Picture Perfect Memories

It's nice to see guests taking pictures of the Inn and gardens to capture memories of their visit to Asheville, North Carolina. Of course we are always available to snap a shot of a couple together, since we know how often we come back from a vacation with lots of scenery photos and an occasional picture of each other posing by a tree or waterfall.

With digital cameras being so pervasive, it's easy to just click away. Our photo card is at capacity and I try to occasionally download pictures to the computer or share with friends on Facebook. But rarely do we actually print photos any more. Recently when I was composing a photo album for a big family reunion to celebrate my parent's 65th wedding anniversary, I became overwhelmed by how important these memories are to save and share with the next generation. My brother also compiled hundreds of photos on a disk with music to span the decades. Some pictures of our childhood I had never seen before.

And during the anniversary party, I was struck by an emotional moment that surprised me. The gathering totaled over 55 guests, mostly family, but also dear friends, neighbors and those special individuals my parents have known for years. After dinner and the champagne toast, my dad invited everyone to pass the microphone to each table and say a few words as an introduction. At first I thought, uh-oh, this is going to last forever... but quickly found so many fun and interesting things each guest had to say.

The most memorable was from a woman who was there with her husband and two young children, and her message was filled with admiration. She has provided household help for my parents for a long time. She said that while she had not previously met the family members, she felt like she already knew us. She explained that twice a month she would dust the cabinet that held the family pictures; she would clean each picture frame and carefully place it back on the shelf. Like many families, my parents proudly display photos to include all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren on one particular cabinet. After a baby is born, a spot is cleared for the new arrival. This woman has lovingly taken care of the family pictures for years, and at this gathering her family was finally able to meet our family that she knew so well.


So we hope you treasure the pictures of your life. Try to find time to print them or compile them into an album, so they don't just exist on your computer hard drive. At the Inn we are never too busy to help capture a photo of you with your special someone, whether it's on the front porch, with the dogs or in the garden. And at Hill House Bed & Breakfast we always appreciate being part of your picture perfect memories.

The picture above is a family visit years ago with my parents, sister and nephew -- you probably recognize the steps to the Inn's front wrap-around porch. And here we are with our daughter, son-in-law and baby Katelyn leaving my parent's Arizona home a few weeks ago.