Reflections

Posted April 13, 2018 by Josie Snow

My goodness, it is hard to believe it has been two months since my last post! The time went by in a blur. So much has happened, I went on a trip to Vermont for some cross-country skiing; Played in some snow from the many Nor’easters; Visited the Eric Carle Picture Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts; wrote paper after paper; took a whirlwind tour of Washington DC; and read more books than I ever thought possible. To top it all off, Winter is edging towards Spring (slowly…oh so slowly it seems, but getting closer every day!), and somehow, I am almost done with my first year in grad school. Wow, where do I even begin?

Eric Carle Museum, Amherst, Massachusetts

Simmons maintains a close relationship with the Eric Carle Museum of picture book art in Amherst, Mass. Some students take classes there. Curious to see the museum I ventured out there, Amherst is a very interesting place, it was once the home of Emily Dickenson and many other literary figures visited. I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed “The Carle” as the Museum is called, it was exciting to see favorite pictures from books displayed as the Art they are, and to be inspired to read other books by looking at the art that lives inside. They also have an Art Room, where visitors can create, which made me happy. If you get a chance to go sometime, it is worth the stop.

Vermont

Vermont was beautiful. It’s crazy, but with just a few hours’ drive, one can enter a different world, a world with small towns nestled in valleys, tree covered mountains, and winding roads. It was so similar to home that I kept looking up and being surprised to find that the mountains in front of me had round tops rather than rocky peaks. A Narnia of my own.

Nor’easter Experiences

The weather here has been an education in temperamental atmospherics, one day the temperatures will be in the 50’s with sunshine, and flowers, and the next day we are told that there is a big storm bringing snow our way. You may have heard of some of the storms on the news, some places on the Coast had very dramatic experiences. Luckily, I wasn’t affected too badly, just got a few snow days from school, but I do wish Spring would come and stick around for a while.

Washington D.C.

Over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, I had the chance to see Washington D.C. I really only had one day and a night in the Capitol, but I tried to make it worth it. I had never been before, so I visited the monuments on the National Mall, the Library of Congress, The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, The Botanical Gardens, and even got to see a show at the Kennedy Center. It was exhilarating, and awe-inspiring! All that history everywhere. In addition, it was warmer in D.C. and the Cherry Blossoms were almost out, so it was a nice break