The Gift of Crystal Bridges

As I approached by automobile, the first thing I noticed when I arrived at the newly-opened Crystal Bridges Art Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, was the lifesize sculpture, resembling a tree, at the main entrance to the museum. It is made of stainless steel that has been welded into branchlike forms, and its appearance varies with the weather and time of day. (I can already visualize what it will look like later this winter with icicles hanging from it, that are being back lit by the sun, to give it the appearance of a crystal chandelier!)

The stainless steel tree sculpture, titled Yield is one of eleven sculptures on the grounds of the Crystal Bridges Museum complex. This photo illustrates that the sculpture's title is appropriate because this driveway is where one "yields" to handicapped persons who are being dropped off at the museum entrance.

From the upper level entrance used by those arriving by automobile, one can get a sense of the overall design of the building, spread out in the valley below. The museum's glass-and-wood design by architect Moshe Safdie and engineer Buro Happold features a series of pavilions nestled around two creek-fed ponds. The complex includes 217,000 square feet of galleries, several meeting and classroom spaces, a library, and a gathering space that can accommodate up to 300 people. In addition, there are outdoor areas for concerts and public events, as well as extensive nature trails.

Persons who have walked from the automobile parking lot, or have been let out at curbside, all travel down this elevated walkway to an enclosed elevator that takes them down to the museum's main lobby.

I snapped this photo while waiting for the elevator to take me down to the lobby. Considering the design on the stone floor of the lower level, one would think money came from the Target discount chain, rather than its true source---WalMart!!

Fayetteville, Arkansas architect Marlon Blackwell designed the Museum Store at Crystal Bridges to be an organic complement to the Museum's natural setting and distinctive architecture (Notice the plants growing on the roof of the store). I was familiar with the name Marlon Blackwell, because my son had gone on an overseas architecture tour with some other University of Arkansas students, that had been led by Marlon Blackwell.

Blackwell designed the interior ceiling and walls of the museum store to mimic the fluting on the underside of a mushroom. The mushroom design can be seen in this photo that shows the undulating cherrywood ribs of the ceiling and walls. The Museum Store carries beautiful gift items, books, and educational toys. Plus, if you are buying for someone else, gift cards are an option, so that the recipient can make their own selection from the numerous choices available.

The Museum's restaurant, Eleven, advertises that it offers "modern American comfort cuisine (including wine and cocktails) in a setting as vibrant and exciting as its menu." The restaurant is open for lunch between 11 AM and 2 PM, as well as being open for dinner on Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 PM to 9 PM. There is a coffee bar adjacent to the restaurant that remains open throughout the day.

This photo is a reminder that visitors can download an app for their own personal "electronic device" that will give them an audio tour of the various items they view in the art galleries. Audio tour devices can also be checked out at the Guest Services desk in the main lobby.

The day I visited the museum, I happened onto a free public lecture being given by Dr. Kevin Murphy, the museum's Curator of American Art. He is pictured here telling the background of a painting done by William Merritt Chase, during our country's Guilded Age. The management of the museum had thoughtfully placed numerous portable, foldable seats in front of the large painting for attendees to sit on during the lecture. The design of the seats was such that they would take up very little space when stored, but yet could be moved to anywhere in the museum that a temporary seating area needed to be set up.

The very BEST thing about the art lecture I attended on the day I visited, was running into my friend, Cynthia Coffman Morris (we share the same hometown of Harrison, Arkansas). She is pictured here with the painting by Mary Cassatt, that she states is her current favorite of all the museum's works. Since Cynthia's graduation from college in Missouri, she has done extensive independent study in the art field, taking art lessons from a variety of instructors, and touring art museums around the world, to broaden her knowledge of the visual arts. She is now putting all that knowledge to good use as a volunteer at the museum. I felt VERY FORTUNATE to be getting a one-on-one tour of Crystal Bridges by someone with such a great background in art, plus someone who knew their way around the maze of galleries!

Cynthia even showed me the "behind the scenes" area of Crystal Bridges where the volunteers have lockers, a kitchenette, tables, chairs, and cubicles. In this photo she is shown where the volunteers go to sign in for their "tour of duty".

