Visiting McLeod Plantation: A Lesson on Slavery

The Big House at McLeod Plantation

Charleston is a beautiful place with great food and great art. But there's no doubt that the city will first and foremost be associated in my mind with our country's history of slavery. Our tour of the McLeod Plantation, led by the former director of the Old Slave Mart Museum, was beyond sobering. We later learned that tours at McLeod are told more from the slaves' perspective than at other plantations in the area. This makes particular sense because McLeod is an International Site of Conscience, a coalition of organizations committed to "Preserving Memory, Promoting Truth, Pursuing Justice." 

The McLeod Big House has an interesting history, having been occupied by Confederate forces during much of the Civil War and by Union forces after the War ended. The Union forces included two regiments of African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Colored Troops. Somewhat ironically, following the War's conclusion, the Big House served as the home of the Freedmen's Bureau for the James Island District of Charleston. The former slave quarters were used as homes for freedmen and their families.  

Each 300 square foot structure was home to between 8-20 people.  

The house was much more modest at the time. It wasn't until the 1920s that the Greek Revival style entrance with its inviting porch and stately columns was built. The modification was made in part so the house would look more like the romanticized image of a plantation home, making it easier for the McLeods to capitalize on plantation tourism. 

The changes also relate to the family's adherence to the Lost Cause narrative; i.e., that the Civil War was about states' rights rather than slavery. Conveniently, if you entered through this new and improved side of the home, you could avoid seeing those unsightly reminders of slavery like the slave quarters and the former cotton gin house. The family also planted trees on the grounds behind the house to further shield their view. For more on this aspect of the McLeod Plantation, click here. 

Interior of a "dependency," as many still call the slave quarters

We learned some details about the lives of two of the dozens of slaves who lived and worked at McLeod Plantation. The first was Isabelle Pinckney. Isabelle was given by the Pinckneys to the McLeods to serve first as a wet nurse and then a nanny to their daughter Annie. The fact that she was mulatto was a factor in her selection for this role. The lighter the skin, the more acceptable it was for you to interact with the family and guests. 

You might have noticed that Isabelle's last name was the same as that of her enslavers. This was common practice by plantation owners as both a means of noting their ownership of the individual and erasing his or her past identity and origin.

Isabelle lived in the attic of the Big House so she could be close to her ward. It is believed that she was sexually assaulted there by one of the McLeods. None of her people would have been around to help or even hear her if she cried out. Her son Daniel was born at McLeod and was able to "pass" for Caucasian. 

Brick in outbuilding with fingerprint of child estimated to be 6-10
 years old. Charleston was also home to brickmaking plantations. 

Then there's the story of Leah, the youngest of the enslaved people at McLeod. Leah was marched with her parents more than 50 miles to Charleston from their former home. For the journey, her father's wrist or leg would have been shackled with chains to another man's appendage while Leah and her mom would have been similarly manacled to another female with a rope. Once in Charleston, they were sold to separate purchasers at Ryan's Slavemart. (Note: It is believed that her family was reunited after the end of the war.)

Leah was bought by the McLeods to serve as a companion for their children. She would have slept on the floor of their bedroom or in the attic with Isabelle. Without Isabelle, her isolation would have been complete. 

Ginning mill in Charleston

We also learned about the daily lives of the slaves at McLeod who didn't serve the family directly. The McLeods made their money growing Sea Island cotton. Planting, tending to and harvesting the crop was grueling work. Then the cotton had to be "ginned" before it could be sold. (This is when you separate the cotton fibers from the seeds, stems, etc.) The ginning process for converting raw cotton into Sea Island cotton was more labor intensive than ginning it into upland cotton. The end result was cotton with a silkier feel that could be sold for four times the price of upland cotton. With a ready source of labor, the choice was an easy one for the McLeods.

The men, women and children enslaved by the McLeods would have worked from "can't see until can't see" in the fields; i.e., from before dawn until after dusk. Every worker was expected to pick 100 pounds of cotton each day. The crop required tending almost year-round. Even during rainy season the slaves would be out in the fields making sure the cotton didn't wash away. As our guide told us, they "ate, drank, gave birth and died in the fields." 

It is estimated that there were close to 4 million enslaved people in the United States in 1860, almost ten percent of the population. I left the McLeod Plantation with a clearer picture of the lives of those poor souls. Hearing these stories where they took place was much more impactful than reading about them in a book or watching them on a screen. It wasn't a happy outing, but I'm glad we made learning more about this part of our country's history a part of our trip. 

