#also frank and wisteria are BEST FRIENDS

[crowleys-right-eyeball]

“And the universe said I love you

because you are love.”

below the cut i have so much to say and some extra silly things to share. feel free to scroll past the paragraph if you aren’t interested, but tl;dr is that me and my story support you clown <3

WOW i love the end poem,,,,, couldn’t resist using it, i feel like it’s the right ocassion BUT here’s my amazing notes app script

- i write this for clown, for myself, and for anyone curious enough to read. i feel like i should probably have a little more of a sense for what should and shouldn’t go on my main account, but i consider this to be a very rare meaningful thought of mine. i guess i’m not one to talk much about my own creative projects for reasons, but i do want to share my own experiences.

- i will never forget what she did to my sweet wisteria and everything i made. i’ve had him for as long as i can remember, and he’s always been a part of me. but i shared him with the wrong person and it costed me the love i had for a story once so dear to me. i held him so close, and i’ve held him even closer ever since she said all the things she’d do to him. it’s a miracle i ever got back into writing for my wisteria, because at the time all i wanted was to get rid of him and everything he meant to me. and i’m only one person, she was only one person, and i cannot imagine what it must feel like to see as many people as you have do the same to your world.

- i do feel sort of selfish thinking you would read this or that i sort of made it about me, but i just want you to know that the majority of us will support you no matter what. i am only one of literally thousands of people that saw your work through youtube or tiktok or whatever, so i suppose this is more of a log of what you got me thinking about. your work and what i’ve seen from your tumblr genuinely inspires me, and i don’t mean it in a sappy way, i mean that i have literally thought long and hard about your work when working on my portfolio as it captures a lot of what i’m doing with my own.

- whatever you choose to make private, if anything, know that you have made such a huge and wonderful impact on so many people. my heart aches for what you have been going through as a consequence for this, but there’s always going to be a bright side, right?

- i’ll end with some silly doodles of my guys and the wh guys and another quote from one of my interests to brighten the mood!! we love you, clown <3

about to make this post longer than the steddie ficlets i have saved 🔥🔥

tumblr is actually so bugged rn so i can’t add image commentary in the tags BUT i’ll try to edit it later 🔥🔥🔥 okay now i’m a sappy sucker here’s another FAVORITE quote and we’ll play guess what niche interest it is

“With you, I am ready to face whatever awaits.”

*bows* thank you for coming

- 🧣💫

[annemissingshoe]

WTTMV Keeper!Poppy, Stitcher!Julie, Theories/just talking(also a non WTTMV character, Solver!Frank)part two

This got cut in half because Tumblr was being weird, ok now let’s continue on with part two and I’m aware that I forgot about this

I do find this one interesting even if I’m not sure quite sure what happened.

Unfortunately Solver’s world got destroyed by Stitcher some time after he left it, he doesn’t know that tho. Keeper on the other hand does. The Connecting backstories.

Also It’s been pretty interesting learning about Solver!Frank, all the bits of lore I got to see. It is kinda sad to see the ask blog go but life goes on, at least I got to see it happen in the first place, everyone wish Rose the best regards I think I said that right.

This had my interest and it still does to this day

fun fact: this when I started looking through posts for lore, well it me a bit to actually do it, like I waited a bit before I went the blog for lore. I still find it weird that no one was making theories posts on Keeper’s lore, despite the fact she had a connection to Stitcher; who is one of our main villains, which should have been a reason a good reason for others to make theories yet no one did?, it’s so weird.

I finally know what happened here and I’ll talk about it at some point. All I’m going to say the lore is on the website that Ariki posted and was talking about not to long. It has some lore about the other characters too, like Archivist and a certain Wally variant who Stitcher hates for example. I wish good luck who plans on finding it next.

Special thanks to @/chocolategothwolfhorse for finding it. I don’t know where you found it but good job.

So we now know that Stitcher became active way later on in the story compared to the other casts and that she sometimes gets fabrics from Trader.

Another example of interactions between characters that are like, I think it’s interesting and cool to it. To me It adds a lot to the story and world, seeing two characters from opposing sides; who might hate/dislike each other, choosing not fight because the store they’re in doesn’t allow it. I like seeing things like this, this is why I thought Coupier and Stitcher at the wedding from last year was interesting. It revealed something I wasn’t expecting and wasn’t thinking about at the time.

A earlier Instance of elaborating on stitcher’s friends who are kept in her Collection, about who ends up in her Collection and why, they’re still alive and ‘conscious’ to an extent.

We finally got more information on what Stitcher’s rules for killing are

So Stitcher doesn’t kill any of the puppets in her collection herself, so all the puppets in her collection were killed by someone else. Any puppets she killed aren’t apart of it. Some other things we learn there’s some characters she won’t kill or she try to befriend first. Stitcher doesn’t kill any variants of her siblings, From her exact words we Coupier would be the one to do that.

“I've met plenty of versions of them since then. I don't really like having to kill some during missions, so Crou is generally the one to do it, while I take care of the ones he doesn't want to kill. We're a great team !" Since she didn’t kill this version of her siblings, who did what happened to them before “she fixed them”?

@arikihalloween

Part one - Part three

some food for thought

[lovelyygirl8]

Julie Janet Fraser headcannons <3

(oc from ‘Divine Light’, a series I’m starting) (idk why her hair and eyes r brown in the gif, her hair is black and her eyes r actually green, this is just the only gif I could find of Alice Pagani where her hair is long)

• she’s named after Claire’s mother Julia, and Jenny whose actual name is Janet

• she is 12 minutes younger than Brianna

• she isn’t particularly a morning person or a night person, she can go to bed late and wake up early, go to bed early and wake up late, or go to bed early and wake up early, it’s just rlly random

• she got into painting when she was 10 and after years of experimenting with different mediums, she found her love for oil paints. Her favourite things to paint were people and landscapes, and her paintings of sceneries were always signed and hung around the house, along with some of her paintings of her family.

• she loved wearing skirts and dresses, and her fashion style was very angel-like, with lots of lace and light florals, but she also wore clothes that were very trendy as well when she felt like it (money definitely wasn’t a problem for them with franks job and Claire’s, despite the gendered pay gap)

• her and Fergus get on so well they’re brother and sister they’re best friends they’re partners in crime (not actually tho at least atm, we’ll see what happens)

• her and Marsali also get on so well, especially since Marsali never really knew girls her own age growing up, and she misses Jodie so much, so Julie would fill the void a little, but not take Jodie’s place.

• she can’t decide on a new colour, she feels like she’s always discovering new ones even if it’s the slightest difference from one she’s seen before, but she loves green and pink and blue a lot, but she also loves orange and yellow and purple a lot. She goes in spirals like that tiny one when people ask cause she can never decide and if she does decide on one it’ll change very quickly

• she view emotions as different colours: any shade of bright or pastel pink from blush to fuchsia is happiness, sadness is a dark shade of purple (#460457 - type that into safari and it’ll show you the exact colour), anger is an orange that leans toward red rather than yellow #eb4200, calm is a deep warm brown #542b16, fear is a dark muted yellow #8a8460

• her favourite flowers are delphinium, foxglove, bearded iris, Himalayan poppy, wisteria, carnation, and her favourite “filler flowers” are sweet pea, forget me not, astilbe, and spirea.

• like Brianna, she went to Harvard, but she studied Botany and Geology for her bachelors degree. Since Brianna was 20 when she met Roger, I’m just gonna assume she was doing a Masters degree, which requires an extra year or so, since she was still in university and changing her degree and people tend to start university at 18. I tried to find out how old people generally were when starting university in the 60s but i didn’t find anything. Assuming they did go to university at 18, Julie is done with university when she travels through the stones (we don’t see anything about Brianna graduating and I think that’s just because she changed her degree so to engineering from history so I think she wouldn’t have graduated when Julie did).

Thank you for reading 🫶🏼

[rimurutempest-bounced]

soft asks, im just gonna answer them all:

1. cherry - what is your sexuality?

gay

2. lollipop - favorite makeup products?

eyeliner. i usually like stuff by e.l.f.

3. daydreams - if you could be anything or anyone, who would you be?

assuming “shapeshifter” is off the table, i’d be an unkillable dragon.

4. october - what month were you born in?

september!

5. caress - do you like to snuggle?

rarely, actually! sometimes i like it and seek it out, but i have a capacity limit.

6. ivory - describe your pajamas?

uhhh, right now? grey t shirt and black shorts. sometimes nothing. sometimes t shirt and underwear. i dont have any specific pjs.

7. golden - favorite stationary product?

stickers. metallic paint pens and, like, gel pens are pretty high up there too.

8. freckles - most-worn article of clothing?

boots or poncho/shawl.

9. twilight - best friend?

@skulloflibitina​, @aftermidnightblue​, @papamoomin​(he’s my husband, so he’d better be my best friend)

10. silk - do you like k-pop?

i only know a couple of songs, and they’re all pretty damn old now. not into any specific bands. i love BoA though, just in general.

11. poppy - favorite pastel color?

lavender

12. dimples - most attractive features of a person’s face?

eyes!

13. sunkissed - autumn or spring?

autumn.

14. buttery - favorite snack?

probably seaweed snacks, i think. im picky though, some days nothing is RIGHT.

15. whisper - how much sleep do you get?

........not enough. usually maybe 6 hours? 

16. pencil - do you own a journal?

i do, but i never use it........

17. cupcake - are you a good cook?

yes! i rarely cook though.

18. honey - favorite term of endearment?

darling, beloved, sweetheart. in that order.

19. clouds - describe one of your favorite dreams?

i have a recurring one about being in a dinghy on a small sound and the water is so calm the surface is like glass. the sky is grey and heavy with clouds. im rowing, or drifting, to a point with a rocky shore, and when i get out, i walk into a beautiful forest(not quite boreal/taiga) and it’s warm and sunny and green. i walk to a stump, covered and surrounded by beautiful cushion moss, and i feel like someone very important to me is with me, but i dont know who.

sometimes there’s more to the dream, but often the other elements are stressful or upsetting, so. that much is really nice and calm though!

20. velvet - who was your first crush?

i guess a boy named ashton i saw during the summers for a few years. he and his family had a summer house up the street. i honestly cannot fathom why anyone would want to leave jamaica in the summer to stay in THAT neighbourhood, it was not a particularly special place imo. he was really nice to me though, and said i could call him my boyfriend. i think we kissed once or twice. his family was wonderful. i think the people who started staying in that house after they stopped going there were pretty rude, but my memory around that is kinda hazy. apparently i was so upset about his family not visiting any more that i keyed my name into the new peoples’ car? i got in trouble for it anyway.

21. paper - favorite children’s book?

the hobbit. or the last unicorn. or blueberries for sal. i dont know, i loved a LOT of books as a kid.

22. peaches - do you have a skincare routine?

nah. not really. i use a face cleanser/wash in the shower, but not with any routine.

23. mochi - favorite studio ghibli film?

princess mononoke.

24. backyard - did you ever have an imaginary friend?

yeah, i think so. i played alone a lot, but usually not with any imaginary friends. but i DID have a tiny pocket journal that i would write letters to my “friend in fance” in. his name was pierre i think. i dont remember writing his responses, and they were in completely different handwriting. even into high school i would sometimes write him a little note when i cleaned my room and found the book, out of nostalgia, and every time i found it, he’d written a reply. usually asking why it had been so long. i think he might have said some kinda creepy/wierd stuff, too. wonder what happened to that little book lmao. (it was a teeny tiny lisa frank notebook i think. with a little snap button clasp to close it.)

25. strawberry - favorite fruit?

obligatory, apples! also blueberries and mango. botannically, non traditionally for culinary speaking, avocado too.

