per·i·pa·tet·ic
ˌperēpəˈtedik/
adjective
  1. 1.
    traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.
    "the peripatetic nature of military life"
    synonyms:nomadic, itinerant, traveling, wandering, roving, roaming, migrant,migratory, unsettled
    "I could never get used to her peripatetic lifestyle"
  2. 2.
    Aristotelian.
noun
  1. 1.
    a person who travels from place to place.
  2. 2.
    an Aristotelian philosopher.

Friday, November 7, 2008

No Keening Allowed in New Harmony


Do you recognize these good sports? They did not mind indulging this blogger entering her dotage and posed for her in front of an interesting painting at the Red Geranium Restaurant in New Harmony, Indiana. I am mostly pleased with the way the picture turned out--could have done without the reflection of the flash in the glass--but a little puzzled about the painting. I am wondering why the ladies in it are wearing white gloves. Do you suppose they are afraid of a little "dirt"?
The blogger on the left (sinister) side of the photo appreciates Tina's keen interest in gardening and meeting as many other garden-bloggers as possible. Tina impressed me even more in person than on her blog with her positive attitude and dedication to family, friends, and teaching. She truly wants to learn as much as she can about gardening and share that knowledge with the rest of us. And she is definitely not afraid of getting her hands or fingernails dirty. She made this sinister blogger a lovely garden marker (more about that topic later). Tina's sunny-blue-sky personality seems to have been reflected in the weather on the day we spent together.


This sinister blogger, though, likes to discover dark things. I probably would have been a "goth" if that kind of personality had been in vogue way back when I was in high school and if my parents had been the indulgent kind to let me dress and act like one.


Modern things like this visitors' center just do not appeal to my taste in architecture. For some reason, it does not seem to harmonize with the rest of the town. I wonder whose idea it was to construct such a thing out of touch with the rest of the quaint little place?



Keep in mind that these pictures were taken the week before Halloween. I am sure the residents of New Harmony do not bury their dear-departed in the front yard, although it might not be a bad idea. Going green could really happen in that kind of situation. Think of how well-composted your lawn would be. There would be no need for chemical fertilizers, and visiting the cemetary would no longer require a long car trip.


These two inscriptions together on the ceiling of one of the buildings in town seem dissonant or incongruous. How could anyone not be mad about getting older and time running away? It can sometimes be a real PITA.

Why do I like twisted things like this tree trunk? Hubby and I found it on a short hike we took after saying goodbye to Tina and her wonderful family.

You know us. We like to roam about a bit in state parks and other places. Be aware, though, this particular park charges admission, albeit a small one. We paid five dollars for the privilege of visiting. I guess Indiana plans on keeping places like this open. The people in charge in the Land of Lincoln have other ideas for public places built with taxpayers' money. There has been talk in recent months of parks closing for lack of funds to keep them open. Maybe those people ought to consider and talk about other options.


The weekend after our visit with Tina and her family, Hubby and I said goodbye to the small town and tiny apartment we have lived in for the past year. We have moved to a slightly larger house on a lake which is about thirty miles farther south. I guess we are getting back to Florida in small--very small--increments.


We will not be hearing interstate traffic, trains going by at 2 o'clock in the morning, or young people visiting otherwise quiet neighbors until the wee hours. The horse pictured above the train seems peaceful enough, even though its pasture is just a few steps away from the train tracks. It probably does not bother itself with thoughts about heading south. The marker that Tina made for this sinister blogger will find a place of honor in a new garden, in a new place. It will even find its way onto this blog in the near future. And it will travel with this blogger wherever she moves next. No doubt about it.
...As you will know, the students of harmony make the same sort of mistake as the astronomers: they waste their time in measuring audible concords and sounds one against another.
-Yes, said Glaucon, they are absurd enough, with their talk of 'groups of quarter-tones' and all the rest of it. They lay their ears to the instrument as if they were trying to overhear the conversation from next door. One says he can still detect a note in between, giving the smallest possible interval, which ought to be taken as the unit of measurement, while another insists that there is now no difference between the two notes. Both prefer their ears to their intelligence.
-You are thinking of those worthy musicians who tease and torture the strings, racking them on the pegs [Note: in order to extort from them a confession of the truth, Greek law allowed the torture of slaves for this purpose at trials]. I will not push the metaphor so far as to picture the musician beating them with the plectrum and charging them with faults which the strings deny or brazen out. I will drop the comparison and tell you that I am thinking rather of those Pythagoreans whom we were going to consult about harmony. They are just like the astronomers--intent upon the numerical properties embodied in these audible consonances: they do not rise to the level of formulating problems and inquiring which numbers are inherently consonant and which are not, and for what reasons.
-That sounds like a superhuman undertaking. I would rather call it a "useful" study; but useful only when pursued as a means to the knowledge of beauty and goodness.
-No doubt.
--from The Republic of Plato, Chapter XXVI, Harmonics--

