I know … the quality of the picture isn’t great, but the tree and the lights sure are!
Lights on a tree really do make me happy. I look forward to turning them on every morning and have them glow in the background while I sip my coffee and enjoy your latest blog posts and email messages. Or picture this: the lights on the tree in the evening, a lovely beverage and a book.
Ahhh …. contentment.
I truly am a four season fan. Just when I tire of heat, it grows cooler. When I think I’ve had enough of the cold, the warm air returns. I truly do try to embrace whatever mother nature serves up each day, and I often walk out the door without having a clue as to what the temperature is.
So why the remembrance of a hot August day at the beginning of a mild winter? I came across these pictures when looking for a particular photo that I took over the summer. The lush, green hues against the old crumbling bridge took me back to a fun day on Big Walker Creek in Giles County, Virginia. What a contrast to the colors of early December.
I took a different route to work this morning and the site of this church in the morning sun just caught my eye. So, of course you know that I just HAD to stop, turn around and take some pictures.
And STILL managed to get to work on time!
When your only child has only one day off of work for the Thanksgiving holiday (my favorite of the year!), you travel to see him. It’s a 6 hour drive from Radford, VA to Charleston, SC and I was on the road by 6am Thanksgiving morning. Traffic was light and the drive was easy and I was excited to see Andrew and to explore a bit more of his adopted city.
I’ve managed to take two short but fun trips to Charleston in the 6 months since Andrew relocated, both of which lasted only 24 hours. Someday I’ll get to stay longer, but for now, I’ll take what time I can get with my child and the City of Charleston.
The cooking began almost soon as I pulled in the driveway, with dinner time coinciding with the second half of the Redskins / Dallas game. Now, normally I would NOT be found in front of a TV while enjoying this wonderful holiday meal, but when you have 24 hours and it’s the biggest game of the year for a Redskin fan, you do what you have to do. And for those who are not fans of the game, WE WON!
We did find time to squeeze in a visit to one of Andrew’s two places of employment. The Hibernian Society was formed in 1801 with the hall dedicated in 1841. Yes, it is a men’s only organization, but I can appreciate the history of the building and the philanthropy of the society. The sign out front boasts the fact that the presidency alternates between a protestant and a catholic.
After dinner, we filled up our go cups (a great southern tradition) and in the dark of the evening, walked the historic streets of Charleston. I did not have my camera with me, and that may have been a good thing because I am not sure I would have been able to capture the beauty of those centuries old homes in the low light. The three pictures seen here were taken during my first visit this past May.
I’ll be working on nighttime shooting for future visits. What a lovely evening that was … strolling through alleys and alongside the battery, enjoying my wine, my child and history.
The next morning found us exploring The Angel Oak. Estimated to be 300 to 400 years old, this live oak is 65 ft tall and offers 17,000 sq ft of shade.
I love the way these old live oaks hang over the streets. Andrew was patient as I asked him time and again to pull over so I could take pictures.
The colors found in the grasses and the wetland marshes are gorgeous!
One of the goals of this visit was to walk the The Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge. Completed in 2005, the bridge has a 2.7 mile pedestrian (and bicycle) walkway. I could not stop taking pictures … what an amazing structure!
After a quick lunch, I got back on the road. I’m fortunate to have an adult child that I’m proud of … and to have him live in such a wonderful place, is an added bonus.
Not too bad for a cellphone!
While stopping to shoot this guy …
I caught this …
And again, but closer …
I’m always grateful for time with friends … even more so when that time is spent in an early 20th Century farmhouse in Elk Creek, Virginia. Seven women, the cares of family, work and life left at home, gathered for a weekend in Grayson County.
Grayson County is in far Southwest Virginia and is the home to the Mt Rogers Recreation Area and the highest point in Virginia (5728 ft). The twisty, hilly road to our weekend getaway took us through the mountains and by thousands of acres of Christmas Tree Farms and pumpkin patches.