26. kiss - have you ever kissed a friend?,

i kiss my husband a lot, but in a purely platonic way, uh. on the cheek, sure, plenty of times. on the lips, i think only once, and i was not comfortable with it at all.

27. nightlight - do you read before bed?

if social media, wikipedia articles, and/or video game dialogue counts, then yes. if only books do, then no.

28. shampoo - favorite scent?

mint and rosemary, for shampoo. in general, my fave scent is wood smoke. briney, salty, sea air is up there. and pine(especially balsam), cedar(technically cypress), juniper, sage, leather...........

29. skin - what distant relative are you closest to?

uh, idk what’s considered distant honestly. im not really close to most of my bio family, in any sense tbh. maybe my cousin faith? we rarely talk and she lives in north carolina, but i think probably her somehow, lol (she’s my 1st cousin though, idk if that counts?)

30. aphrodite - favorite actress/actor?

mmmmm.......maybe lupita nyong’o? or jason momoa. i also like michael b jordan, elijah wood, shia labeouf, dolly parton, daniel radcliff, robert patterson..... idk, i dont actually usually have fave celebs like that much.

31. cuddles - do you have any pets?

my son, a beautiful but not very bright fat clumsy goblin of a cat whom i love.

32. lace - if you own any dresses, which is your favorite?

no, even when i still wore skirts sometimes, dresses werent really my thing. i gave my skirts to my friend anna, and she still has some. my fave is probably the long, black skirt with autumny coloured vines and leaves. apparently the style of skirt is called broomstick, according to google?

33. sheets - sanrio or san-x characters?

i had to google the difference, but sanrio. they’re all cute though.

34. cream - frozen yogurt flavor?

usually taro! i also like just plain, tart froyo, or pomegranate. i generally go for fruity flavours, aside from taro. it’s also one of the only times i’ll sometimes opt for coconut, esp if it’s paired with taro!

35. watermelon - do films ever make you cry?

almost always. the genre DOES NOT MATTER. im less likely to cry watching horror/slasher/gore stuff (but im also less likely to watch those vs suspense thrillers/psychological horror anyway)

36. sapphos - favorite poet?

emily dickinson, i think. despite my love for simple rhyme and meter, i just love how evocative her writing is. each of her poems is so personal, but because of that, they’re pretty widely relatable, so it’s easy to resonate with them. 

im also very fond of frost and poe’s poetry(and poe’s writing in general, ofc)

honestly, this is making me want to just binge a ton of poetry by poets i havent read before. (if anyone wants to send me recs, PLEASE do.)

37. plush - how many stuffed animals do you still own?

i am not counting them, lmao. suffice to say, too many to count without a good deal of effort.

38. roses - what flower do you find most beautiful?

most beautiful i’d say wisteria, but my faves are chrysanthemums and hydrangeas. wisteria is my 3rd place.

39. sweetheart - favorite mug/cup?

i have a few i like a lot, but my husband bought me a World’s Best Dad mug that is a particular fave right now.

40. sunset - what are your pronouns?

exclusively he/him/his

[kyareureuk]

i got tagged by a few ppl for questions about yourself sort of tag memes over the past couple weeks so i did my best to compile some of the questions in one post,, @sufjoon @glossphie @joyhearts @7thxsense @nobodyelsewillbethere  thank you so much for tagging me!!!! 💕 i’m sorry if it took a while or if i missed anyone i really couldn’t keep track of who tagged me in which questions ahh

name: sion

nicknames: none

gender: none

sexual orientation: none. Gay

height: around 170 cm / 5′7″

age: 23

birthday: feb 24

star sign: pisces !

hogwarts house: my friends say slytherin and i would agree but i think i’d do alright in ravenclaw as well. for the record pottermore also put me in slytherin but who actually uses that as an accurate house sorter lol

siblings: a younger sister and brother

favorite music artists: this is so difficult UHhh i’ll just list some old faves and recent stuff but bts of course, los campesinos!, sufjan stevens, galileo galilei, everything everything, the national, bon iver, baths, primary, brockhampton, alex g, frank ocean, wednesday campanella, phoenix, gorillaz, run the jewels. idk i’m having a hard time remembering them off the top of my head and then narrowing down which are favorites

favorite song: i’ll believe in anything by wolf parade

last movie watched: avengers infinity war lol

last show watched: i dont watch television often uh maybe the office?

favorite 90′s show: cardcaptor sakura

favorite book: house of leaves

favorite fictional character: dio eraclea from last exile !

favourite food: eel, pasta, FRUIT, also i’ve only had it like twice but firni

favorite season: the transition btwn winter and spring

favorite flower: irises, lilies, wisteria

favorite scent: after rain smell / florals like rose, tuberose, gardenia

favorite color: deep purple, also black, blues, plant color greens

favorite animal: cats... foxes, a lot of animals in the mustelidae family

dog or cat person: cat but i love dogs as well !!!

coffee, tea, or hot chocolate: coffee in the morning, tea otherwise

drink you had last: water

instruments: i used to teach myself violin fjhgf but otherwise none

favorite pair of shoes: black boots

currently wearing: jeans and a sweatshirt

underwear color: black

average sleep hours: varies wildly

number of blankets you sleep with: two

lucky number: 24

dream career: novelist

dream trip: morocco or somewhere in south america or northern europe. also i’ve been to china and india but i want to go back to visit badly... my friend is moving to china to work at the end of the summer so i may go visit her. honestly i want to travel everywhere

worst habit: i have so many i’m awful at responding to calls/texts/emails and i’m always like slightly late to things no matter how much time i give myself to get ready. i pick at my skin a lot it’s gross and i hate it fjhgfh

jealous of people: not really.. im not a jealous person by nature

in love: i’m having a lot of trouble answering this one bc there’s too many things i could list...... idk! i love my friends and my pets and nature and all forms of art and the little things that make life worth living

love at first sight or walk by again: i’ve never heard of the second gfhg but yeah that. or like the feeling that it’s not love at first sight but it could be love with time... those feelings of love that you cultivate

easiest person to talk to: probably ,,, online friends or my irl bff but we don’t have many opportunities to really talk nowadays

last person you called: my brother

last thing i googled: gardenia bc i had to double check it was the flower i was thinking of

blog created: december 2017

number of followers: like.. under 100. i cant stand having more than that

do you have other blogs: no

do you get asks: sometimes

why did you choose your url: my current one is a transliteration of a sort of childish snicker laughing onomatopoeia that yoongi has used in tweets before like.. two happy bday tweets and also this selfie. it’s cute i’m a big fan of yoongi’s twitter laughs

tagging: omg this is a fake tag meme game thing so i’m not gonna tag anyone unless u want to do this.. in that case be my guest !!!!!

[sussex-nature-lover]

Monday 27th April 2020

A Recap of Our Big Venture Beyond the Front Gate

We enjoyed a long and leisurely sit in the garden with some very tasty olives and a glass of this Cremant de Bourdeaux which I can highly recommend. I always feel there’s something extra special about drinking Rosé wine outdoors in the sunshine and this was certainly memorable.

Because it also felt rather decadent, we decided to break our self imposed lockdown and actually go for a walk out of our garden. One of my most favourite things in life is walking in Spring Time, all the new discoveries, the leaves on the trees again and the sight and sound of little lambs. Sunday 26th April did not disappoint.

The Railway and the Station were super quiet. One car parked tucked right away in the corner as though it’d been forgotten and no one on foot.

We progressed, as always loving the view back towards our house. This is the field we can hear when we sit relaxing at home.

Apologies come along with the video if you suffer from motion sickness. I wasn’t actually sitting in a rowing boat, it was filmed on my phone and it’s hard to see what you’re doing when the sun’s so bright.

Further along in the field on the opposite side of the track we saw two cows with newborn calves.

and one thoughtfully stood up for the camera.

Of course they’re Sussex breed with their lovely rich chestnut colour.

Another sound you hear clearly from our garden comes from this part of the woods. Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws frequent this area, all in close proximity and very often sounding their alarm at ambushes and nest attacks from Magpies and Squirrels.

There was quite a lot of activity as we walked by but nothing I caught with my camera.

There was also some slightly shifty activity further along the lane: as we approached they both drove off. I talked about seeing more cars and bikes than we would normally mid Sunday afternoon and it was even more surprising given that the lane is actually closed off for Highways works. Curiouser and curiouser. I’ve just listened to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, addressing the nation - the first time he’s really been heard since recovering from a bout of Covid-19. To be frank, he still doesn’t seem to be breathing easily, but his message was absolutely crystal clear, those of us who can, must stay home as much as possible.

It was lovely having the freedom to walk out of our gate and stretch our legs after so long in our own confines and to enjoy the amazing blue sky and wide vistas. There were more Sussex cattle en route, some of them looking just as happy and peaceful as we were feeling.

Back home I felt compelled to take a quick snap of the dwarf cherry tree just to prove that it does produce fruit and the Wisteria which I’ve only photographed from inside the house up to now . That is going to need some serious pruning and training, but it’s certainly the best year of flowering that we’ve ever had.

There’s also a nice Pieris Japonica in the front garden, which is doing rather well.

Later on in the evening when we were sat down watching the finale of Race Across The World, we had three visitors, two of whom stayed long enough for pictures in the dimming light.

First off The Imposter

Secondly a shy fox - the same fox with the dark colouring, who didn’t pose for me and thirdly a brief visit from one single deer who was very interested in the large seed tray at the end of the garden, but clearly very nervous.

It’s been a little while since we saw deer. a good few weeks I think - mind you, I am losing all sense of time passing - this one looks quite young, so I would have thought others couldn’t be too far away.

More about Fallow Deer.

Well as the weather forecast says 8° cooler tomorrow, with winds and rain, I’m off back out into the garden while I can for a bit more exercise and mulling over how lucky we are to live where we do, have such wonderful family and friends and just enjoy ourselves in the fresh air while we can.

Sorry for any typos or nonsense.

Outside links in bold are not affiliated.

[thatlongspringnight]

Wedding Dresses

Oichi/Katsuie 

The pairing needs more love. Oichi needs more love. <3

Oh my gosh. Y’all this came to me this morning and I have loved writing every single word.

This is for @han-pan because she sent me a request for Oichi/Katsuie, kabedon. Its there, I promise, just a bit farther down.

This IS a modern AU/ college AU- ish fic. 

Oda Oichi is sixteen the first, and last, time she truly falls in love. No, that isn’t right. She is sixteen when she realizes that the emotion she feels for the man she is looking at is love.

He’s older, and perhaps that only adds to it. Oichi’s father is dead, and she has always been frank about it, about the scars it left her. Still, she’s known him since she was a child, he’s known her since she was born.

But Katsuie is an honorable man, something that will plague her for years, so he only brushes off her young flirtations, convincing himself that it is just harmless banter.

Oichi doesn’t cry when Nobu reads about her feelings in her diary, when he mocks her for them. She only takes the book and brings it squarely across his face, the sound echoing through the room.

She only cries later, when she realizes that the man she loves must not love her back.

She starts sketching around the same time, clothes, bags, and mostly dresses, wedding dresses, and she dreams of a day she’ll get to wear one.

There is only one man she can picture at the end of that aisle.

Nobu is the first one to get married. No one is really surprised, Oichi muses to herself, twirling her hair between her fingers.

She’s twenty-two when her older brother ties the knot with that pretty girl he never seems to shut up about. Oichi is a bride’s maid, surprisingly enough this is first time she’s ever been one, it will not be the last.

