Today was incredible, right from the beginning. At the Dauset Trails Nature Center we found a completely free mostly outdoor wildlife area with cages of animals along a beautifully forest trail.
Otters were first and we received an exuberant greeting, followed by beavers, owls, an eagle, a black bear, a toothy coyote, two little bobcats, an anxious cougar and a field where a bison cuddled with an antelope while turkeys gobbled in the background. There was also a farm area with goats, cows, horses and pigs and an indoor reptile room with an alligator, snapping turtle and all kinds of snakes.
Next we visited the Monastery of the Holy Spirit and learned about the lives of their monks. Choosing a celibate life, the men cherish silence, work and each other. Each day allows many opportunities for silent reflection, prayer, to work in many different capacities on the property and to live quietly with one another. They currently sustain themselves by making specialty foods, producing panes of stained glass, burying people on their land (we might explain here that this is not as ominous as it may initially sound. The monastery offers natural, coffin free burials)
When raising funds to build the monastery the monks attempted every conceivable way of making money to be self sufficient, including selling milk and beef cows but ran into trouble when one brother kept giving the calves away to needy families (apparently it is now policy to not give away free specialty chocolates to people who live in vans). The early monks built the monastery themselves, despite being almost completely inexperienced in construction, laboring silently for hours each day. In the end they created an incredible property that is mostly open to the public with bike trails, a park and their education center.
Arriving in Atlanta we spent the rest of the day (which was easy to do) at the King center learning all about the man who changed a nation. This collection of historic buildings included the Ebenezer church where Dr. King preached for many years (and where his mother was gunned down in 1974 by a crazy woman), his childhood home and multiple visitor's centers dedicated to his work and life.
Though much is known about Dr. King's public life it was touching to learn more about his personal life, particularly his wife Cora Scott. This courageous woman still deep in the grieving process somehow found the strength to march with the striking sanitation workers in place of her husband following his assassination. She spent the rest of her days on earth fighting for equality.
We also got to see a completely different side of Dr. King that shaped the man he would become. Touring his childhood home with an enthusiastic, if not conventional, Ranger we learned that young Martin (named Michael until the age of 5 when his father changed both their names) was a bit of a mischief maker, or at least so says his sister. He would listen in on discussions between his parents and important guests about racial equality until one night he was discovered eavesdropping when he fell over the balcony and landed at the bottom of the stairs.
He was also daring, leaping out the second story window on at least two different occasions. He came from a very strongly rooted family who had family dinners every night and expected nothing but the best behavior from their children at all times. His mother and father were deeply involved in civil rights, as were his grandmother and grandfather and in this family tradition he would follow, becoming the man who changed America.
Otters were first and we received an exuberant greeting, followed by beavers, owls, an eagle, a black bear, a toothy coyote, two little bobcats, an anxious cougar and a field where a bison cuddled with an antelope while turkeys gobbled in the background. There was also a farm area with goats, cows, horses and pigs and an indoor reptile room with an alligator, snapping turtle and all kinds of snakes.
Next we visited the Monastery of the Holy Spirit and learned about the lives of their monks. Choosing a celibate life, the men cherish silence, work and each other. Each day allows many opportunities for silent reflection, prayer, to work in many different capacities on the property and to live quietly with one another. They currently sustain themselves by making specialty foods, producing panes of stained glass, burying people on their land (we might explain here that this is not as ominous as it may initially sound. The monastery offers natural, coffin free burials)
When raising funds to build the monastery the monks attempted every conceivable way of making money to be self sufficient, including selling milk and beef cows but ran into trouble when one brother kept giving the calves away to needy families (apparently it is now policy to not give away free specialty chocolates to people who live in vans). The early monks built the monastery themselves, despite being almost completely inexperienced in construction, laboring silently for hours each day. In the end they created an incredible property that is mostly open to the public with bike trails, a park and their education center.
Arriving in Atlanta we spent the rest of the day (which was easy to do) at the King center learning all about the man who changed a nation. This collection of historic buildings included the Ebenezer church where Dr. King preached for many years (and where his mother was gunned down in 1974 by a crazy woman), his childhood home and multiple visitor's centers dedicated to his work and life.
Though much is known about Dr. King's public life it was touching to learn more about his personal life, particularly his wife Cora Scott. This courageous woman still deep in the grieving process somehow found the strength to march with the striking sanitation workers in place of her husband following his assassination. She spent the rest of her days on earth fighting for equality.
We also got to see a completely different side of Dr. King that shaped the man he would become. Touring his childhood home with an enthusiastic, if not conventional, Ranger we learned that young Martin (named Michael until the age of 5 when his father changed both their names) was a bit of a mischief maker, or at least so says his sister. He would listen in on discussions between his parents and important guests about racial equality until one night he was discovered eavesdropping when he fell over the balcony and landed at the bottom of the stairs.
He was also daring, leaping out the second story window on at least two different occasions. He came from a very strongly rooted family who had family dinners every night and expected nothing but the best behavior from their children at all times. His mother and father were deeply involved in civil rights, as were his grandmother and grandfather and in this family tradition he would follow, becoming the man who changed America.
Dauset Trails
Antelope, Bison and turkey
Monastery
Ebenezer Church where MLK preached
MLK's childhood home
Did you make it to Stone Mountain in Atlanta? There was another historical park in Atlanta that I recall walking around when I was a grad student visiting a convention in Atlanta. It was completely empty during Winter and it had a good view of Stone Mtn. from far below.
ReplyDeleteAlso visited CNN headquarters while I was there. The subway system was fairly new at that time.
Brian in Corvallis
Hey Brian- That sounds like it kept you busy! We really liked Atlanta but due to time had to skip Stone Mountain and CNN headquarters.
Delete