As Cynthia was pointing out the unusual architecture of the Grand Hall (shown in this photo), I was reminded of another "architecture connection" (of sorts) that we had. The connection goes back to the time when Cynthia lived in a home in Harrison, designed by the world-famous, and award-winning architect, Fay Jones. The home was not the only thing designed by Fay Jones. He also designed a mail box to match the home. One cold and dark wintry night, my husband and I were leaving Cynthia's home in Harrison after a dinner party. We were in our very old, 4-wheel-drive, farm pickup, and we accidentally backed over, and on top of, that very expensive mail box!! The truck was high-centered on top of the mail box, with none of the wheels touching the ground! Hearing all the commotion, the other guests came outside. One of the guests, who was an attorney, gave my husband her business card, saying "He was going to need it, because he had just run over the most expensive mail box in all of Boone County!" Remembering this bit of history of our past friendship, made me ESPECIALLY thankful that Cynthia would take the time to show me around!

This colonnade of glass and metal leads to the Grand Hall. Through the full-length glass wall on the right, one can view the water feature, and the left side contains numerous meeting rooms available to the public for functions.

This art installation is a part of the special exhibit, called WONDER WORLD: Nature and Perception in Contemporary American Art. Cynthia said this part of the museum's collection seems to be of most interest to the younger visitors.

###Author's 2015 addendum to this photo:  When I was racking my brain, searching my mental "photo stock library" for an image that would help me memorize one of the verses for my First Place 4 Health Bible study ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ), this art installation from Crystal Bridges IMMEDIATELY came to mind!  The verse is from Isaiah 59:1 and says "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear."  Isn't it wonderful to know, that we have a direct conduit to God's ear---it's called prayer!!  ###

There are numerous seating areas throughout the galleries, where one could spend hours looking through the coffeetable art books laying around, or just enjoy gazing into the beautiful woodlands on the other side of the glass wall. Wifi is also available here and throughout the museum.

The first photos showed the area where one enters if coming by auto. This photo shows the paths one would come as a pedestrian (the museum is within walking distance from downtown Bentonville) or on the lovely bicycle trail available. They provide access to the lower level of the museum.

The brochure I picked up called "OUTSIDE" states "The grounds of the Museum are as much a part of the experience of Crystal Bridges as the art inside. Stewardship of our natural environment is a key element of Crystal Bridges' mission, and forms our overall philosophy---that art and nature are both vital to the human spirit, and should be accessible to all. More than three miles of trails invite you to explore and immerse yourself in the beauty of our native Ozark forest. Each trail offers different plant life, terrain, and ecosystems." As an added bonus, one can purchase a picnic lunch at the "Eleven" restaurant, and have an "Al fresco" dining experience!

The gray colors seen in the bark of the trees, the sidewalk, and building exterior, illustrate the developer's attempt to minimize human impact on the natural colors of the landscape.

Cynthia told me that one of the most frequently asked questions to the volunteers is "Where is Rosie?" By this, they mean, "Where is Norman Rockwell's WWII-era painting of Rosie the Riveter?" Well, here she is, in front of Ol' Glory! If you have read this far, you may be curious about what the admission fee is to go into the museum or view the outdoor sculptures along the trails. The answer is---it is free!!! Thanks to a $20 million gift from the WalMart Family Foundation, everyone has free admission for the foreseeable future!! What a wonderful gift---all we have to do is accept it!! Likewise, as we are in the midst of the holiday season, it is time to remember that God has also given us a wonderful gift---his Son, Jesus Christ----all we have to do is accept it! ..................................... If you would like to start planning your visit to this outstanding new attraction or you are interested in being a museum volunteer, visit http://www.crystalbridges.org/ Miles of smiles! Tricia

Lake Siskiyou Recreation Trail

Lake Siskiyou Recreation Trail is in northern California, near the town of Mt. Shasta, and winds its way around the body of water with the same name. According to Wikipedia, there is no certain origin of the unusual-sounding word (pronounced SISS-kew), but one version says that it is a Chinook Indian jargon for "bob-tailed horse"; another version says it is from the two French words "SixCailloux" meaning "six stones", because six large stones were used by early settlers to cross one of the rivers of that region.

Last year, the trail received a wonderful amenity, with the completion of the Wagon Creek Bridge, shown in this photo. The bridge came with a price tag of $2.8 million. According to news releases, the bridge was funded from several sources, including a $600,000 grant to the county, from the Redding-based McConnell Foundation. The majority of the funding came from $1 million of state alternate transportation funds, and $1.2 million of federal stimulus cash.

It is very appealing to go out over the water on this sturdily-built structure, and officials hope it will draw tourists from all over to enjoy it.