Our farmhouse (Shepherd’s Retreat ) was actually a Sears Home, built in 1909. Sears was one of the largest companies to sell mail order homes. “Entire homes would arrive by railroad, from pre-cut lumber, to carved staircases, down to the nails and varnish. Families picked out their houses according to their needs, tastes, and pocketbooks. Sears provided all the materials and instructions, and for many years the financing, for homeowners to build their own houses. Sears’s Modern Homes stand today as living monuments to the fine, enduring, and solid quality of Sears craftsmanship” (http://www.searsarchives.com/homes/history.htm).
While only an hour and a half from home, and 12 miles from the nearest gas station / small store, it was almost a step back in time. No cell phone, no internet, essentially no TV and definitely no college football!
The lack of technology was not a problem for this group of women. With no restaurants any where near by, delicious meals were prepared in a kitchen filled with light and the sounds of friendship.
Card games were played, and songs were sung. At times, the house echoed with laughter, talk and dancing; at other times, peace and quiet reigned as books were read, walks were taken and naps were indulged in.
The beauty of our surroundings had me reaching for my camera time and again.
(Ruth Babylon, the real photographer, took the last picture)
Frosty mornings ….
… led to gentle, warm sunny afternoons ….
… and gorgeous sunsets.
As the weekend came to an end, we felt grateful to share such treasured friendships. We were recharged and ready to get back to life outside the farmhouse. And isn’t that what friendship and freedom from the distractions of technology should do?
If you’ve seen some of my posts, you will know that I love my ride to work. I travel on 3 short but pretty roads. The first thing that caught my eye this morning was the sun’s reflection on the frost of this cedar tree.
There was something about that bare tree,
the questioning looks as I darted back and forth outside the fence line,
and the sunlight shining through the hair on their backs.
What a lovely, lovely way to transition from home to work.
While celebrating the 50th Birthday of two dear friends, I had the very good fortune to spend time at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary (near Raleigh) North Carolina. While not an overnight guest, I had the opportunity to enjoy the natural landscape, a delicious brunch and to realize the peace, serenity and absolute luxury that guests enjoy.
According to Our State: North Carolina Magazine, the Umstead was built on land that used to be part of the William B. Umstead State Park. “The hotel is a reflection of the surrounding serenity with a limestone exterior that rises up from naturally landscaped earth. Off the terrace, a shaded boardwalk invites visitors to linger around a pond fringed with blue flag iris and a grove of young cypress. Inside, sleek wood paneling, stone floors, and walls of windows pull nature indoors” (http://www.ourstate.com/brilliant-oasis-the-umstead/).
The Umstead also boasts an extensive art collection. I wandered the interior of the hotel, stopping time and time again to enjoy the paintings, sculptures and photographs, all a reflection of the natural world. I had not thought of writing about the experience from the perspective of art (hey – I was here for a party!), but I wish I’d taken more time with the camera. As I stopped to photograph some of the pieces, I thought about how I don’t know much about art but I do know what catches my eye.
The flower arrangements were stunning!
And even the presentation of the table and food were beautiful to see.
A stroll along the walking paths took us through the trees and alongside a pond. The hotel boasts it’s sustainability and I loved that over 50% of the food products for Herons, the in hotel restaurant, and over 30% of the food products for the entire property come from local North Carolina purveyors (http://www.theumstead.com/ourHotel/sustainability-en.html). We watched as one of the chefs selected herbs for the days meals.
What an absolute treat it was to spend a few hours at The Umstead. I kept joking with my friends that I understood why people wanted to be rich … I would have loved to spend a few days, rather than just a few hours, here.
Even the trees put on a show for us.
It truly is a wonder that I get to work on time … but I do … really! As I drive the short route to work each morning, I often have to force myself to keep the truck moving toward the office.
As one who loves all seasons and most types of weather, I thought the morning was wonderfully cold at 29 degrees. The little bit of sun that was shining through caused the frost on the leaves to sparkle. I pulled over and ran along the side of the road (in my skirt and heels) snapping a few pictures. The girls in the field were curious as to what I was up to, and followed my movements.
It was lovely to connect with the out of doors before getting back in the truck, finishing the ride to work and spending the day closed up inside a building.
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 