2011-06 General Update

(We visited Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens several times during our stay in Columbia)

This is our first series of updates in almost a year.   We have begun our 2011 summer and fall travels and will try to be more diligent in making posts about our travels and activities.

Our last series of postings were in August 2010 while we were in Mackinaw City, Michigan.  As I believe you all know, we interrupted our travels to return to SC for a series of medical exams for Monique that ultimately lead to a diagnosis of a type of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma called SLL/CLL.  This is a slow growing form of cancer that at present requires no treatment.    We also went to Duke University for a second opinion which confirmed the diagnosis (see November post.)  Monique is on what is generally called “Watch and Wait”.  So we are periodically returning to SC somewhere between 4 to 6 months for tests and visits with the Oncologist.  We are thankful that no treatment has been required so far, and we appreciate all your prayers and good wishes.

Except for a short break to travel up to Duke University Medical Center, we stayed in Columbia from August until mid-December.  We enjoyed meeting some new friends and  spending time with them and our other friends we see at the Barnyard RV Park when in Lexington.  Then we headed to Florida for the winter which is discussed as you work backward in some of the following posts.

Note:  This Blog works backward from the most current posting.  As you reach the bottom of the page, there will be an arrow or link pointing to the next set of postings.

2011-07 Herbert F Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University

We visited the Herbert F Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.   The building was designeed by I.M.Pei.  He is a very famous contemporary arctitect who was born in China, but was educated and has lived in the US.  This building opened in 1973.  It is a very modern concrete structure.  On its own it is very unique and interesting, but is radically different that the surrounding buildings at Cornell.  This is an "Ivy League" school and has a beautiful campus with many classical buildings.  Here are a few examples;

These views show how the campus flows over and down the surrounding hillsides.

The campus overlooks Ithaca and Cayuga Lake.

This is a very fine museum with a variety of art works.  While there are many lovely paintings, I was primarily interested in all the ancient art objects from China, Egypt, Greece, Iran, etc. and their Pre-Columbian objects.  Here are just a few of the things that caught my attention:

China
2000-2200 BC
earthenware

China, Ming Dynasty
Porcelain
top 1506-1522
bottom early 17th century

Iran
Spouted vessel in the form of a stag
burnished earthenware
1000-550 BC

Pre-Columbian Art
Moche, Peru
Kneeling Warrior Effigy Vessel
400 BC - AD 100

Egyptian
380 - 342 BC
(about 12" tall)

Coin,
Gold aureus
portrait of Licinius
Emperor 308 - 322 AD

Southern Italy
Red-figure pelike
Orestes and Electra at the tomb of their father Agamemnon
410 - 380 BC

French
Two leaves from a Book of Hours
1460 - 1470 AD

Nepalese
Garunda Mask, 20th Century

Note that if you are interested in seeing more photos from this museum click on this link.  That will take you my library of photos kept in the online Picassa Web Albums.