What a weekend we had darlings; so emotionally intense, I had to psychologically decompress!!!!!!!!!!
We started at my sister's scenic house in Audubon, lush with greenery, making the front and back yards look like tropical forests, in this season and weather.
Saturday, we kicked off the day by visiting the world-famous Villa St. Martha, in Downingtown, one of the wildest places on Earth!!!!!!! (Both St. Martha, and Downingtown!!!!!!!) My father, still active at only 98, joined us for an excursion to the Brandywine Museum, which was pretty picturesque this season, darlings, and had gorgeous views of the floral landscape, plus the N.C,. Wyeth Gallery (my favorite), not to mention, Andrew, Jamie and all those other artistic Wyeths.
There is the loveliest cafeteria, with a scenic view of the creek; you feel as though you are eating in the most elegant of surroundings, even if all you are just noshing down is a soup and a sandwich.
Their gift shop is enormous and that is where I was hoping to find the book I have been in search of for ages--the edition of "The Yearling" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, illustrated by N.C. Wyeth. I have actually wanted to get my hands on a copy that I can own, ever since coming across it for the first time in the Irving School Library, back in the 1965-66 school year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To me, the visualizations helped to define the 1946 MGM movie, and I when I think of "The Yearling, I think of this edition, with the Wyeth illustrations.
But the first book Wyeth illustrated was "Treasure Island," by Robert Louis Stevenson, (of whose works he would go on to illustrate a great many more) so maybe that was why the gift shop was teeming with that volume. I actually considered purchasing it; "Treasure Island" is one of my favorites, but not so much as "The Yearling," whose illustrations are extraordinarily beautiful.
From there it was just a short hop to suburban Downintown, and a lovely visit with my nephew Jonathan, his wife, Mandy, and their two lovely children, Fiona and Alexander. From superb barbecued chicken to high drama, the evening flowed, till it was time to pack my father in at his comfort station at the world famous Villa St. Martha's!!!!!!!!!!!!
All in all, it was quite a weekend, darlings! Yesterday, it was necessary for me to psychologically decompress; I was so emotionally exhausted.
And both of us were tired! We even slept through the last part of "On The Case With Paula Zahn!"
Paula will never forgive us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The film version of The Yearling completely traumatized me when I was 6. It was on TV, and when the fawn was shot at the end, I began to cry and couldn't stop. I was still sobbing 2 hours later;my poor mother was getting concerned. I have never watched it again. It's been almost 50 years. Sometimes I'm tempted when it's on TCM, but I always chicken out. One of these days, I'll just bite the bullet and watch it!
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ReplyDeleteI first read "The Yearling" when I was in 5th grade, due to the flop Broadway musical made from it, which featured the song "I'm All Smiles."
When I saw the film, it was on a black and white set. I had no idea till years later it had been filmed in color, and I have never seen it that way, for reasons you mentioned.
Another movie I couild never sit through again, and had your reaction to, is the 1937 film "Make Way For Tomorrow."