Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Research, Jurassic Park, and field trips

Sorry about not blogging yesterday. Yesterday consisted of a short lecture on historic timepieces, which was really cool. The president of Historic Deerfield gave us the talk, and we got to see the gears of a grandfather clock/music box built in CT in 1790. It was really fun. I guided in the afternoon. I gave two tours, my first in the Williams House. The first went really well, but I think that was because the people were really interested. The second tour, on the other hand, was the best it could be considering that the group didn't seem into it at all. I also started reading one of my secondary sources about Victorian views on love and sexuality. This book is going to be really helpful in my research, and it reads really easily (HOORAY!). I still have a long way to go on this research, but I just have to push through until the end. We then watched Jurassic Park after everyone got back from the library. I have to say, I wasn't impressed. I liked the cast, but definitely wasn't into it. I know, I know, many of you are screaming at your computer screen right now, but I just don't care about dinosaurs. That certainly wasn't one of my phases as a child. The rest of the night was spent talking with Kate, Andrew, and Matt until 3:30 a.m. So much for my getting up early and working at the library this morning...

I ended up sleeping in until 9:30 this morning and relaxed before our field trip to Historic Harrisville, NH. The scenery of driving through parts of Vermont and New Hampshire was gorgeous! I really want to roadtrip up here with my photographer friends and we just have at it with cameras. Maybe someday... Historic Harrisville was a milltown that is not a museum. Instead, an organization wanted to preserve the exterior and structures of the mill buildings, but renovate to the point where offices or studios could use the space. I didn't get any pictures (which is so sad because the landscape was so pretty), but it was rainy and gross for most of the visit. Some of what we talked about was over my head because the women giving the tour was trained in architectural preservation, but it was still cool. This evening there was a potluck at the president's house, so we all socialized with various employees of Historic Deerfield. Now I am at the library with articles waiting to be read for homework for tomorrow and letters to be read. I will end now, but promise I will blog tomorrow!

2 comments:

  1. "Awesome!" is probably not a term historians use much, but since I am not a historian, in regards to the historic timepieces and getting to look inside them I will say, "AWESOME!"

    If I pursue this Honors project, we may get to have a conversation about how Victorian and Elizabethan/Jacobean views on love and sexuality compare. Although my project would not focus on love and sexuality, specifically, I might encounter it while investigating general gender differences - especially in terms of the body, but perhaps also in terms of the mind and brain.

    And, speaking as one of your photographer friends, just name the time - I'll be there! As you know, I'm game for any opportunity to go crazy with a camera. :)

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  2. P.S. Glad to hear you are having good conversations with your fellow fellows... even if they do limit your sleep.

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