Art Deco in Tulsa

Accompanying Steve to Oklahoma two weeks ago gave me a day to wander around downtown Tulsa.  Funny that I had never seen much of that part of Tulsa before even though I spent many weeks in Tulsa at Amoco's training center back in the days when I was an exploration geophysicist.  I never thought much about Tulsa's history and I certainly didn't appreciate its significant Art Deco heritage.  In the 1920s money flowed along with oil in Tulsa and was poured into construction of extravagant buildings of the latest fashion.

Strolling down Boston Avenue, which retains many of its original buildings, is like stepping back in time.  When I visited in early morning the Atlas Life Building's wonderful neon sign stood out dramatically in the deep shade.  Standing by itself a few blocks south, the upper portion of the Boston Avenue Methodist Church's tower glowed in the sun.

Looking south along Boston Avenue

The lobbies are as interesting as the exteriors and, on the hundred degree day on which I visited, their air conditioning made them even more appealing.

In the Atlas Life Building lobby

The glass on this ceiling light is etched with a pattern that could easily be adapted for quilting.  Perhaps for my "Mysterious Antarctica" piece.

Ceiling light, Pythian Building

Ceiling detail, Philcade Building

Even though it was hot, I still went for a morning coffee.  The barista at Topeca Coffee made different designs in each latte. Delicious!

I didn't have a car, but if I did, this is where I would have wanted to park it.  So much more refined than a garage!

As the style of it's sign suggests, Decopolis's  merchandise, including pieces by local artists, harks back to earlier days.  I still like to write the old fashioned way - with paper and pencil - so I bought several of their notebooks.

The Boston Avenue Methodist Church must be the crown jewel of Tulsa's Art Deco buildings.  Its position several blocks southeast of central downtown makes it a prominent landmark.  Completed in 1929, it has been lovingly maintained for close to a century now.  Motifs representing aspects of spirituality are repeated throughout the building and its furnishings, from walls and windows to chairs, lamps, and even such prosaic elements as radiator covers.  The result is a wonderfully unified whole. One heavily used motif, a set of downward flowing lines representing the outpouring of God's love, appears in the exterior terra cotta and is repeated throughout, including on chair backs and stained glass windows.

Tower of the Boston Avenue Methodist Church

The lines cross in exactly the same way as cables in knitting.  Coincidentally my handwork project for this trip was a nearly completed sweater with cabled ribbing at the hem and cuffs and a cable along each side.  As you can see, it is now finished.

I found the most remarkable feature of the church to be the unrestrained use of lush rosy pinks in the interior decoration.

North Mosaic (added in 1993) depicting the burning bush, Torah scroll and the prophet's staff 

Wall opposite the screen (Yes, the photo is in focus)

Interior screen

As I was preparing to photograph the exterior of the church this old Air Force plane flew overhead and I really did have to wonder whether it was still 2013.

The facade of this Boston Avenue building includes a relief of a very similar aircraft.

Note the aircraft just to the right of the oil derek in the center

The treasures downtown and our lovely accommodations contributed to an unexpectedly pleasant trip. If you ever visit Tulsa, I can recommend the Ambassador Hotel, located just outside of downtown. Though built in the1920s it has been updated to modern standards.  I found the staff gracious and our room comfortable and quiet.

Summer Vacation, Continued

Ah!  Central Florida.  Yes, it's hot and humid.  And no, there isn't much to do where my parents live.  But that is its charm.  It forces you to slow down and relax.  Lots of sleeping, reading, card-playing with my mom and the girls, movie nights with my dad, and swimming.  I also spent a little time each day hand piecing scraps for the vintage quilt top.  Now that I am home and can use my sewing machine, the rest is moving along quickly.  Here is the latest completed section, looking a little drab in this light. One more to go before I can put it all together.

We did make a few excursions while in Florida.  Eva enjoyed a trail ride around the lush grounds of Grand Oaks, home of the Florida Carriage Museum.

Afterwards we toured on foot.  I particularly liked the the black and white Gypsy Vanners and the funny-faced Poitou donkey.

Gypsy Vanner

Poitou Donkey

We also went to Homosassa State Wildlife Park where Eva and I got to practice our wildlife photography.  I found the constantly changing light -- sun, clouds, deep shade -- quite a challenge.  And the main attraction, the manatees, were completely uncooperative.  Nonetheless, it was great to have such an array of critters in one place.

Barred Owl

Roseate Spoonbill

Penguins Revisited

When my penguin postcards were on auction aboard the Akademik Ioffe in January I was asked whether they could really be sent through the mail.  I had never actually sent one, but trusted that the on-line claims to the affirmative were true and promised the winning bidder that I would make another to mail.  Success!  These little guys made it all the way from Texas to Perth, Australia.  The more important news is that the South Georgia Heritage Trust, for which the auction was held, has made enormous progress in removing invasive rats from South Georgia Island having now baited 70% of the rat infested area of the island.

And here are some more penguin photos from the Antarctica trip.  They are such funny creatures that it was hard not to keep taking pictures of them!

Gentoo Penguins, Cuverville Island

King Penguins at Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island

Skuas hoping for a meal, Cuverville Island

Gentoo feeding time,  Port Charcot

Hiking with Gentoo Penguins, Cuverville Island

King Penguins, South Georgia Island

Chinstrap Penguin, Deception Island

Hope Bay (Yes, that spot on the ice is a penguin!)

Adelie Penguins at Hope Bay

Summer Vacation

We kicked off the summer with a long weekend at Cape Ann, Massachusetts.  Our first full day brought brilliant skies, perfect for an excursion along the Atlantic Path which follows the rocky shore from the hotel we stayed in, the Emerson Inn, to Halibut Point State Park, site of an old granite quarry.  With no time constraints, we could stop at our pleasure to take photos and to examine the geology along the way.

The Emerson Inn

Cairn along the Atlantic Path

Our next stop was Rockport, which was settled in 1695 and supported early fishing and granite industries.  It is still a base for lobstering, but now attracts tourists with its shops, galleries, restaurants and colorful New England scenery, including "Motif #1," claimed to be the most often painted building in America.

Motif #1

After lunch and a stroll around Bearskin Neck in Rockport, we made our way down to the docks and the artists colony at Rocky Neck in Gloucester.  With fewer tourists, more artists, and a large working dockyard, I found Gloucester much more engaging. Or maybe it was just that since it was later in the day the light was better...

We ended the day with a walk along the jetty at the Eastern Point Lighthouse.  For another take on these same scenes, take a look at my daughter's blog here.

Eastern Point Lighthouse

All these great colors and interesting shapes offer lots of inspiration for quilts.  But new projects will have to wait until I complete some other works in progress, notably this vintage top which I have chosen as this summer's project.  It is very portable and doesn't require particularly careful planning or piecing so it is great to carry along on our travels.  I found the original partial blocks at a garage sale while in Jackson Hole several summers ago and later bought a tub full of vintage fabrics so I have plenty of material with which to complete the existing blocks and to make enough new ones for a twin size quilt.