Roanoke

Today was a good day, even though it rained off and on.

We started off the day at Roanoke College - my youngest is in high school and we like to stop by colleges when we come upon them to give her a flavor for what is out there. The last time we were passing through the area, we stopped by Virginia Tech and James Madison Universities.

Roanoke College, actually located in Salem, Virginia just outside of Roanoke, is a liberal arts college that was founded in 1842. The college is small in comparison to Tech and JMU, but the campus is very pretty. 

Next we headed to downtown Roanoke. We strolled around the Center in the Square taking in the sights. There are a lot of cool restaurants and shops around the square, as well as the nation's oldest outdoor farmers market. In addition to produce, the farmers market also features local artisans selling jewelry, pottery, soaps, etc. My daughters and I made a bee line for a jewelry stand while my husband checked out Thelma's Chicken and Waffles restaurant.

This City of Roanoke has a long history as a railroad town. Unfortunately, passenger service to the city ended in 1979. Currently, however, the town is a hub for the Norfolk Southern freight rail system. 

Our day ended at the Roanoke Star atop Mill Mountain. The star, symbol of the city, is the largest, freestanding illuminated star in the world.  

I couldn't get my daughters' buy-in on a photo to share with you on this blog, but here is a picture of me and the husband - on Mill Mountain, the city below.

All in all, today was a great day to be alive! I was happy to have shed yesterday's fears about depression and dive into life feet first!