Dallas Arboretum Trip - 成大工科系畢業46年同學會 - 10/17/2015

Season’s changing 

As Ben and I were driving home on Maryland’s I-200 highway this week, I noticed the autumn is in its full glory.  I took this picture.  Stunning arrays of red, orange, gold, yellow, and brown colors are sweeping everywhere you turn - the parks, the hills, the streets, the neighborhood, and my backyard as well.  I think the chilly nights, 35-40 degree for the past week have changed the colors into vibrant shades.  It seems like only yesterday, both Wen Sheng (詹文聲) and Yaung Hwa (盧永華) just put a spectacular pumpkin show at Dallas Arboretum for us.

Group Outings – 10/17/2015

1^st Destination – Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden 9:00 a.m.

According to the 10^th year NCKU World Carnival agenda, today should cover the speeches from the luminaries and officials including the new president, Huey-Jen Jenny Su (蘇慧貞校長).

We decided to skip the activity with the attitude of “been there, done that, got the T-shirt”.  It’s time to move on to a new destination.  Because we want to go where everyone knows your name even though they just can’t always remember!  We will definitely be back networking tonight 6:00 p.m. for the formal banquet. 

See the schedule planning Wen Shen and Yaung Hwa provided for us.

Oct. 17 (Saturday)

8:45 am: Arrive at Lobby, Hilton Hotel

9:00 am: Tour Bus left for Dallas Arboretum

9:45 am-11:30am:  Visit Dallas Arboretum

11:30-1:30 pm:  Enjoy a relaxing Lunch in the Garden

2:00 pm-3:30 pm: Visit Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas

4:30 pm: Bus return to Hilton Hotel

6:00 pm: Attend Dinner Banquet at Hilton

Roadrunner

Thanks to Chiu Yue Er (邱月娥- 66 Accounting會統), and both Sheng (詹文聲) and Yaung Hwa (盧永華).  The comfortable 24 seater minibus (Roadrunner) picked up us promptly at DFW Hilton and made all the way to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. We, Wen Sheng’s 11 members plus Chiu Yue Er’s 13 members from NCKU’s Girls dorm mates swapped the couple’s seats and encouraged the mingling to initiate the acquaintance and networking.  It worked quite well.  

詹文聲 &盧永華

邱月娥

The Garden and the Pumpkin Festivals

Wow!  Pumpkins, pumpkins and more pumpkins!  I had never seen so many pumpkins in one place!  The bright colors varying from deep, vigorous orange to a light hue welcomed us from the entrance where Chiu Yue Er took care of the group ticket fees for us.  Many thanks to her!  She, a permanent membership holder, instructed us to enjoy this gorgeous garden wherever we could and be ready to eat lunch at #7 marked on the map (DeGolyer Garden Tea Room.)  The group immediately dispersed in all directions where I saw the family, parents, and grandparents with their children enjoying the traditional fall outings with the unique festivity – The Pumpkin Village. 

Grandmotherly Love

This big garden was decorated with pumpkins in every size and color!  The squash, ornamental gourds, corn, cornstalks and both large and small straw bales were put together as the Cinderella Carriage, carved Jack-O'-Lanterns, animals, scarecrows and other children’s size castles for everyone to explore.  I told my husband, who was focusing his camera on the display of green gourds arranged in the shape of State of Texas, “I wish our grandson, Forest, were here with us.  He would be so thrilled to touch every single pumpkin!”  Oh, well!  He has his own parents and I am here to enjoy my 69ES 46-year class reunion.  

The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden

This children’s outdoor garden should be a heaven for children, like my grandson, Forest to arouse their curiosity about the nature.  Everything is tailored to create their interest.  But we were not permitted to go in there today because “Shinyee, you are a senior grandma, where are your grand kids?” A group photo like this should satisfy our inconsolable longing for our grandchildren.

Purple Basil Flowers

As we left the kid’s zone, the much quiet settings around the manicured bushes and flowering plants offered me a place to really smell the Texas air.  I asked Yaung Hwa if the purple flowers with dried seeds were a type of basil plants ready to go into reproduction mode.  The answer was “no.”  We were anticipating a ½ day of private expedition tour of her farm tomorrow.  Maybe she will show me the real basil with purple flowers.  

Beauty is on the Eyes of the Beholder

The stunning sight of the reflecting pool flows silently into White Rock Lake with a big colonial “White House” on the rolling hill.  It reminds me of the trip we made at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in Pennsylvania when we took our son, Eric, to school over 12 years ago.  It’s the serenity that put you completely in the state of reminiscence for the past.   

There’s a shining bronze sculpture of a woman overlooking the pool which angled perpendicularly to White Rock Lake.  There were many sailboats sailing by in front of us.  What a beautiful scene!  I thought whoever lived on that white mansion overlooking the lake must be a true nature lover.

The Purple-red Flowers for the Chinese Valentine Day - 七夕

We walked further, a small courtyard and the pathway led us to a rather intimate setting with vibrant patched flowers vying one another before the frost cut short their lives.  I immediately recognized the purple-red flowers which my mother used to tell me to cut from the wild in the open field.  Then she would put them on the table and burned the fragrant incense to worship the legendary cowboy (牛郎) and weaver girl (織女) on July 7^th in lunar calendar.  I wasn’t sure why there were so many young girls dressed up with pretty gowns walking by here and there today.  Was it some kind of “Sweet 16” celebration day?  Frank (鄭明泰) chimed in with a Taiwanese poem.  It read like this,

“紅圓仔花，
 白雞冠，
翁若走，
莫著跟“。

English Translation:

“The red circle flowers,

 The white Cockscomb flowers,

Wherever the husband goes,

Then the wife should follow after.” 

