Flat Rock NC update - January purchase - March home furnishings

http://www.highlandlake.com/ the community website

Closing scheduled for March 23rd.

Flat Rock NC

Yes, it's true. We are establishing an outpost in North Carolina. Dave has always liked the mountains and after two scouting missions, we have a contract to buy a cottage in Highland Lake.

We met the HIghland Lake owner, Kerry Lindsay. He made $$ manufacturing rice cakes and selling his company to Quaker Oats some years ago. His girlfriend is a nephrologist in MSP, and is building a house across the street from ours. They have in mind a wide range of housing options for all ages and incomes, including modular green cabins in a retreat center. Part of the dream is a "Market Center" where people can walk to get food and services, particularly health-related. This is a difference kind of place - an experiment in community living.

http://www.highlandlake.com/ the community website

Some features:

The Neighborhood (traditional)
Garden Hamlet (goats, chickens and organic garden, yoga studio)
Southlake (on the lake where we will be)
Fitness center
Community building events, workshops, festivals and performances, cinema circles
Retreat Center for spiritual practice
9 hole golf course (kinda pathetic

Flat Rock Playhouse (nearby)

In mind:
New Urban Town and Market center
co-housing and collaborative living
Green houses (senior group homes)
There's already a farm, and they had a SCA which may come back
Governance and consensus building practices
small house building
community gardening
job creation (health care and more)

We are going there this week to arrange for home furnishings. Closing will be in late March and we'll be ready to inhabit shortly thereafter.

Kim, Dave and Mitchell are planning to move from Durham to Asheville this year - that's about 25 miles North of Flat Rock.

Kim, Dave and Mitch in Mount Gretna June 27-July 1

Mitch "grandpa - that's not a rhinoceros, it's a triceratops" - about Mitch's stuffed animal

Hershey Park - riding the dino

The carousel


Skype call with Barry, Metlem and Ozan. Mitchell was saying "Meltem", "Ozan", "Uncle Barry"


Dan Hottenstein gave us this puzzle to solve. Dave Cohen did it in 10 minutes. Mitchell verified.

Strasburg Railroad and Museum

Playing after a visit to the Jigger Shop

Reading at home


Pool time!

offspring update - visits with the kids

April 28 - May 3 we visited Meltem, Barry and Ozan in Istanbul.  New shirt!


Meltem signed up for "Baby Symphony" with 2 year olds (Ozan at 15 months). He was fascinated with the piano.


and the bubbles...



We went to the Ataturk Arboretum, a lovely spot.

And the gardens at Emirgan Park.

And Bosphorus University.

A bath!

Dave visited Gregory in West Hartford, CT in April.

Here's Kim at the Blue Heaven bed and breakfast in Wilmington, NC where we spent Easter weekend with the Cohen family.

Daddy and Mitch

Mitch rides the frog

Ozan, in Istanbul, becomes a US citizen.

Meltem's brother Hasan, with daughter Melek, seated with Meltem and Ozan.

Arizona February 14-23, 2009

In Prescott we found leads to relatives of Susan's. Her grandfather, George K Perkins, was born in Prescott. The Sharlott Hall Museum has information on great great Aunt Mary Ford Platten, born in 1869 in Alaska, and a rancher and politically active person in Prescott and Williams, until her death in 1966. Aunt Mary took the Greyhound bus from Prescott to Princeton, MN to visit us, complete with cowboy boots, when we were kids.

c 1900 with Hill sisters

En route to Clarkdale, we stopped at Tuzigoot monument, uncovered in the 1930's.

Verde Canyon Railroad excursion, Clarkdale. We rode 4 hours through the canyons near Sedona on Sunday afternoon.



Our guide was Don Gibble, a transplant from Lancaster, PA who had lived in Mt Gretna.

Over a Trestle


Susan chatted with two doctors. This one works at Mayo Hospital in Phoenix (where our friend Julia works).

SEDONA: Pink Jeep Tour! very exciting.

You would not believe the angles they take. We were glad it wasn't icy!

The folks just behind us...

View of Sedona

Guide Michael leading us out on the red rocks.

On the way from Sedona to Tuscon, we went through Payson on hwy 87, a slower, but more scenic trip. Stopped for a hike with the suguaros!

Got to the Hottenstein hangout in Tuscon on Tuesday, where the Royers were also. This is a hike to Sabino Canyon.

Pat, Carl and Joan on the trail.

We packed the Royers for the aiport (Carl riding in 6th seat)

And went with the Hottensteins to the PIMA Air and Space Museum. Here's a Bumble Bee.

Blackbird (spy plane)

B29

Air Force One during Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

Guppy (to carry lots of materiel)

On our last day in Tuscon, we hiked up the wash behind the house with Pat and Dan.

On to Scottdale to visit Julia and John Griffin.

A highlight was visiting the Desert Botanical Garden, with Dale Chihuly glass exhibit.

Dinner on Saturday night was a U of Minnesota tri-delt reunion with Kay and Bill Beck, and the Griffins. Kay, Julia and I met there 1968 ish. We had so much fun talking we forgot to take a picture 40 years later!