25 comments:

  1. Ah, I have seen that group in the first picture before. Now where have I seen them? Hummmm, let me think a minute. Oh in my hometown of course! lol... I am so thrilled you were able to meet Tina and her family. It is always so neat to put faces to name in person.

    Now about the pic in the background. I am guessing three local ladies that would never Speak about anything they See or Hear in town. Not town gossips at all...

    The town of Harmony looks like such a nice place to visit. Great place for an afternoon stroll.

    It is sad when they close or try to close State Parks. Tax money acquires the land so it is ours and not for anyone to take it away from our use. I think the land is what makes this country and we need to learn to value it or we will all be living in a bubble to keep alive one day!

    I grew up near rail road tracks and you would think that the sound of a train would be soothing to me but when we moved here, I researched where the train tracks ran and made sure our house hunting trips were nowhere near a train. As a child my siblings and I would pretend we were in the train when it went by the house. We would pull the covers up over our bunk beds and shake them as if we were in the train. Ah, such a good memory and I don’t like to hear trains at night time now… I can’t quit figure that one out. I guess I like it quiet in my older age. lol

    And so now you are off to a new adventure down the road. Still looking for that black gold I assume...?...

    ReplyDelete
  2. How nice to actually meet someone in person that you know from online. I have internet friends for 10 years who live in places that I won't get to, but it would be great to see one of them in person. I did visit Tina's blog...Michelle..

    ReplyDelete
  3. I get the no keening allowed in Harmony from the quote. You teach me so much on your blog and I love the philosophy, though truly not my thing in life:) You are way to kind to us and much too hard on yourself. You goth? Can't see it at all, you are way too refined, sweet and passionate about all things beautiful. I think the picture turned out well. I'll get the family to come look too. Thanks for a great day and glad you got to tour the park and spend some time roamin.... Looking forward to seeing you again soon and our road trip. ttyl

    ReplyDelete
  4. Can you tell he is a teenager?

    Michelle, Thanks for dropping by my little blog.

    ReplyDelete
  5. How exciting that you got to meet Tina in person; a fun photo of her with her family!

    New Harmony is one of those places I've always thought about visiting, but though I've probably driven near it several times, I've never stopped. I agree the visitors' center seems totally out of place here. Indiana must be doing something right to keep its parks open; but then, they have a different governor...

    I'm going to pass on commenting on the Plato quote--my brain is a little foggy today:) But I must say that I've lived relatively close to railroad tracks most of my life and have always found the sound of trains passing rather soothing. I think it's because it brings back childhood memories.

    Good luck in your new home; I'm sure you will appreciate having more space and a chance to plant a new garden.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've been eagerly waiting for this post. Wonderful reading about meeting Tina and her family and about Harmony. Even the hike trail looks inviting! That line about Tina's sunny-blue-sky personality--aptly said.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks Rose!

    Kanak, I'm blushing now. You might meet me someday and think totally opposite of me when you see me so I must warn you-like everyone I have good days and bad:) But thanks for being so sweet yourself!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Skeeter, we just need to remember some cool train songs to appreciate the rhythm of the machines. I guess that's why meeting Tina was not a huge leap into the unknown for me. The blog you and she and Dawn have created resonate with me and let me know I am welcome and made to feel at home. Black gold? Did you know molasses is sometimes used to clean it up (bioremediation)? Another kind of black gold we might well be hearing about in the future.

