~THROUGH CHILDHOOD EYES~

 ~HELEN KELLER BOOK REPORT~

 (My Report Cover was a painted photocopy)

Last October I shared with you about a trip my Mr. AGPMan and I made to Tuscumbia, Alabama where we saw firsthand the birthplace of Miss Helen Keller.  That little getaway did more to buoy my human spirit than any other vacation (big or small) I've made in recent years.

~A SHOT AT THE PUMP~

~FROM MY REPORT~

(Another water-colored Photocopy)

While digging for some special Christmas Keepsakes last December, I came across an old trunk my mother had given to me and tucked inside I found stacks of old school papers from my growing up years.

 ~SO MANY REPORTS~

  I was truly overjoyed to find so many things written in my young hand because I believed most everything from my childhood had been damaged in a flood many years before.  I was over-the-moon happy when I found the book report I had done in March of 1971 on the life of Helen Keller.  I devoured everything I had written and found myself SMILING BIG at my wide-spaced penmanship and mis-spelled words (some things never change!).

How can it be that nearly 40 years have passed by since I penned the story of the life of a woman who still inspires me today?  I never could have dreamed back then that one day I would actually travel to Helen Keller's birthplace and see with my own two eyes the very place she once called home.

 

 ~MY ORIGINAL REPORT~

 ~OUTSIDE IVY GREEN~

 ~ 12 POINTS FOR MY KELLER REPORT~

(That was an "A")

As I continued to flip through the piles of old reports my eyes were immediately drawn to a decorated folder I remembered very, very well.  Across the top was the name of a country I know I will one day visit...

 FRANCE!

 ~REPORT from December 1971~

(We are planning a trip to France in 2013)

As I picked up the cover that had gently faded to a soft red I recalled two specific things about my 7th grade Social Studies Class.  One...I seriously detested my teacher (he was a real creep...sorry!) who was nothing like my English Teacher, Mr. Whalen,  and how I had never forgotten the one and only thing he had said to me about my report...

"Becky...I am VERY aware how much of your quality time is wasted away by just playing!!!  You spend all this time trying to paint and draw while you should be studying! That FORCES me to ask you this question...Did YOU or someone else draw this cover.....?"

~TEACHER'S COMMENTS~

Now...I was no scholar in school, I can assure you of that.  I'd have been most happy to spend all of my time in art and music class and would have done just that if my Mom and Dad (and the school) had given me the high-five...

Still, after slaving over the writing of my assignment on France I was required (by my Momma, not the teacher) to decorate my book report folder.  Such things were important to her and thus became important to me.  She believed then (as I do now) that the "outward presentation" of one's work was equally important as what was on the inside!  Here I sit all these years later still believing with my whole heart that "packaging is everything!"

Anyway...although I ultimately received a good grade for my work about France my teacher made no bones about the fact he didn't believe I had drawn the picture of the Eiffel Tower shown on the front cover of my report...

Isn't it funny that here I am 40 plus years down the road and I still remember defending myself and my artwork?  I kid you not when I tell you that teacher made me draw the cover AGAIN (in his presence) before he would give me an "A" on the report.

And...for those of you who might be wondering...my Mother had this amazing ability to turn from a fairly docile person straight into a BARRACUDA on a moment's notice!  She came to my rescue that day and I've never forgotten it.

~~*~~

After days and days and days of feeling absolutely crummy I'm finally off to work in my studio and hope to have some new website pretties offered up for your enjoyment this weekend.

 For some strange reason I feel totally led to design something with a sweet French Flair....

Blessings to you for a lovely day!

(Thank you Mom for your faith in me all these years...)

~IVY GREEN and LESSONS LEARNED~

Named in honor of English Ivy growing on the grounds, IVY GREEN was the childhood home of Helen Keller.

LAYOUT OF IVY GREEN 

Built upon endless acres of beautiful southern land in the state of Alabama, I found the town of Tuscumbia to be both nostalgic and reserved.

