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| View from balcony |
It’s early morning and I’m standing on a balcony at the Assembly
Inn in Montreat, North Carolina overlooking Lake Susan. The air is damp and cool, having rained
overnight. I don’t dare sit in the wet
seats (and I write this later back in the dry lounge). The sound of the water spilling over the dam
is broken only by one obnoxious crow. As
I listen, I hear other birds sing, but their songs are in the background dominates. Clouds have socked in the valley, which gives
Montreat the filling of a haven, cut off from the rest of the world. I am blessed to be here. I was first here as a kid and have been back
many times, the last being six or seven years ago. In 2002, we spent a week here, but my
daughter who was only four doesn’t really remember it (but she loved it). Montreat was established in the early part of
the 20
th Century and is the spiritual mecca for Southern
Presbyterians. We’re only here one
night, having decided to make it a stop in our tour of colleges.
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| Assembly Inn |
We are on the way to visit my parents in Southeastern North
Carolina (and spending a few days enjoying the beach). We’re taking the long way in order to let my
daughter check out colleges. Yesterday,
it was Centre College in Danville, KY.
What a beautiful campus (they’ve been the site of the Vice Presidential
debates, as they have three VPs in their alumni). Today, it will be Brevard College in the
morning (where I will kiss the ground in honor of
AI who finds
himself deployed again and a long ways from home) and then Queens University in
Charlotte in the afternoon. On our way
home, we will stop by Davidson (NC), Lee’s McRae (also in the mountains of
North Carolina), Muskegon and College of Wooster (both in Ohio). Her main requirement, they have to play
tennis.
The boat building (or repairing) has been put on hold. When I get back, I have maybe two more full
days of work to have the boat finished.
I have to re-fiberglass the ribs into the hull. It was more difficult than I thought to make
a pattern, but I finally got them cut out.
The seats and the floor slats have all been stripped and have two coats
of stain on them (but I plan to put at least two more). Once the ribs are put back in, I can begin to
put the rest of the boat together and hopefully it’ll be in the water before I
head to Pittsburgh at the end of June for a meeting.
(I can't seen to get the photos to upload, so I may have to do that later today)
I have never been in that area of NC, but I hope to make it there one day. Glad you are enjoying your trip and hope the rest of it goes well.
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job with your description of this place, I think. Well, if peacefulness was what you were trying to portray. That's the feeling I got from it.
ReplyDeleteThere is no way your daughter is remotely old enough to be thinking about college. I can't believe how fast time has flown.
ReplyDeleteFolks like you, who know how to do things like reburbish a boat, will be the folks who survive the coming zombie apocalypse. I'll be in trouble.
ReplyDeleteOh it sounds like the best trip ever. Checking out colleges along the way too, and just taking a longer more sightful trip to anywhere is so much the better! Enjoy, send more photos too!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely part of the world. I'd have been talking back to that crow. ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree - God's country. And Montreat - the loveliest place.
ReplyDeleteHeck, you've been more on the move SINCE your trip than you were on it.
ReplyDeleteOn a wider note. You'd have to say the USA would have profound change if ever the price of petrol gets really high.
Not really--since returning from sabbatical, I have only had 10 days of vacation--Christmas to New Years. The other trips were work related. I do get 4 weeks vacation and another few weeks for study a year--but then when I am working I often put in 60-70 hours.
Delete(Chuckle) My comment was more to do with the size of the USA. Where you went back and forth dans le train to within spitting distance of the Pacific. Where if you add the trip to almost Chicago you'd be kissing Cape Mendocino and now you are on the Atlantic coast kissing Hatteras.
DeleteWith a son in Utah and parents on the North Carolina coast, my travels are set! The Chicago and up coming Pittsburgh trips are work.
DeleteNicely described. A mecca for Presbyterians...couldn't be all bad. Talk about survival skills, how are you at building an arc?
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine who is finishing her Masters at Chapel Hill came to mind as I read this because of her delightful accent. A terrific post with or without photos, Sage!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the college search. I've got to start with that again this summer, as well.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
College hunting is a bittersweet experience. I only got to do a couple with my daughter, she settled for the second one.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of the experience. Soon she will be the one going to Costa Rica and getting you a huge leaf
I remember those college days. Not for me though... My kids and I have had a few very interesting road trips checking out colleges.
ReplyDeleteMy student teacher was from Queen's University. The Assembly Inn has a great view! Love the look, love the area. Have a great trip.
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