A Very Early Morning (Plus the Corinth Canal)

Gladys on the Veranda by Harold Knight, English 1874-1961

For early risers or those who have not awakened too early on purpose, I found this painting of a lady on a balcony.  I am so thankful for my little front step, because I was able, with the help of other people, to make a real porch out of it. It has the look of a gazebo and I like to step out on it when it rains.

I wanted you to see the unbelievable price on those modest, shirthwaist-style dresses, similar to the April Cornell label,  I have been plugging recently.  I got them when they were $15, $11, and then $9 and then $5. Now they are $3. I wish I had the business sense and optimism to purchase the lot of them and re-sell or give away, but I don't want a backlog of things in my house that I may not be able to get rid of.

I wonder if we will see anything like them here again. 

 I was walking through the arbor just now and recalling a recent discussion and video viewing in our ladies class about the land path between the ancient city of Corinth and two bodies of water long before the isthmus (canal) was created by the Bulgarians.

 One reason we enrich our class with these subjects is that so many of us are also homeschoolers and it is a trait to study different aspects of the scripture such as history, geography, culture, language, textiles, the economy of the times, horticulture and many other things. These are
"keys" to see what we call "the whole picture." It increases our understanding and appreciation of what we read.  Even with the scriptures that refer to women, we must not isolate them, but see them as part of a whole, which includes other parts of the Bible.

 Concerning the path between Corinth and Greece, travelers could leave their boats on one side of the 3 mile path and walk to the other sea, the Agean,  where a boat would be waiting to take them to Italy and other places. Some people would put their smaller craft on a wagon to be drawn by horses to the other side, then lowered it into the sea on the other side to continue their journey.   Here is a picture of the current canal, but you can imagine it was once a road:

In the middle of the picture you can see a straight line from one sea to the other. That used to be a footpath or road. The canal is 26 feet wide. For all you sewing ladies, that is 8 yards.

Corinth Canal is the original 3 mile road from sea to sea.

I see from Google earth there are a couple of highways and bridges going over the canal.

Can you imagine walking through this for 3 miles, sheltered from the hot sun and weather, with a roof on it?  It is similar to the covered bridges here.

 In one of the videos we watched (which I hope to post here when I find it, or maybe you can find it), the narrator described the ancient pathway as something of a grand arbor made by the Romans of the day (oh yes, much like mine, haha) with columns on both sides of the road a roof,  along the 3 mile distance, covered in roses and vines! Can you think what that might have been like for a weary fisherman, tradesman or such, to alight from their ships to enjoy the three mile +  trek across inside this lovely oasis?

Picture this covered with cooling vines and flowers for 3 miles.

Others would send their boats with the crew around to the other side to await them when they reached the other side. The pathway was also a center of trade. Along the path were all manner of tradesmen in cloth, metals, foods, building materials and such. 

We all thought it was amazing that the path was not merely utilitarian, but that someone had thought to shelter those who walked across.  Some ladies remarked how thoughtful it was, or that it was remarkable because it was being shown as something beautiful to experience.

If I can , I will find an art rendition of this path.

It was much like the public rose gardens today with the covered arches over the walking paths.

The Apostle Paul and others in the New Testament walked across this pathway between Corinth and the Peloponnese, to get another ship to take them around to other places. Some people with smaller crafts would put them on a wagon drawn by horses and then launch them back into the gulf on the other side. Other people walked through the pathway while their ship went around to the other side to wait for them.

To see more of this land, type in Tour of Ancient Corinth on Youtube. There are several people who give the Biblical accounts and the historical accounts of travel on this little road.

On the left  on this map is that tiny area called Corinth and the canal.

This is a commercial canvas art print of something similar: