Wordless Wednesday: Morning at Tygart

Tygart Lake Storytelling

This was the view from our room. It was so restful. Then...
a piper (as in bagpipes) passed the window, followed by many people. Men in kilts two days in a row? It seemed bizarre; the previous day at Prickett's Fort there were several men in kilts for the Celtic Heritage Festival. Had they followed me to Grafton? Larry slept right through the music and commotion while I stepped outside to see what was going on and found...

a Scottish wedding in full swing. You can almost see the piper in the background, and there was also a harpist (you might be able to see her hands on the strings to the left center of the photo---everyone stood up just as I snapped the picture). I didn't stay because I didn't want to intrude on the private ceremony but it was so fitting to hear that music sounding over the water.

As night fell, I began my storytelling set at an outside location. The naturalist worked hard moving and cleaning benches as more and more people arrived for the session. We ended up with about 45, I think, of all ages.

I tried out a new story and feel comfortable with telling it. I plan to add a Civil War ballad to the story, probably Going Cross the Mountains, along with more information about the Civil War in West Virginia. And maybe, when I have time to learn it, I'll also add the Casto Hole, a Jackson County ballad that is linked to my ex-daughter-in-law's--and so to some of my grandchildren's--family and homeplace in Statts Mill, WV.

The evening extended until almost 10:00 as we talked with some of those who attended. The best part of storytelling (besides sharing the stories, of course) is the people I meet; second best is the many beautiful places, like Tygart Lake, that I have been fortunate enough to visit. Being a storytelling is like being a modern-day wandering minstrel in some ways--taking stories and songs to people where they live, traveling the countryside in search of audiences and new tales to tell.

Probably the Funniest Thing Anyone Has Ever Said to Me

Michaela is known as Miss Shake 'n' Bake around here, for no reason I can think of. She's a funny little granddaughter, one of those kids who are usually quiet but then say the funniest things unexpectedly.

It's not unusual to find her walking around outside with the dogs, talking to them as if they can understand her. I think maybe they can, because they adore her and follow her everywhere.

Saturday at Tygart Lake Michaela turned to me with complete seriousness and said, "Granny, do you live in the middle of nowhere?"

I have no idea where the question came from, but I had to admit, that yes indeed, I did live in the middle of nowhere. Michaela nodded as if satisfied, and went back to eating her cake.

James' Birthday, Tygart and Grafton

Tygart Lake State Park--a beautiful place. The lake is stupendous, a deep blue-green color and over 5 miles long. A park employee told us that last year a bear would come down the mountain on one side of the lake, swim across, then climb up the mountain on the other side. There could only be one explanation for the bear's behavior--obviously he was cross-training!

View from the dining room at the lodge.

Grandson James was celebrating his 6th birthday Saturday. So we met our son Aaron, his wife Jaime and children James and Michaela at Tygart to celebrate. The food was great, and it was a good place for birthday cake!
The birthday boy enjoys his cake!

Still working on it!

Down at the lake, we all dangled our feet in the water.

When we left Tygart, we visited downtown Grafton. I wanted to see how renovations were progressing at the old train station. It's a real beauty that was almost forgotten until somebody applied for funds to restore it. Thank goodness.

I kept hearing the soft release of...brakes? Steam? I looked behind the old train depot when we stopped there in Grafton, WV and there was a CSX train. The station is no longer open, but the train sitting there on the tracks certainly made me think of the old days when this might have been a bustling place.

Detail over the entrance to the station. A federal grant is making renovations possible. The interior, glimpsed through the windows, is really something--marble columns, wide floors, high ceilings.

The old B&O Station, Grafton, WV