is a question I'll face later.  And that second weekend, after the farmers market, we went off Antiquing with my fellow professor and old friend Marianne, and her friends Tyler and Andrew.

We hit the strip malls, with their vast warehouses filled with antique STUFF.

The American dream!

But they were cool.  Next stop, Niles, and after that Buchanan.

Buchanan was my kind of place. I could have bought a lot in this shop.... but didn't. I'll wait until I get home for my Staffordshire fix.  But I did find old chairs which were urgently needed.

There's been a couple of people out from the studio, helping in class; on a beautiful summer's evening, Marianne and Tyler, and I, took Rob out for his last night...

Before Rob and I headed to Chicago.

 V I R G I N I A

The next morning I had a very early flight down to Charlottesville, to give a talk to the brilliant new classical architecture society at UVA - not, unfortunately, a University known for teaching anything to do with traditional architecture - which I find so bizarre given their home on the most beautiful classical campus in America.  The talk was fun and nice to meet a lot of new friends as well as see some old ones!  Then Charlie arrived!  Our plans had all worked.  We had a quick whizz around The Lawn...

Before heading out to the country with our friends Austin and Spenny. Bliss to be in Virginia...

And staying in their little guest cottage.

A visit to Greenwood (now for sale), next door to them...

And to Tudor Grove, home of Rod Coles, and Abby Kasonik, artists, and of Abby's wonderful mother Camille!

Camille's little house is next level.

So is Abby's studio.  Incredible.

Then we were off to Monticello.

Charlie and I had dreamed of seeing Jefferson's vegetable garden in early fall for a long time. It was a BIT off.  Not quite sure what's up. But still, of course, beautiful as always.

Then to Highland, President James Monroe's beautiful house...

Where the garden was perfect.

Looked after by lovely volunteers like this lady.

Charlie and I were happy again.

Supper that night at Spenny and Austin's, with friends, and the next day over to Kinsey Marable's for Sunday lunch. Slunch.  Here's Charlie with Kinsey's new puppy.

A great lunch.

Turned into a mad afternoon and a crazy evening....

And then we were finally home.  Charlie and I were up to NYC the next morning and the day after I had a very early flight back to Chicago. Another busy week.

C H I C A G O

Kim Wilkie was coming out to talk landscape to the students, and he and I had a brilliant afternoon/night/day in Chicago, exploring - a city I'm getting to know a bit better now, Kim's first visit.  We didn't have too long, but enough to go for a fantastic walk that afternoon...,

Sushi for dinner and an early night, the next morning we were off to the Frank Lloyd Wright House and Studio. A brilliant visit. I recommend, if you haven't been.  Very loyal readers may remember a while back I went to the Robie House. This building is softer, and friendlier.

The dining room.

Beautiful lights in the bedroom...

The children's playroom...

The mad grand piano, built in to a wall over the staircase down to the kitchen below...?

Insanity. FLW began to see a bit more crazy / fun than I'd imagined him.

The studio was strange on the outside but beautiful on the inside...

We were lost in another world....

Then to the Art Institute for the quickest hurtle, just to show Kim.  What a beautiful place it is.

Just some small highlights.

I think it's the first time I've read the label.  A farmer and his DAUGHTER!!!

Then to the Harold Washington Library designed by Thomas Beeby in 1988. I'd always wanted to see it and hadn't made it before.  So bold and so good.

Late lunch at RL.  Then back to ND for a few long days of teaching with Kim.  All good!

I N D I A N A   -   M I C H I G A N

The next weekend was my first game of the season, with Marianne. ND v. Michigan State. Here's CJ Carr, the star quarterback.

The band were in their raincoats. A storm was forecast. And it did arrive!

A great game, despite the rain.  Notre Dame did very well. It's been a good season so far...  Not that I know anything about the rules of American football and doubt I ever will.

A couple of weeks later I had an empty weekend and everyone was busy with other things. I rented a car and headed out and about.  First day, Shipshewana, Indiana - one of the largest Amish towns around.  Fascinating and wonderful.

Nice little antique shops too. I found a very good quilt made in South Bend in 1890 in this shop.  A nice memento, easier to pack than some of the things I've ended up with.

And this fantastic place next door.

Middlebury next door - small town mid west.

Back to Notre Dame and a walk around campus that evening to stretch my legs after a day in the car.

The next morning I was up early, to Saugatuck. Breakfast at the fantastic Pennyroyal Cafe.

A nice wander, and explore.  It was good to get out and about.

C H A R L E S T O N   &   H U D S O N

Then, an early flight the next week to Atlanta...

And Charleston - seeing some friends... and loving this most beautiful city as always...

Dolphins that evening by the harbour - incredible... It was hard to catch them leaping - you'll have to just imagine.

And the next day up to New York. Charlie was back over. Travel plans worked like clockwork. We met at Penn Station and took the train up to Hudson to stay with Valentina and Vito for the weekend...  Starting with supper at beautiful Stissing House.

The next day, Val, Charlie and I went to the Hancock Shaker Village. Incredible, and beautiful, although it was interesting to learn rather more about the Shakers... not just the aesthetics.   That could be a whole blog in itself.

Laundry block...

The main living house... with its amazing ground floor kitchen....

First floor dining room,

Meeting hall,

And upper floor bedrooms.

Box making workshop,

Chair making workshop;

Brushes,

And baskets.

The huge circular barn...

An amazing place.

Back to Val and Vito's farm.

And then the next evening back to NYC.

And... back to Chicago the next day.

D E T R O I T

Last weekend, Marianne and I headed to Detroit for a night.  On the way, we went to Cranbrook, the amazing college designed by Finnish American architect Eliel Saarinen, father of Eero Saarinen who is maybe rather better known in England.  What a beautiful place.  Truly, very inspirational.

The Library and Museum...

And then to the schools...

We were lucky to sneak into the astonishing dining hall, where they were clearing up after lunch.

Next stop, John K. King books, which happened to have a book by Saarinen which I'd spied online. Marianne had always wanted to visit. The perfect excuse!

Such a fantastic place, with over 1,000,000 books in stock.

The rare book room was amazing.

In the middle of it, we met Mr King, a living Detroit Legend.

So that was good; and then we tried to get in to Michigan Central, now amazingly restored, but sadly it was closed at the end of the day for an event.  Still good to see.

Supper at Le Supreme...

And then an early night.

Back to Notre Dame for the next game!  Stanford Cardinals.

Tailgate crazyness.

Irish Go Green this time.

Everyone went green.

The students have a crazy habit whether it's rain shine or snow to take off their shirts for the fourth quarter. It's all a bit mad.

Another victory.

On the Sunday, a lot of grading before mid-term... and a long walk.  I took a photo while I was chatting to Bridie to show her the trees at the heart of campus.

Phew.  Time flies when you are having fun.  But it's going to be magical to be home. There's no place like it after so long away.

Postscript: there is a very special exhibition in the shop which opened last night; our friend Erica at Parvum Opus, and beautiful treasures found by Rebecca and by Bridie.  Be sure to visit!