The big stone castle on the river has been there my whole life. It’s by itself on a heart-shaped island near town: you can see it from the park in town and from the window of the hotel where we celebrated my father’s 80th birthday. We’ve sailed past the castle, and walked the grounds of the castle. We watch fireworks explode above the castle every July.
The castle is such a familiar sight that in the summer, I don’t even notice it any more. It’s always been there. We never talk about it.
Against the stark winter landscape, with no foliage to hide the edges of the building, with the blues and whites of the water and sky as a backdrop, the castle looked different. Everyone in the family kept going out on the balcony to take photos of the castle, to stare at it in the morning light, the afternoon light, the sunset light. It’s a castle I’ve known my whole life, but suddenly, it seemed strange and wonderful to have it right outside my window.
3 comments:
I recognize that castle! Happy birthday to your dad.
Saturday night, that castle was featured on a Travel Channel show. I was in a hotel in NYC and didn't catch what the show was.
That is incredibly beautiful!
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