Once there, after having figured out why my camera was taking blue photos, I wandered around the outside of the house, looking at and photographing architectural detail.
On to the front door, where I reached inside my vest to grab my ticket, only to find I was handing the docent someone's business card, not the ticket. Although she admired the business card, she couldn't let me in with it. (Where's that southern hospitality when you need it?) Ticket found, I was finally granted entry.
The first thing I saw was a sign saying no photography allowed inside. None whatsoever. Not even with a cell phone. NOT THAT I COULD SEE ANYTHING ANYWAY! The place was so packed with people, moving in bovine fashion, that it took a couple of minutes just to take a couple of steps.
Aha! Maybe if I moved over to my left and skittered up the stairs, there would be fewer people. Well, under these circumstances, skittering wasn't in the picture, and as we moooooooooved slowly up the stairs, I couldn't stand it any more. About face, down the stairs, and out the front door. To photograph more architectural detail.
I should have known better than to strike out on my own, away from the loving arms of Jill, June, and Gisela, because the trip went quickly downhill from there as I set out to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway. ©Carol Leigh
