Photo(s) of the Day: 'Some Days Are Diamonds'

The season's first excursion onto Carvins Cove was just about perfect. No, dammit, I am not pregnant!

My secretive buddy finds a marsh at Carvins Cove.

From left: Melissa Buth, me, Pete Krull, Christina Koomen.

There are days in our lives when we know, as we live them, that will be remembered for a long time and not necessarily because a child was born, a championship won, a marital knot tied, a graduation passed and the like. Sometimes the days are simply so golden in every ordinary respect that they hang like a crystal chandelier for a very long time.

Gene Marrano and moi at the awards breakfast.

Today was one of those for me.

It began at the Claude Moore Center at 7:30 where, as part of the Cool Cities Coalitions' annual awards breakfast, I presented my friend and colleague Gene Marrano with an environmental award, which he richly deserved.

At the breakfast, I heard another dear friend, Melissa Buth, talk about the environment in terms even a far right-wing, anti-environmentalist, anti-science whack-job could understand. What she said was scary as hell, but there was no doubt in its truth and in my admiration for Melissa.

Next, lunch at The Quarter in downtown Roanoke (where gator is now on the menu) with Melissa, her husband Pete (one of my very best friends) and Christina, whom most of you know. Great conversation from some very, very bright people. I felt blessed to be in their company.

My view at Carvins Cove.

Finally, on a day we normally only imagine this time of year (82 degrees, clear sky, light breeze), my pal Rhonda and I dragged out kayaks out of storage and stole two and a half hours of prime time at Carvins Cove in a moment that could only be termed "spiritual."

"Some days are diamonds, some days are stones," sayeth the poet. This one was a diamond (and I still have dinner ahead. Mmmmmm.)