What I'd Rather be Doing

I've posted several times about my job and my struggles with becoming a working mother instead of a stay at home mom. It's not that I don't like my job or appreciate that it has enabled me to help support my family during a very difficult time while my husband's business was growing. But, if I could chose, I would love to be the fund raising director of a non profit organization. I did a ton of fundraising for the Junior League when I was an active member and even served on the Board in that capacity and that's what I do for the PTA. I've even got one picked out, Filoli Gardens in Woodside, CA. It has an amazing history

"Filoli was built for Mr. and Mrs. William Bowers Bourn, prominent San Franciscans whose chief source of wealth was the Empire Mine, a hard-rock gold mine in Grass Valley, California. He arrived at the unusual name Filoli by combining the first two letters from the key words of his credo: “Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.”

Mr. Bourn chose longtime friend and prominent San Francisco architect Willis Polk as principal designer for the House. Polk had previously designed the Bourns' cottage in Grass Valley as well as their home on Webster Street in San Francisco. An inventive architect, Polk frequently combined several styles in a single building, an eclecticism clearly evident in his design for Filoli.
Construction of Filoli began in 1915 and the Bourns moved into the House in 1917. Bruce Porter, a talented painter, sculptor, muralist, landscape designer and art critic was enlisted to help the Bourns plan the layout of the extensive formal garden that was built between 1917 and 1929. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bourn died in 1936.

The estate was purchased in 1937 by Mr. and Mrs. William P. Roth, who owned the Matson Navigation Company. Under the Roths' supervision the property was maintained and the formal garden gained worldwide recognition. Mrs. Roth made Filoli her home until 1975 when she donated 125 acres, which included the House and formal garden, to the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the enjoyment and inspiration of future generations. The remaining acreage was given to Filoli Center.

A prime example of the California eclectic style, Filoli provides an inspiring vision of a new Eden, with bountiful land, plentiful resources and an emphasis on self-sufficiency. Built more than sixty years after the California Gold Rush that inspired massive migration to Northern California, and ten years after the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire in San Francisco, Filoli represented a desire to create a magnificent and enduring country estate.

Now operated by Filoli Center, the 654-acre estate is a California State Historic Landmark and listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. This outstanding showcase of early twentieth-century architecture and garden design can be enjoyed by the public during much of the year"

About a year before I went back to being a lawyer I interviewed there for a great job that would have been amazing. However, my youngest had just been diagnosed as being border line austistic and I was spending a ton of time working with him. I had to turn down what they offered me because it was going to cost more in childcare then I was going to make which frankly wasn't going to work. I still regret it however. Wouldn't this have been an amazing place to work? Way better than my downtown SF office.

The sunken garden and clock tower.

The front of the house. The wisteria here is unbelieveable!

The back of the house. Look at those hydrangeas! During the summer they do live jazz concerts on the lawn. Really amazing. Sigh.

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