A Visit from Nora (& Karin?!?)

Then, almost immediately after the Falkner's left, my friend Nora Langenbacher arrived! Nora is a good friend who was one of my very first students at Spartanburg High School. An exchange student from Germany at the time, Nora and I bonded over Transcendentalism. And even with all of our ideological differences, we're still bonded just as strongly today! I wanted to take her somewhere really special, so it was off to The Grove Park Inn to eat at my very favorite restaurant: The Sunset Terrace. And what a beautiful day for it!

At one point during the meal, when Nora had excused herself for a moment to use the restroom, I was happy to just sit there and stare at all of the mountainous beauty all around me, . . . when the Inn started playing the exact same piano piece that was repeating over and over at Karin's wake. I recognized it immediately, and felt it strange that this was the next place I would hear that piece. THEN I saw a white dove swoop down, right by my table, and then up and over the western wing of the hotel. Now I was starting to wonder whether I was having a spiritual experience here, . . . when I saw an amazing Fleur-de-lis in the clouds! (The Fleur-de-lis is the flower symbol I chose to put on the second-to-last page of Karin's memory book because of Karin's profound connection to France.) Anyway, I was marveling at all of this when I finally remembered to take a picture when the clouds, of course, had dissipated a bit already . . .

But still, I truly felt as though my one friend left for a moment, and then Karin simply stopped by the table to say "hello" in her usual happy way. It was a really special feeling.

And, of course, in the spirit of the NC mountains, we had to take Nora hiking, waterfall watching, and river swimming as well. : )

This is the very first time both girls made it on the 1 1/2 mile hike to High Falls! We saw it from above, and then took the path to get right up close!

And after we visited "High" Falls, Leia Rose deemed this spot "Little" Falls. Ha!

I was especially amazed by the root systems that made up the "steps" for us to approach High Falls.

And I was also particularly amazed at this small pool of water that was shaped like a perfect heart.

And let's not forget swimming at Hooker Falls.

And what is becoming the girls' favorite pastime at our favorite white-water river spot? Throwing rocks in the water! ; )

Another exciting thing about Nora's visit was that it was the very first time that we used our fire pit! (And the first time for smores at the new house, too!)

And who could resist collecting all the fireflies!?! : )