I adored this post, Olivia. 6+ years ago I moved to a new state where I only knew one family. I was in search for a safe haven and found it in Georgia, where I've been ever since. That unexpected meander led me to meeting my now-husband and stepson and a VERY different life than I'd imagined. We quickly stumbled into some circumstances which have felt like "the longest corner in the world," like you wrote. But even so, we are choosing to build a life we can be proud of... and I love that. Thank you for such a creative, profound reflection. 🌊
love this. i think it takes a lot to get to the point with being okay ending up in places we never planned for. i always thought i would stay in Canada once I'd moved there for a year in 2014, find my future husband, live out my days in Canadian bliss etc...... England is quite the different result! but wouldn't have it any other way.
I won't hog the comments here, but I've read it all now and it has confirmed my intuition.
My sweetie and I we spent some time in London proper - after we visited my daughter when she was supposedly studying "abroad" at the University of Portsmouth - you know on the coast of the English Channel there. We visited Bath and Stonehenge on that trip - I'll never forget.
Turns out our daughter was just having some youthful fun cause none of her studies transferred over in credit, but my daughter became a world traveler and made friends for life in her time in Portsmouth and she got her degree eventually as she is on her way.
As her dad - (in fact it is actually her birthday today - my father in law's birthday will be celebrated today but was yesterday I think) - all I can say is I'm so proud of my daughter - both her and her older sister and as I read through your story it occurred to me - how many times have I made some off-hand comment they took literal? That made me think....I reckon I have a bunch of times.....
~
ha, ha.
I love the way you tell this story and I agree - sometimes we get into corners in our own mind, but my daughters must know this - together we are better. They must know that is what I feel in my heart.
I look forward to listening to your "hurricane" music.
I got to go take a shower fore we head over to my father-in-laws place to celebrate his birthday - he is 84 now - a tough full bird Colonel lived a life and met many over the years. In the field of battle being the chaplain must be full of misery and tough moments of dismay and I respect my father-in-law cause if I didn't I doubt I would have married his daughter!
Peace - and I look forward to future river rock barter.
Our getaway place is in Fries, VA. From our place there - we have two houses adjacent - we can look upon the winding New River a few hundred feet away, which geologically speaking is supposedly the "3rd oldest river basin" on the globe - Finke in Australia supposedly is the oldest, but unlike the New River coming out of Carolina, passing through the Virginias and then meeting up with the Ohio heading to Mississippi to be released in the Gulf of Mejico - this river still flows steady and regular - but tis shallow mostly. I dip my toes in it and walk along the banks daily when we are at our getaway place......I love living near that old New River!
~
I just felt like typing that....now let me go read your whole article - but maybe we can start up some "barter" on river rocks - I got plenty and I'm willing to trade! Seriously - I'm not kidding around - I want some of the rocks you presented elsewhere on that "Note" a few days ago.
~
(ha, ha - I swear that one rock was 2 inches but you indicate it was maybe 4 or 5 - I really like the lines it has)
Just looking at pictures of New River now, it look so lush and green! I read somewhere that the Appalachian mountains and the Scottish Highlands were once part of the same range, way way back when the continents were united as Pangea.
Will have to go back to Scotland and collect some more rocks!!!
I'll say more - our Getaway place there - it fell upon us like a winding river in the hills old.
I treasure it and truly I collect river rocks.....but the ones you presented were unusual and so I sort of doubt this place was connected to Scotland as it is today millions of years ago, but hey - I'm not a rock head - I'm a chemical engineer undergrad and ESHA professional after walking the halls at UNC-Chapel Hill (MSPH) and I feel blessed that our Getaway place dropped in our laps so to speak - and to think - the place was so depressed after the mill was shutdown in '89 - but I think a revival is happening and I want in on that.
To think I walked the halls with Ralph Baric - if I knew then what I know now.....well...hindsight tis 20-20 I reckon, but I would of done the deed.
Regardless, I got river rocks to sell - pepper product as well. Not kidding around!
Well - that may be true, but you know about the Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain don't you? The Scottish folks are strong here in the hills of NC.
Still - I'm not kidding - lets do some river rock barter....it could be a fun way to be in touch old-fashioned style and personal....
You know - inadvertently I ended up subscribing to the three places you recommended cause typically I refuse said offers, and so I hope they are not offended if later on I unsubscribe, but for now I'm at my limit - self-imposed of 24. So, why not see if there is merit, but at your site, I'm a paid subscriber - you are just going to have to read what I type.....and no offense meant, but if you "ban" me - I'll demand a refund!!!!!
~
Hey - tis a full moon today I think - the wolves are howling!
By the way - the New River is most windy.....it comes from the hills old. Older maybe even then the hills in the highlands of Scotland.
I just subscribed.
BK
~~~~~~~
This ancient river begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, and its North Fork and South Fork meet near the City of Boone, North Carolina. It flows generally northeastward through the New River Valley portion of the Great Appalachian Valley in western North Carolina and Virginia. It then crosses through the Ridge and Valley Province, cutting between Walker Mountain and Sinking Creek Mountain, and then between East River Mountain and Peters Mountain. It then turns and following a more northwestward course into West Virginia, where it then cuts through the Appalachian Plateau in the New River Gorge. It meets the Gauley River and become the Kanawha River in south-central West Virginia.[6] The Kanawha then flows into the Ohio River at Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Much of the river's course is lined with steep cliffs and rock outcrops, particularly in its gorge in West Virginia.[6][9]
It takes me right back to my own years of gigging in London (just before you moved there). Had to laugh at “logistically-nightmarish” - so true. “So guys what’s one free date we all have this year when we can rehearse? Er…there isn’t one.”
Your meandering metaphor has come just at the right time and offers hope as I try to figure out what’s next.
Please let us know when your geological concept album is released. I assume the genre is ‘rock’? 😂😂😂
I adored this post, Olivia. 6+ years ago I moved to a new state where I only knew one family. I was in search for a safe haven and found it in Georgia, where I've been ever since. That unexpected meander led me to meeting my now-husband and stepson and a VERY different life than I'd imagined. We quickly stumbled into some circumstances which have felt like "the longest corner in the world," like you wrote. But even so, we are choosing to build a life we can be proud of... and I love that. Thank you for such a creative, profound reflection. 🌊
love this. i think it takes a lot to get to the point with being okay ending up in places we never planned for. i always thought i would stay in Canada once I'd moved there for a year in 2014, find my future husband, live out my days in Canadian bliss etc...... England is quite the different result! but wouldn't have it any other way.
I won't hog the comments here, but I've read it all now and it has confirmed my intuition.
My sweetie and I we spent some time in London proper - after we visited my daughter when she was supposedly studying "abroad" at the University of Portsmouth - you know on the coast of the English Channel there. We visited Bath and Stonehenge on that trip - I'll never forget.
Turns out our daughter was just having some youthful fun cause none of her studies transferred over in credit, but my daughter became a world traveler and made friends for life in her time in Portsmouth and she got her degree eventually as she is on her way.
As her dad - (in fact it is actually her birthday today - my father in law's birthday will be celebrated today but was yesterday I think) - all I can say is I'm so proud of my daughter - both her and her older sister and as I read through your story it occurred to me - how many times have I made some off-hand comment they took literal? That made me think....I reckon I have a bunch of times.....
~
ha, ha.
I love the way you tell this story and I agree - sometimes we get into corners in our own mind, but my daughters must know this - together we are better. They must know that is what I feel in my heart.
I look forward to listening to your "hurricane" music.
I got to go take a shower fore we head over to my father-in-laws place to celebrate his birthday - he is 84 now - a tough full bird Colonel lived a life and met many over the years. In the field of battle being the chaplain must be full of misery and tough moments of dismay and I respect my father-in-law cause if I didn't I doubt I would have married his daughter!
Peace - and I look forward to future river rock barter.
