Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in November of 2005. Mattie was three years old and I snapped this photo because Mattie was doing his interpretation of a bridge. A bridge high enough for his Lego creation/vehicle to traverse under. This to me captures the beauty and creativity of Mattie. 


Quote of the day: Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. ~ W.T. Purkise


Today we toured the Woodrow Wilson house. It was a wonderful experience and like yesterday we had a fabulous guide. One who really loved what she was doing and conveyed that. Walking through the house, brings Woodrow Wilson and his life alive for the visitor. Wilson married twice. His first wife, Ellen, died after his first year in office. He had three girls with his first wife. His second wife was named Edith. Though Edith was 16 years younger than Wilson, they had no children together. She did have a son from her first marriage who died. In fact, the baby shoe of her son was bronzed and was on display in her bedroom. I personally found that revealing. As a mom who lost an only child, I got the significance of this shoe. Another thing I did not realize was Wilson suffered a massive stroke while in office and his left side was completely paralyzed. Given the nature of how disabilities were viewed in the early 1900s, Wilson was NEVER pictured with a cane, crutches, or a wheelchair. Most US Presidents do not retire in Washington, DC. However, Wilson made this decision because it put him closer to his medical team that had been caring for him since he suffered a stroke. 

The President Woodrow Wilson House is the home to which President and Mrs. Wilson retired from the White House in 1921. President Wilson lived here until his death in 1924, and Mrs. (Edith) Wilson (his second wife) lived in the home until her death in 1961, at which time she bequeathed the home and its furnishings to the National Trust for Historic Preservation to serve as a monument to President Wilson. 

The home and gardens were designed by architect Waddy Butler Wood and were completed in 1915.The President Woodrow Wilson House is situated in the Kalorama – Embassy Row area that has long featured stately mansions and town homes. The home is executed in a Georgian Revival style. The home was originally built as a private residence of Henry Parker Fairbanks, an executive of the Bigelow Carpet Company. 

The President Woodrow Wilson House includes many remarkable features, including a marble entryway and grand staircase, Palladian window, book-lined study, dumb waiter and butler’s pantry, and solarium overlooking the formal garden. The home has been maintained much as it was in 1924, including furniture, art, photographs, state gifts, and the personal effects of President and Mrs. Wilson. 

The drawing room includes a century-old Steinway piano that President Wilson had in the White House, a framed mosaic that Wilson received on his trip to Italy in 1919 from Pope Benedict XV, and a wall-sized Gobelin tapestry presented by the people of France following World War I. Basically this room houses many of the gifts that were given to Wilson while he was president. It was after Wilson's presidency that a law was passed that all gifts granted to US presidents remain at the White House. As they are considered gifts to the Nation and not the individual. 

A photo of Peter with his parents in front of the house. 

The Wilson study served many purposes.... it was where he gave his remote radio address to the American People on November 11, 1923, the fifth anniversary of Armistice Day, watched movies with his wife, and kept his extensive book collection. Wilson was the only US president to earn a Ph.D., rather than being granted an honorary degree. He was the president of Princeton University and a progressive thinker. 

President Wilson received dignitaries and guests at the home, including former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George and former French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau. Mrs. Wilson was known to have invited and dined with every first lady in this very room since her husband's retirement. 

This with Woodrow Wilson's bedroom. Wilson and Edith had separate bedrooms, and Wilson also had a full time nurse who lived in the house to help provide his care. Notice the beautiful painting of the woman above the fireplace. Wilson was able to stare at this painting each and every day, which apparently bothered Edith, since this wasn't a portrait of her. Rather it was the portrait of Jane Russell's (a movie star) mother. There was no more information about this, but it does leave one asking..... why?

It's hard to believe but the Wilson's had only two full time live-in staff members. Staff who clearly managed others who came in to serve and care for the family. 

This was the Wilson's kitchen. The kitchen was on the first floor and the dining room was on the second floor. Fortunately there was a dumb waiter that was used to carry the food upstairs.