Oichi helps to design and create the wedding dress, she is already working for the seamstress they hired as an intern and it is only fair that she gets the chance to add her touch, to make it a true Oda wedding gown. It turns out simple and classic. It's clean like the bride and when her future sister-in-law tries it on Oichi decides that she really does like the girl just fine.

The wedding is in early autumn and Oichi brings her boyfriend with her as her date. She relishes Yukimura’s warmth in the cool air of evening, even as she passes him off to her best friend, who for one reason or another couldn’t bring the man she wanted.

At the reception, Oichi kisses the bride, hugs the groom, and later on she fondly remembers demanding Katsuie dance with her, it's her first true admission of love, although he doesn’t realize it at the time. When he holds her, she feels something that just isn’t there between her and the man she brought.

She feels guilty watching Yukimura sit at the table, knocking back drinks with her friend, who is trying her damndest to keep a smile on her face.

But not guilty enough to stop.

Nobuoki gets married next. Oichi is twenty-three hopes to heaven that yearly family weddings aren’t becoming a trend for the Oda clan. This time she doesn’t bring a date, she doesn’t have one to bring, and her mother laments the fact all night.

Oichi goes deaf to her words, eyes locked on the older man sitting with Nobu. He is laughing and joking, but when he feels her eyes on him he looks up. He looks away.

Katsuie isn’t married.

Maybe she won’t get married either.

When she is twenty-four Mitsuhide gets married. It is a quiet and traditional affair. By this point she is designing and creating wedding dresses as more than just a hobby. She’s also started a fine collection of bridesmaids dresses.

She catches the bouquet of wisteria and almost drops it from shock, so she hands it off quickly to Inuchiyo’s fiancee, who raises her eyebrow and takes it with a soft smile.

She gets a feeling that the girl understands, and somehow it is more upsetting than comforting.

Twenty-four also sees one more engagement, one more marriage. The most important one, her best friend’s.

A shock to no one but her. After all, the girl had been dating professor Kirigakure for a little over two years. But the idea that they would get married had never truly crossed Oichi’s mind until she was asked to be maid-of-honor.

To Oichi that relationship had always seemed temporary, a flight of fancy even, on the part of both parties.

Her friend’s joyful, painfully happy smile suggested otherwise.

Oichi painstakingly designs that wedding dress, and adds wedding planner to her list of skills. She cries at the bachelorette party, her arms wrapped tight around the girl she had grown up with, feeling a loss that she had never felt before.

She also holds the bride-to-be’s hair back as she vomits the morning of the wedding, she glances at her, idly slips something into the girl’s purse. They can worry about it after the wedding.

Its an early spring wedding, and the bride is holding a bouquet of pastel pink peonies, a crown of blush tinted flowers decorating her hair.

She is radiant, Oichi thinks, absolutely beautiful. She looks like a fairy queen, an earth goddess.

The colors are pale pink and mint.

“It matches the dango.” Oichi remembers whispering to Yukimura, the best man, as they walked down to take their places.

The wedding is beautiful,and when Saizo kisses his bride, Oichi looks away, taking in the garden landscape, the cherry blossoms heavy on the branches of the trees above them.

It fits the two of them so well.

Oichi hugs her best friend and decides she needs a change.

She hangs around just long enough to be named godmother of both her foolish brother’s and her best friend’s respective children.

Oichi enters a competition and wins; snatching her first chance to leave she can. The internship abroad stealing her away to Europe for her twenty-sixth year.

It is a year filled with wedding dresses but no weddings.

Oichi is at peace with it.

She learns and develops her passions, her talents, her skills and twenty-six easily fades into twenty-seven, drifts into twenty-eight before she realizes that she is ready to go home. That she wants to go home.

Her welcome back party is jovial, but she remains focused. She’s come here for a reason. Yukimura’s gotten married, she regrets not being at home to go, to pass him on to his beautiful bride.

At the end of the night, though, Yukimura is gone just like the rest of them.

All but a handsome man, beginning to gray at the temples, who stands in her hallway, willing himself to leave.

She doesn’t let him.

Oichi has always known what she’s wanted, always known what he wanted. So he really shouldn’t have had that look on his face when she cornered him in the hallway, pressing him against the wall, her arms on either side of his face.

He’s aged, she notes, crows-feet where there were none. But his eyes shine with youthful surprise and a blush is on his cheeks.

When she kisses him, he kisses back and for Oichi all the pieces of the puzzle fall together.

Unfortunately he’s honorable.

Honorable enough to hold her back, to go so far as to ASK Nobu if he can date her.

Ask her brother. She still can’t believe it.

When he is told no, she shakes her head, unsurprised. Nobu doesn’t talk to either of them for two weeks.

It hurts Katsuie more than her. Still, it doesn’t stop either of them from meeting, doesn’t stop her from pressing her body against his, from reveling in his attention, his kindness, his love.

And he loves her.

She loves him, more now than then, when she was sixteen and naive.

Nobu comes around, eventually, giving his blessing, however grudgingly. Oichi knows her mother played a role, and her sister-in-law, finding the time around her two squirming children to chastise her idiot husband.

Two years later it is her turn.

They’ve taken it slow, learned more about each other. Neither of them keeps the other on a pedestal anymore. He is quick to chide her when she is hotheaded, she is quick to drag him into her schemes, to help him live.

She doesn’t design her own dress, opting to wear her mother’s instead. They get married in the dead of winter, snow falling on the ground. She holds her flowers, and almost makes her bridesmaids and her her matron-of-honor (her best friend, still, grinning with joy) wear the bridesmaid dresses that she wore.

But she has learned to be merciful with time.

And when she walks down the aisle, the man that she always wanted, always knew would be waiting for her, is smiling at the end.

[lowvillegolfclub]

What's It Like To Be A Member?

Washington Road could be just about anywhere in small-town America. It is a bustling eyesore-lined thoroughfare with cheap chain restaurants and bargain retail stores. And while this gaudy strip shouts with a working-class accent, whispering in more genteel tones, behind the sign off Washington Road that reads "Augusta National Golf Club Members Only," is a peaceful enclave for powerful men. And behind the mystique spawned by the secrecy that surrounds the club is a place of surprising simplicity. It is a haven where important men go to be regular guys and escape in the joys of golf and companionship.

"We don't have anything in here you can't put your feet up on," says an Augusta National member, skirting the club's no-talk policy by speaking under the condition of anonymity. That accurately describes the comfortable atmosphere of the clubhouse, the original part of which was built in 1854 as the home of Dennis Redmond, who ran the land as an indigo plantation. The floorboards creak with age and seem to speak of a bygone era. While time hasn't stopped at Augusta National, it certainly moves at its own casual pace. And casual is the operative word. The clubhouse and the 10 cabins on the grounds have an easy décor that suggests a summer getaway place rather than a stuffy citified club.

"We are not a museum," William W. (Hootie) Johnson told Golf Digest in a recent exclusive interview (as chairman he is the one Augusta National member allowed to speak publicly about club policy). "I don't say that to be cute. The golf course has constantly been improved by Bobby Jones and Mr. [co-founder Clifford] Roberts and on up through the years."

Behind the gates

At the guardhouse on Washington Road, security personnel know the members by sight, and guests are held until a member comes to collect them. Members are allowed as many as four guests at a time, depending on the time of the year, and guests can play without a member, as long as the member is on the property while his guests are playing. No guests are allowed during the four big member-only events each year.

About 330 yards and 61 magnolia trees off Washington Road and down Magnolia Lane is the front door to the clubhouse, a building that was saved from destruction 70 years ago by the club's early financial problems during the Great Depression (if they'd had the money, they'd have built a new clubhouse). Inside the door, stored beneath the counter at the switchboard, is a humidor with an excellent cigar collection known only to the members. The best go for less than $10. Unlike at many clubs, things are not overpriced at Augusta.

In the downstairs Trophy Room dinner is eaten under portraits of Jones, Roberts and U.S. President Eisenhower, a club member. A set of clubs used by Jones and the ball Gene Sarazen struck when he made his double eagle in the 1935 Masters are on display.

There is some lodging for members just off the Trophy Room. Upstairs, the Library is where card games are played and stories told and re-told. The room is not loud with money but rather quiet with charm. The Champions Locker Room, where Tiger Woods shares a locker with Jackie Burke Jr., is just off the library, as is the recently renovated Grill Room and the Members' Locker Room, complete with masseuse. Among the art in the Library is the first watercolor sketch of the course by architect Alister Mackenzie and a portrait of Roberts painted by Eisenhower.

Up a near-vertical flight of stairs, in a room with windows on all four sides that would be called a widow's walk if only there were an ocean nearby, is the Crow's Nest, the first on-site housing at the club. Originally a dormitory that slept six, it now has a sitting room, a bathroom and four enclosed rooms sleeping a total of five. This is where amateur contestants in the Masters stay, and it is still used by visiting members and guests.

Although Augusta National boasts a world-class wine cellar and high-quality food, the dining-room menu speaks to the relaxed atmosphere of the place. Only the soups vary daily. Otherwise, the choices include steak, broiled fish ("with no fancy sauces on it," a regular diner says), fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, squash and corn bread. There is shrimp cocktail for an appetizer and ice cream or a delicious peach cobbler for dessert. French fries are not served, because Roberts thought they were unhealthy.

"I think it is very comfortable, but understated," Johnson says of the clubhouse. "We try to make everyone who comes to Augusta National feel at home, whether they are members or guests."

Part of the comfort is the staff. Although the paternalistic manner in which Roberts viewed the almost exclusively black workforce can be regarded as condescending, it produced a loyalty that not only resulted in very little turnover but created multigeneration employees. The son of Eisenhower's regular caddie, Cemetery, is a caddie at Augusta today. Frank Carpenter, who recently retired, worked at Augusta for more than 50 years, starting as a waiter and ending up as the wine steward and reputedly a first-class wine buyer. The longtime chef, the late James Clark, was an active participant in the Closing Party every year. No tipping is allowed, but Roberts was known to intervene if a caddie was underpaid and always told guests to "pay what you think he was worth," which almost always ensured a healthy remuneration. "We have just unbelievably dedicated people who work here," Johnson says. "And I think that is the first thing that stands out when people come here, and that includes members. Every time we come, I think we are impressed with our service and with our people and with their dedication."

Between the clubhouse and the first tee is the massive live oak under which the most powerful people in golf gather to chat during Masters week. Winding through the tree and around the clubhouse is a gnarled Chinese wisteria vine brought to the grounds when the pre-club owners, the Berckmans family, ran the estate as a nursery. The vine is said to be the parent of all such wisteria in America.

Off to the left as you gaze at the course from the clubhouse is the 10th tee, and to the left of that is the Eisenhower Cabin, one of seven cottages that form a semicircle between the 10th hole and the Par-3 Course. While the term "cabin" is an understatement, the interior is astonishing in its simplicity. Again, the furniture is much like you would gather for a casual summer hideaway, except here the simple wood dressers have had landscape scenes painted on them by Eisenhower. On the wall is a series of photos taken by Mamie Eisenhower of the various places she and her husband lived: There is Fort Benning in Georgia; Morningside Drive in New York City, from when Ike was president of Columbia University; and, stuck quietly among the other residences, is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- the White House.

No ordinary golf club

The National is different from most other golf clubs in more than just its membership. First, it is closed all summer, from the third week of May until mid-October, primarily for renovations. Also, you don't apply to join, you are invited (making it known you are interested in being a member is a surefire way not to be invited). A new member finds out he has been asked to join when a letter arrives in the mail. And legend has it that a member who falls out of favor will find out about it when a bill doesn't arrive in late summer, although one Augusta insider says he can't remember the last time that happened.

