Here's to Sweet Briar, Hola! Hola! Hola!

This weekend I joined with about 25 other women (some managed to escape the group photo) to celebrate our 20th year College Reunion. (And many other women celebrating their 5th, 10th, 15th and so on.) 

Twenty-four years ago, from California to Alabama to Massachusetts all of us were preparing to begin our college years at a very remote all women's school for the liberal arts nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. All of us followed different paths to get there. Some out of tradition, some for a quiet personal alternative to the large university (with less than 1000 students total), some for scholarships and grants, some for a safe place to grow and excel, some for it's commitment to empowering women, but certainly everyone appreciated Sweet Briar's beauty. It is a gorgeous place to behold. And this weekend, we took it all in, again.

A view of Sweet Briar from Daisy's grave in whose memory the College was created.

There are 3250 acres of land at Sweet Briar.

Sweet Briar has an impressive equestrian program, so the resulting horses put out to pasture for those of us who ride, but don't ride is a welcome massage to the eye if nothing else.

Need I say more? It is truly lovely.

The boathouse at one of the two lakes on campus.

Until recently, there was a working dairy at Sweet Briar. As we went on long walks around 'the dairy route' which is a 2.5 mile trial that appropriately passed by the Sweet Briar Dairy we would see charming Holstein cows grazing on the rolling hills. At the dining hall we would enjoy our own milk and yogurt (whole, thank you very much). It was sad to see it go. Many of the buildings have been revamped and refitted to house the Fine Arts (of which I was a major) including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, ceramics and graphic arts. It is a first rate facility - wow!

The new Fine Art buildings (in dark red)

Peony garden at the President's House

I believe someone thought this was a indigenous magnolia tree -- it was stunning.

L-R: Brooke, Latane, Susan

L-R: Michelle, Monica, Brooke, Kathy, Margaret, Latane, Laura

Laura and Latane walkin' the dairy route

More eating

Chatting, Chatting and more Chatting

More Walking L-R: Monica, Sandy, Susan, Laura, Brooke

We all wondered before going how it would be between us all 20 years later, and what we found were the strong roots of friendship, love and admiration that have withstood the test of time. 

All of us are glad we choose to go and made an effort to get there, though time and finances were sometimes pulling us back towards home and the present. 

We have a renewed appreciation and love for one another and the experience we shared at Sweet Briar.

Hola! Hola! Hola!