A couple dreams were fulfilled today

When Field of Dreams, the movie, was released in April 1989, I was in the middle of getting ready for final exams and graduate from Appalachian State.  Luckily, after I moved to Morganton, they were still playing it downtown in the old theater.  I remember coming out of the building after watching it and knowing that my world was a peace if only for a few moments.  The feeling of no pressure and joy.  A few years later, I had the pleasure of watching it over and over again as a research project. 

You see, there is a scene in the movie of an old newspaper establishment and you can see the old letter press and movable type.  Those of you that don't know it but that was what I learned in school and taught the first 9 years.  The scene was important to me because we were going to dedicate a portion of the graphic/printing lab at the School for the Deaf in honor of Albert Mehl.  Mr. Mehl was a solid fixture around the campus and was a humble man.  He never wanted any credit for the things he did for the students and the school.  He was always there for me and my printing program and would often make donations of computers and other equipment. 

Most times he would just come in and ask how much 3 more computers would cost and the next thing I knew, he was telling me to order it.  That was the person he was and I miss him often still today.
The movie gave me the opportunity to recreate a authentic print shop as it was in the earlier days and I did my best to create the style in a corner of the old graphics lab where we saluted him.  The lab and the tiny museum are now gone but there are still photos and memories in the NCSD museum of what was created and dedicated to Mr. Mehl.
The ball field from the movie and the house and corn fields have been preserved all these years.  I asked why and they said that the movie still has a following and people from all over the world are drawn, as I was, to this place for many different reasons.  This place was in my top five things on my bucket list.

The second dream came true not through planning and research but by pure luck.  You see, those silly old brown signs led me to another gem.   Driving across Iowa, westward on the same road most of the day, I ran across a sign to Cedar Rock, as house by Frank Lloyd Wright.  In college, I took a few design and drafting/architecture classes and Frank Lloyd Wright was a many a topic.  I had to see for myself what it was all about.  After seeing the house from the outside, you could definitely see many of his design elements such as the cantilevered roof and brickwork but inside, all the furniture, which he designed and created screamed his name. 



I took more photos of the furniture and cabinetry than I probably did the house.  The simple but meaningful designs were his true touch.  The craftsmanship was second to none and it was a delight to hear the stories about how the house came about and created.  It wasn't on my bucket list but it should have been.  Next up, lots of water...