Fallingwater and Giveaway Results!

I've wanted to learn more about American architect Frank Lloyd Wright's designs for a while, but especially since reading Loving Frank, a novel about his flamboyant personal life and love affair(s) that our book club all enjoyed. My good college friend Jean from Pittsburgh had talked about Fallingwater, one of Wright's most famous houses and I'd read about it as well. We were on our way to meet the family for a long weekend ski vacation when I spotted the sign and suggested that we take a side trip. I was so glad that we did!

We were fortunate to be able to get in on a tour, and waited our turn in the welcome area which was an extension of Wright's visions of organic design with clean lines and openness to nature. The gift shop was tasteful as well, and I acquired two pieces of birch bark there for future craft projects yet unknown. The lush surroundings, well-preserved by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, were beautiful in the snow.

It was a short walk through the woods back to the house which is built literally on top of a waterfall which was magnificent in it's partially-frozen state. The hillside was covered with ice formations as well.

Photography is not allowed inside, but I did buy a great little book to help me remember the wonderful feel of Fallingwater, and the artistic vision that Wright constructed in this beautiful spot. You can take a really nice virtual tour here, and included is the Wright-designed furniture as well as the phenomenal collection of paintings and sculpture in the home, which has been a museum since the 60's when it was donated to the public by the original owners, the Kauffman family.

Several scenes will be forever etched in my mind from 2010, and many are shared here with you on this site. The highlights include horseback expeditions with friends, our family's RV voyage to Utah, and this view of Fallingwater.

To thank you all for sharing it with me, I posted a giveaway in this post and now it's time to announce the winner of a pair of alpaca socks and 2 skeins of alpaca yarn. The winners are Andy and Deb from Ontario, Canada, who said, "I would have to say....SIMPLIFY. It covers so much of life....simplify my schedule to enjoy more time with my family, simplify my lifestyle so there is less stress.....etc. Here's to 2011...may it be all you want it to be! The giveaway sounds amazing!"

Please send me an email at alpacalindy@gmail.com with your address, Andy and Deb, and I'll get the prize right out to you! I hope that all of your wishes, words and resolutions come true for 2011!

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Alone... but not lonely!

Saturday night I found myself alone in the house for the entire night for the first time in... years? I nearly called a friend to go out, but ended up putting some halibut on the grill, opening a nice bottle of wine, and getting out my art supplies and fiber stuff.

I was fortunate enough to have a few unwatched Netflix movies. There has been an ongoing theme of feminism in my thoughts, readings (Loving Frank), movies (Mona Lisa Smile), and media (Sarah Palin) lately... what's with this? (Have you ever had a concept appear and reappear in multiple aspects of your life?) Okay, it doesn't mean that I don't still support the GOP ticket, but I struggle with the idea of a mother of five with several young ones in the White House; does this mean I'm not supportive of feminism or that I'm ultra right-wing? It's not that I don't think a man (ie. Todd Palin) can handle the kids with lots of paid help and extended family, or does it? I know few men who can multi-task as well as we women, and hugs and kisses from mom are somehow different from Dad's.... I truly believe that women should be able to choose their careers, ANY careers, but I do have to wonder how much of a price their children may pay for those choices. Okay, enough philosophizing for now...

The other movie I watched was A River Runs Through It. Friends and I were talking about this movie last week while riding, and all that I had remembered about it was that Brad Pitt looked amazing and the Montana scenery was gorgeous (Brad looked better to me 16 years ago, but then again I'm sure I'd have looked better to him then, too). The movie is so much more than I remembered, and it will be added to my favorites list. It's theme is simply Beauty... and that people make their own choices in life and it's not always possible to help them when they make the wrong ones, except by loving them.

I was delighted to have everyone return home on Sunday! I did get a lot done, and next time I'll show you my projects and tell you about the opening of Truly Bluegrass, the new shop in Versailles that is carrying some of my yarn, fiber, and finished products.

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