Touring Charleston by Carriage

I know, I know -- it sounds very touristy to do a tour of Charleston on a horsedrawn carriage. And it was. But there's a reason these tours have become a tradition for people visiting the city. It's a fun (if a bit malodorous) way to learn a bit about the city's history. And so Andrea and I started our girlfriend getaway with a tour given by the Old South Carriage Company. Here are some tidbits I learned along the way.

--While the horses aren't "unionized" (as our guide told us), they are treated well. They are fed 40,000 calories of hay and whatever else horses eat (carrots?) a day. They are given plenty of water and -- here's a surprise -- two pints of Guinness. (The Guinness helps the animals sweat, which cools their bodies down.) They get at least 180 days/year off and spend their free time on a 65 acre farm where they have regularly scheduled dental appointments and massages. Sure, the horses are still working, but it's an easier life than their daily routines were on the Amish farms where they previously lived. 

--Given the number of carriage companies in Charleston, you might think pedestrians crossing the street would have to watch carefully where they step. But the City has thought about that issue; hence, the Equine Sanitation Department. Carriage drivers send a text with a GPS marker of each spot where the horse has done its business. Then Doody Calls, the city's contractor, comes out and collects the waste and/or hoses down the area. This was a great technological advancement over the previous system of dropping half a rubber ball with a little flag poking out and calling in the location to the lucky folks responsible for clean-up. 

Old Slave Mart Museum 

--Remnants of slavery are ever present in Charleston. Take, for instance, the Old Slave Mart Museum. The building was formerly the home of a slave auction site. It was part of a complex that included a barracoon (an enclosure in which slaves could be held), a slave jail proper, a kitchen and a "dead house" where bodies were stored. It is estimated that more than 10,000 slaves were auctioned off as chattel at this site. While this is a mindboggling number, it's no surprise given that 40% of all enslaved Africans arrived through the port on Charleston Harbor. The International African American Museum is located at the site of the former arrival point. 

Slave badge

--Slavery in Charleston was task-based. Under this "progressive" form of slavery, slaves were given a list of tasks each day that they were required to complete. Once those jobs were done, slaves not deemed a flight risk were allowed to spend time with friends and family or to go to the market to purchase goods or sell items they had made. It appears that the enslaved were typically allowed to keep the money they earned in this manner. 

--Many slaveowners hired out their slaves to other plantation and business owners. Each worker was required by the City of Charleston to wear a badge specifying that the individual lived in Charleston, his or her occupation, the badge number and the year issued (with annual renewals required). This practice was not only an identifier; it was also a revenue source for the city. And if a slave fled, the information on the badge was included in ads seeking his or her return. For more information on this practice, click here. 

Church and Union 

--The term "hushpuppy" has several possible origin stories, but they all refer to cornbread circles carried in pockets to be fed to dogs as a means of distraction. In our guide's version, slaves fed the food to dogs so they wouldn't jump on them and muddy their clothing. Other stories refer to runaway slaves feeding the treat to dogs so they wouldn't bark and give away their location. Ditto for Confederate soldiers hiding from nearby Union soldiers. "Hush, puppies," you can imagine them saying. 

--Charleston is known as the Holy City because it boasts 187 churches of various denominations. (This number includes one synogogue and a Hindu temple.) It seems a bit ironic for the city to have been known as a beacon of religious tolerance while simultaneously enslaving people, but the world was and continues to be a complicated place. Surprisingly (not), Andrea and I didn't grace the interior of any churches in use as such, but we did dine at Church and Union. It was delicious if a bit rushed. (Seriously, our food was out approximately three minutes after we ordered it.) 

The interior of the restaurant is very cool, with all 12,035 words of "The Art of War" written across its vaulted ceiling by artist Jon Norris. Much of the text is difficult to read due to its placement, but the phrase "There Is Only We" is fairly prominent. I take it as a message of hope. 

Our carriage tour was a great way to get an overview of Charleston's history. As a bonus, you pick up the carriages right by Charleston City Market, a four block long covered market with all kinds of goodies to take home as souvenirs. For the record, neither of us brought home a basket, but we did our bit to help the local economy.  