When crossing over the water, I was able to get photographs of folks enjoying another one of Lake Siskiyou's recreational benefits---fishing and boating. Lake Siskiyou is also known for its brilliant reflections of Mt. Shasta, especially on calm mornings. I did not get to witness that scene, which is a very good reason to return another time!

The bridge was designed to accommodate bicyclists, hikers, runners, and horseback riders. Motorized vehicles are not permitted on the bridge or on the trail. We saw several bicyclists enjoy the smooth, wooden surface of the bridge when we were there.

There are numerous places to sit along the trail, both in the form of large boulders, as well as wooden benches. This gives you an opportunity to rest, meditate, or pose for a photo, as we are doing in this snapshot.

We saw lots of people walking, running, and biking with their dogs along the trail. It seems the trail is just as popular with the "canine clan" as it is with the two-legged clan. The lake provides a place for dogs to practice their swimming/retrieving skills, or just enjoy cooling off, after working up a sweat. It is also a great place for humans to swim on hot summer days.

The water marks on the grasses shows that the reservoir is doing its job of helping provide flood control. With the coming of snow, followed by spring melting, the lake level needs to be low at this time of year, so that it can accommodate the winter/spring water basin drainage from the surrounding Cascade Mountain Range. The low water levels of fall enable the south shore segment of the trail to be combined with the north shore segment of the trail, to make a continuous loop around the lake.

Parts of the trail have alternate routes, depending on whether the user wants to be next to the water, or further up the hillside through meadows and forests. The trail can be used year-round---it can be used in the winter months with and without snowshoes or cross-country skis.

One gets such a feeling of serenity when passing through the pine-needle carpeted path that meanders through the tall evergreen trees adjacent to the lake.

My daughter-in-law, Stacy, is shown in this photo with her special dog, Sadie. I felt extremely fortunate and very thankful to have Stacy as my guide, showing me the "ins and outs" of the Lake Siskiyou Recreation Trail. With Stacy as my guide, I was able to see points of interest along the trail that I might otherwise have missed, and I didn't get confused as to which way to go, when I came to crossroads along the trail. Being a good guide, she had also told me in advance that there were toilets along the trail, so I did not have to be concerned about "elimination" issues! The word "guide" reminded me of the verse in the twenty-third Psalm that says "He guides me in paths of righteousness", so I am likewise thankful to God for His guidance through His Word, guiding me through the "ins and outs" of the "trail of life", and keeping me from getting confused as to which way to go, when I come to crossroads along life's trail. If you would like to learn more about outdoor activities in this part of the country, log on to www.MountShastaTrailAssociation.org and review the abundance of information provided on their website. Since I volunteer some with the trail patrol of the Arkansas Master Naturalists ( www.home.ArkansasMasterNaturalists.org ), I have an abundance of appreciation and gratitude to the Mount Shasta Trail Association for the volunteer work that they do to build trails, advocate for more access to trails/trail protection, and their work to conserve the natural beauty of the area. It's a great big beautiful world out there, so get out and enjoy it!! Miles of smiles! Tricia

Castle Crags Expedition

The first time I ever heard the phrase "castle crags" was several years ago when my son first moved to northern California. I received a text message from him that said "Stoked!! Just climbed castle crags!" His epistle only contained five words, and I had to look up three of them, in an attempt to figure out what he was talking about! By looking on Wikipedia, I learned that Castle Crags is a dramatic and well-known rock formation in Northern California. However, as an Arkansas native, not at all familiar with Northern California at the time, Castle Crags was hardly "well-known" to me! I also learned that "stoked" did not mean that he was literally "on fire"; rather, his level of excitement at his climbing accomplishment was "on fire"! I was somewhat awe-struck when I saw the photos of Castle Crags for the first time on the Internet, and continue to be awe-struck at their beauty the times I have seen them in person since then.

When I was there last week, wispy clouds were periodically encircling the summits, making them truly appear like a castle in the sky! Elevations range from 2000 feet along the Sacramento River near the base of the crags, to over 6500 feet at the summit of the tallest crag.

Exploitation of the land by lumber and mining operations encouraged concerned citizens in 1933 to acquire much of the land, which would eventually become Castle Crags State Park ( http://www.parks.ca.gov/ ). Located just west of Interstate 5, between the towns of Castella and Dunsmuir, Castle Crags is today a popular tourist stop along the highway.