The club operates under the firm hand of the chairman, a classic benevolent-dictator system created by Roberts. There have been only five chairmen in the club's 70-year history. Advising the chairman is the board of governors. Among the key insiders are Joe Ford, the vice chairman; Will Nicholson, the chairman of the competition committees for the Masters; Billy Payne, the chairman of the media committee; and Charley Yates, the 1938 British Amateur champion, close friend of Bob Jones and the only current member who joined before World War II. Club rules are not so much written as they are hints, and those who don't get the hint get the boot. The code word is "favorably." High-stakes gambling, for example, is not looked upon favorably.

In 1937, Roberts decided members should wear green jackets during Masters week so patrons could easily identify them if they had any questions. Beginning in 1949, the Masters champion, too, received a green jacket. Each member gets one jacket, for which he is billed a small fee. Members are not allowed to take the jacket from the grounds. A Masters winner is an honorary member and may take the coat off the premises the year he is champion. When a member arrives at the club, he finds the jacket hanging in his closet. If it begins to get threadbare or if a button comes loose, a sharp-eyed employee spots the defect and has it fixed.

"Despite the secrecy surrounding the club, there are no mysterious rituals shared by the members," says one insider. "Instead of a secret handshake you're more likely to get a slap on the back."

Augusta National is more about power than it is about money. It is not what you can afford but who you know, and how you act. The initiation fee is in the "low five figures," according to one source, and a member adds, "You could afford it," knowing full well he was speaking to someone making a journalist's salary. The annual dues, two insiders say, amount to "a few thousand dollars," and it costs about $100 a night to stay in one of the 105 beds that are on site.

According to Johnson, a typical weekend might have as few as 20 or 30 people playing golf, or as many as 80. Some members may come to the club only three to five times a year, and others might come 15 or 20 times. It is a close-knit group that resembles in many ways a college fraternity. Members volunteer to chair the 24 committees needed to put on the Masters, and dozens of other members chip in to help on those committees. Former Sen. Sam Nunn is on the media committee.

There is no member-guest tournament, but there are four big member-only social events a year (no guests or wives allowed) that are spirited competitions: the Opening Party in October, the Governors Party in November, the Jamboree in late March and the Closing Party the third week of May. At the last Governors Party, 130 of the 300 members showed up. After the competitive rounds, some members move inside for a drink and cigar and maybe some cards. Others head back out and squeeze in another 18 holes. Except for one day at the Jamboree when two-man teams compete, the competitions are four-man best ball with adjustments for pars and birdies, according to Augusta's unique handicap system. (The course has no Slope Rating -- instead, two points are awarded for birdies or better, one for pars, everything else counts for nothing, and a handicap is derived by deducting the total number of points from 18.)

"At the time of the Jamboree our scoreboards [for the Masters] are up," Johnson says, laughing. "It might be Johnson-Chapman, that's my partner [Hugh Chapman], or it might be Stephens-Johnson -- Jack Stephens and I won twice. It's as exciting as heck. You see your name up on the scoreboard with your partner's, then if you start stumbling around your names come off the board and somebody else goes up. You have eight or 10 leaders up there. If you win that, you receive a silver box with every attendee's name engraved on it."

These are some of the most powerful men in America, yet they are thrilled by receiving a silver box they could easily buy -- because they won it on the golf course.

"Everybody plays a nassau," says another member, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, in describing the competition at the fall Governors Party. "If you win $75, you had a helluva great day. If you lose $75, you had a horrible day. And if you break even, you're lucky."

What would Mr. Roberts do?

When Cliff Roberts ran the place, the Jamboree was not only a time to celebrate the club but was also a time to poke fun at his own autocratic rule. Each year he would show a short movie at the party. One time he depicted himself making a hole-in-one on No. 16 and then walking on water from the tee to the green, a feat pulled off by the construction of a bridge just under the surface of the pond. To add to the effect, his caddie was shown tumbling into the water. Another time, the movie had a bear chasing golfers across the course. Then the camera pulled in for a close-up of the bear -- the head was lifted off to reveal Roberts. Several times Roberts showed himself singing to a rubber duck.

"There is still a six- to eight-minute movie shown at the Jamboree with a mix of a little comedy, golf course beauty shots and sentiment," says someone who spends a lot of time inside the gates of Augusta. "There might be a piece on a member who recently passed away." Perhaps this year there will be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the membership confrontation with Martha Burk.

Although the legend of Jones is at the heart of Augusta, the essence of Roberts is its soul. The single-minded efficiency -- some would say arrogance -- with which Roberts ran the club as chairman from 1934 to 1976 established a road map for other chairmen to follow. Ask an Augusta member about a club policy, and the answer is likely to begin with the words: "Well, Mr. Roberts felt ... " Though Jones is listed as president in perpetuity, it is, in fact, Roberts who still rules.

"I'll tell you, he had a great sense of humor," Johnson says. "He'd kind of let you know what he was thinking without being too harsh sometimes. When shorts first came in on the golf course, men wearing shorts, Mr. Roberts was having lunch when Charley Yates bounded up with his shorts on. Mr. Roberts looked at him and said, 'Charley, what are you doing this afternoon?' And he said, 'Well, I'm going to play golf, Cliff, of course.' And Mr. Roberts said, 'Well, I hope the course is nearby.' It didn't take Charley long to change the shorts."

So what would happen if a member showed up now wearing shorts?

"We wouldn't look too favorably on it," Johnson says with a chuckle. "It's all right for ladies to have down-to-the-knee shorts. But men, we don't look too favorably on that."

When Johnson, 72, speaks of Augusta National, it is with a genuine affection. He first set foot on the grounds shortly after World War II, first played there 50 years ago and became a member, at the suggestion of Roberts, in 1968. Time and again as he shares stories about the club his sentences are punctuated with laughter or interrupted by wistful pauses as if a particular fond memory is replaying in his mind.

"The Closing Party is a great party," Johnson says. "We have a barbecue down by the Par-3 [Course], and we hit balls to the first green down there and all walk around with our drinks and our chef, James Clark, he'd get into it with us. He usually ended up winning the money. I only say those things," Johnson says, pausing to collect the words he wanted to use. "It's just a ... " Again he stops and laughs a private laugh as if remembering a story or a long-ago incident.

"There is a great camaraderie among the membership," he says finally.

"One of the greatest things I see is when two members, who likely haven't seen each other in several months, meet on the practice tee," says one who has been there to witness such reunions. "It's like two old college buddies meeting for alumni weekend. It's just good guys who like golf and each other's company."

Because of the difficulty of getting to Augusta (the town is almost a three-hour drive from Atlanta -- many arrive by private jet and fly into Augusta's tiny airport), members begin arriving on a Wednesday night for the big parties. It is those intimate gatherings when people are trickling in that Johnson remembers with the greatest fondness.

"There might be just 25 or 30 people, and we have a great get-together up there [in the Library]," he says. "And it's just an intimate place, a warm place. Most of the time we go to bed at a reasonable hour, but every now and then we might be up a little while."

The club frowns upon lights being on after midnight (the New Year's Eve countdown takes place at 10:30). But there are some nights when the rules are bent just a little. Especially when one of those sharing stories and playing bridge or gin rummy is the chairman, who most likely is beginning a yarn with the words, "I remember the time Mr. Roberts ... "

Washington Road is just a short par 4 away, but the harsh lights and honking horns don't make it far enough past the gates of Augusta National Golf Club to reach the clubhouse. Getting past that gate is a privilege reserved for 300 members escaping the demands of one world for the pleasures of another -- and for the chosen few they bring in with them.

[elmiragc]

What's It Like To Be A Member?

Washington Road could be just about anywhere in small-town America. It is a bustling eyesore-lined thoroughfare with cheap chain restaurants and bargain retail stores. And while this gaudy strip shouts with a working-class accent, whispering in more genteel tones, behind the sign off Washington Road that reads "Augusta National Golf Club Members Only," is a peaceful enclave for powerful men. And behind the mystique spawned by the secrecy that surrounds the club is a place of surprising simplicity. It is a haven where important men go to be regular guys and escape in the joys of golf and companionship.

"We don't have anything in here you can't put your feet up on," says an Augusta National member, skirting the club's no-talk policy by speaking under the condition of anonymity. That accurately describes the comfortable atmosphere of the clubhouse, the original part of which was built in 1854 as the home of Dennis Redmond, who ran the land as an indigo plantation. The floorboards creak with age and seem to speak of a bygone era. While time hasn't stopped at Augusta National, it certainly moves at its own casual pace. And casual is the operative word. The clubhouse and the 10 cabins on the grounds have an easy décor that suggests a summer getaway place rather than a stuffy citified club.

"We are not a museum," William W. (Hootie) Johnson told Golf Digest in a recent exclusive interview (as chairman he is the one Augusta National member allowed to speak publicly about club policy). "I don't say that to be cute. The golf course has constantly been improved by Bobby Jones and Mr. [co-founder Clifford] Roberts and on up through the years."

Behind the gates

At the guardhouse on Washington Road, security personnel know the members by sight, and guests are held until a member comes to collect them. Members are allowed as many as four guests at a time, depending on the time of the year, and guests can play without a member, as long as the member is on the property while his guests are playing. No guests are allowed during the four big member-only events each year.

About 330 yards and 61 magnolia trees off Washington Road and down Magnolia Lane is the front door to the clubhouse, a building that was saved from destruction 70 years ago by the club's early financial problems during the Great Depression (if they'd had the money, they'd have built a new clubhouse). Inside the door, stored beneath the counter at the switchboard, is a humidor with an excellent cigar collection known only to the members. The best go for less than $10. Unlike at many clubs, things are not overpriced at Augusta.

In the downstairs Trophy Room dinner is eaten under portraits of Jones, Roberts and U.S. President Eisenhower, a club member. A set of clubs used by Jones and the ball Gene Sarazen struck when he made his double eagle in the 1935 Masters are on display.

There is some lodging for members just off the Trophy Room. Upstairs, the Library is where card games are played and stories told and re-told. The room is not loud with money but rather quiet with charm. The Champions Locker Room, where Tiger Woods shares a locker with Jackie Burke Jr., is just off the library, as is the recently renovated Grill Room and the Members' Locker Room, complete with masseuse. Among the art in the Library is the first watercolor sketch of the course by architect Alister Mackenzie and a portrait of Roberts painted by Eisenhower.

Up a near-vertical flight of stairs, in a room with windows on all four sides that would be called a widow's walk if only there were an ocean nearby, is the Crow's Nest, the first on-site housing at the club. Originally a dormitory that slept six, it now has a sitting room, a bathroom and four enclosed rooms sleeping a total of five. This is where amateur contestants in the Masters stay, and it is still used by visiting members and guests.

Although Augusta National boasts a world-class wine cellar and high-quality food, the dining-room menu speaks to the relaxed atmosphere of the place. Only the soups vary daily. Otherwise, the choices include steak, broiled fish ("with no fancy sauces on it," a regular diner says), fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, squash and corn bread. There is shrimp cocktail for an appetizer and ice cream or a delicious peach cobbler for dessert. French fries are not served, because Roberts thought they were unhealthy.

"I think it is very comfortable, but understated," Johnson says of the clubhouse. "We try to make everyone who comes to Augusta National feel at home, whether they are members or guests."

Part of the comfort is the staff. Although the paternalistic manner in which Roberts viewed the almost exclusively black workforce can be regarded as condescending, it produced a loyalty that not only resulted in very little turnover but created multigeneration employees. The son of Eisenhower's regular caddie, Cemetery, is a caddie at Augusta today. Frank Carpenter, who recently retired, worked at Augusta for more than 50 years, starting as a waiter and ending up as the wine steward and reputedly a first-class wine buyer. The longtime chef, the late James Clark, was an active participant in the Closing Party every year. No tipping is allowed, but Roberts was known to intervene if a caddie was underpaid and always told guests to "pay what you think he was worth," which almost always ensured a healthy remuneration. "We have just unbelievably dedicated people who work here," Johnson says. "And I think that is the first thing that stands out when people come here, and that includes members. Every time we come, I think we are impressed with our service and with our people and with their dedication."