BK
Our getaway place is in Fries, VA. From our place there - we have two houses adjacent - we can look upon the winding New River a few hundred feet away, which geologically speaking is supposedly the "3rd oldest river basin" on the globe - Finke in Australia supposedly is the oldest, but unlike the New River coming out of Carolina, passing through the Virginias and then meeting up with the Ohio heading to Mississippi to be released in the Gulf of Mejico - this river still flows steady and regular - but tis shallow mostly. I dip my toes in it and walk along the banks daily when we are at our getaway place......I love living near that old New River!
~
I just felt like typing that....now let me go read your whole article - but maybe we can start up some "barter" on river rocks - I got plenty and I'm willing to trade! Seriously - I'm not kidding around - I want some of the rocks you presented elsewhere on that "Note" a few days ago.
~
(ha, ha - I swear that one rock was 2 inches but you indicate it was maybe 4 or 5 - I really like the lines it has)
BK
Just looking at pictures of New River now, it look so lush and green! I read somewhere that the Appalachian mountains and the Scottish Highlands were once part of the same range, way way back when the continents were united as Pangea.
Will have to go back to Scotland and collect some more rocks!!!
I'll say more - our Getaway place there - it fell upon us like a winding river in the hills old.
I treasure it and truly I collect river rocks.....but the ones you presented were unusual and so I sort of doubt this place was connected to Scotland as it is today millions of years ago, but hey - I'm not a rock head - I'm a chemical engineer undergrad and ESHA professional after walking the halls at UNC-Chapel Hill (MSPH) and I feel blessed that our Getaway place dropped in our laps so to speak - and to think - the place was so depressed after the mill was shutdown in '89 - but I think a revival is happening and I want in on that.
To think I walked the halls with Ralph Baric - if I knew then what I know now.....well...hindsight tis 20-20 I reckon, but I would of done the deed.
Regardless, I got river rocks to sell - pepper product as well. Not kidding around!
I look forward to reading your future posts.
Warm Regards to you.
BK
Well - that may be true, but you know about the Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain don't you? The Scottish folks are strong here in the hills of NC.
Still - I'm not kidding - lets do some river rock barter....it could be a fun way to be in touch old-fashioned style and personal....
You know - inadvertently I ended up subscribing to the three places you recommended cause typically I refuse said offers, and so I hope they are not offended if later on I unsubscribe, but for now I'm at my limit - self-imposed of 24. So, why not see if there is merit, but at your site, I'm a paid subscriber - you are just going to have to read what I type.....and no offense meant, but if you "ban" me - I'll demand a refund!!!!!
~
Hey - tis a full moon today I think - the wolves are howling!
Peace to you!
Ken
By the way - the New River is most windy.....it comes from the hills old. Older maybe even then the hills in the highlands of Scotland.
I just subscribed.
BK
~~~~~~~
This ancient river begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, and its North Fork and South Fork meet near the City of Boone, North Carolina. It flows generally northeastward through the New River Valley portion of the Great Appalachian Valley in western North Carolina and Virginia. It then crosses through the Ridge and Valley Province, cutting between Walker Mountain and Sinking Creek Mountain, and then between East River Mountain and Peters Mountain. It then turns and following a more northwestward course into West Virginia, where it then cuts through the Appalachian Plateau in the New River Gorge. It meets the Gauley River and become the Kanawha River in south-central West Virginia.[6] The Kanawha then flows into the Ohio River at Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Much of the river's course is lined with steep cliffs and rock outcrops, particularly in its gorge in West Virginia.[6][9]
Ahhhhhh I loved this so much 🏞️🐸💝🌝✨
Fantastic, timely post Olivia.
It takes me right back to my own years of gigging in London (just before you moved there). Had to laugh at “logistically-nightmarish” - so true. “So guys what’s one free date we all have this year when we can rehearse? Er…there isn’t one.”
Your meandering metaphor has come just at the right time and offers hope as I try to figure out what’s next.
Please let us know when your geological concept album is released. I assume the genre is ‘rock’? 😂😂😂