A Good Retirement Present

A friend of mine is retiring. He has done a lot of public service. He was recently recognized by the Perry County Chamber of Commerce for helping them with projects. They gave a token of their appreciation in the form of a weekend at Donavan Lakes. To those of us who live in rural Southwest Alabama, the thought of a weekend in Perry County as a present doesn’t sound all that appealing. We would think that was too much like where we live every day. We’d think a better present would be a weekend at the beach or in a big city. We‘d be wrong.
I had the pleasure of visiting Donavan Lakes recently. It is a farm in rural Perry County that has seven (yes, you heard me right, seven) fishing lakes on the property. It has a restored early 1900s farmhouse furnished with primitive antiques and porch views to die for. There are herds of deer grazing all round the property. There is plenty of bird watching and wildlife viewing. There are expansive porches with swing plus a glassed in sun porch for catching views on chilly days. For the foodies who might want to get away and do some cooking therapy, there is a fully equipped kitchen and a grill in the yard. It is miles away from anywhere, which would be a plus for anybody who is tired of crowds. For those who want some family time or quality visiting time with selected friends, there is room to sleep 10. There are three bedrooms. Two have multiple beds. All three have private baths. Probably, the best thing of all to me is that the farmhouse is surrounded by lots of shade trees.
The house is owned by Inez and Roy Barnett, a couple who own the local drugstore in Marion,
It was a family property. Roy is an artist, and Inez is an antique collector who knows how to decorate with her finds. The house has charm with many unique touches. There is a kitchen table crafted with a chopping block in the middle of two sections of another table. There is a child’s settee made from an old cast iron bathtub. Many of the family’s keepsakes are displayed in handmade shadowboxes. There is a real fireplace set in the middle of the living/dining room.
Donavan Lakes is on the internet. It has been found by people from all over the United States and Canada. They have come to spend time there. Many of them have become repeat visitors.
I started picturing myself there for a weekend with my family. The men would love the fishing and the lake. A friend from Marion said that fishermen can leave with a trunk load of fish. The women would go a few miles into Marion to their downtown area for shopping. There are antique shops as well as gift buying at other shops. In a few weeks there will be spring plants at the yard art place. Donavan Lakes has a two night minimum rental, so we’d probably eat out on Friday night at one of the several good places to eat in Marion. The other night, we’d cook. To me, cooking is recreation, if somebody else does the dishes. I’d certainly plan to be on the porch at sunset, enjoying a glass of wine and conversation as the sun goes down.
Isn’t life ironic? Instead of going to Atlanta for the weekend, I’ve just talked myself into getting away to Donovan Lakes. Who’d have thought staying in rural Southwest Alabama could be considered a vacation? We just don’t think enough of ourselves as a destination. We just need to remind ourselves to appreciate what we have.