clawingmywayin

The memory often emerges from my mind as all good memories do – undefined, dreamy, and romantic.  I recall moving through a canopy of lush greenery,  along a sandy road enveloped by the outstretched arms of majestic oaks, full of moss so thick that the sunlight barely filtered through.

Main drive into Goodwood Plantation – photo courtesy of Karl Gercens & Gardenvisit.com

I was young and was on a trip with my family somewhere in north Florida.  I distinctly remember feeling as if I’d stepped back in time.  The surroundings had a Hemingway-esque quality.  Beyond the oaks covered in moss were the most beautiful flowers and tropical greenery.  I remember the car pulling aside a columned front portico, clear of undergrowth but somehow still carrying a feel of decay.  A place time forgot, but a place in which I wanted to linger for a while.

photo courtesy of Spruce Pine…