    Michelle, Tina is one of those people you feel like you have known all of your life and never get to spend enough time with. She goes out of her way to make you comfortable and welcome, even when she is entertaining you away from her home. She is a very gifted and talented lady.

    Tina, then why do I like Wuthering Heights so much that I read it at least once a year, and why do I find so much to admire in a cluster of mushrooms? You just think I'm sweet and refined. Wait until we get to spend some hours together in the car on the way to Chicago. Ah yes. I-57, the Road to Perdition....

    Jimster, thank you! Your approval means the world to me. If you ever get to visit the Gulf Coast (and we are there at the same time), we will prepare some really fine grilled shrimp for you. Remind your mom that teenager is just a state of mind, not an age bracket. I like to go there myself sometimes.

    Hi, Rose, and thank you. Yes, we could have a long discourse on the governance of this lovely state of ours, couldn't we? But it probably would have some dissonant sounds associated with it. The train sounds were actually the least objectionable of all the night noises we encountered. They were reassuring somehow, reminding us that some things keep moving on schedule in this country. Thanks for your good wishes.

    Kanak, I'm glad you enjoyed your visit with Tina and me. I hope we can all meet in person someday soon, although I feel like I know you so well already.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Tina: You made some really nice captures. I enjoyed the twisted tree, how neat.

    ReplyDelete
  10. As one of the other bloggers that Tina has meet, I was waiting to see your post on your day in New Harmony. She did have a blue-sky personality the day I met her too.
    That modern architectured building looks so out of place with the rail fence. Or is it the fence that is out of place ?

    ReplyDelete
  11. "It follows, then, that good use of language, harmony, grace, and rhythm all depend on goodness of character. I'm not talking about the state which is actually stupidity, but which we gloss as goodness of character; I'm talking about when the mind really had equipped the character with moral goodness and excellence."

    Plato's Republic, Book III

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wonderful pic and interesting read, friend. Several things that caught my attention was the twisted tree (wow, that's cool) and the white building that looks a bit out of place in its surroundings. lol I loved the pic of the baby and sea gull too. And it is always wonderful to meet fellow bloggers.

    Thank you for visiting my humble blog ...

    Tamara xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks, FG (W2W here). Tina and her family had to leave before the visit to the state park so they didn't get to see the tree in person. I forgot to ask you something about your calla lilies. Do they need to be divided every so often or do they grow better when root-bound?

    Cindy, hello! I'm glad you stopped by to visit. It would be great if all of us Tina fans could get together sometime. She deserves special recognition for garden networking. Maybe we could call it the Live Oak Award. As for the building and fence, I think the fence belongs but the building doesn't. Maybe I'm being a bit hypocritical though. My style of gardening and decorating is nothing if not eclectic.

    Halloween is over, TC. You can't leave cryptic comments now. It's time to be warm and charitable. You need to visit Wal-Mart and get into the spirit of the season. ;>}

    Tamara, thank you! I found another KY connection: Central Florida Gardener. I love that picture you took of the tractor-trailer on steroids. Almost too big to be true. What do you mean, humble blog? It's interesting, thought-provoking, and beautifully formatted. You have a lot of talent, girl.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I much prefer the old buildings too and wish people valued them more. Those are lovely photos.
    Marnie

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nice to hear about your visit, and to discover Tina's blog through you! Your stories of meeting with other bloggers makes the virtual world of garden blogging somehow more real.
    I can't believe you made such a small deal about moving. Such changes seem momentous to me, if only for the packing, sorting and cleaning they involve.
    I know you were sorry to leave Florida, so maybe this southward move is indeed a sign that you'll get back there some day.

