Winter Wanderings 2012 - Day #16 - 2/11

In our loose system of alternating days at home "working" and days "out" this was an outing day.  However, as it turned a fair bit cooler and there was a stiff breeze all day our original plans of visiting a beach were postponed and we took a trip to Florida Southern College.  Although this small (500 student) college has been in Lakeland since the 1880's the campus was almost entirely rebuilt between the thirties and later fifties to a unique design by Frank Lloyd Wright.  It has not worn well and needs constant repairs and his magnificent Water Dome draws so much power to operate fully that it may no longer be run at more than 30% and then only for a few hours a day, making just another attractive pool and fountain.

We did see photos in the Visitors Center of what it once looked like with all the sprays coming together high and in the center.  FLW was a small man.  All steps and stairways have below average rises, and the covered walkways that connect much of the campus together are not very high - it's a good job they don't have a basketball team!  Jean and Peter are at best average height and can easily touch the "ceilings".

The campus is beautifully landscaped with lots of green space and I especially liked this section, temporarily enhanced by a Yellow Trumpet Tree.

The main chapel was being extensively repaired and was closed but the smaller chapel, which has the only use of leaded stained glass on the campus was open.

            We had lunch in the cafeteria/snack bar in one corner of the "new" library overlooking the water dome fountain soon after we arrived and spent the afternoon wandering around with our self-guided tour pamphlets in our hands.  The clouds had largely cleared away and it was nice in the sunshine, but we were all glad to be wearing a sweater.

The rest of the day, once home, was dedicated to relaxing, drinking tea or coffee, eating, chatting and reading with nothing sufficiently notable to be included here.