Perfect Summer (?) Day (3/24/23)

What a lovely Friday! It started early for me this morning, as I was up at 4:45 am to change, stretch, and drive to the Thermal Belt Rail Trail for a 22 mile training run. That went well, although I had to watch out more for cars at the crossings since it was a weekday. I got back, and Bob headed to the gym to lift. I played Wordle, a daily habit for Bob and I and his sister and her family, and got the word on the second guess out of six, which is definitely not a regular occurrence.

And that was before the day even got going! Bob and I headed out late morning to visit the Tryon International Equestrian Center, which has now moved into its spring/summer hours for the general public. This place is gorgeous and quite the resource for horse enthusiasts. It is marketed as “Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort — the ultimate destination for all who love horses, outdoor living and an active lifestyle.” It holds horse riding and jumping competitions but also has shops, restaurants, and lodging that are open to the general public.

Bob had googled and found a self-guided walking tour of the facility that helped us know what we were looking at. We lucked out in going today, as there is apparently a big horse riding competition this weekend, which we got to see some riders practicing their jumping for but without all the crowds.

It should be noted that while we were starting the days earlier in the week below freezing, this morning (even at 5 am) started in the mid-50s and hit and surpassed 80 this afternoon.

After our visit to Tryon, we drove about 10 minutes to the Mountain Brook Winery, which also was gorgeous and lightly attended although they appear to have the facilities to support lots of people. Bob and I split a wine tasting (four of their wines offered) and then enjoyed a glass of our favorite.

Cooper took me for a walk around the neighborhood when we returned. For dessert tonight, we will get to enjoy a piece of olive oil cake, which is a tradition in Italy for Easter. It was sent to us as an early Easter surprise by our homeowner. Sometimes life is just too lovely (as long as I don’t watch the news)!