The Water Wheel

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We returned to the motel and loaded our car. Our plan was to continue on to Banner Elk, which was less than 20 miles south of Boone. Our intention was to see as much of NC as possible and we had never actually been to the town of Banner Elk! We wanted to see what this little ski town was like!

So off we go, after taking another quick run through Boone! We saw a funny sight on the way out…a couple of joggers! (Young guys - students, I would guess) Their top parts were bundled up nicely but their legs were exposed to the weather! Charlie remarked that one of the guys legs were purple- tinted from the cold! … At that time, I couldn’t imagine anyone being that cold!

I was decked out in my little red hat and matching mittens…feeling cozy and fine; my brand new Nikes keeping my feet toasty-warm!

A little ways out from the main part of Boone we see something we just couldn’t pass by! Well, we passed it by but made a hasty U-turn to get an up close and personal look!
It was this!

On a previous trip we had stayed at this very motel and remembered seeing this ‘Water Wheel’ from that time. With the freezing cold weather and snow lightly falling, it was quite a sight and we knew we Must get some pictures of this!

The area around this wheel was well maintained with a board walkway that led to a mulched pathway around behind the wheel-for close-up views from all sides!
The water troth with running water feeding into the wheel had icicles up to 3 feet long, hanging down! I lightly touched one, and to my surprise, it came loose in my hand!



We walked down the path around behind the wheel! My, what a sight, with the ice clinging to every part of it-and snow still, gently, falling!

My husband got this picture of me with the water wheel behind me! (In my cute little hat!
)


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…This next part I have been reluctant to tell-but I will try to tell it in a most humorous way…lest you feel sorry for me- or (God Forbid) think me (or even Charlie) stupid! ;)

Please keep in mind that this was all new stuff for us…all this ice and snow…wooly caps…mittens…freezing ponds…

OK…also –I am used to taking any suggestion my husband gives me - especially in fun situations like this!


…After taking a couple pictures on the walkway he said, ”Stand on that corner and let me get you with the wheel directly behind you!”




I did! When my second foot touched the rock ledge... YES! - I was in the water!
(Neither of us had noticed that the ledge was iced over!)

COLD!


I hit the water and went under! I’m sure I tried to grab onto the wooden part that held the wheel up…I know this from the bruises on my right arm and underarm…but I don’t know how I managed to bruise the left hip!
On reflection, I think it was a small miracle that I didn't hit the back of my head!

All I knew at the time is that I was DANG cold…and I was thinking,
“Oh my! Let me out of here before someone sees me!”

Although I went in over my head, the depth of the water was little more than waist high on me. Attempts by Charles to pull me out, failed! ...but I was able to get through the frame that held the wheel and walk up the incline and climb out!

…lol- and I bet you’re wondering if Charlie captured all this action with the camera…

At the time he was so scared- all he could do was to rush over to see if I was ok and try to help me get out!

He DID mention later that he should have got the picture of me falling…blogging material - don’t you know!! I told him I probably wouldn’t have taken too kindly to that!!

Luckily, we still had time to go back to our motel so I could get a hot shower and change clothes! (I felt sure the housekeepers there would not have cleaned the room yet -if ever- and I was right!)
I laughed all the way back at the utter absurdity of this icy fall into that pond!


I quickly shed the icy, wet clothes and got into the hottest water I could stand- just rinsing my hair! (Not bothering with shampoo or a creme rinse…a mistake!)
A hot shower never felt so good!

We went back by the Water Wheel...Charles had hopes of getting to my hat (with one of the long plow handles he had bought) but he was not able to get it! Here you see the poor frozen little thing- in it's watery grave!




…So we continued onward…

Junie