Bowl 20: Laurie

The space is huge, but intimate, 

perhaps because of the warm wood that surrounds me.

Wooden beams soar high above.

And looking up it's as if we are in a ship turned topsy-turvy.

She is leading a tour for two contractors who know a lot about buildings.

I join in. 

They talk of the curved beams, unnecessary from a structural point of view,

but beautiful nonetheless.

And how churches in England were built this way 

because they had used up all of the straight trees, 

and only curved ones remained.

 

After they leave she shows me the Victorian wallpaper 

installed during one of several renovations. 

And photos of the interior all dressed up in Victorian garb.

It is so different from the plain beauty of the wooden pews 

and simple walls that surround me now.

And she tells me that when they removed the box pews, 

some families took them home and stored them.

And when they decided to restore the church,

 families brought them back again . . . 

more than 100 years later!

I leave, and return, catching her as she heads out down the driveway.

Grateful that she has shared this bit of history with me.

I offer her a gift in return.