Between the clubhouse and the first tee is the massive live oak under which the most powerful people in golf gather to chat during Masters week. Winding through the tree and around the clubhouse is a gnarled Chinese wisteria vine brought to the grounds when the pre-club owners, the Berckmans family, ran the estate as a nursery. The vine is said to be the parent of all such wisteria in America.

Off to the left as you gaze at the course from the clubhouse is the 10th tee, and to the left of that is the Eisenhower Cabin, one of seven cottages that form a semicircle between the 10th hole and the Par-3 Course. While the term "cabin" is an understatement, the interior is astonishing in its simplicity. Again, the furniture is much like you would gather for a casual summer hideaway, except here the simple wood dressers have had landscape scenes painted on them by Eisenhower. On the wall is a series of photos taken by Mamie Eisenhower of the various places she and her husband lived: There is Fort Benning in Georgia; Morningside Drive in New York City, from when Ike was president of Columbia University; and, stuck quietly among the other residences, is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- the White House.

No ordinary golf club

The National is different from most other golf clubs in more than just its membership. First, it is closed all summer, from the third week of May until mid-October, primarily for renovations. Also, you don't apply to join, you are invited (making it known you are interested in being a member is a surefire way not to be invited). A new member finds out he has been asked to join when a letter arrives in the mail. And legend has it that a member who falls out of favor will find out about it when a bill doesn't arrive in late summer, although one Augusta insider says he can't remember the last time that happened.

The club operates under the firm hand of the chairman, a classic benevolent-dictator system created by Roberts. There have been only five chairmen in the club's 70-year history. Advising the chairman is the board of governors. Among the key insiders are Joe Ford, the vice chairman; Will Nicholson, the chairman of the competition committees for the Masters; Billy Payne, the chairman of the media committee; and Charley Yates, the 1938 British Amateur champion, close friend of Bob Jones and the only current member who joined before World War II. Club rules are not so much written as they are hints, and those who don't get the hint get the boot. The code word is "favorably." High-stakes gambling, for example, is not looked upon favorably.

In 1937, Roberts decided members should wear green jackets during Masters week so patrons could easily identify them if they had any questions. Beginning in 1949, the Masters champion, too, received a green jacket. Each member gets one jacket, for which he is billed a small fee. Members are not allowed to take the jacket from the grounds. A Masters winner is an honorary member and may take the coat off the premises the year he is champion. When a member arrives at the club, he finds the jacket hanging in his closet. If it begins to get threadbare or if a button comes loose, a sharp-eyed employee spots the defect and has it fixed.

"Despite the secrecy surrounding the club, there are no mysterious rituals shared by the members," says one insider. "Instead of a secret handshake you're more likely to get a slap on the back."

Augusta National is more about power than it is about money. It is not what you can afford but who you know, and how you act. The initiation fee is in the "low five figures," according to one source, and a member adds, "You could afford it," knowing full well he was speaking to someone making a journalist's salary. The annual dues, two insiders say, amount to "a few thousand dollars," and it costs about $100 a night to stay in one of the 105 beds that are on site.

According to Johnson, a typical weekend might have as few as 20 or 30 people playing golf, or as many as 80. Some members may come to the club only three to five times a year, and others might come 15 or 20 times. It is a close-knit group that resembles in many ways a college fraternity. Members volunteer to chair the 24 committees needed to put on the Masters, and dozens of other members chip in to help on those committees. Former Sen. Sam Nunn is on the media committee.

There is no member-guest tournament, but there are four big member-only social events a year (no guests or wives allowed) that are spirited competitions: the Opening Party in October, the Governors Party in November, the Jamboree in late March and the Closing Party the third week of May. At the last Governors Party, 130 of the 300 members showed up. After the competitive rounds, some members move inside for a drink and cigar and maybe some cards. Others head back out and squeeze in another 18 holes. Except for one day at the Jamboree when two-man teams compete, the competitions are four-man best ball with adjustments for pars and birdies, according to Augusta's unique handicap system. (The course has no Slope Rating -- instead, two points are awarded for birdies or better, one for pars, everything else counts for nothing, and a handicap is derived by deducting the total number of points from 18.)

"At the time of the Jamboree our scoreboards [for the Masters] are up," Johnson says, laughing. "It might be Johnson-Chapman, that's my partner [Hugh Chapman], or it might be Stephens-Johnson -- Jack Stephens and I won twice. It's as exciting as heck. You see your name up on the scoreboard with your partner's, then if you start stumbling around your names come off the board and somebody else goes up. You have eight or 10 leaders up there. If you win that, you receive a silver box with every attendee's name engraved on it."

These are some of the most powerful men in America, yet they are thrilled by receiving a silver box they could easily buy -- because they won it on the golf course.

"Everybody plays a nassau," says another member, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, in describing the competition at the fall Governors Party. "If you win $75, you had a helluva great day. If you lose $75, you had a horrible day. And if you break even, you're lucky."

What would Mr. Roberts do?

When Cliff Roberts ran the place, the Jamboree was not only a time to celebrate the club but was also a time to poke fun at his own autocratic rule. Each year he would show a short movie at the party. One time he depicted himself making a hole-in-one on No. 16 and then walking on water from the tee to the green, a feat pulled off by the construction of a bridge just under the surface of the pond. To add to the effect, his caddie was shown tumbling into the water. Another time, the movie had a bear chasing golfers across the course. Then the camera pulled in for a close-up of the bear -- the head was lifted off to reveal Roberts. Several times Roberts showed himself singing to a rubber duck.

"There is still a six- to eight-minute movie shown at the Jamboree with a mix of a little comedy, golf course beauty shots and sentiment," says someone who spends a lot of time inside the gates of Augusta. "There might be a piece on a member who recently passed away." Perhaps this year there will be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the membership confrontation with Martha Burk.

Although the legend of Jones is at the heart of Augusta, the essence of Roberts is its soul. The single-minded efficiency -- some would say arrogance -- with which Roberts ran the club as chairman from 1934 to 1976 established a road map for other chairmen to follow. Ask an Augusta member about a club policy, and the answer is likely to begin with the words: "Well, Mr. Roberts felt ... " Though Jones is listed as president in perpetuity, it is, in fact, Roberts who still rules.

"I'll tell you, he had a great sense of humor," Johnson says. "He'd kind of let you know what he was thinking without being too harsh sometimes. When shorts first came in on the golf course, men wearing shorts, Mr. Roberts was having lunch when Charley Yates bounded up with his shorts on. Mr. Roberts looked at him and said, 'Charley, what are you doing this afternoon?' And he said, 'Well, I'm going to play golf, Cliff, of course.' And Mr. Roberts said, 'Well, I hope the course is nearby.' It didn't take Charley long to change the shorts."

So what would happen if a member showed up now wearing shorts?

"We wouldn't look too favorably on it," Johnson says with a chuckle. "It's all right for ladies to have down-to-the-knee shorts. But men, we don't look too favorably on that."

When Johnson, 72, speaks of Augusta National, it is with a genuine affection. He first set foot on the grounds shortly after World War II, first played there 50 years ago and became a member, at the suggestion of Roberts, in 1968. Time and again as he shares stories about the club his sentences are punctuated with laughter or interrupted by wistful pauses as if a particular fond memory is replaying in his mind.

"The Closing Party is a great party," Johnson says. "We have a barbecue down by the Par-3 [Course], and we hit balls to the first green down there and all walk around with our drinks and our chef, James Clark, he'd get into it with us. He usually ended up winning the money. I only say those things," Johnson says, pausing to collect the words he wanted to use. "It's just a ... " Again he stops and laughs a private laugh as if remembering a story or a long-ago incident.

"There is a great camaraderie among the membership," he says finally.

"One of the greatest things I see is when two members, who likely haven't seen each other in several months, meet on the practice tee," says one who has been there to witness such reunions. "It's like two old college buddies meeting for alumni weekend. It's just good guys who like golf and each other's company."

Because of the difficulty of getting to Augusta (the town is almost a three-hour drive from Atlanta -- many arrive by private jet and fly into Augusta's tiny airport), members begin arriving on a Wednesday night for the big parties. It is those intimate gatherings when people are trickling in that Johnson remembers with the greatest fondness.

"There might be just 25 or 30 people, and we have a great get-together up there [in the Library]," he says. "And it's just an intimate place, a warm place. Most of the time we go to bed at a reasonable hour, but every now and then we might be up a little while."

The club frowns upon lights being on after midnight (the New Year's Eve countdown takes place at 10:30). But there are some nights when the rules are bent just a little. Especially when one of those sharing stories and playing bridge or gin rummy is the chairman, who most likely is beginning a yarn with the words, "I remember the time Mr. Roberts ... "

Washington Road is just a short par 4 away, but the harsh lights and honking horns don't make it far enough past the gates of Augusta National Golf Club to reach the clubhouse. Getting past that gate is a privilege reserved for 300 members escaping the demands of one world for the pleasures of another -- and for the chosen few they bring in with them.

[ottawagolfcourses-blog]

What's It Like To Be A Member?

Washington Road could be just about anywhere in small-town America. It is a bustling eyesore-lined thoroughfare with cheap chain restaurants and bargain retail stores. And while this gaudy strip shouts with a working-class accent, whispering in more genteel tones, behind the sign off Washington Road that reads "Augusta National Golf Club Members Only," is a peaceful enclave for powerful men. And behind the mystique spawned by the secrecy that surrounds the club is a place of surprising simplicity. It is a haven where important men go to be regular guys and escape in the joys of golf and companionship.

"We don't have anything in here you can't put your feet up on," says an Augusta National member, skirting the club's no-talk policy by speaking under the condition of anonymity. That accurately describes the comfortable atmosphere of the clubhouse, the original part of which was built in 1854 as the home of Dennis Redmond, who ran the land as an indigo plantation. The floorboards creak with age and seem to speak of a bygone era. While time hasn't stopped at Augusta National, it certainly moves at its own casual pace. And casual is the operative word. The clubhouse and the 10 cabins on the grounds have an easy décor that suggests a summer getaway place rather than a stuffy citified club.

"We are not a museum," William W. (Hootie) Johnson told Golf Digest in a recent exclusive interview (as chairman he is the one Augusta National member allowed to speak publicly about club policy). "I don't say that to be cute. The golf course has constantly been improved by Bobby Jones and Mr. [co-founder Clifford] Roberts and on up through the years."

Behind the gates

At the guardhouse on Washington Road, security personnel know the members by sight, and guests are held until a member comes to collect them. Members are allowed as many as four guests at a time, depending on the time of the year, and guests can play without a member, as long as the member is on the property while his guests are playing. No guests are allowed during the four big member-only events each year.

About 330 yards and 61 magnolia trees off Washington Road and down Magnolia Lane is the front door to the clubhouse, a building that was saved from destruction 70 years ago by the club's early financial problems during the Great Depression (if they'd had the money, they'd have built a new clubhouse). Inside the door, stored beneath the counter at the switchboard, is a humidor with an excellent cigar collection known only to the members. The best go for less than $10. Unlike at many clubs, things are not overpriced at Augusta.

In the downstairs Trophy Room dinner is eaten under portraits of Jones, Roberts and U.S. President Eisenhower, a club member. A set of clubs used by Jones and the ball Gene Sarazen struck when he made his double eagle in the 1935 Masters are on display.

