Thanks for the many kind words. If photologue was not a word before, I think there's a good case for it. I'm sorry to hear that Stormfield is for sale, but starting this week I will buy lottery tickets. Winning will be a sign that Stormfield should continue to be a welcome spot for those who love Twain. The statues were at the library before, but this time I took my 'A' camera. I have a couple more shots as well, and I've been meaning to create a panorama. Maybe this weekend I'll get to work on that. I now have a new understanding of why Twain loved this area so much. On Tue, Oct 29, 2013 at 5:37 PM, Arianne <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Thank you so much for sharing this visit. I was thrilled to see the photos > of the Walter Russell HUGE statue of Mark Twain and his characters. Wasn't > it not there when you first visited? > > Thanks to you, them, and FLIckr. > > Arianne Laidlaw > > > On Tue, Oct 29, 2013 at 9:35 AM, Terry Ballard <[log in to unmask] > >wrote: > > > In the last year I've shaken hands with two men who have walked on the > > moon, but I doubt I'll ever have another day like the one I had last > > Friday. In August we had driven down from Danbury and stopped in at > Redding > > on a whim to see the area of Mark Twain's final home - Stormfield. I > wrote > > a rambling and silly report to this Forum and got several responses - > > invitations to do a proper meet up next time I'm in Redding. This > included > > the holy grail of Twaindom - a visit to the reconstructed Stormfield (the > > original burned down in 1923). With Redding just two hours away, how > could > > we resist? We began with a visit with Susan Durkee, an artist who owns > the > > 'Lobster Pot," a house purchased by Twain in 1980 for his trusted > secretary > > Isabel Lyons. The house and gardens are saturated with images and > > references to Twain, and Susan was simply delightful. I had read several > > books that were quite critical of Lyons, and Susan suggested I check out > > "Mark Twain's Other Woman" by Laura Skandera Trombley (See > > > > > http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Twains-Other-Woman-Vintage/dp/0307474941/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383063907&sr=8-1&keywords=mark+twain%27s+other+woman > > ) > > After 90 minutes of talking her ears off, we were on to the Mark Twain > > Library around the corner, where Beth Dominianni gave us the librarians' > > tour. This library was founded by Twain just before his death as a > lasting > > memorial to his daughter Jean, who died at Stormfield, due to > complications > > from epilepsy. In all, it is one of the most beautiful public libraries > > I've ever seen, and Beth is justifiably proud of what they've done with > it. > > There are lots of Twain artworks here, but their prize is a portrait done > > by an Italian artist, and rescued from the fire at Stormfield. After the > > library, we had a little time before Stormfield, so we visited a nearby > > graveyard (I can never get enough of New England cemeteries in the > fall). > > Then we headed back down Diamond Hill Road to Mark Twain Lane. We were > met > > and welcomed by the first owner of Stormfield who did not have the motto > > "Keep out or we'll shoot you." We were shown the deck area, which still > has > > most of the original stones from the mansion, and into the house, where > we > > ended up in the area that was said to be the billiards room in Twain's > day. > > The owner had bought the house years ago just because he loved the > > facility, and since then he has picked up an interest in Twainian > matters, > > taking seriously his role as steward of a literary Mecca. The area is > > covered with walking trails named after characters in Twain's books, and > I > > tried one briefly at the end of our stay. When I came back, I was shown > > the best way to get a look at the farm complex that Twain had bought for > > Jean. It was a day of incalculable warmth and good karma. A photo > > gallery for the day can be found at > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryballard/sets/72157637048051944/ > > > > -- > > > > > > Terry Ballard > > Author and Leisure Studies Manager > > http://www.terryballard.org > > Author of the book "Google this" > > http://googlethis.com<http://googlethisforlibraries.com/> > > > > "My memory has a mind of its own." > > > > > > -- > Arianne Laidlaw A '58 > -- Terry Ballard Author and Leisure Studies Manager http://www.terryballard.org Author of the book "Google this" http://googlethis.com<http://googlethisforlibraries.com/> "My memory has a mind of its own."