  DINING ROOM

REMAINING FAMILY CHINA

(Helen broke most of the missing pieces)

I found the house and her surrounding grounds to be simply lovely and I can't begin to tell you how glad I am for having made the trip.  Knowing how I longed to visit this plot of earth since my own childhood, my Mr. AGPMan planned a short get-a-way for the two of us and helped to make a tiny little dream of mine come true.

While visiting the birthplace of Helen Keller I learned much more about her life than I ever thought possible.  Many books have been written about her childhood and the 'miracle at the pump'.  But, what I truly found interesting was the life she lead after leaving her Ivy Green home.

Helen became a passionate defender of the disabled and she believed had it not been for the fact her family had money she would never have been afforded the chance to learn.  Had the funds not been available to hire a teacher (Annie Sullivan) or had she been poor (or a slave?) she believed her eyes and ears would have remained shuttered.  She became a member of the Socialist Party while still a young woman as well as a Suffragette.

Now...I'm certainly no Socialist.  Not hardly.  But...I do know these were different times and back then women had no rights.  Maybe today Helen would make different choices.  One will never know.  Regardless of the political views she embraced as an adult I believe her lifetime accomplishments are to be honored and celebrated. 

 STAIRWAY

The front door at Ivy Green opens onto a wide hallway and staircase.  I learned it was constructed in the Virginia-cottage style, with four rooms downstairs, two on each side of the hall. Each room has it's own fireplace and is fully furnished in the period style. 

 

 CLOSET UNDER STAIRS

(Helen locked her Mother in this closet!)

As I shared with you yesterday approximately 80% of the furnishings belonged to the Keller family.  Upstairs, there are three additional rooms connected by a hallway.

 LUGGAGE ROOM

A small center room upstairs was designated  for luggage (can you imagine?).   One upstairs room was for Helen's siblings and one was Helen's and Miss Sullivan's.

SEWING MACHINE IN LUGGAGE ROOM

SIBLING'S ROOM

AUNT EVALINE'S ROOM

(Now a small museum)

 HELEN'S CHRISTENING GOWN

 BEAUTIFULLY HANDMADE

(I loved seeing this!)

 BEAUTIFUL LACE

 HELEN'S CLOTHES

AN OLD PHOTO

 THE MIRACLE WORKER PLAY

On Summer weekends during the months of June and July "The Miracle Worker" play is performed on the grounds of the Ivy Green Estate.  I found the scenery fascinating and I hope next summer we can return to Tuscumbia with our Miss K.  I think she would LOVE to see the story of Helen's life unfold for herself.

 AMAZING SET DESIGN

 COMPLETE WITH PUMP

PLAY WATCHED FROM BLEACHERS

I have many more photos I could show you but for now I will leave you with just a few more.

While driving down the Hwy, close to the town of Tuscumbia, I caught sight of something that took my breath away.

 ALABAMA COTTON FIELDS

 Being a native of Southern Cal I had never seen cotton growing in person so I asked my guy to stop by the roadside so I could get a closer look.  As my eyes scanned the land before me I was truly overwhelmed by the burgeoning fields that were white unto harvest.  I stood there for a long time and thought about life in America more than a century ago... As hard as I tried I couldn't even imagine the back-breaking work of hand picking cotton...

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL COTTON

I snapped off a few tufts of the fluffy white stuff (hoping it wasn't illegal) and brought it home to show our Miss K...

A PLACE OF HONOR

For now I've placed my cotton under glass as a gentle reminder of my trip and how truly easy my work (which I love!) really is...

Now...I've shared with you before that I don't believe in coincidence.  I never have.  I believe my steps are appointed by the Most High and I trust Him to bring encouragement to me no matter where I am or what I may be doing.  I've learned to pay attention to the things God places before me for in doing so I am reminded (sometimes in the strangest of ways) that my life is right on track and I'm doing the very thing I was designed to do...

