T Stands for Hic Sunt Dracones and Ted Geisel - Part 2

I mentioned in passing I had traveled to the Wilds of Western Massachusetts. To a Bostonian, this is the edge of the world. On a map, it would say Hic Sunt Dracones. Here There Be Dragons. This attitude comes from the simple fact that Boston is not nicknamed the Hub because the city is laid out in a spoke and wheel pattern. It's because Boston is the Hub of the Universe. Bostonians only need a brief walk or  a short subway ride (if the trolleys are on time and don't derail!) to art, history, sports, music, theater, universities. We don't really need to leave the city to find entertainment or education.

Bostonians also measure distance in terms of time. How long will it take me to get from here to there? !0 minute, 20 minutes, but if it's an hour or more, that moves into the realm of an expedition requiring snacks and a change of clothes.

As I am now used to (well, sort of) living in the Land of Hic Sunt Dracones, I bravely drove an hour West of where I live.

My friend, Al (now living beyond the end of the Earth in Portland, Oregon) was visiting her family homestead in Springfield, Massachusetts. She was house and fur baby sitting for her brother. She invited me for a play date at The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden.

Ted Geisel is better known to the world as Dr. Seuss, celebrated writer and illustrator. We started our visit at the museum with lunch at The Blake House Café. Rather than show you pictures of my half eaten lunch as I was too busy catching up with Al to take a picture, there is an image of a cup in the many photographs I took. That will be my drink reference.

Can you find it here or there? Can you find it any where?

Last week, we visited the area of the museum geared towards children. This week, we'll go upstairs to see Ted's studio and his amazing art work.

Memorabilia from Ted's days as a Boy Scout. Bow ties are cool.

He used Prismacolor pencils!

I wanted to rummage through his nibs to see what brands he used and maybe put one or two into a Nib Relocation Program. 😉

I thought the painting looked like cats.

A cat, of course.

These squiggles looked like flourishes or Lazy Eights from penmanship class. I loved doing those. (Still do.)

A note of encouragement: "When you fear you've been left in a Cave in Ga-zool, with your bottom bereft on an unfriendly stool.. ...Please know that I love you! I've been to Ga-Zool!"

Another cat.

"With or without eyedrops, writing and drawing is an unpleasant experience which I find myself avoiding. I am thinking of taking up paper hanging or mushroom farming as a new profession."

Commemorative stamp issued in 2004 at a first class postal rate of 37 cents. (The current rate is 55 cents.)

"Dear Fellow Toiler in the Vineyards of Ink...May your New Year be a great one." I want Toiler in the Vineyards of Ink to be my new title. I bet the Internal Revenue Service (U.S. tax agency) would love that one.

In Andy Fish's Pitch class, he had talked about using a to do list as a daily practice to be more productive.  What you don't accomplish one day you roll over to the next. I was amused by Ted's to do list and his revelation about his list.

"Your things to do pad is great! After writing down the same things to do 6 days in succession and running the sheets through my computer I discovered: 1. I hadn't cleaned the back closet. 2. I hadn't written to Katherine Findeisen. I now know that I probably never will and this knowledge gives me an enormous sense of satisfaction for which I thank you. Love, Ted"

We took the Oh, the Places You'll Go Elevator to the basement where there was an activity room for children. There were no children in sight and the staff was bored so they asked if we

wanted to make monster Father's Day cards. At 63 years old, I make a helluva  kindergartner.

Did you find the cup?

And Al had a little prezzie for me. She always brings me something. She's thoughtful like that.

A roll of ABC tape Just like the penmanship exemplar above the blackboard in school and some Stash Tea. From the package: "Portland Blend Black Tea in celebration of our rich history in all things tea, we've given a nod to Stash's own hometown, Portland, Oregon, the City of Roses. Rich black teas are blended with chocolaty cocoa nibs, the flavor of fresh raspberries, and visually accented with pretty blue cornflower and rose petals."

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.