Castle Creek Road will get you to the entrance of the park, where there is a Visitor Center, campsites, and hiking trails. However, due to budget cuts within the state, weather conditions, and seasonal closures, be sure to call ahead (1-800-444-7275) if you are hoping to reserve a campsite within the park.

When I visited on November 25, most of the deciduous trees had lost their leaves, but I did find this one beautiful maple tree that still was clinging to its colorful autumn "wardrobe".

Castle Creek runs beside the main entrance to the park, plus physically fit visitors can take the River Trail to a pedestrian underpass of Interstate 5, and access a Day-use picnic area along the Sacramento River.

When the state park gates are open, visitors can drive their vehicles up to Vista Point to get a closer view of the giant spires of granite that remind one of sky-scrapers. There are placards at Vista Point that help explain the history of these unusual formations, as well as their common names.

My son continues to be "stoked" about his trips to Castle Crags, and his wife (they are pictured here), has accompanied him on some of these climbing adventures. If you would like to visit Castle Crags, but you are not into rock climbing---consider this: Go there to cut down your Christmas tree!! I read that many families in Northern California have the tradition of purchasing the $10 permit from the U.S. Forest Service that entitles them to trek into the woods and pick out their very own fir tree to put up in their home! Since much of the Castle Crags area is part of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, you can pick up your permit at any of the ranger stations in that area, or go on-line to www.fs.usda.gov for more information.

My son is currently working on a project of writing a guide book about rock climbing in this area. This fact made a Bible passage I read from The Message really come alive when I read it today. It is from Psalm 145 and says "I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! ... Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts. ...Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of your greatness." I am not writing a book, BUT, I am writing a post for this blog, urging you to get out there and enjoy God's marvelous creation! Get "stoked" about seeing the glorious splendor of God's great outdoors! Miles of smiles! Tricia

Frostweed sculpts 11/11/11

These are the "flowers" delivered to my part of the Ozarks this morning, to honor our military veterans!! Even the description on one of the websites I used to research the plant ( www.biosurvey.ou.edu ) brought the sight of elderly veterans to mind: It said, "Although the plant has gone to seed and looks dead, at the first hard freeze of the season, it bursts forth to produce something remarkable!" Likewise, you can be sure that our former military personnel still have what it takes to produce something remarkable!

In Frostweed, this "botanical phenomena" is brought about, because when that first hard freeze happens, the sap in the plant freezes, splits open the stem, and forms these "frost-flowers".

The real "scientific name" for this plant is Verbesina virginica, but not surprisingly, it has lots of nicknames. Besides Frostweed, it is sometimes called Iceplant, Iceweed, Indian tobacco, Squawweed, Crownbeard, and (I love this one!) Rabbit Butter! The plant is most often seen at the edges of woodlands, where it can form sizable colonies with its spreading rhizomes.

Under the right temperature and atmospheric conditions, the stems exude water that freezes into fascinating shapes. The ice crystals formed on the stems have been given many names---ice ribbons, ice flowers, ice fringes, ice filaments, frost beards, and frost ribbons---to name just a few. When I was doing my Bible study this morning, I read a verse that seemed to describe this remarkable process perfectly: "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalm 104:24 (The Message)

The website www.wildflower.org says the plant is best suited as a transitional plant between manicured and wild areas. That is exactly where I routinely see it grow---where my front yard stops, and the woodland begins, as shown in this photo. That website also shows what the plant looks like in the summertime, when it is blooming with the more traditional definition of a "flower".

I titled this post "Frostweed sculpts 11/11/11" because when I first looked out the window to see it this morning, the radio was announcing that today is 11/11/11, and is the day set aside to honor our veterans. My mind's eye saw "elevens" in those vertical strips of white! I am glad I did not wait until 11:11 am to photograph them, however, because by that time they had all melted! No matter WHERE we look today, we can see the beauty of God's creation, and give thanks to the veterans who have served our country so that we can preserve that beauty! Miles of 11/11/11 smiles! Tricia

"ALUM" EXPEDITION

Arkansas has three natural bridges, and this is a photo I took yesterday of the one located in the Ozark National Forest day use area in southern Newton County, Arkansas, near the town of Deer. It is known as the Alum Cove Natural Area. This photo shows the top of the span, which averages about twenty feet wide.

Attractive protective railings have been built on each side of the span, because of the long drop-off to the forest floor beneath the natural bridge.