Next up: Our visit to McLeod Plantation 

"Kimono: The Triumph of Japanese Dress" at the St. Pete MFA

Furisade Set and Obi (1927)

The St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts is now home to an exhibit showcasing more than 100 kimonos from the late Edo period (1603-1867) through the Showa era (1926-1989). The word "kimono" translates into "something to wear." While the phrase makes me think of an old pair of jeans and a tshirt, the kimonos on display are about the furthest thing you can imagine from my go-to clothing choice. Each kimono is not only a work of art; it also provides a window into cultural traditions very different from my own. 

Take, for instance, this furisade set and obi from Fuji Musume (which translates into "Wisteria Maiden.") Fuji Musume is a dance that evolved from the Kabuki tradition. You probably know that Kabuki has been performed almost exclusively by men since it originated nearly four centuries ago. But did you know that this tradition stemmed from the fear that female dancers would be too provocative for male audience members? Insert your own thoughts about that concept here. But I digress.

In this particular play, a man is walking down a tree-lined street and comes upon a painting of a "wisteria maiden." She embodies the romance and beauty associated with the wisteria plant, represented by the white flowers in the kimono. While the man stands admiring the work, the maiden becomes infatuated with him and steps out of the painting so they can be together. Sadly, it's a story of unrequited love, and the woman eventually returns to her place in the work of art. Interestingly, paintings of the wisteria maiden were often sold as good luck charms for newly-married couples. I think there's a bit of a disconnect there. 

 

Boy's Miyamairi Kimono (first half of 20th c.)

The style of this kimono also has significance. "Furisade" translates into "swinging sleeves." This type of kimono is still worn by young, unmarried women on formal occasions, including on their "coming of age" day (typically when they turn 20). The sleeves range from 33" to 45"; the longer the sleeves, the greater the chance of love and happiness. This is because the wearer can use those swinging sleeves to catch good luck and prosperity. There's a lot packed into this one piece of clothing. 

Children, too, traditionally wore kimonos and still do for special occasions. I particularly liked this miyamairi with its smiling dragon. The word "miyamairi" means "shrine visit," which is a traditional Shinto rite of passage for infants. A month or so following a child's birth, the family takes the baby to a shrine of the local guardian deity to give thanks for a safe delivery and to pray for a healthy life for the child. Historically, only the child's father and fraternal grandparents participated in this ceremony because the mother was presumed to be overwrought with post-partum grief. Hmm. You might wonder, as I did, how a kimono like this would fit an infant. The answer is that the baby is swaddled in the kimono as if it were a blanket.  

Man's juban (first half of 20th century) 

The owner of the kimono shown here might be a bit embarrassed to have it displayed for all to see. It is a male juban intended to be worn under a man's more formal kimono. Think of it as a type of underwear. 

Jubans are typically made of silk or a lightweight cotton that would be comfortable against your skin. The juban worn by men were often more decorative than the kimonos worn over them. 

This juban depicts Futabayama Sadaji, a sumo wrestler who won 69 consecutive bouts. Although his reign ended in 1939, it's a record that still stands today. The art of sumo (essentially wrestling) began in Japan as a Shinto ritual to entertain the gods, who are believed to live in the dohyo or ring. Each dohyo represents purity and consecration, and a new one is made from clay for each tournament. Before a bout, the surface of the dohyo is covered with sand and the wrestlers throw salt on it. It's another part of the purification process. For more on the rituals of sumo wrestling, click here.  

Before I sign off, I would be remiss not to mention that all of the kimonos in the exhibit are on loan from private collections in the Tampa Bay area. What a surprise -- and treat -- it would be to walk into a home and find some of these gorgeous articles of clothing on display. Thanks to the generosity of these collectors for sharing their passion with their community.

"Kimono: The Triumph of Japanese Dress" runs through June 8 and is well worth a visit. There are still a couple of events relating to the exhibit coming up. The talk on June 7th with one of the collectors looks particularly interesting. Click here for more information. Perhaps I'll see you there. 

Touring the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion with Curator Marissa Hershon

"Rose Dress" by Karen LaMonte (2002)

The Kotler Coville Pavilion at Ringling Museum opened to the public in 2018. And when I say "to the public," I mean it. Admission to the Pavilion is free, providing an opportunity for a discrete art outing for Asolo Rep theatergoers and art lovers a bit short on time. Be warned, though. You're going to want to linger.   

