Kay Wade
Christmas Cruise
On a day when so many celebrate the birth of a savior, we navigate a boat around the rocky shoreline of Lake Jocassee. Time and erosion have weathered long, deep seams into the rock; freeze and thaw cycles have wedged into seams until large chunks of rock loosen and fall into this clear lake’s deep water. Cave-like features left by these missing chunks are large enough to hide grown humans. The slow-as-we-can-go speed allows us to find a small waterfall, two species of rhododendron blooming in December’s chill, and a small patch of bog clubmoss we haven’t seen before. All of it, a Christmas gift. ~K
Meanwhile, a tenacious little Virginia pine weaves its roots through the seams in the rock, and hangs on for dear life.