The Schaffer Library at Union College in Schenectady, New York

The Schaffer Library at
Union College






Never having visited, I take my camera inside...  Kira Nam Greene's By the Patterns Art Installation gives the library an artful feel.

Without disturbing the students,

I examined the complex patterns

 on the columns on the first floor.

Giant paper airplanes are
suspended in an open
stairway.

I love this shot of the paper

airplanes, looking across the

open stairway & down to

 the first floor.

Students are studying everywhere there's a place to sit.  I'm going to focus on the art and exhibits in the building.

A Butter Sculpture by the Tibetan

Monks of Gaden Jangtse Tsawa

Khangsen, South India

The Nott Memorial from

a library window.

An untitled Melissa Harvey
lithograph focuses on the
wood grain of a fallen log.

I love this Melissa Harvey mixed

 media digitally scanned lithograph,

 placed next to a window.

I immediately recognized to re-purposed wooden storm window.  The house I spent the first eleven years of my life in had removable wooden storm windows.  

 




Edinburgh Blues, by Jon Schueler
is a restful piece to look at while
working in the library.

Wisdom's Valley by Walter

Hatke depicts the Shaker

Orchard near the Albany

International Airport.

 There''s an informative display on Union College's ties to the Adirondack Mountains.

The papers of William F. Fox, Class of 1860 and Superintendent of Forests of the Adirondack Park, with a photo of him standing at tent entrance  
Joel T. Headley, Class of 1839 and author of the 1849 book Adirondacks, or Into the Woods, extolled the virtues of living closely with nature in the north woods.   
Edward Everett Hale, Jr., Head of the Union English Department, was a founding member of the Adirondack Mountain Club





Franklin B. Hough, Class of 1843,
published histories of the
Adirondacks.











He documented the decline of timber trees in the Adirondacks in the mid and late 1800s.   Hough's research on forestry management and dogged determination to include the government in the management of this resource became the basis of American forestry.  He drafted the 1885 Adirondack Forest Preserve Law and saw it enacted shortly before his death.

A display of  equipment used in

 the Adirondack tree census.

The top shelf has a camera and canisters of film to document the census of trees.  The bottom shelf has items used to survey Lake George's Dome Island.

Many used Ernest Thompson
Seton's illustrated nature books
as they explored the Forest
Preserve in the Adirondacks.

Union College students and staff shared the virtues and benefits of "living rough" in the Adirondack Mountains.  They worked tirelessly to save the trees and the natural environment in the north country woods.  It's a proud tradition that those who visit the Adirondacks should know about.

The Old Chapel at Union College in Schenectady

The American Red Cross
truck is parked outside
the Old Chapel, located in
Geological Hall.






Geological Hall was built in the mid 1800s.  Besides the chapel, the building housed a natural history museum, the library and the College Treasurer's Office.

Attendance at daily service

was mandatory.

The chapel was the only space on campus large enough for all the Union College students to meet. For many years, it was the heart of the campus.  

The Old Chapel Bell...

It was restored with 

funds raised by the

Class of 1947.

Very basic blood donation

information for donors

to read.

All blood types are needed.

The Red  Cross is using
the first floor of the
Old Chapel.

After I donated blood, I

walked up the stairs to

the gallery.

I examine the woodwork
in this section of
Geological Hall.

Groups of chairs & ottomans

are available for students

to sit & study or hang

out & socialize.

This is a very nice space.  I'm glad that it's used for different functions.

Walking Around Union College in Schenectady on a Sunny June Day

The Nott Street entrance
to Union College.

 Founded in 1795, Union College continues to educate students for today's and tomorrow's challenges.

The F. W. Olin Center house

s an observatory.

The Nott Memorial is at

the center of campus.

Another view of the

Nott Memorial.

This unique building was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1972.

I love the intricate 

slate roof design.

Jackson's Garden was started

 in the 1830s by Professor

Issac Jackson.

This quiet, shaded garden 

provides the perfect spot

for the student studying

in the cleft of the far

tree.

Students are well fed at the

Reamer Campus Center.

One of several raised bed
gardens behind Reamer.

Schaffer Library

Chester Alan Arthur, America's

21st president, graduated from

Union College in 1848. 

 What brings me to Union College today?

I'm here to donate blood at the

Red Cross Blood Drive.

The Red Cross is set up in 

the college's Old Chapel.

Walkabout With Wheels RV Blog Reaches a New Milestone....

Eric and I retired on September 12, 2012 and started travelling in our 2004 Winnebago Vectra. Walkabout With Wheels RV Blog was started so family and friends could follow our travels.

Something happened along the way...  People in other countries started reading my blog and the Pageview numbers grew by leaps and bounds.

This morning's screenshot was taken at 6:56 am.... 199,995 pageviews.

Another big milestone...  200,000 pageviews at 8:26 am.

Thank you, readers in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia for taking the time to read a post or two.  200,000 pageviews is a lot of traffic for a blog with no ads.  

Eric and I will continue to post on topics that interest us.  I hope they interest you too.

Thanks again!!!!

Every Building Needs a Sturdy Foundation... The House on Cox Avenue in Rotterdam

Looking at the same houses, cars and trucks can be tedious, so I vary my early morning walks to avoid boredom.  Last Thurday's walk took me to Cox Avenue.




St. John's Stone & Concrete's
truck is parked outside one
of the houses at 8:00 am.





I am a curious person.  I took my cell phone out and started taking pictures....

The right side of the house....

A trench has been dug, exposing the basement wall below ground.

 I am looking inside the basement.

There are spacers, probably jacks, where concrete blocks used to be.  This is serious foundation repair.

The left side of the house is
also missing a row of blocks.





The repairman is working on the outside of the foundation.

A few minutes later, he is working

from inside the basement.

I must walk on Cox Avenue again to check on the progress of the job.  

Monday morning.... 

The foundation on the right side

of the house is complete, with

windows.  

The left side of the house's

foundation has been

completed.

After a few days, I'm sure the trenches will be filled and grass seed will be spread to return the lawn to its previous lush green.

Construction at the Corner of Guilderland Avenue & Curry Road in Rotterdam, New York

 

I've been driving past the corner of

Guilderland Avenue & Curry Road

for weeks....

These buildings have been gutted &

look like they're ready to be

taken down.

More equipment has been brought
in & has been placed next to the
former store.

But the buildings are still
standing.

Is anything going on, or is the project stalled?

No.  Construction has started farther back on the property.

The foundation for the new CVS Pharmacy is in.

Apparently, the gutted buildings that line Curry Road are a buffer for the construction site. They will be demolished and removed at a later time.

Concrete blocks are stacked

up, waiting to be used.

 

As I look closely at the foundation,

I see rebar, reinforcing bars used in

concrete construction, have been 

installed along the base of the wall. 

I expect to see walls going up on the site the next time I walk by the corner of Guilderland Avenue and Curry Road.