There is some lodging for members just off the Trophy Room. Upstairs, the Library is where card games are played and stories told and re-told. The room is not loud with money but rather quiet with charm. The Champions Locker Room, where Tiger Woods shares a locker with Jackie Burke Jr., is just off the library, as is the recently renovated Grill Room and the Members' Locker Room, complete with masseuse. Among the art in the Library is the first watercolor sketch of the course by architect Alister Mackenzie and a portrait of Roberts painted by Eisenhower.

Up a near-vertical flight of stairs, in a room with windows on all four sides that would be called a widow's walk if only there were an ocean nearby, is the Crow's Nest, the first on-site housing at the club. Originally a dormitory that slept six, it now has a sitting room, a bathroom and four enclosed rooms sleeping a total of five. This is where amateur contestants in the Masters stay, and it is still used by visiting members and guests.

Although Augusta National boasts a world-class wine cellar and high-quality food, the dining-room menu speaks to the relaxed atmosphere of the place. Only the soups vary daily. Otherwise, the choices include steak, broiled fish ("with no fancy sauces on it," a regular diner says), fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, squash and corn bread. There is shrimp cocktail for an appetizer and ice cream or a delicious peach cobbler for dessert. French fries are not served, because Roberts thought they were unhealthy.

"I think it is very comfortable, but understated," Johnson says of the clubhouse. "We try to make everyone who comes to Augusta National feel at home, whether they are members or guests."

Part of the comfort is the staff. Although the paternalistic manner in which Roberts viewed the almost exclusively black workforce can be regarded as condescending, it produced a loyalty that not only resulted in very little turnover but created multigeneration employees. The son of Eisenhower's regular caddie, Cemetery, is a caddie at Augusta today. Frank Carpenter, who recently retired, worked at Augusta for more than 50 years, starting as a waiter and ending up as the wine steward and reputedly a first-class wine buyer. The longtime chef, the late James Clark, was an active participant in the Closing Party every year. No tipping is allowed, but Roberts was known to intervene if a caddie was underpaid and always told guests to "pay what you think he was worth," which almost always ensured a healthy remuneration. "We have just unbelievably dedicated people who work here," Johnson says. "And I think that is the first thing that stands out when people come here, and that includes members. Every time we come, I think we are impressed with our service and with our people and with their dedication."

Between the clubhouse and the first tee is the massive live oak under which the most powerful people in golf gather to chat during Masters week. Winding through the tree and around the clubhouse is a gnarled Chinese wisteria vine brought to the grounds when the pre-club owners, the Berckmans family, ran the estate as a nursery. The vine is said to be the parent of all such wisteria in America.

Off to the left as you gaze at the course from the clubhouse is the 10th tee, and to the left of that is the Eisenhower Cabin, one of seven cottages that form a semicircle between the 10th hole and the Par-3 Course. While the term "cabin" is an understatement, the interior is astonishing in its simplicity. Again, the furniture is much like you would gather for a casual summer hideaway, except here the simple wood dressers have had landscape scenes painted on them by Eisenhower. On the wall is a series of photos taken by Mamie Eisenhower of the various places she and her husband lived: There is Fort Benning in Georgia; Morningside Drive in New York City, from when Ike was president of Columbia University; and, stuck quietly among the other residences, is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- the White House.

No ordinary golf club

The National is different from most other golf clubs in more than just its membership. First, it is closed all summer, from the third week of May until mid-October, primarily for renovations. Also, you don't apply to join, you are invited (making it known you are interested in being a member is a surefire way not to be invited). A new member finds out he has been asked to join when a letter arrives in the mail. And legend has it that a member who falls out of favor will find out about it when a bill doesn't arrive in late summer, although one Augusta insider says he can't remember the last time that happened.

The club operates under the firm hand of the chairman, a classic benevolent-dictator system created by Roberts. There have been only five chairmen in the club's 70-year history. Advising the chairman is the board of governors. Among the key insiders are Joe Ford, the vice chairman; Will Nicholson, the chairman of the competition committees for the Masters; Billy Payne, the chairman of the media committee; and Charley Yates, the 1938 British Amateur champion, close friend of Bob Jones and the only current member who joined before World War II. Club rules are not so much written as they are hints, and those who don't get the hint get the boot. The code word is "favorably." High-stakes gambling, for example, is not looked upon favorably.

In 1937, Roberts decided members should wear green jackets during Masters week so patrons could easily identify them if they had any questions. Beginning in 1949, the Masters champion, too, received a green jacket. Each member gets one jacket, for which he is billed a small fee. Members are not allowed to take the jacket from the grounds. A Masters winner is an honorary member and may take the coat off the premises the year he is champion. When a member arrives at the club, he finds the jacket hanging in his closet. If it begins to get threadbare or if a button comes loose, a sharp-eyed employee spots the defect and has it fixed.

"Despite the secrecy surrounding the club, there are no mysterious rituals shared by the members," says one insider. "Instead of a secret handshake you're more likely to get a slap on the back."

Augusta National is more about power than it is about money. It is not what you can afford but who you know, and how you act. The initiation fee is in the "low five figures," according to one source, and a member adds, "You could afford it," knowing full well he was speaking to someone making a journalist's salary. The annual dues, two insiders say, amount to "a few thousand dollars," and it costs about $100 a night to stay in one of the 105 beds that are on site.

According to Johnson, a typical weekend might have as few as 20 or 30 people playing golf, or as many as 80. Some members may come to the club only three to five times a year, and others might come 15 or 20 times. It is a close-knit group that resembles in many ways a college fraternity. Members volunteer to chair the 24 committees needed to put on the Masters, and dozens of other members chip in to help on those committees. Former Sen. Sam Nunn is on the media committee.

There is no member-guest tournament, but there are four big member-only social events a year (no guests or wives allowed) that are spirited competitions: the Opening Party in October, the Governors Party in November, the Jamboree in late March and the Closing Party the third week of May. At the last Governors Party, 130 of the 300 members showed up. After the competitive rounds, some members move inside for a drink and cigar and maybe some cards. Others head back out and squeeze in another 18 holes. Except for one day at the Jamboree when two-man teams compete, the competitions are four-man best ball with adjustments for pars and birdies, according to Augusta's unique handicap system. (The course has no Slope Rating -- instead, two points are awarded for birdies or better, one for pars, everything else counts for nothing, and a handicap is derived by deducting the total number of points from 18.)

"At the time of the Jamboree our scoreboards [for the Masters] are up," Johnson says, laughing. "It might be Johnson-Chapman, that's my partner [Hugh Chapman], or it might be Stephens-Johnson -- Jack Stephens and I won twice. It's as exciting as heck. You see your name up on the scoreboard with your partner's, then if you start stumbling around your names come off the board and somebody else goes up. You have eight or 10 leaders up there. If you win that, you receive a silver box with every attendee's name engraved on it."

These are some of the most powerful men in America, yet they are thrilled by receiving a silver box they could easily buy -- because they won it on the golf course.

"Everybody plays a nassau," says another member, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, in describing the competition at the fall Governors Party. "If you win $75, you had a helluva great day. If you lose $75, you had a horrible day. And if you break even, you're lucky."

What would Mr. Roberts do?

When Cliff Roberts ran the place, the Jamboree was not only a time to celebrate the club but was also a time to poke fun at his own autocratic rule. Each year he would show a short movie at the party. One time he depicted himself making a hole-in-one on No. 16 and then walking on water from the tee to the green, a feat pulled off by the construction of a bridge just under the surface of the pond. To add to the effect, his caddie was shown tumbling into the water. Another time, the movie had a bear chasing golfers across the course. Then the camera pulled in for a close-up of the bear -- the head was lifted off to reveal Roberts. Several times Roberts showed himself singing to a rubber duck.

"There is still a six- to eight-minute movie shown at the Jamboree with a mix of a little comedy, golf course beauty shots and sentiment," says someone who spends a lot of time inside the gates of Augusta. "There might be a piece on a member who recently passed away." Perhaps this year there will be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the membership confrontation with Martha Burk.

Although the legend of Jones is at the heart of Augusta, the essence of Roberts is its soul. The single-minded efficiency -- some would say arrogance -- with which Roberts ran the club as chairman from 1934 to 1976 established a road map for other chairmen to follow. Ask an Augusta member about a club policy, and the answer is likely to begin with the words: "Well, Mr. Roberts felt ... " Though Jones is listed as president in perpetuity, it is, in fact, Roberts who still rules.

"I'll tell you, he had a great sense of humor," Johnson says. "He'd kind of let you know what he was thinking without being too harsh sometimes. When shorts first came in on the golf course, men wearing shorts, Mr. Roberts was having lunch when Charley Yates bounded up with his shorts on. Mr. Roberts looked at him and said, 'Charley, what are you doing this afternoon?' And he said, 'Well, I'm going to play golf, Cliff, of course.' And Mr. Roberts said, 'Well, I hope the course is nearby.' It didn't take Charley long to change the shorts."

So what would happen if a member showed up now wearing shorts?

"We wouldn't look too favorably on it," Johnson says with a chuckle. "It's all right for ladies to have down-to-the-knee shorts. But men, we don't look too favorably on that."

When Johnson, 72, speaks of Augusta National, it is with a genuine affection. He first set foot on the grounds shortly after World War II, first played there 50 years ago and became a member, at the suggestion of Roberts, in 1968. Time and again as he shares stories about the club his sentences are punctuated with laughter or interrupted by wistful pauses as if a particular fond memory is replaying in his mind.

"The Closing Party is a great party," Johnson says. "We have a barbecue down by the Par-3 [Course], and we hit balls to the first green down there and all walk around with our drinks and our chef, James Clark, he'd get into it with us. He usually ended up winning the money. I only say those things," Johnson says, pausing to collect the words he wanted to use. "It's just a ... " Again he stops and laughs a private laugh as if remembering a story or a long-ago incident.

"There is a great camaraderie among the membership," he says finally.

"One of the greatest things I see is when two members, who likely haven't seen each other in several months, meet on the practice tee," says one who has been there to witness such reunions. "It's like two old college buddies meeting for alumni weekend. It's just good guys who like golf and each other's company."

Because of the difficulty of getting to Augusta (the town is almost a three-hour drive from Atlanta -- many arrive by private jet and fly into Augusta's tiny airport), members begin arriving on a Wednesday night for the big parties. It is those intimate gatherings when people are trickling in that Johnson remembers with the greatest fondness.

"There might be just 25 or 30 people, and we have a great get-together up there [in the Library]," he says. "And it's just an intimate place, a warm place. Most of the time we go to bed at a reasonable hour, but every now and then we might be up a little while."

The club frowns upon lights being on after midnight (the New Year's Eve countdown takes place at 10:30). But there are some nights when the rules are bent just a little. Especially when one of those sharing stories and playing bridge or gin rummy is the chairman, who most likely is beginning a yarn with the words, "I remember the time Mr. Roberts ... "

Washington Road is just a short par 4 away, but the harsh lights and honking horns don't make it far enough past the gates of Augusta National Golf Club to reach the clubhouse. Getting past that gate is a privilege reserved for 300 members escaping the demands of one world for the pleasures of another -- and for the chosen few they bring in with them.

from nationgolf https://ift.tt/2IlHyfG via IFTTT

[4seasonscountryclub]

What's It Like To Be A Member?