Chinese Translation:

 “紅色圓圓的花朵兒，
 白雞冠花朵兒，
只要丈夫走去任何地方，
那麼妻子應在後頭遵循和支持“。

The 2^nd Honey-moon Photo Shot

We all got a kick out of his sense of humor.  On a whim, he decided to call us attention that he would prefer to be alone with his better half (Gwei Hsian林貴香) for a second-honeymoon picture taken, so to speak.  Pen-Yuan (施本源), volunteered to be a semi-photographer as I walked away smiling at them in disbelief.  I couldn’t help thinking, “yes, it’s about time to see the beauty of your loved one again.  It should be a memorable picture to hold on.  I may not be perfect in your eyes, but let us grow old together.”  What a lovely place so tranquil to celebrate all women.  

Lunch at DeGoyler Tea House

By the time we gathered any stragglers and completed the roundup of the party of 11 members at #7 DeGoyler Teas House, I was full of appreciation for Wen Sheng, Yaung and Chieu Yue Er.  It really means a lot to me for their generosity and hospitality.  I couldn’t wait to see Yaung Hwa’s home-made Pecan Cookies from her farm. 

Beauty's Fleeting

I understand the nature’s beauty can be fleeting.  How do I hold on those special moments so precious in our lives without fading away or sitting in the back of our memories?  These 11 people’s smiling, huddling each other or standing stiffly, not in so intimate way, like Frank 鄭明泰 and Gwei Hsian 林貴香, is something we will share for a long long time.

Crystal clear White Rock Lake rippled with the passing sailboats is in front of us 

^2nd Destination – Dallas Art District – Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center – 10/17/2015 2:00 p.m.

It’s a very impressive façade from the outside picture when our bus arrived.  Chiu Yue Er arranged the center’s volunteer; Miss Roberto gave us a grand tour of this music hall. 

 

  If I think Dallas has only the hot weather, the oil, the football (Troy Ackerman), JR Ewing, JF Kennedy  assassination or the cowboy, etc.…., then I am totally wrong.  The art district is as urban and fast growing as any cities in the United States.  We saw the shiny skyscrapers bearing the names of largest banks, hotels and shops tucked among the tracts of open land. 

The building was designed by the world-known architect I.M. Pei.  His creativity featured the famous glass pyramid that would angle to all sides to fill the interior with natural sunlight. 

Dallas Symphony Orchestra is housed in this music hall.  The centerpiece of the Meyerson Symphony Center is the Eugene McDermott Hall which can house 2,500 audiences.  It’s been 26 years since the grand opening in 1989 according to Ms. Roberta’s introduction.  Any world-class symphony orchestra has performed here.  

One of the Largest Pipe Organs in the World

The most eye-catching point is the mechanical action organ installed in the front center of the hall.  She said, “it was the generous gift from the Lay Family. It offered free organ concert sometimes, but we missed it today.”  Wow, the instrument indeed is stunning.  I can’t imagine the sound flows out from the performer in the well-built acoustical canopy.  It must be a captivating experience.

Brown Color Canopy

We sat in the center of the hall while she explained to us about the system of the canopies suspended above the stage.  It can be raised and lowered to reflect the sound throughout the audience chamber.  It’s normally done so for the small chamber concert performances to allow the musicians to hear one another.  What a special gadget for the musicians.  

We followed her along the maze of corridors to the back stage, dressing rooms and the greenrooms where the musicians relaxed, played behind the scenes before the show time.  Some of the storage rooms/cases where the musicians store their expensive instruments were also introduced.  

“A Concert Night” Back in the Campus, October, 1967

I would say the tour was quite educational and informative. Thanks to Chiu Yue Er (邱月娥- 66 Accounting會統), and both Sheng (詹文聲) and Yaung Hwa (盧永華) again.  However, if the impressive concert hall without music is like a body without soul!

There is no secret that Ben and I are both music lovers.  I might as well let the secret truth out of the bag now.  “If it weren’t (Hong Ling 洪麟 and Wen Sheng詹文聲’)  then, Ben and I would not have been a partner together now.”  I hope Wen Sheng still remembers the 1967 concert night in that Small Wooden Class Room at Math Department.  The concert was not really a concert at all during our days in NCKU – no canopy, no lighting, no acoustic effect, all that.  It’s the old phonograph records played on the wooden-boxed record player with a couple of home-made amplifiers.  

Anyway, that’s it!

Formal Banquet – NCKU World Carnival

We were all together at the formal dinner banquet night of NCKU World Carnival.  Tonight would mark the end of the 2-day official meetings and transfer the school flags to both Malaysia NCKU Alumni Association and DC to host the 2017 events.  

The intended dramatic climax should be the performance from the alumni singing and dancing.  It turned into the dancing performances from others who had no part with the school spirit at all.  The best was the soprano singer who is the daughter of the previous president of NCKU (校長馬哲儒).  The father should be very proud of her impressive voice.

I felt guilty for not engaging in my heart with the closing ceremony as much as I should.  My mind was actually at Yaung Hwa’s hay farm visit – Lotus Patch.

These blogs put the sight and sound of my 2-day visit for NCKU Carnival event.  It's only a glimpse of what I saw in Dallas.  Thanks to all the semi-professional photographers, Vincent, Pen Yuan, Frank, and my husband, Ben.  Your photo shots  adds the extra colors for our class reunion, without them, my blogs would seem to be a bit pale on the paper.  

Shinyee and NCKU-DC group - BJ and Hao-Chien

NCKU-DC alumni - welcome you all for 2017 Event

We are aging with a smile!  The silver hairs and the wrinkled faces are the lifetime greatest wisdom.  These are not fleeting moments.  These are something we should always hold on!