I recently had the opportunity to tour the Pavilion with Marissa Hershon, curator of the Museum's glass collection. Hershon also serves as the curator of Ca d'Zan and Decorative Arts. Ca d'Zan is of course the Ringlings' former home, and Hershon's job of maintaining the property got bigger after last year's hurricane season. Repairs are still ongoing. The Museum's Decorative Arts collection contains more than 6,000 objects, many of which are displayed in the 36,000 square foot Ca d'Zan. I'd love to dig into that collection with her sometime. But the topic at hand was the art glass on display in the Pavilion. It is stunning. 

The Museum's glass collection includes more than 400 pieces. While a number of the works were donated by the Kotlers and the Covilles, the Museum has added to the original collection and continues to do so. Approximately 60 works are on display at any given time, with at least 10% being rotated each year. The next rotation will happen in June, and Hershon promised the changes will be noticeable.

"Yellow Amulet" by Laura Donefer (2012)

Curating an exhibit involves more than just thinking about a theme or what works complement each other. Hershon also considers the identity of the artists whose work is being displayed. The goal is to feature artists across the spectrum -- young and old, established and new to the scene, men and women. For today, I'll focus on work by some of the female artists in the collection. 

Laura Donefer's "Yellow Amulet" is an example of a work of art that is both beautiful and holds a powerful story. Let's start with the name of the work. An amulet is an ornament intended to bring protection against evil or danger. Okay. Then there's the color yellow that references the yellow Star of David-shaped badge that Jewish people were required to wear in Nazi Germany. Yes, this work has a Holocaust theme embedded in it. 

The Holocaust was more than just a history lesson for both Donefer and Margot Triest-Coville. Donefer had relatives who were held captive in concentration camps and eventually murdered there. Coville lost her own parents to Auschwitz. Determined to save other families from suffering a similar tragedy, Coville led ten Jewish children across the border from France into the safety of Switzerland. She was a mere 13 years old at the time. These stories, as well as the stories of all Holocaust victims and survivors, are embedded in "Yellow Amulet." Wow. 

Not all of Donefer's work is so heavy. While a tiny bit off point, I can't resist mentioning that Donefer has curated the Murano Glass Society Fashion Show multiple times. This isn't your run-of-the-mill fashion show with models strutting down a catwalk. Instead, imagine a parade of gondolas ferrying people wearing imaginative costumes made of glass down Venice's canals. How cool is that? To see some pictures from the 2018 Festival, click here. And for a bit more on Donefer, click here. I would love to meet her. 

"Bridesmaid Returns to the Shore
of Her Full Moon" By Amber Cowan (2019)

"Bridesmaid Returns to the Shore of Her Full Moon" by Amber Cowan is a work Hershon brought into the collection. She calls it a "masterpiece." While we know that size doesn't matter, at 32' tall, 22' wide and 9-1/2' deep, it's one of the larger works in the collection. The depth of the work is particularly striking and is dictated by Cowan's process.   

Cowan is known for using salvaged glass in her work. In this case, the glass came from Fenton Art Glass Co. of West Virginia. The company was in the glass-making business for more than 100 years and was known for the innovative colors of its wares. The striking Periwinkle Blue caught both Cowan's and Hershon's eyes. 

To create this work, Cowan used a flameworking torch to melt the glass and shape it into flowers, leaves, feathers and, a bit mysteriously, marbles. Hershon noted that while made in the 21st century, "Bridesmaid" has a distinctly Rococo feel. (As I'm sure you recall, "Rococo" works of art and architecture were known for their dramatic, ornamental and, dare I say, busy style.) In the midst of the garden stands a girl looking at a full moon. She is the bridesmaid for which the piece is titled and was also made by Fenton Art Glass. If you look closely you'll see that a hummingbird is pecking at the moon. What it's trying to achieve is up to you to decide. For a better image of this work, click here. And for more on Cowan, click here. 

"Enrico's Walls" by Judi Elliott (2018) 

I'll leave you with a look at "Enrico's Walls" by Judi Elliott. As the first work that Hershon acquired for the collection, it has a special place in her heart. Hershon acknowledged that the piece looks somewhat simple on its face. But as we know, appearances can be deceiving. 

Elliott is an Australian artist whose work is inspired by architecture. More specifically, her art pays homage to the buildings designed by architect Enrico Taglietti. And why not? Elliott lived in an "Enrico House" for many years. She likened the experience to living in a work of art. 

