Why walk when you can run...on walks the boy rarely walks...he jumps, skips, hops, runs...Recently a friend of ours sent us a copy of some pages from a book that showed a "walking tour" in our area of the city.
The book has you walk throughout an area and lists points of interest along the way. When I read that the walk included a Frank-Lloyd Wright designed house, I knew we needed to check it out!
The walking tour began at a park we've been to before, but again one that we've never walked to. I Googled it online and it said the park was about a 35 minute walk from our home. I figured we could do it.
CemeteryThe park was originally part of the estate of a wealthy paper manufacturer and then became a Catholic seminary for 50 years. The old home and some of the seminary buildings still stand...and a very small cemetery (less than 50 inhabitants) is in a corner of the park. We enjoy walking along the trail circling the lake, looking at the old buildings, the crumbling bridge and the cemetery. I think old cemeteries are generally interesting...this one was not too interesting b/c all the headstones were quite identical - but yet it was interesting b/c it was so small and dedicated to only men associated with the seminary.
It was fun to see another Frank Lloyd Wright building...I had actually ridden past it (on my bike) earlier in the week, not knowing it was a FLW, - and was intrigued when I saw it the first time.
There were about a total of 6 or 7 houses and 2 parks, that we read about and viewed.
Park pathYou may wonder when we fit school into our day...well this walk was school. Supposedly Aristotle taught while walking throughout a garden...if Arty could do it - why can't we?! Peripateticism is defined as "the philosophy of Aristotle, who taught while walking." and "the philosophy of Aristotle that deals with logic and metaphysics and ethics and poetics and politics and natural science...". Well I'm not embracing Aristotle's philosophy, but I am teaching and the kids are learning as they walk up and down the road. We do discuss logic and metaphysics (if you can include Biblical Christianity in that term) and poetics (well the kids do sing) and politics (the other day the boy saw an Obama/Biden sign and misreading it he said "Look someone is trying to make fun of Obama - the sign says Obama Bin Laden"...the Biden name does look similar, just remove the NLA), and natural science (such as the frogs and caterpillars).
I love all the built-ins especially the long hallways filled with bookshelves and storage cabinets...I love the countless doors opening each room to the outside ("A thieves delight" said the boy) - though home alone - late a night - in bed - after watching a "scary movie" - hearing a noise - would make one rather paranoid and concerned that all 599 doors were closed and locked!
