hello!

i'm back... almost and sort of.  i started this post while still on 95N speeding toward a mile-long "to do" list.  you know, the kind of  "to do" list that grows exponentially the more you agonize over it.

given procrastinating tops agonizing, i switched from "to do" to "to blog" to relieve my woes.

ahhhh... better already.  now... where did we leave off a few weeks ago when i snuck out on my spring hiatus?

oh, yes, furniture, our summer move from PA to NC, placenta jewelry (still ew!), friends who give lovely anthro gifts, $7 goodwill tables, evil brain tumors and building a new house.  lots to catch up on, friends, but where to start?

since easter sunday is still on our minds, the chapel at duke university is fine start.  it's a rather cathedral-ish chapel... but don't you just love the understated?  they even let algae-ish greens grow on their "chapel" to add some understated earthiness.

okay, you're not a ninny so you likely noticed that we already started with duke chapel photos at the get-go.  i have loads of pics so i thought it best to sneak them in sneakily rather slam them at you.  (please don't overwhelm me with advise on sneaking b/c i'm stretched a few too many ways about now.)

it's unlikely that my children will attend the above school but how cute is that simple boat?  weee!

chunky doors, layered carving and more understated algae.  churchy joy.

so, on to the enchanting chapel that was built from stone that smarty-duke-pants unearthed in a quarry a skip-and-a-hop down the road from durham.  the smarty-weathy duke dude decided to BUY the quarry in order to have consistency in the stone.  isn't consistency awesome?  money is awesome, too.  duke dude and i would've made fine friends.  

anyduke,  did you know that the duke bro who handed over the big chunk o' cash to the college required that they allow women to attend before he signed the check?  again, good friends we would be.

let's step inside, shall we?

the duke dudes loved coluhhhhh...

and texture and fine wood.  i wonder if they bought a forest.

the dukes knew not to cheap-out on lighting.  they chose well, don't you agree?

yep, that's the organ.  organiliciousness.

everything about duke "chapel" was not perfect.  do you see the pollen puddling on the slate?  really.  reaaaallllly!  my eyes are still watering.

still, should you have an opportunity to pass through durham, nc, the duke campus is a "must-see".  have i mentioned the sarah duke gardens?  okay, fine, since you asked so sweetly, i'll do a post of photos i took while strolling through the gorgeous grounds.

speaking of chapels and cathedrals, have you read ken follett's novel, pillars of the earth?  it ranks in my top 5 favorite books.  but don't read it on your honeymoon 'cuz new husband's do not understand book reading on a honeymoon and may talk about it for the next 17 years of marriage.

in the meantime, one more chapel photo to remind you why one should invest in a quarry prior to chapel building.

and maybe just one more in case you're thick in the skull....

and one final shot to point out that a good stone carver is a must-have when it comes to toes and chapels.  agreed?

mighty fine toes, don't you think?