At Pipestem

I returned recently from a different kind of vacation for Chuck and me. Instead of going to the beach or on a cruise we took a road trip of a sort.
We started at Pipestem state park in West Virginia for 2 days, then to Lynchburg to stay with Audrey for 2 days and then to Washington DC for her legal wedding.

The visit to pipestem was really wonderful. It provided a time of rest and reflection in the midst of the beauty of West Virginia.

Pipestem has a beautiful lodge on the top of the mountain and then 30 creekside units that are only accessible through a tram. That is where we stayed.

Just riding the tram was an adventure. At first there was a sudden jolt when we got on it and then we became enamored of the ride down. Every time we were looking for deer and other wildlife as we descended. One night we went out to dinner and returned in the dark - that was pretty interesting - as we left the light and at the top and went in the darkness on a cable trusting there was a light at the bottom. It truly would have freaked me out if we had not already made this trip up and down several times. And of course, it made me think of this journey that we are all on in life as we at times feel like we are veering in the darkness - remembering there was a light at the top and trusting help at the bottom.

We were so blessed to be creekside and wake in the morning to deer feeding off an apple tree in front of us. Chuck fed the deer from the snacks that he brought with him. I sat and wrote and wondered at all of it. The signs of life around me, the obvious changing of seasons, the beauty and peace of this place. At the same time I am slowly working through a book called "Beauty" by John O Donohus. He writes

"The wonder of the beautiful s its ability to surprise us."

"Every life is braided with luminous moments."


Chuck and walked quite a bit - alongside the creek on the rocks and then we took one of the paths and had about a 2 miles walk. He is a great companion because he sees things I often miss. He found a caterpillar and said, "He'll be a butterfly in the spring if he makes it." and I found myself wondering - what will we be in the spring?
Always the questions about what is ahead but not knowing and trusting the light in whatever darkness we are living in.

Anyway, a few pictures and memories of a nice time that we were blessed to enjoy together. God speaks to me in times like this - often saying - "watch, wait, trust me."
And I do.