I have been thinking lately that I don’t get out much these days, and today was an experience that brought that home to me. Since I was a child, I always liked the carousel at the fairs and carnivals. I was afraid of the horses… they were a little too high, so I often rode in one of the chariots…very safe. I remember always being anxious about getting off in the right place so I wouldn’t get lost. I remember waving to my mother and father as I made the circle. they were always so encouraging, even in this little event. It was sort of like leaving home for 3-5 minutes and coming home again. the world was smaller than I thought, and safer, and the supportive people were always there, not far away.
Several years ago, I visited the old carousel at Caroga Lake. It was closed, but I could peer inside, and even walk into it a bit. It seemed sad to see such an important part of life on the verge of extinction. And a year or so after that, I visited the Sandwich heritage museum, where a working carousel allowed me to step back in time, ride the circle of life on a “pony”, wave to my wife as she patiently and supportively admired her knight, bravely going off into the world and safely returning.
This photo is from the Sandwich Heritage Museum.
But today, I was out and about. We visited the Berkshire Mall in Lanesboro, MA., and there was a real workshop called the Berkshire Carousel. I thought they might be selling the “ponies”, but on more careful observation, they were building them, actually carving them from chunks of basswood. A team of volunteers led by two master carvers were putting together, carving, sanding, finishing, and painting these beautiful, glossy horses for a carousel which is to be built in the city of Pittsfield. There will be chariots for the smaller people, the handicapped, and the timid. They will teach you how to carve. There is an effort underway to design the carousel with artwork from the Berkshires.
The above photo is a carved and assembled “pony” ready to be primed at the Berkshire Carousel workshop at the mall. The photo is from the Berkshire Carousel website.
And as I read the brochure, I realized how little I have been out lately. The project has been going on for about five years, and is scheduled to be completed in 2012. It would have been fun to be involved in this project, but I look forward to the ride when it is completed, another trip around the world, and safely home. I love it.
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