these are some frames from when we visited my hometown two weeks again + some old stories are my old favorites.
"Now the years have blown by me like the wind through the pines,but the song of the south is ever sweet as homemade wine.Oh, how I miss those mountains when the laurels are in bloom, and the southern stars are dancin' 'round the North Carolina moon." -carolina moon, scotty mccreery
C L E V E L A N D, N O R T H C A R O L I N A
It's the town where I spent the first eight years of my life. The town where a little two bedroom house with a green roof stood. The town where I learned to ride a bike, and baked cookies by myself for the first time.
It's amazing how much comes back when you drive the same roads again for the first time in four years. so and so used to live on that road.... dad worked built a house on this road.... we used to go here for piano lessons... the best little Mexican restaurant used to be there.
A F E W M Y F A V O R I T E S T O R I E S
+ I remember the sticky hot summer days we spent on the town, grocery shopping. Our little black car became an oven and we'd roll every window down and open up the sunroof. I learned to open the car door and put on the seat buckle without touching the little metal part because one time I did, and I had a blister for the next week to show for it. On the way home, we'd always dig out yogurt cups and pack of fig bars to munch on.
+ During blueberry season, my sister and I would spend hours sitting under the shade of our blueberry bushes with our dolls, and a picnic spread complete with plastic food and plates. We filled our little bowls with the big juicy berries and replenished them whenever they became empty. sticky hands, blue and purple stained mouths, and full stomachs.
+ Once a month, we'd pull out our bikes and ride down the lane with the rent check in one hand, and steering with the other. We knew to peddle as fast as we could as soon as we passed the field where the dreaded bull was. Once we made it up the hill and arrived at the barn, we'd dump our bikes, push open the big red door and head to the corner where the blocks of salt were. One of us would hold the check while the other found an ax and chipped off a few chunks of salt. (don't worry, they were unused salt licks.) After a few minutes, the door would get closed and we would slide the check underneath. Popping a piece of salt into our mouths, and putting the other in our pocket for later, we'd head back down the dusty lane.
+ We'd often hang out in the apple orchard and each of us had our designated tree, where only you would be allowed to climb. My bare feet learned to steer around the mushy fallen apples after multiple times of finding bumble bees hidden in the overripe fruit.
+ Some how the carrots seemed to disappear from the fridge whenever Charlie the donkey (that's him up there ^^) was in the pasture next to the house. We'd stick our arms and heads through the barbed wire (which usually ended up with someone's hair getting tangled in the fence) and laugh as we heard him crunching on the carrots.
+ CJ's BBQ, aka the place with the best breakfast pancakes and the fat little pig on the sign. Every year on our birthdays, Papa would take us out on our birthdays. He'd walk in and start chatting with the employees and I'd find a booth. The waitress would come by and I'd tell them it was my birthday and order the same thing every year: pancakes, a piece of bacon, one egg, and orange juice. They would always bring it the same way, with whipped cream and cherry pie filling making a smiley face on top of the pancakes.
+ We'd come inside after long mornings and afternoons in the sun. Our skin tanned, and her hair falling out of her pony tail while my curls frizzed everywhere. We'd find the jug of iced tea, pour ourselves a cup and stood in front of the window air conditioner units until Papa drove in the drive.
(I'm pretty sure I've got too much nostalgia in this soul of mine. )
xx. Marcia.
p.s. thoughts on the new design? i thought it was definitely time for a change.
p.p.s. happy second day of spring!