Washington Road could be just about anywhere in small-town America. It is a bustling eyesore-lined thoroughfare with cheap chain restaurants and bargain retail stores. And while this gaudy strip shouts with a working-class accent, whispering in more genteel tones, behind the sign off Washington Road that reads "Augusta National Golf Club Members Only," is a peaceful enclave for powerful men. And behind the mystique spawned by the secrecy that surrounds the club is a place of surprising simplicity. It is a haven where important men go to be regular guys and escape in the joys of golf and companionship.

"We don't have anything in here you can't put your feet up on," says an Augusta National member, skirting the club's no-talk policy by speaking under the condition of anonymity. That accurately describes the comfortable atmosphere of the clubhouse, the original part of which was built in 1854 as the home of Dennis Redmond, who ran the land as an indigo plantation. The floorboards creak with age and seem to speak of a bygone era. While time hasn't stopped at Augusta National, it certainly moves at its own casual pace. And casual is the operative word. The clubhouse and the 10 cabins on the grounds have an easy décor that suggests a summer getaway place rather than a stuffy citified club.

"We are not a museum," William W. (Hootie) Johnson told Golf Digest in a recent exclusive interview (as chairman he is the one Augusta National member allowed to speak publicly about club policy). "I don't say that to be cute. The golf course has constantly been improved by Bobby Jones and Mr. [co-founder Clifford] Roberts and on up through the years."

Behind the gates

At the guardhouse on Washington Road, security personnel know the members by sight, and guests are held until a member comes to collect them. Members are allowed as many as four guests at a time, depending on the time of the year, and guests can play without a member, as long as the member is on the property while his guests are playing. No guests are allowed during the four big member-only events each year.

About 330 yards and 61 magnolia trees off Washington Road and down Magnolia Lane is the front door to the clubhouse, a building that was saved from destruction 70 years ago by the club's early financial problems during the Great Depression (if they'd had the money, they'd have built a new clubhouse). Inside the door, stored beneath the counter at the switchboard, is a humidor with an excellent cigar collection known only to the members. The best go for less than $10. Unlike at many clubs, things are not overpriced at Augusta.

In the downstairs Trophy Room dinner is eaten under portraits of Jones, Roberts and U.S. President Eisenhower, a club member. A set of clubs used by Jones and the ball Gene Sarazen struck when he made his double eagle in the 1935 Masters are on display.

There is some lodging for members just off the Trophy Room. Upstairs, the Library is where card games are played and stories told and re-told. The room is not loud with money but rather quiet with charm. The Champions Locker Room, where Tiger Woods shares a locker with Jackie Burke Jr., is just off the library, as is the recently renovated Grill Room and the Members' Locker Room, complete with masseuse. Among the art in the Library is the first watercolor sketch of the course by architect Alister Mackenzie and a portrait of Roberts painted by Eisenhower.

Up a near-vertical flight of stairs, in a room with windows on all four sides that would be called a widow's walk if only there were an ocean nearby, is the Crow's Nest, the first on-site housing at the club. Originally a dormitory that slept six, it now has a sitting room, a bathroom and four enclosed rooms sleeping a total of five. This is where amateur contestants in the Masters stay, and it is still used by visiting members and guests.

Although Augusta National boasts a world-class wine cellar and high-quality food, the dining-room menu speaks to the relaxed atmosphere of the place. Only the soups vary daily. Otherwise, the choices include steak, broiled fish ("with no fancy sauces on it," a regular diner says), fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, squash and corn bread. There is shrimp cocktail for an appetizer and ice cream or a delicious peach cobbler for dessert. French fries are not served, because Roberts thought they were unhealthy.

"I think it is very comfortable, but understated," Johnson says of the clubhouse. "We try to make everyone who comes to Augusta National feel at home, whether they are members or guests."

Part of the comfort is the staff. Although the paternalistic manner in which Roberts viewed the almost exclusively black workforce can be regarded as condescending, it produced a loyalty that not only resulted in very little turnover but created multigeneration employees. The son of Eisenhower's regular caddie, Cemetery, is a caddie at Augusta today. Frank Carpenter, who recently retired, worked at Augusta for more than 50 years, starting as a waiter and ending up as the wine steward and reputedly a first-class wine buyer. The longtime chef, the late James Clark, was an active participant in the Closing Party every year. No tipping is allowed, but Roberts was known to intervene if a caddie was underpaid and always told guests to "pay what you think he was worth," which almost always ensured a healthy remuneration. "We have just unbelievably dedicated people who work here," Johnson says. "And I think that is the first thing that stands out when people come here, and that includes members. Every time we come, I think we are impressed with our service and with our people and with their dedication."

Between the clubhouse and the first tee is the massive live oak under which the most powerful people in golf gather to chat during Masters week. Winding through the tree and around the clubhouse is a gnarled Chinese wisteria vine brought to the grounds when the pre-club owners, the Berckmans family, ran the estate as a nursery. The vine is said to be the parent of all such wisteria in America.

Off to the left as you gaze at the course from the clubhouse is the 10th tee, and to the left of that is the Eisenhower Cabin, one of seven cottages that form a semicircle between the 10th hole and the Par-3 Course. While the term "cabin" is an understatement, the interior is astonishing in its simplicity. Again, the furniture is much like you would gather for a casual summer hideaway, except here the simple wood dressers have had landscape scenes painted on them by Eisenhower. On the wall is a series of photos taken by Mamie Eisenhower of the various places she and her husband lived: There is Fort Benning in Georgia; Morningside Drive in New York City, from when Ike was president of Columbia University; and, stuck quietly among the other residences, is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- the White House.

No ordinary golf club

The National is different from most other golf clubs in more than just its membership. First, it is closed all summer, from the third week of May until mid-October, primarily for renovations. Also, you don't apply to join, you are invited (making it known you are interested in being a member is a surefire way not to be invited). A new member finds out he has been asked to join when a letter arrives in the mail. And legend has it that a member who falls out of favor will find out about it when a bill doesn't arrive in late summer, although one Augusta insider says he can't remember the last time that happened.

The club operates under the firm hand of the chairman, a classic benevolent-dictator system created by Roberts. There have been only five chairmen in the club's 70-year history. Advising the chairman is the board of governors. Among the key insiders are Joe Ford, the vice chairman; Will Nicholson, the chairman of the competition committees for the Masters; Billy Payne, the chairman of the media committee; and Charley Yates, the 1938 British Amateur champion, close friend of Bob Jones and the only current member who joined before World War II. Club rules are not so much written as they are hints, and those who don't get the hint get the boot. The code word is "favorably." High-stakes gambling, for example, is not looked upon favorably.

In 1937, Roberts decided members should wear green jackets during Masters week so patrons could easily identify them if they had any questions. Beginning in 1949, the Masters champion, too, received a green jacket. Each member gets one jacket, for which he is billed a small fee. Members are not allowed to take the jacket from the grounds. A Masters winner is an honorary member and may take the coat off the premises the year he is champion. When a member arrives at the club, he finds the jacket hanging in his closet. If it begins to get threadbare or if a button comes loose, a sharp-eyed employee spots the defect and has it fixed.

"Despite the secrecy surrounding the club, there are no mysterious rituals shared by the members," says one insider. "Instead of a secret handshake you're more likely to get a slap on the back."

Augusta National is more about power than it is about money. It is not what you can afford but who you know, and how you act. The initiation fee is in the "low five figures," according to one source, and a member adds, "You could afford it," knowing full well he was speaking to someone making a journalist's salary. The annual dues, two insiders say, amount to "a few thousand dollars," and it costs about $100 a night to stay in one of the 105 beds that are on site.

According to Johnson, a typical weekend might have as few as 20 or 30 people playing golf, or as many as 80. Some members may come to the club only three to five times a year, and others might come 15 or 20 times. It is a close-knit group that resembles in many ways a college fraternity. Members volunteer to chair the 24 committees needed to put on the Masters, and dozens of other members chip in to help on those committees. Former Sen. Sam Nunn is on the media committee.

There is no member-guest tournament, but there are four big member-only social events a year (no guests or wives allowed) that are spirited competitions: the Opening Party in October, the Governors Party in November, the Jamboree in late March and the Closing Party the third week of May. At the last Governors Party, 130 of the 300 members showed up. After the competitive rounds, some members move inside for a drink and cigar and maybe some cards. Others head back out and squeeze in another 18 holes. Except for one day at the Jamboree when two-man teams compete, the competitions are four-man best ball with adjustments for pars and birdies, according to Augusta's unique handicap system. (The course has no Slope Rating -- instead, two points are awarded for birdies or better, one for pars, everything else counts for nothing, and a handicap is derived by deducting the total number of points from 18.)

"At the time of the Jamboree our scoreboards [for the Masters] are up," Johnson says, laughing. "It might be Johnson-Chapman, that's my partner [Hugh Chapman], or it might be Stephens-Johnson -- Jack Stephens and I won twice. It's as exciting as heck. You see your name up on the scoreboard with your partner's, then if you start stumbling around your names come off the board and somebody else goes up. You have eight or 10 leaders up there. If you win that, you receive a silver box with every attendee's name engraved on it."

These are some of the most powerful men in America, yet they are thrilled by receiving a silver box they could easily buy -- because they won it on the golf course.

"Everybody plays a nassau," says another member, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, in describing the competition at the fall Governors Party. "If you win $75, you had a helluva great day. If you lose $75, you had a horrible day. And if you break even, you're lucky."

What would Mr. Roberts do?

When Cliff Roberts ran the place, the Jamboree was not only a time to celebrate the club but was also a time to poke fun at his own autocratic rule. Each year he would show a short movie at the party. One time he depicted himself making a hole-in-one on No. 16 and then walking on water from the tee to the green, a feat pulled off by the construction of a bridge just under the surface of the pond. To add to the effect, his caddie was shown tumbling into the water. Another time, the movie had a bear chasing golfers across the course. Then the camera pulled in for a close-up of the bear -- the head was lifted off to reveal Roberts. Several times Roberts showed himself singing to a rubber duck.

"There is still a six- to eight-minute movie shown at the Jamboree with a mix of a little comedy, golf course beauty shots and sentiment," says someone who spends a lot of time inside the gates of Augusta. "There might be a piece on a member who recently passed away." Perhaps this year there will be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the membership confrontation with Martha Burk.

Although the legend of Jones is at the heart of Augusta, the essence of Roberts is its soul. The single-minded efficiency -- some would say arrogance -- with which Roberts ran the club as chairman from 1934 to 1976 established a road map for other chairmen to follow. Ask an Augusta member about a club policy, and the answer is likely to begin with the words: "Well, Mr. Roberts felt ... " Though Jones is listed as president in perpetuity, it is, in fact, Roberts who still rules.

"I'll tell you, he had a great sense of humor," Johnson says. "He'd kind of let you know what he was thinking without being too harsh sometimes. When shorts first came in on the golf course, men wearing shorts, Mr. Roberts was having lunch when Charley Yates bounded up with his shorts on. Mr. Roberts looked at him and said, 'Charley, what are you doing this afternoon?' And he said, 'Well, I'm going to play golf, Cliff, of course.' And Mr. Roberts said, 'Well, I hope the course is nearby.' It didn't take Charley long to change the shorts."

So what would happen if a member showed up now wearing shorts?

"We wouldn't look too favorably on it," Johnson says with a chuckle. "It's all right for ladies to have down-to-the-knee shorts. But men, we don't look too favorably on that."

When Johnson, 72, speaks of Augusta National, it is with a genuine affection. He first set foot on the grounds shortly after World War II, first played there 50 years ago and became a member, at the suggestion of Roberts, in 1968. Time and again as he shares stories about the club his sentences are punctuated with laughter or interrupted by wistful pauses as if a particular fond memory is replaying in his mind.

