Friday, October 2, 2015
All the rain we've been having has brought in much cooler weather. Today the prediction was for a high of 52 and I'm sure it wasn't much better than that but it didn't change the fun we had!!!! In the late morning we drove to Portersville to pick up Noelle at her school (she is trying a real school this year rather than homeschooling) and then headed to Mill Run two hours away to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright designed home Falling Water. It was wonderful just having all seven of us together for the day!!!
Our drive took us into the Laurel Highlands in elevations over 1000 feet where color was definitely coming into its own. Unfortunately it was raining so getting pictures through the car windows was impossible but it sure gave us pleasure just viewing it.
The beautiful architecture of this home (while not done by Wright) begins in the parking lot. We'd seen this same idea in Columbus, Indiana at a church. The plantings separate each row of the parking area almost hiding the cars from view once you move away from the lot.
The Visitor Center was quite interesting with a canopied center area where we checked in and then "arms" out from it leading to a cafe, gift shop, restrooms and display area. Each was somewhat hidden too because of the way this was created.
When our tour group was called we met at a board walk off of this area where we each picked up a green umbrella supplied by the center to take a half mile walk along old driveway to the house. It took us though a heavily treed area and an open green with some flowers but on the whole most of it was kept natural.
We were met at the front corner of the house by a guide who then took us on an hour trip through the house beginning with time spent just viewing it from the front corner where you could see some of the Bear Run Creek that the house is built around. A waterfall is at the back near one of the patios so you can hear the falling water no matter where you are.
Stairs from the first floor off of the living room lead down to the water with a wide platform where the owners could sit and put their feet in the water - very cold mountain stream water. But something they really enjoyed. Outside patios on each of the three floors provided lots of spots for them to enjoy the out of doors and delightful views of the trees and bushes that surrounded them as well as a view straight down to the falling water. This is what that stairway to the water looks like from the living room.
The stairway is behind the beige cushioned chair to the left of this photo.
To get to the living room you need to pass through the entry way with a little fountain
Photography is not allowed in the house so it is impossible to show some of the views of the water fall itself but I did find a few pictures on the net to use to illustrate some of what we saw. Much of the furniture is built into the walls - mostly long benches with cushions - and lots of shelving with no visible braces for hanging them. This fireplace in the living area has a huge pot to its left that is part decoration and part useful as it swings to the fireplace to heat the water and then has a spigot for serving it when it swings back out and becomes decorative again. The stone base of the fireplace is part of the huge boulder/stone block that the house is anchored to with part of it outside and part of it inside.
And this is the dining area(in the center of this photo) part of that same room with a table that can have extra leaves added to it to expand it out to seat a crowd.
This room plus several others have huge outdoor suspended patios making the outdoors a major part of the living area of the house. Both of these patios provide views of the falls which are right below so you only need to stand at the edge and look straight down.
The bedrooms were quite small with low ceilings but lots of window providing wonderful views of the trees. This one is in the guest house which is above the house itself so larger with a view of the swimming pool out on the patio.
This is the pool filled with more of the same mountain water and built so that it simply flows in from the stream and flows back out down into the stream headed down to run by the house below. That means the water is around 55 degrees but was loved by the residents.
The garage is at the end of this drive we had walked on from the Visitor Center and passes the house here on its way up the hill to the top floor.
This is the outside of the garage with the residence for the help above it
The walk up to the garage from the house is canopied that "flows" appearing to cascade down.
It is hard, in fact impossible, to photograph the full house because it is surrounded by woods which hide various angles no matter where you stand to look at it. It truly is "hidden" and made part of its surroundings.
But we were able to take a walk down hill where we could get a view of the waterfalls and the house
And here is the whole family in front of this spot with all of Dan's family wearing their Ledford Academy sweatshirts that we gave them last Christmas. We thought that was an appropriate thing for them to wear when on a "field trip" that would become part of their schooling.
We then took the hour plus drive northwest to Pittsburgh where we enjoyed a meal at our favorite restaurant bd Mongolian Grill before heading north for home.
What a delightful day for all of us!!!
NOTE: Our son in law Dean Thayer wrote the following after seeing our picture that was posted on Facebook about our visit to Falling Water. Just an interesting side note:
o.... for extra credit google Alden B Down and the Dow Gardens both in Midland Michigan. Alden B Dow was the son of Herbert Henry Dow (The founder of The Dow Chemical Company). Alden B Dow was an architect
who studied under Frank Loyde Wright and was famous, at least within Michigan, because of his style. Due to Frank Loyd Wrights influence on Alden B Dow, many of the homes he designed took on the style of a Writght home. There are dozens of Alden B Dow homes in MIdland, in which many are just short walk from my parents home (a museum on its own for other other reasons!). These homes are beautiful, and most of his homes are summarized in a book available on-line or at the Center For the Arts in Midland, which also was designed by A. B. Dow. He also designed many UofM buildings, but I can't remember which ones. His personal residence the Alden B Dow home is similar to Falling Waters as it is built on stream/pond, and part of the home is below pond level with views of the pond under water. Attached is a photo. The home is open for tours occasionally. Sadly I have never been in it as it still was the personal home of A B Dow when I was younger. He died in 1983. On many occasions in my adult life when I tell someone that I am from Midland, I get a response of sympathy because I grew up in a chemical town, full of pollution. This is further from the truth. Although HH Dow founded the Down Chemical Company, his true love was horticulture. The Down Gardens are his personal gardens full of unique floura much of what he planted himself. It is a beautifal place and has been open to the public for decades. When I was a young child I was mystified by the gardens when my mom took me there. So, for an A+, we are all going to vistit both places someday! Dean
Also, when in Midland, notice that every home has a wooded park behind it. HH Dow believed that everyone should have a green space behind where they lived and and therefore, much of the city is built this way. I have fond memories as child building forts, ice skating, climbing trees, and more recently, hitting baseballs with my boys in the park behind our/my parents home......
I have to end this with a sign we found on Facebook today - it came from the doctor's office reception area of a friend. We did what it said today -- a fair amount of walking :-)
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