While we can't see it here, "Enrico's Walls" has a different composition on the back with darker hues. It's a metaphor for a house with an exterior and an interior. Or, if we want to go deeper, it's like each of us with the face we show to the world and our inner selves. Elliott's work is also inspired by Jungian psychology which, according to AI, "emphasizes the importance of the unconscious mind and its role in personal growth and psychological wholeness." I'll leave that for you to consider, but I like the fact that this work, like others in the Ringling's collection, can be appreciated on different levels. As the saying goes, it's more than just a pretty face. For more of Elliott's Taglietti-inspired work, click here. 

Thanks to Hershon for sharing some of her favorite works in the collection with me. Our time together was both informative and fun, and I hope I get the chance to do it again after the June rotation. For my previous blogs about the Kotler-Coville Pavilion itself and Karen LaMonte (whose "Rose Dress" opens this post), click here and here. And while the works are of course best to see in person, you can click here for images of what's currently on display. Happy viewing!

"Art in Balance: Matisse & His Illustrated Works" at the Naples Art Institute

Who doesn't love the art of Henri Matisse? His work conveys so much emotion, whether it's a colorful image like "The Dance" or  "simple" line drawings like his work for "The Portuguese Letters." And then there's the story of how he overcame adversity, shifting his primary artistic practice from paintings on canvas to cut-outs when his surgery for abdominal cancer rendered him wheelchair bound. A recent exhibit at the Naples Art Institute showcased Matisse's work in the field of printmaking. It was terrific. 

"The Dance" (1938) (Lithograph in colors)

Over the course of his lifetime, Matisse created more than 800 prints using techniques that included lithographs, linocuts, woodcuts, etchings and aquatints. The details of the various processes are lost to me. Suffice it to say that they are much more complicated than you might think and that he was a master of them all. Matisse also collaborated with a number of publishers on book illustration projects. Perhaps the most notable was his "Jazz Portfolio" created for Greek publisher Teriade. It is fabulous. But first, let's talk about "The Dance." 

Anyone who's been to the Museum of Modern Art in New York has seen Matisse's "Dance I." Technically, it was a study for his painting "Dance" that lives at The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. But there's a third version of "The Dance" that's strikingly different. 

"Monsieur Loyal", "Icarus"and
"The Sword Swaller" from "Jazz" (1947)

Almost 30 years after Matisse created "Dance I," he made a lithograph of the iconic image specifically for publication. This version -- with the blood red bodies and black background -- is quite dramatic and has a somewhat demonic feel to me. All the better to grab the attention of readers sitting comfortably in their chairs at home.  

The first step was to make a gouache cut-out of the image. Ten printing stages later, the lines and colors had been layered onto the page, and the lithograph was final. It was then was printed as a double page image in Verve Magazine. Click here to see the work from the magazine, complete with a crease down the middle. The fold feels kind of blashphemous to me, but life is full of trade-offs. For more on the better-known versions of "The Dance," click here.  

The exhibit included the entire portfolio of 20 lithographs that comprise Matisse's "Jazz" series. He was 74 years old when he began the project. On their face, the images are inspired by the circus and and mythology and fairy tales. Matisse himself wrote the accompanying text. 

Matisse created these works in the aftermath of WWII, and you can see the impact of the war on this series if you know how to look at them. Luckily, I came upon this short video in which an expert from the Met discusses the series. Take, for instance, the iconic image entitled "Icarus." Most people associate this work with the mythological tale of the boy who flew so close to the sun that his homemade beeswax wings melted and he fell to his death. The tale is considered a warning not to exhibit hubris. But coming on the heels of WWII, the splashes of yellow might be viewed as exploding shells and the red circle interpreted as a shot through the figure's heart. I love artworks with multiple levels of meaning. For more on "Jazz" (and to see the entire series), click here. 

"Blue Nude XI" (1952) 

I'll leave you with a work from Matisse's "Blue Nude" series. Once again, there's a great story behind these works. The series was inspired by his painting of the same name. The painting, in turn, was inspired by a sculpture the artist had been creating that shattered during the carving process. The original "Blue Nude" was not exactly well received. In fact, it was burned in effigy when it was exhibited at the Armory Show of 1913. Art lovers apparently considered the painting vulgar and were not into Matisse's choice of somewhat unconventional colors. Wow. 

Happily, Matisse continued with the subject matter, building on the concept of a pieced-together figure, in spite of the uproar. Matisse's "Blue Nude II" is perhaps the best known of the series, but I prefer this version. It's reminiscent of a yoga pose I'm working to perfect. There's nothing like a good back crack. To see the two works side by side in a publication by Verve, click here. 

