Georgia Tech BSU Alumni Gathering, Hiawassee

April 25-27, 2014

Saturday Activities

This group of old friends gathered for breakfast in the lodge. Bill Nowell, Linda Jones, RB Coulter, Brenda Nave, Ellen Teague and Ron Jones.

We made short walks to enjoy the beautiful morning and then regathered for conversations. It was good to see groups of old friends get together. Carol and Walt McKinney, Gail and Jim Green.

Another active table with Frank Gudger, Wynelle and Charlie Middlebrooks, Jerry Orr, Babs Gudger, Judy and Tommy Bonds.

It was a great way to start the day, in fellowship with long-time friends. When someone else would come down for breakfast, they would join in the conversation. Nancy Bonds, Linda Jones, Brenda Nave and Ellen Teague.

Bill Miller was our long-distance traveler, having come in from California. We had seen him at Warren's 90th birthday, and it was good to see him again. With Brenda Nave and Jim Tanner.

After spending most of the morning in conversations, we decided to walk over to the Hamilton Gardens next door to see the flowers. It was a bit early for the full rhododendron display, but we got to see the native orange azaleas, of which they had several shades.

Different shades of orange and different growth patterns made a spectacular orange display.

This one is close to the color of the orange azaleas we found in the Bent Tree woods years ago.

OK, one more shade of orange!

There were rhododendrons with subtle pastel colors and dramatic snow-white azaleas.

This was our walking group through the Hamilton Gardens: Gary and Melanie Bechdol, Ron and Linda Jones, Ellen and Clayton Teague, Rod Nave. Jim Tanner walked with us and took the photograph of the group.

Both the beauty of the flowers and the opportunity for conversations with old friends were delightful.

Being a bit early, many of the rhododendrons were just budding out. But those which were in bloom were fresh and new.

The garden is on a hillside leading to the lake.

The rhododendrons, dogwood, and new green leaves made a fine pattern against the blue sky of this beautiful day.

The variety of trillium at left above is one that I hadn't seen since 2008 when we went the top of Mt. Ogtlethorpe, so I commented that this type must be sort of rare. I took a good bit of justified ribbing about that comment by the time we found the 100th one along the path as we continued up the hill. They are obviously not rare in Hamilton Gardens!

As we circled back toward the entrance to the Gardens, we again entered the "orange zone" with all the varieties of orange azaleas.

In the afternoon, Warren Skinner, current director of Baptist Campus Ministries at Georgia Tech, brought us up-to-date on the activities and organization at Tech.

Oliver Albrecht, president of the alumni association for the Georgia Tech BCM, told us about current activities of the alumni association. Then he and Warren answered questions from the group.

Bill Woolf brought Sue Woolf up to join the gathering in the afternoon and for the dinner. With Art Sherwood and Charlie Middlebrooks at left, and Sue with Gwen Sherwood at right. After fellowship in the third floor room until 5pm, we moved down the hill to the Chophouse for our dinner.