Vera‘s Geburtstags-Wochenende

mit einer Fahrt übers Land nach Lake Wales zum Besuch einer

„Vertical Dance Show“ im Historic Bok Sanctuary

Zephyrhills

Florida ist nach Texas der zweitgrößte Rinderproduzent der USA, mit leckeren freilaufenden Steaks

Lake Alfred

Und steinwurfweite weg vom See, geht’s ein wenig ärmlicher zu

Winter Haven

Dundee

Da, wo die Orangen blühen .... (oder sind‘s Nektarinen ?)

Lake Wales

Da gab‘s Abendessen, eine Stärkung vor der „Kultur“

Vera

Sie war sooooo verliebt... Und er hat‘s sichtlich genossen

Historic Bok Sanctuary, wo unser Kulturabend stattfand

THE TOWER

In all the natural beauty of the gardens, Bok believed something was missing. Remembering the glorious sound of carillons in his native Holland, he decided to build a beautiful tower as the focal point of the Sanctuary which would be crowned by a large carillon.

Bok commissioned fellow Philadelphian, architect Milton B. Medary, to design and build the majestic carillon tower. Medary drew his main inspiration from the Gothic towers and churches of Europe, but wanted to adapt his design to the characteristics of the Florida landscape.

Lee Lawrie, a noted sculptor from New York, was engaged to design the elaborate marble sculpture that adorns the Tower. Although Medary's overall design is neo-Gothic in its conception, he, like Lawrie, was a man of the times. Thus, Lawrie incorporated art-deco influences into the sculptural decoration of the tower.

Construction of the Tower began in 1927 and was completed in time for the dedication on February 1, 1929.

THE GARDENS

In 1921, Edward W. Bok was spending the winter months in the residential mountain lake community located adjacent to the highest hill of Florida's Lake Wales Ridge, 298 feet above sea level. He enjoyed taking evening walks to the top of "Iron Mountain," among the virgin pines and sandhill scrub, to enjoy Florida's dramatic sunsets and bird life. The idea came to him to preserve this hilltop and create a bird sanctuary - a place of beauty, serenity and peace.

Integral to Bok's idea was the availability of a famous landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. Having made arrangements to buy land on the hilltop, Bok commissioned Olmsted to change this arid sandhill into "a spot of beauty second to none in the country." The first year was spent digging trenches and laying water pipes for irrigation, after which rich black soil was brought by the thousands of loads.

With the requisite conditions for a subtropical garden in place, planting of bushes and trees was begun that would provide food for visiting birds. Today, these plantings provide shade to visitors as well as refuge for squirrels and more than 100 bird species.

The reflection pool was created to entice wild life to take residence. The Reflection Pool gives visitors one of the most memorable experiences in the Sanctuary. Its location captures the reflection of the Tower and offers the first image visitors have when entering the gardens.

H i s t o r y

Wir, „The Renegates“

Der Aufstieg auf den „highest hill of Florida's Lake Wales Ridge, 298 feet above sea

level“

THE ESTATE

Pinewood began its life in 1930 under the name "El Retiro" and was the winter home of C. Austin Buck, vice president of Bethlehem Steel. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., who came to the area in 1922 to design Edward W. Bok's Sanctuary, was designing private gardens at nearby Mountain Lake Estates. William Lyman Phillips was assigned as the Olmsted representative and was retained by Buck to design the gardens and site of "El Retiro" to take maximum advantage of the lush Florida landscape.

Charles Wait, long affiliated with the Olmsted firm, was brought in to design the house in the Mediterranean Revival-style Floridians still enjoy today. Wait created a house that had the appearance of a Mediterranean villa. The thick walls, wrought iron details, carved woodwork and doors heighten the effect. Wait also incorporated large porches to give clear views of the surroundings and provide constant air flow.

Buck, who admired Latin lifestyle and architecture, obtained the tiles used throughout the house from Cuba. Phillips, who spent time in the Canal Zone and had a great love for the tropics, set about creating a series of vistas - a Spanish frog fountain leading to a grotto in front of the house; an Oriental moon gate outside the dining room; and the long view down a rolling lawn to the lily pool. The entire house was situated to give views through the surrounding pine trees. Over the years, Pinewood changed hands several times before it was acquired by Historic Bok Sanctuary in 1970. The estate was restored to its original design by nationally recognized restoration landscape architect Rudy Favretti, the staff of Historic Bok Sanctuary and a corps of volunteers. Today, work continues to preserve the mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Project Bandaloop at BokProject Bandaloop ist die Bezeichnung für ein ungewöhnliches Tanzprojekt in den USA, welches die Elemente des Kletterns und des Tanzes miteinander vereint. Die künstleri-sche Leitung der seit 1991 bestehenden Formation wird von Amelia Rudolph wahrgenommen.

Die Auftritte von Project Bandaloop sind eine Verbindung zwischen Tanz, Klettersport, Luftballett und rituellen Elementen und beziehen immer auch den Auftrittsort mit ein. Ein Projekt der Truppe bestand beispielsweise aus einer 18-tägigen Durch-querung der Sierra Nevada mit Luftballett- und Tanzeinlagen über dem Tulomne-Fluss, ein anderes in dreidimensionalem Ballett an verschiedenen Gebäuden auf der ganzen Welt. Die On-Site-Aufführungen des Project Bandaloop werden meist verfilmt und vertont und anschließend in eine multimediale Bühnen-adaptation eingearbeitet.

Project Bandaloop tritt in Theatern, an Gebäuden, Warenhäusern, Veranstaltungs-hallen oder in der freien Natur auf. Die Truppe besteht aus sieben bis acht Tänzer-innen und Tänzern. Sie traten bereits bei allen großen Tanzfestivals auf und erhielten für ihre Darbietungen zahlreiche Förder-preise und Stipendien.

Und Sonntagmittag, in leider durch Krankheit geschrumpfter Runde, ein leckeres Mahl

Nachdem die Küche wieder aufgeräumt war, haben wir‘s gerade noch zum Sunset in den Park „um die Ecke“

geschafft

Wir sind nicht die Einzigsten, die diese Tradition pflegen....

Und wieder ist ein Wochenende vorüber.

Leider mal wieder viel zu schnell .......