Spending a concentrated amount of time with Matisse's prints was a treat. While it's a bit of a hike to the Naples Art Institute, it was well worth the journey. And if you want more on the artist and his cut-outs, click here to watch a segment from the CBS Sunday Morning Show. Happy viewing!

Hearing from Sam Goodwin and Hostage US

Urbanite Theatre is now home to the best theater I've seen all season -- "No One is Forgotten" by Winter Miller. The play drops the audience into a cell in an unknown location where two women are being held hostage. It's powerful and timely and incredibly intense. I can't imagine the toll it must take on these actors to perform their roles five times a week. I'm certain, however, that their experience pales in comparison to the real life experience of Sam Goodwin, an American held hostage in Syria for nine weeks in 2019. I had the chance to hear from Sam and Liz Cathart, Executive Director of Hostage US, at a recent event at Urbanite. It was both sobering and enlightening. 

Hostage US was established in the wake of the 2014-2015 hostage crisis in Syria in which 14 captives, including three Americans, were kidnapped by ISIS and ultimately killed. You've probably heard the phrase "we don't negotiate with terrorists," and that was what the families of those hostages were repeatedly told by government officials. The fact that there was no organized support system for the families of hostages made the situation even worse. How terrifying and frustrating and, ultimately, heartbreaking it must have been for the families to go through this experience essentially on their own. When the Obama administration undertook a review of how the crisis had been handled, the question of whether there was a way to provide assistance to the families was on the agenda. It was out of this process that Hostage US was formed. 

Sam Goodwin and Liz Cathart

The mission of Hostage US is to offer confidential and personalized support both to families of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad and to former captives rebuilding their lives. Goodwin and his family are among the people Hostage US has helped. 

Goodwin worked abroad from 2010-2020 and undertook a quest to visit every country in the world. In the spring of 2019 Goodwin arrived in Qamishili, Syria with the help of a fixer who worked with him on how to best enter the country. Goodwin always touched base with his parents when he arrived in a new country. And so he made a FaceTime call to his mother so he could show her his latest locale. They were mid-conversation when the line went dead. He had been taken by government officials who accused him of being a spy for the United States. 

Sam was held in solitary confinement in a windowless cement for the first 27 days of his captivity. When speaking about how he passed his time in solitary, I was struck by how right Miller, a former journalist, got these details in her play. He told himself stories and played word games and relived both his own and professional hockey games. He exercised. He prayed. He fantasized about the ways his release would occur. He worried about his family and how they were coping. In darker moments, he wondered whether anyone was thinking about him and working to get him out. 

Sam's family was, of course, thinking about him constantly. When the call dropped and they didn't hear from him by the next day, they knew something was seriously wrong. The Goodwins contacted the FBI Field Office. To their credit, the FBI took the family's concern seriously. Still, they were not provided any assistance or support by the government. Instead, they were instructed not to tell anyone Sam was missing for fear it would hamper efforts to obtain his release. It was at this point that the Goodwins found Hostage US. 

Every case in which Hostage US gets involved is different. Yes, the organization facilitates connecting the families of hostages with appropriate government officials. Its primary role, however, is to provide emotional and practical support. It was no surprise to learn that Hostage US has developed a network of therapists to work with both the families and former captives. (Cathart noted that state licensing requirements can be an obstacle to facilitating this crucial need.) But I'd never considered the more practical issues that also have to be addressed. 

Rent/mortgage/insurance payments still have to be made. Other financial obligations also have to be handled, such as tax filings and child support payments. Of course these aspects of day-to-day life pale in comparison to efforts to obtain the hostage's release, but failing to deal with them on a timely basis results in problems down the road. Hostage US also has a network of doctors who can assist with a former hostage's medical issues -- new or old -- that have gone unattended while in captivity. Cathart noted that dental issues are a universal concern for released hostages. But back to Sam's experiences...

After almost four weeks in solitary, Sam was moved to Adra Prison where he was housed with the general population. All of the other prisoners were Syrian, and Sam's belief in the goodness of (most) people was borne out during this time. In the NPR interview linked below, Sam shared that his contacts had gone beyond their useful life. He was effectively blind, making his circumstances all the more frightening. His fellow prisoners banded together their financial and other resources and obtained a pair of glasses for him. Truly amazing. Ultimately, it was through one of his cellmates and a series of events straight out of a movie that Sam was able to get word to his family about where he was being held. Obviously, this information was crucial for the U.S. government to secure his release. Of course there's much, much more to Sam's story and the ways in which Hostage US provided -- and continues to provide -- vital services to Sam and his family. But I'll leave you here with some links to learn more at your leisure. 