As my guy and I headed north out of Tuscumbia towards the Tennessee border I caught sight of an aging storefront that bore an almost identical name to my business, A Gathering Place...

Discount it if you must, but for me it was just another way to hear the sweet, consistent voice of the Father.

  "You are right where I want you to be, Rebecca!  Continue to trust in Me and I will show you more than you've ever thought possible!  I love you and promise to direct your every step."

Thank you for allowing me to share with you a little of my recent journey.  While making our way through a bit of Southern America I believe my own eyes and ears were opened to the very blessed life I have!

Blessings and love to you this very day...

~VISITING IVY GREEN - Childhood Home of Helen Keller~

ENTRANCE TO IVY GREEN

Ever since I sat in Mr. Whalen's English class in the 7th grade and given the assignment of writing a report on the life of Miss Helen Keller I've dreamed of visiting her childhood home. 

 YOUNG HELEN KELLER

Lovingly named, Ivy Green, by her grandparents when originally built back in 1820, it only took me about 38 years to make my way to the beautiful plot of land first made popular by a little girl who could neither see nor hear.

STANDING BY THE FRONT GATE

I don't know when it was that I first became fascinated with the story of  Helen Keller.  Maybe it was while watching a very young Patty Duke and Ann Bancroft in the movie The Miracle Worker with my mother back in the mid 1960's.

 ANN BANCROFT as Annie Sullivan

PATTY DUKE as Helen Keller

The Miracle Worker - 1962

Or, maybe the seed of curiosity was planted as a result of reading a couple of simple books about her life several years before my written assignment.  I can only tell you for certain that from as far back as my mind can go I've wanted to understand more about the triumphs of Helen Keller and the miracle that became the basis for the story of her life.

MAIN ENTRANCE

And so...about ten days ago my Mr. AGPMan and I backed away from our Oklahoma home and began the 11 hour drive that would take us to Northern Alabama and to a beautiful little town called Tuscumbia...

 BEAUTIFUL and RESERVED

Even though my hubby and I knew ahead of time the House, which held a tiny museum, was closed on Sundays, we decided to drive from the town of Florence (where we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast) to Tuscumbia just the same.  It was only about 8 miles away and we both wanted to scout out the town and snoop around the grounds. We returned the next day to actually tour the inside of the house and to snap photos!

LONG BEFORE BECOMING A MUSEUM

I love comparing the old pictures with the ones taken the day of our visit.  So much has changed and yet so much is still the same.  In 2020 the house will celebrate it's 200th birthday.

BUILT FOR CAPTAIN KELLER'S BRIDE

This charming little two-room structure was built as a 'bridal suite' for Helen's mother when she married her father, Captain Keller.  It was the very place Helen was born and also the dwelling where both she and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, would later reside during the early days of Helen's learning.

 BEAUTIFUL INSIDE

 

 BACK PLAY AREA

 

VINTAGE PHOTO of WATER PUMP

I found it very interesting that the water pump has stayed in it's original place.  A gazebo has been built over it but it's position has never changed.

WATER PUMP GAZEBO

Another thing I found very interesting was that the kitchen and cook's quarters were not in the main house.  They were housed in a separate building out back in order to avoid the possibility of a house fire.

KITCHEN and COOK'S QUARTERS

ORIGINAL BRICK OVEN and COOKWARE

I've decided I'm never ever going to complain again about my modern kitchen!  I can't even imagine having to cook in a place like this!

COOK'S ROOM

LIVING ROOM

We were told that about 80% of the furniture and furnishings in the home actually belonged to the Kellers.  I find this amazing!

LOOKING INTO HELEN'S ROOM

ANNIE SULLIVAN'S BED

HELEN'S BED
(Before moving next door)

Tomorrow I will show you the remaining pictures of the inside of the house and also a place on the property where a play about Helen's life is performed during the Summer months of June and July.


I'm off to finish up some Christmas Ornaments that I'll be uploading to my website later today!


Thank you for visiting and allowing me to share my heart with yours...


Love to you~