The author in her kayak. When summertime heats up, she says, kayaking takes the place of hiking as her favorite activity.

By Marla Coulthard • I owe Chase, my 19-year-old grandson, a debt of gratitude for reintroducing me to Darius Rucker. I knew the singer during his Hootie and the Blowfish days. Hootie, by the way, is having a reunion tour this summer. And another BTW: Hootie filmed a cool video of their hit “The Old Man and Me” at the ruins of Great Falls Mill in Rockingham. But I digress.

Chase, while helping me with household projects back in the spring, revved up some Darius solo on YouTube. Sounded good and the voice was familiar. I asked who it was and was tickled to find it was Darius. We listened nonstop for an afternoon.

I was particularly taken with his song “For the First time!” The chorus goes like this:

When was the last time you did something for the first time?
Yeah, let yourself go, follow that feeling
Maybe something new is what you’re needing
Like a real life, let your hair down, feel alive

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

I realized that it says a lot about how I live my life these days. Having arrived at the ripe old age of 68, I could be spending my retirement kicked back in the rocking chair, but that just doesn’t work for me. Nope, I’m out hiking and kayaking to all kinds of familiar and new destinations. Right now, I’m packing three separate suitcases, one for a quick three days in Asheville to see the Dale Chihuly glass exhibit at Biltmore and to hike a bit, one for a week of Georgia island-hopping with my three sisters, and the last one for a three-week solo research trip to the Scottish Highlands and islands. It’s been a many year since I embarked on such a journey on my own, making it almost feel like a first.

This year’s “first time” experience I am most amazed by is my painting. I met Beverly Dickson back when Artifex was in the planning stages and we’ve become very good friends. Over the years, she invited me to take lessons and I would always say, “No, I’m no good at that sort of thing.” I’m more of a writer and photographer.

I have no idea why, but in February I said “yes” and joined a Thursday morning painting class at Artifex in Mount Gilead. Surprised the heck out of me when my first painting came out not half bad and I’ve been reasonably pleased with the other three I’ve produced. Truth is that I believe I’ll get better with practice. Who knew?

The author’s latest painting, “Old Man of Storr.” The rock is located on Scotland’s Isle of Skye; she’ll be hiking up to it in a few weeks.

I have come to love painting and an added benefit is that I get to spend my Thursday mornings with a cool bunch of people. Last week, a fellow student said, “Thursday has become my favorite day of the week.” Thinking on it a second, I agreed with him! Besides, I also get to have some good Speckled Paw coffee and visit with other Mount Gilead friends.

I am so appreciative to my friend, Beverly, for giving me the opportunity to try something that was a little outside my comfort zone. As the saying goes, you never know ’til you try … just have to be willing to try.

And thanks, Darius Rucker, wherever you are, for giving me a theme song for 2018.