Thanks to Urbanite for shining a light on an issue that is unfortunately quite timely. For a thumbnail sketch of Sam's story, you can listen to his interview with NPR by clicking here. His book "Saving Sam" gives a more detailed version of his experience and is told from both his and his family's perspective. For information on Hostage US, click here. Last, but not least, "No One is Forgotten" runs through April 29th at Urbanite Theatre. For tickets, click here. 

 

"George Harrison: A Gardener's Life" at Selby Gardens

"All Things Must Pass" album cover

In a world in which people are fans of either the Stones or the Beatles, I fall firmly into the Stones' camp. So I wasn't particularly excited about seeing this year's headline exhibit at Selby Gardens - "George Harrison: A Gardener's Life." Surprisingly, the folks at Selby know much more about selecting exhibition themes than I do. It's a thoroughly enjoyable choice for showcasing the Gardens.   

The exhibit is being promoted with this photo of Harrison sitting amidst some garden gnomes. He's in a big field wearing boots appropriate for mucking around in the mud. Lovers of Harrison's solo music might recall the image as the cover for his "All Things Must Pass" album from 1970. What's the story? I'll get there, but a little patience is required.

Guess the song that accompanies this vignette

The Beatles broke up when Harrison was just 27 years old, leaving him with a lot of time on his hands and a lot of money in his pocket. Harrison and first wife Pattie Boyd (who later left him for Eric Clapton) purchased Friar Park, a 32 acre property located outside of London. The historic estate needed a lot of TLC, and by all accounts Harrison and both Pattie and second wife Olivia were up for the task.  

Friar Park was created in the late 19th century by English lawyer, botanist and eccentric Frank Crisp. (For the record, this is how Crisp is described online rather than my characterization.) Before beginning his development of the property, Crisp commissioned artist Alan Tabor to create a map of the features the estate would include. Taking his cue from Crisp's book on medieval gardens (and Crisp's somewhat quirky sense of humor), Tabor's map titled everything "Ye" and included areas like Ye Dial Gardens (a topiary garden), Ye Upper Lodge (High but not Haughty) and Ye Japanese Garden (complete with images of geishas). To see a copy of this wonderful artifact, click here. So far as I can tell, everything included in this plan was created when the estate was built out. 

Selby's replica of the Friar Park replica of the Matterhorn 

While the design included a number of somewhat outrageous features, perhaps none is more striking than the four acre Alpine garden with a 20' replica of the Matterhorn. (The mountain had recently been climbed for the first time, so some homage was obviously due.) Selby's even smaller version faithfully includes the fake mountain goat that Crisp positioned atop the mountain. 

Tucked amidst the rocks of the Alpine Garden are numerous caves that, sadly, are not in Selby's recreation. Included among them was the gnome cave from which the creatures presumably sprang to populate Friar Park. This cave also included a special mirror that made the viewer look like a gnome herself. That could be a shock to the system if you weren't prepared. For more on Crisp's Matterhorn and rock garden, click here. 

Friar Park exchanged hands a couple of times before the Harrisons' purchase. In 1953, the bulk of the estate was donated to the Salesian Nuns of Don Bosco. During their tenure, the nuns operated a convent school on the estate and ran a parochial school in town. And this is where the gnomes come in. The nuns didn't share Crisp's fascination with gnomes and pitched the kitsch -- along with old beds and other housewares that had outlived their usefulness -- into the pond. When Harrison dredged the pond and found the gnomes, they were returned to their rightful places across Friar Park. 

There's much more to explore and enjoy in the exhibit, but I don't want to share here all of the discoveries to be made. "George Harrison: A Gardener's Life" runs through June 29th. Get there if you can. When your feet get a bit tired, you can take advantage of the opportunities to rest and enjoy the view at spots like "Ye pleasant prospect seate." If a visit to Selby Gardens isn't in your future, you might enjoy this video showcasing the highlights of the exhibit. And if your interest in Friar Park and its various owners has been piqued, you can find out more information by clicking here and here. And with that, this post has come to an end. I hope ye have yeself a lovely day.