Last vacation

I like it when vacations linger in my memory...so here's a bit more.  On our way home, we stopped in Oshkosh, Wisconsin at the Paine Art Center and Gardens.  We went there to see a Chihuly exhibit, but ended up with so much more!

No photos were allowed in the house.  A shame because the Chihuly glass was really interesting, but also because up stairs, on a bed, there was a gorgeous, very fine Victorian era Battenburg lace bedspread.  It was beautifully done and in perfect shape. On it was a lovely satin trapunto pillow and coverlet. The coverlet had faded areas from being folded too long or sun, but both were otherwise in good condition.  There were some other nice textiles in the rooms, but those two were the winners.

Outdoors, in the gardens, however, we could snap away to our hearts' content.  There were weddings going on in the gardens, but we managed to keep clear of the crowds and still have a nice stroll. 

This is the house from the back.  It was rather sad, a huge house that was never home. A lumber baron and his heiress wife began it with high hopes, then were stopped by the depression.  In the end, they spent their lives creating the house and gardens, bit by bit, but never lived there.  Once they realized this, they made plans to turn it over to the city as an art museum. The house was partially furnished, with amazing wood paneling, a carved staircase, linenfold paneling (which I'd always heard of but never seen up close). 

 I don't know what this plant is, but it's kinda cool.  These look like seed pods.

 Can you see the dragon fly on the stem of the bud?  I didn't until after I took the photo--serendipity!

This is an amazing idea--a garden kaleidoscope.  Each eyepiece (there are three) looks onto a different part of the plant and provides a kaleidoscopic image.  As the plant moves in the breeze, so does the image.  It was really fun. 

We've been back over a week now and are still talking about the things we did and saw.  

This week I'm combining work with Japanese Embroidery--my teacher is in town for studio.