    ReplyDelete
  16. "Though this be madness [i.e., cryptic comment], yet there is method in't." ;~)

    ReplyDelete
  17. New "Harmony" that is a great way to describe our meeting, We melded into conversations as if we had know each other for years, It was wonderful to spend time with you and your husband although the labyrinth was a little further than the map depicted I enjoyed the stroll through this quaint little town it gave us a chance to talk longer and see more gardens and the pet cemetery in the front yard LOL I agree with you on the new visitor center They didn't take tourism into factor when they designed and built it. If they would have used the Victorian or Frontier theme like the rest of the town it would have tied in better and maybe bring more people into the town to visit.

    ReplyDelete
  18. State parks are the best, they are a great place to spend time and let the mind wander. Regarding the modern building, what really throws off the picture is that old time fence. The two are a study in contrast.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Glad you got to visit with a fellow blogger! About being "dark"--yes, Wuthering Heights! I have my own darker side! :-) Anyway, I think that painting in the restaurant shows three ladies at tea (hence the white gloves) and though they could be there gossiping, they instead hear, see and speak no evil...at least that was my take. I happen to love trains, incidently....their sounds are music to me! They speak to the romance of our country's history and to the loneliness of travel in a dark night. I just love them!
    Marie

    ReplyDelete
  20. Marnie, thanks. You are right on target about the old buildings. Newer/improved/younger are not always better.

    WS, the packing was easy. Unpacking and trying to figure out what goes where are always more tiring. Glad you mentioned the cleaning. I think moving is like anticipating the arrival of a baby. Frenzied cleaning must take place before things can be allowed to settle. Somehow, men usually do not understand this nest-feathering mentality. The visit with Tina and her family gave me the energy I needed for the move. They are mood-lifters for sure.

    TC, "Then, is it not true, in the same way, that we and these Guardians we are to bring up will never be fully cultivated until we can recognize the essential Forms of temperance, courage, liberality, high-mindedness, and all other kindred qualities, and also their opposites, wherever they occur?"--Plato's Republic, Book III. Rhythm, grace, and harmony can't exist without their counterparts. Agonists can't do their work without their antagonists. Hemingway makes a good point: "Dostoevsky was made by being sent to Siberia. Writers are forged in injustice as a sword is forged."--Green Hills of Africa

    Hi, Mr. Fix-It! I'm so glad we all got to spend time together. Hubby enjoyed the day as much as I did, getting to know the people behind the blogger.

    Thanks for visiting, Mr. Sobczak. Portraying contrast seems to be my specialty, or curse, as the case may be. I am enjoying reading your site and learning more about S. Florida.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi, Marie. I'm glad to have a companion to help me find my way in the dark. ;>} I like trains too and actually got somewhat used to the sound in town. Here in the new place, I find myself waking up in the middle of the night because it's so quiet! The small town we lived in for a while really has some neat qualities and some interesting history I will write about sometime. People there for the most part are friendly and hard-working. I joined a garden club there with some wonderful members who are dedicated to beautifying the town. I'll be writing soon about them too. I've so many ideas in mind for upcoming posts that I don't think winter will prove to be much of a drag.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi W2W, Tina is the best. She is fearless in her search for new friends and I so admire that about her in addition to her giving and friendly nature. Now about you, I believe myself to be a fellow closet Goth too. Even with all the pink frou frou, I am attracted to all things dark and sinister! I do have a black garden, a black cat and a black leather sofa in additon to black nail polish and black lip gloss! HA
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  23. I recognize that funny family! How much fun that you got to meet Tina too. I agree with your praise of Tina’s blog. Funny twisted tree. Your new home looks idyllic. Good luck settling in. Keep twisting away.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Frances, I wonder if the appetite for the dark side came from watching too much Twilight Zone as a kid? Or maybe reading all of those Grimm's Fairy Tales? Anyway, I'm glad you share a similar taste. Thanks for visiting!

    Sarah, Tina is the gold clasp that holds this delicate chain of bloggers together. She is one of those special people who can make friends, not just acquaintances, wherever she goes. I feel very lucky to have met her. Thank you for the good wishes. I hope to meet you in person too someday.

    ReplyDelete