"The Closing Party is a great party," Johnson says. "We have a barbecue down by the Par-3 [Course], and we hit balls to the first green down there and all walk around with our drinks and our chef, James Clark, he'd get into it with us. He usually ended up winning the money. I only say those things," Johnson says, pausing to collect the words he wanted to use. "It's just a ... " Again he stops and laughs a private laugh as if remembering a story or a long-ago incident.

"There is a great camaraderie among the membership," he says finally.

"One of the greatest things I see is when two members, who likely haven't seen each other in several months, meet on the practice tee," says one who has been there to witness such reunions. "It's like two old college buddies meeting for alumni weekend. It's just good guys who like golf and each other's company."

Because of the difficulty of getting to Augusta (the town is almost a three-hour drive from Atlanta -- many arrive by private jet and fly into Augusta's tiny airport), members begin arriving on a Wednesday night for the big parties. It is those intimate gatherings when people are trickling in that Johnson remembers with the greatest fondness.

"There might be just 25 or 30 people, and we have a great get-together up there [in the Library]," he says. "And it's just an intimate place, a warm place. Most of the time we go to bed at a reasonable hour, but every now and then we might be up a little while."

The club frowns upon lights being on after midnight (the New Year's Eve countdown takes place at 10:30). But there are some nights when the rules are bent just a little. Especially when one of those sharing stories and playing bridge or gin rummy is the chairman, who most likely is beginning a yarn with the words, "I remember the time Mr. Roberts ... "

Washington Road is just a short par 4 away, but the harsh lights and honking horns don't make it far enough past the gates of Augusta National Golf Club to reach the clubhouse. Getting past that gate is a privilege reserved for 300 members escaping the demands of one world for the pleasures of another -- and for the chosen few they bring in with them.

[mariacedano-blog-blog]

Beautiful Homes of Instagram Nothing makes me happier than sharing homes from people I admire, especially when I know that they are readers of Home Bunch. That makes my day! Sheila’s home, from @maisondecinq, is full of character and truly beautiful ideas. Here she shares how she renovated her home and where she shops: “Hi, I’m Sheila of @maisondecinq and am so thrilled to be here on Home Bunch! I’ve had a passion for decor for as long as I can remember – from hanging baskets on the walls of my childhood room, to staying in at night in college to decorate my dorm room, to decorating my first apartment with all things Ikea. Though my taste has evolved a great deal, I still have the same passion for design and am now writing a blog of the same name. I’d love it if you would pop over and say hello at Maison de Cinq! In fact, Luciane’s wonderful blog is one of the first ones I read when I started reading blogs, and she has always inspired me with her exquisite taste and informative posts. Being featured on her site is indeed an honor and I’m truly humbled to be included. To be honest, my house is not as large as many of the ones featured on here and my first thought was whether I belonged here or not! But hopefully those of you who also don’t have huge homes can get some inspiration from what I’ve been able to do with an average tract home. Our house was in pretty bad shape when we first bought it, but it had a good floor plan and we knew we could make it much better. Quite frankly, we bought a neighborhood and a school district more than we bought the house! However, it’s been a wonderful place to raise children and we’ve managed to create some character in our cookie cutter home! Our kitchen we didn’t do a full gut at the time (that came later) but simply painted the cabinets and changed out the appliances and countertops. We really tried to create a home with more character, which is why we went with traditional wood windows with mullions, as well as wood floors stained a medium brown color. We tend to go with classics (especially for the big ticket items) as not only do they stand the test of time, it’s really what I gravitate to. I’ve also used antique and vintage items throughout our home. I love antiquing and it’s also a way of adding more character to the spaces. I also shop at Home Goods, Pottery Barn and the like, but I just make sure to balance those newer items with something interesting that not everyone else has. To me, your home is your story and this way it’s truly personal and reflects us.” Beautiful Homes of Instagram Wall paint color is Benjamin Moore Muslin OC-12. French Trumeau mirror: antique Console table: Wisteria Baskets under table: vintage Decor I love how Sheila decorates her home – every space feels special. Living This living room is comfortable and truly inviting. I also love the neutral color scheme. Paint color is Benjamin Moore Muslin. Trim Paint Color All trim and ceiling paint color: Benjamin Moore Cloud White Pillows Pillows on sofa are from Home Goods. Drapes The windows feature custom wood matchstick shades and linen drapes from Pottery Barn – I actually love their curtains and often recommend them to my clients. Antiques Mirror, side table, pair of Bergère chairs and all artwork are antiques. Renovation “We gutted most of the house when we first bought it, replacing every door, baseboard and door moulding as well as adding crown moulding and chair rail in some rooms. We also removed the popcorn ceilings, gutted bathrooms, added hardwood floors that were installed and stained onsite, and replaced all the windows with custom-made wood windows.” Console Table Console table behind sofa is from World Market. Coffee Table The coffee table is from Wisteria. Small French style table between chairs: Ballard Designs Kitchen “Five years ago we were able to do a full renovation of the kitchen since we hadn’t been able to do it when we moved in. At that time, we completely removed everything and installed new custom wood cabinets, marble counters, tile and bead board backsplash and also rearranged the floor plan so that I could upgrade from a 4 burner range to a 6 burner and add a small pantry. The footprint stayed pretty much the same, but by rearranging cabinets, it allowed me to add those things we needed. We even got to add a built in microwave (something we hadn’t had before)!” Cabinet Paint Color Cabinets are custom wood, painted Benjamin Moore Cloud White. Windows: wood matchstick shades. Faucet & Sink Faucet: Waterstone. Sink: Farmhouse sink from Franke. Countertop Countertops: White marble – color is “Mystery White”. Backsplash Backsplash around counters: Decorative tile from Waterworks and wood beadboard. Range Backsplash Backsplash behind range is subway tile from Waterworks. Artwork over stove mantel: antique Range: Wolf. Appliances Built in Microwave: Sharp Refrigerator: Viking Dishwasher: Miele Trim Cabinets and trim are painted Benjamin Moore Cloud White. Wood floors throughout the home are hardwood installed and stained (custom color) on site. Dining Room Isn’t this dining room beautiful? Dining table and dining chairs are antiques. Chandelier Chandelier is Horchow. Windows: custom wood matchstick shades and linen drapes from Pottery Barn. Sideboard Sideboard is from Wisteria. Paint Color Wall color: Benjamin Moore Shaker Beige. “Benjamin Moore Shaker Beige” is my go-to neutral paint color. Family Room The family room is a great place to relax at and watch some tv. Lighting: Ballard Designs Artwork Artwork is framed antique botanicals. Coffee table and sconces are vintage. Coffee Table Decor White hydrangeas always bring a timeless and soft feel to any coffee table. Windows All windows are custom-made wood and painted Benjamin Moore Cloud White. Pillows: custom, fabric is Bennison. Side Tables Side tables: Ballard Designs Paint Color This soothing paint color is Benjamin Moore Monroe Bisque. Backyard Patio Table: made by my husband. Patio dining chairs: World Market Outdoor chandeliers/lanterns: Pottery Barn. A huge thank you to Luciane for having me here on Home Bunch! I hope to have inspired you in even a small way, and am thrilled to have been included with the other amazing houses she’s featured. I’d also love to have you pop over to my website. I talk design and decorating, as well as lifestyle and entertaining! Make sure to follow Sheila from @maisondecinq on Instagram to see more photos of her beautiful home! See more “Beautiful Homes of Instagram“: @SweetShadyLane: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @MyGeorgiaHouse: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @my100yearoldhome: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @urban_farmhouse_build: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. Click here to see all “Beautiful Homes of Instagram”. Interior Design Ideas: See the Latest Interior Design Ideas. You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives. Popular Paint Color Posts: The Best Benjamin Moore Paint Colors 2016 Paint Color Ideas for your Home Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Pictures Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Ideas Inspiring Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color and Color Palette New 2015 Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Design Ideas: Paint Color Interior Ideas: Paint Color More Paint Color Ideas Hello, everyone! It’s great to start a week with you all. I hope you had a good time here and make sure to come back tomorrow for a new post! Have a Blessed week, my friends! with Love, Luciane from HomeBunch.com Interior Design Services within Your Budget Come Follow me on Come Follow me on Get Home Bunch Posts Via Email Contact Luciane “For your shopping convenience, this post might contain links to retailers where you can purchase the products (or similar) featured. I make a small commission if you use these links to make your purchase so thank you for your support!”

[emilyemcnabb]

Emily and Justin’s South African Wedding

Emily and Justin’s romance began with dates around the world. Literally. They dated long-distance after meeting at University of Oxford and travelled to the Serengeti, London, Paris, Colorado and NYC to see each other during that time. So it was fitting for the couple to hold their second celebration (the first was in California) at Hartford House, a gorgeous English style hotel in the middle of the South African midlands. The views are stunning, the design of the day is fresh and modern with posh details and bright citrus-hued details like the florals by Sweet P. b. flint photography captured the couple’s joy and beautiful day in his film photography style and it’s absolutely lovely.

What made the wedding special and unique?

Having one in South Africa after having one in California (we had two celebrations) was a perfect blend of both Justin and my worlds. We were able to have the wedding at Hartford House which is a gorgeous English style hotel in the middle of the South African midlands.  We were able to take over the who place so if felt very much life a fairy tale!  We had a gorgeous 5 course meal with tomatoes grown especially for the wedding, a craft gin and tonic bar but also had authentic Zulu dancers during the reception. For our ceremony, Justin and I wrote letters to each other that followed our vows and we had two best friends of 10 years take part in the ceremony. One was the MC and the other sang “How Can I Keep From Singing”. Justin’s surname is Murray so we had a bagpiper there to nod to the Scottish heritage.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

The gown was one of a kind! It is a Hungarian designer called Daalarna. It was one of the first dresses I tried on at Spina Bride NYC in NYC. Once I tried it on, I just danced around. I knew it was mine. The dress is sleeveless with the bodice made of lace and invisible mesh. It had a plunging deep v and a invisible mesh back which made it look backless other than a line of vintage buttons. I loved it from the start!

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

Justin and I met at Oxford when we were both doing our MBAs and then dated long distance for 18 months. So our “dates” were always in great locations. So for our tables instead of numbers we labeled them all the places we met for our dates. The Serengetti, London, Paris, Colorado, NYC, etc. Out first date was the Serengeti so that was of course the main table. :)

What was the most memorable part of the day?

Ah, so many things! One was walking down the aisle which was a pergola covered in purple wisteria with my dad. Another was Justin and our first dance. He isn’t a big dancer and he made the effort to spin and dip me twice but I got a little too into it and he was afraid of dropping me! We laughed so hard right on the dance floor. Taking pictures with Brian Flint was so awesome too; he captured who we are as a couple perfectly and he did so much work scouting out the areas that we just followed and laughed our way through pictures.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Justin and I met at Oxford doing a 2-year MBA. We were just friends and then we left and he went back to South Africa and I, New York. A few months later Justin emailed me to ask me to come to his best friend’s wedding and then the Serengeti. I had just started a new job but I went anyway. It was magical, from the lions to the balloon ride over the Serengeti. After that we dated long distance for about 18 months at which point I moved from NYC to South Africa to see if it was the real deal. It was. About 5 months later, Justin proposed on a sunrise game drive in Kruger National Park (there was a rhino and her calf as witnesses but that was about all). My parents were there and his parents surprised us. After he proposed we saw a leopard which was a pretty amazing engagement gift!

Photographer: b. flint photography // Stylist / Planner / Venue / Cake: Hartford House // Floral Designer: Sweet P // Film Lab: Photovision Prints // Dress Designer: Daalarna // Accessories: Christian Louboutin // Groom’s Attire: Frank Bespoke // DJ: DJ Vivian

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