ON VACATION: DAY 10

After such an adventurous day previous, we calmed it down a little by visiting the Harvard Museum of Natural History, specifically intent on seeing an exhibit of glass flowers. That's right--all the flowers were made of blown glass in the late 1800's/early 1900's and used by botany students to study plants which were either not native to the area, or not seasonally blooming.

It was exquisite, and incredibly hard to believe. The informational video was very interesting to me, and I quite enjoyed learning about the people and the processes which brought this all about.

It started with a problem: one man's problem was that the specimens preserved within alcohol in glass jars at his museum all eventually lost their shape and color. Another man's problem was that his botany students at Harvard couldn't observe and study plants which weren't available to them. Both men solved their problems through the skill and artistry of two glass artisans, father and son Blatschka. Both situations were resolved rather serendipitously, through a long chain of events I'll probably get wrong. It was so interesting to me, though, to think how one thing eventually led to another. For example, father Blatschka was on a ship that became stuck at sea with no wind to blow it hither or thither. To while away his time, he became fascinated by and studied the invertebrate creatures of the sea. When he eventually returned home to Germany he recreated his sights in glass.

These turned out so nicely that they were displayed, the museum curator saw them, and knew he had the answer to his problems.

Later, for fun, the Blatschka fellows began to make floral arrangements in glass, purely for their own pleasure. Meanwhile, Harvard professor George Goodale visited the museum which had the glass sea creatures displayed, and knew that he had the answer to his problems. Hence, the glass flowers were commissioned and paid for by some very rich ladies who already had enough shoes, Harvard botany students rejoiced and were better educated, and Merrit and I had something beautiful to see on a rainy afternoon in Boston.

After perusing all the exhibits in the museum we visited this beautiful house, located on what was historically known as "Torie Road."

During the Revolutionary War the loyal British subjects in this area were kicked out of their homes, typically returning to England for good. This particular house was used by General Washington as a command post, and later bought and lived in by Harvard professor and famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. We sat in the garden for quite some time, recognizing the truth of Longfellow's famous statement that "Into each life some rain must fall."

We escaped the falling rain by entering "Borders" restaurant and eating one of the most superb chicken dishes I have ever had the pleasure of putting into my mouth. And to again quote Longfellow, let me end by saying I judge this day well. I lived it brilliantly.

“We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.”