The Trip to Ashtabula

A mother, a daughter, and four friends set out one day in the rain.  Their objective was a jewelry store in Ashtabula.  What they found was that, and much more.


We were in some ways a "band of the ring", our quest being to deliver my engagement ring to a jeweller for repair.  The band had worn through after 34 years of loving my Dear Professor, our 3 children and 3 grandchildren.  (And being on the finger of a goat, chicken, horse, llama, duck, goose, bee farmer for 17 of those years hadn't helped. A farmer's hands do get a workout.)

Thnking about it now, I suppose our friendships had worn a bit as well.  Life's busyness had prevented us from getting together for some time.

The rain lifted quickly and we found ourselves in sunshine, driving past rows and rows of fall leaves at the peak of color.  The skies were glorious blue with dramatic, low hanging clouds.



(Wait, was that Treebeard?)



Curiously, it was after we completed our quest that the adventure began: four women,

 

 Lake Erie,



one big ship, (or was it a barge?)



one small lighthouse,



four covered bridges, one of which is the the lo-o-o-o-o-o-ongest in the world,



no Clint Eastwood, but one surprise family farm winery and cafe as the sun began to set.

 

Good food, good conversation, good company, all contributed to a long but refreshing day.  Our band was strengthened in the journey, in the reconnecting, in the beauty.



A mother, a daughter, and four friends set out one day in the rain.  Their objective was a jewelry store in Ashtabula.  What they found was that, and much more -- each other.


(and after this friend returned from a day's internet fast, she found iron acres linked in a post on aperture and light at High Calling!  It was the assignment on aperture that gave me the inspiration to write "Such a Place of Wonder.")