A Distraction

“I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy.

I’ll think about that tomorrow.”

Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind

I feel like Scarlett O”Hara right now……..I don’t want to think about computer issues and the fact that the web site is not cooperating at all.  So I will think about it tomorrow……or maybe even this weekend. 

I have decided a distraction is in order…….and I have selected my place of employment as the distractor.  You see, I work at a very old place……so old in fact that many of our founding fathers attended school here.  Yup, we are downright ancient ~ and I have the desk to prove it.  Seriously, the desk isn’t that old….but getting there.  🙂

Last month before all the kids came back, I went across campus for our benefits fair….which I wrote about here.  While walking over and back, I snapped a few photos.  Here is a sampling of the College of William and Mary…….

Many of the buildings on the “old” campus have large entrances.  The brick path you see in front of the building is the same for the majority of the walkways around the old campus.  They are beautiful but challenging to walk over if you have any type of heel on your shoe!  Another common site is the many magnolia trees on campus…..

The trees on campus are full of these pods.  When the trees are in bloom, I sometimes cut a flower and float it in a bowl of water as the scent fills the office.  Heaven.

There are several types of statues honoring different individuals on campus as well……..

The Reverend James Blair was the founding president of the College and served from 1693 to his death in April, 1743.  James Blair Hall houses the Philosophy and History departments.  To the west of James Blair is the Tyler Garden, where you will find the bust of John Tyler, the 10th President of the United States and college graduate, as well as busts of his ancestors. 

Beside the Tyler Garden is two large redwoods…….as detailed on the website discussing the “woody” residents on campus ……..

Just below the west brick wall of the Tyler Garden are two large Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) that were shipped to the College from California around Cape Horn and planted as cuttings in 1953. The northern tree lost a large limb during a 2002 windstorm; and the southern tree lost its top during Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Adolph Hight, then director of facilities management, saved the debris with the idea of shaping something both practical and unique. His hope was realized in the bench now placed between the trees – the result of a collaborative effort involving Professor Pease (Art and Art History), students Emily Fraser ’07 and Nathan Burgess ’08, senior carpenter Mike Wood, and College arborist Matthew Trowbridge.

The picture barely does them justice.  It is quite a site to see these beauties while walking across campus.  Not too far from the redwoods are two huge red cedar trees……

This shows a closer view of the base of these ancient trees……

Not too far from the cedars, located in a meadow like setting is the sculpture of two students.  When you walk up on them the  first time strolling across campus, they can surprise you……..

Many of the rooftops are quite elaborate and unique…..

The Wren Building is the oldest college building in the United States…..notice the boy taking a photo of the girl on the steps…..they were a cute couple, snapping many photos all around the building…..

There is a chapel located in the Wren Building ~ to the left but not seen in the above photo.  According to the website…..

There was a close official connection between the College and the Church of England during the colonial period, and William and Mary students would have begun and ended each day with services in the chapel. After the American Revolution, William and Mary maintained an unofficial relationship with the Episcopalian Church until the College became a state institution in 1906. Today the chapel continues to be used for student worship services of various denominations, as well as for music recitals, solemn induction ceremonies, and alumni weddings.

And of course…….there must be a Seal……..

There is so much more to see….we will save those sites for another day.