This photo was taken from underneath the bridge, looking up towards the sky. The bridge is about 130 feet long. Early loggers in Newton County reportedly used the span with their wagons and teams of mules, to carry their cargo out of the narrow valley, where the bridge is located.

The area is no longer used for logging, so hikers can walk the short quarter mile of trail down to walk across the bridge, as well as, look underneath the bridge. The walk is rated as moderate, because the hill is steep; however, there are several places where benches have been placed to stop and rest. These two hikers said they have been coming to Alum Cove for years, and enjoy seeing the way it looks different during each of the four seasons we enjoy in the Ozarks.

The purpose of my visit yesterday was to be part of the Trail Patrol crew from the North Central chapter of the Arkansas Master Naturalists ( http://www.home.arkansasmasternaturalists.org/ ), who were working as volunteers to do some repair work along the trail. These guys are working at replacing a foot bridge that had been washed out by spring floods in the valley. As I thought about the bridge work that they were doing, it occurred to me that they were making a "man-made" bridge. Earlier along the trail, I had crossed the "natural" bridge. Likewise, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is a "supernatural" bridge to connect the human race to our Heavenly Father: "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' " (John 14:6 NIV)Just as I am thankful to get to use the natural bridge at Alum Cove, and the man-made bridge over the creek, I am MOST thankful for the SUPERnatural bridge that Jesus provided when he died on the cross to take the penalty for my sins!

In this photo, one of our members is using a weed-eater to keep tall weeds from obstructing the steps. Continuing the "life trail" analogy between the work that the trail patrol does, to the work I am supposed to do , my job is to keep the "life trail" clear of obstacles so that others can continue on the trail that leads to the decision to become a Christ-follower!

These trail patrol workers are making the steep trail easier to navigate to breaking it up into manageable steps. Likewise, we are called as Christians to recognize the step-wise process that each believer must go through to grow in their faith. The trail to spiritual maturity is a step by step process.

These ladies were part of the "Poison Ivy Patrol". Their mission was to identify the obnoxious plant, and stop its growth. A key to stopping the growth of poison ivy is being able to recognize it in its many forms. Likewise, the best way to keep poisonous "plants" from overtaking our trail in life, is to study God's word, so that we will be able to identify the poisonous "plants" from the non-poisonous "plants".

Regardless of whether you are talking about the Arkansas Master Naturalists trail patrol, or the "trail patrol" we as Christians should be a part of, you need to be well-nourished! The husband-wife team shown in this photo, cooked up some delicious vegetable-beef stew and fruit cobblers in a Dutch ovens during the morning part of the work day, in anticipation of some hungry workers taking a lunch break between their morning and afternoon work sessions.

Our human bodies have to be well-nourished to keep their strength up, and everyone who participated yesterday can attest to the fact that we were very well fed----and well-fed in a very comfortable, congenial atmosphere! The nice pavilion has a concrete floor, metal picnic tables, food preparation counters, water, electricity, and grills. Groups can reserve it in advance through the forest service headquarters ( www.fs.fed.us/oonf/ozark ).

In addition, picnic tables (equipped with fire grates) are located at the trail head and are surrounded by beautiful hardwood trees. The timber is a mixture of oaks, gum, and beech trees. The colors were absolutely gorgeous on the beautiful fall day that our group visited. A wheel-chair accessible restroom is adjacent to the picnic area.

There are other natural features, in addition to the bridge, along the 1.1 mile trail. A rugged bluff line on the back side of the trail has caves and overhangs that youngsters especially enjoy exploring. The young folks in this photo represent the reason our Master Naturalist group volunteers for this trail work activity: We all want to preserve our state's natural wonders for future generations to enjoy!

I called this post "Alum Expedition" because the early part of my day started out with a delicious meal, because I was an "alum" of the University of Arkansas; my college ( http://www.hesc.uark.edu/ ) was having a special Homecoming Breakfast for us in Fayetteville. Then I left Fayetteville, in Washington County, and followed Highway 16 (shown in this photo) to the second part of my expedition---"alum" cove trail clean up! Although the Newton County location probably got its name from the mineral known as "alum" that it contained, it still seemed quite a coincidence that both "alum" activities fell on the same day!! Now, I am urging YOU to become an "alum" of "Alum Cove", by visiting it at your earliest convenience!! Miles of smiles! Tricia