"Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured. Live and work but do not
forget to play, to have fun in life and really enjoy it. When fun
gets deep enough, it can heal the world. There is no pleasure
in having nothing to do; the fun is having lots to do and not doing it."
Anonymous
The best thing about the Dallas Arboretum are the holidays and December is my favorite month of the year. If you're expecting snow in December in Dallas, the probability is low; however, it could happen. Yesterday, December 5, 2019 temperatures reached 71 degrees. This morning it is a cool 53 degrees and partially sunny.
If you want to feel the spirit of the holiday season, I suggest beginning at the DeGolyer House where you will find a collection of treasures from around the world. These lovely red Dutch Shoes got my attention! My thoughts drifted to my grandparent's house when I was a little girl trying on my grandmother's red shoes that looked similar but had a different design with flowers. Slipping my tiny feet into the big wooden shoes and trying to walk on her hardwood floors was magical!
There is so much to see inside the DeGolyer House (Rancho Encinal) built in 1940, on the shores of White Rock Lake. It is now a permanent home of the Dallas Arboretum. As you wander from room to room, you'll find unique furniture throughout and every room is decorated for the month of December showcasing the magic of Christmas and unusual holiday decor from around the world. The DeGolyer House has 21,000 square feet with 13 rooms, 7 baths, 5 fireplaces, 7 chimneys and a 1,750 square foot library. Above the roaring fire underneath the fireplace mantel in the library, you will see a large portrait of Mr. Evertte Lee DeGolyer (10/9/1886-12/14/1956) world famous geologist, philanthropist, and oilman who is famous for ushering in the "oil industry into the age of technology with the use of seismograph to find oil." (Source: Dallas Arboretum.)
"Prospecting for oil is a dynamic art...
The greatest element in all prospecting past, present, and future,
is the man willing to take a chance."
---Evertte Lee DeGolyer
People come from around the world to experience the holiday at the Dallas Arboretum. The volunteers are well educated and knowledgeable. They will help navigate you if you get lost or trying to find the DeGolyer House. If your feet begins to hurt, as mine did yesterday, you can sit down. There was an older woman sitting across from the fireplace in the library where I was resting. Her mind was as sharp as a laser. Her knowledge about the history of the DeGolyer family and the house they lived in was also a unique experience for me to learn about the history of this distinguished man who achieved success as a result of establishing oil exploration and publishing. I highly recommend visiting the DeGolyer House at the Dallas Arboretum this year.
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