Wandering in Marion and more on visiting Lake "empty"

 I can't believe this month is almost over. But then I'm pretty glad February is the shortest month in the year.

Some fake wood flooring with fake footprints, suggesting that we walk that direction. Why I wonder...

The view I had downstairs while waiting for my friend upstairs look at antique furniture.

I was feeling a bit breath impaired at the time, but didn't pin point a cause. Later we went to brunch nearby where a stranger paid for our food, a "pay it forward gesture."

I may have mentioned this before...it feels familiar.

The restaurant was located on the corner, and the building was a former bank. A vault door still remained going into the kitchen area!

The Marion NC downtown looked as if a pair of good walking shoes on a warmer day (not February!) might be fun to explore.

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Saturday (I think) I walked around Lake "having muddy bottom and no fish nor whatever ducks and geese eat." So there was maybe one duck out looking for food. Sad. However I did meet a dog (see Saturday's Critters post) and these young people.

I think the one on the left, an older man, was Chip (or was it Skip?)  He's related to the two younger ones somehow. They first ran past me going the other way and then a few minutes later ran coming back. And some friends/relations standing waiting for them cheered and clapped. 

Curious me went right up to them and asked what the excitement was about. They had just run the Black Mountain Marathon, which had been canceled. Apparently 30-40 people started the race, but many stopped off at various social spots where there was alcohol and food served. But these hardy souls ran the whole 26 miles. The poor gentleman in the middle had a leg cramp, so it was great of him to stand on his good (better) leg and smile.  It may have been in the 20s when they started, but it was a balmy 34 or so when I saw them at 12:30 pm.

Later as I drove around Black Mountain, I did see a couple of other people running, walking, moving along and looking like marathoners!

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Today's quote:

It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy.

 -George H. Lorimer, editor (1867-1937)

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Today's art:

The Dinner Party - Judy Chicago, 1979. Installation with each place setting dedicated to a historic woman.