Last Day.

Well...here we are again. If you're on of those people, like me, who spends most of their year writing papers, answering questions, and sharpening pencils, you know what i'm talking about. And, unless you've already started school, you would recognize today as the "Last Day of Freedom." Or something like that. Or maybe you think of it as Labor Day...which i think is how the rest of the population recalls it...hmm....

Anyway.

Many spend their day out trying to catch a few more rays of sunlight before they must subject themselves to winter paleness. (unless you're one of those people with perpetual tanness- you know who you are) Obviously, I spend my last day writing to you guys..you guys should be grateful. :) But i do not mourn my lost summer days. Indeed, I like to think like Dr. Seuss:

"Don't cry because it's over
Smile because it happened."

I'm ready to move on. I hate the heat and humidity. Fall is coming soon which, for me, means jeans, hoodies, bonfires, s'mores, pumpkin carving, all that jazz.

Oh, and i thought I'd share this song...It's been on my mind a lot lately. 

This is a really short post, but...i think it suffices.

wigs and mountain tops

Moths flutter noiselessly around the lights attached to the roof of the wooden wrap-around porch while the sound of the cricket’s and cicada’s raspy overture floats along the chilly evening breeze. Lights twinkle cheerily through the trees. But best of all, the smooth roll of Blue Ridge is unfolding before me in glorious spectrum. The massive mounds of earth slice into the fading sky, making it seem as if it’s just us, our rented log cabin, and the mosquitoes. In the middle of nowhere.

Montagnes. Mountains. The word would have the same meaning in any language.  It means winding roads, steep cliffs, beautiful glades, and views that take your breath away, tearing it from you, twisting it around, and carrying it off into the sunshine like crisp autumn leaves, or a certain wig that a strange neighbor that you don’t particularly like gave to you as a birthday present. 

 

Grandfather Mountain was, in a word, incredible. After strutting across the swinging, mile-high bridge, we scrambled along the top of the craggy cliff top. To the left and below, the winding road curled around like a lock of light blonde hair with highlights down the mountain. To the right, the ledge jutted out and disappeared in the grey, foggy, nothingness. 

Mile-high bridge

 

After walking down the trail to the parking lot while mom and dad drove with the little ones, and having an incredible encounter with a certain white tale doe and her fawn, we endeavored to undertake the Black Rock trail. I must say, it was quite a feat to behold, taking a hike with two three-year-olds, but it was worth it. There were viewpoints along the trail where you had to cling to the cable like a monkey and pull yourself along a ginormous boulder. To the panorama no words or pictures could do justice. But I will say that Marianne’s words for Sense and Sensibility came to mind:

“Is there any felicity in the world superior to this?”

Blowing rock was, although fun, a bit mediocre. I think the legend-person who jumped off like a million years ago died…there was not enough gust to support a very light feather- let alone a full-grown warrior…but that’s just a matter of opinion. The town of blowing rock was pleasant. So different from back home. Shops and cute cafés line Main Street. Residents congregate in the park and content customers loiter on cast iron benches as they happily slurp their pastel ice cream cones. 

For some reason, we always seem to gravitate towards mountains as our get-away. For some people, it’s the coast they turn to as refuge from life’s craziness, for others it’s the hustle and bustle of big cities they enjoy. But for us as a family (I mean, I think I’d enjoy anything), and I’m sure for many other people, we seem to feel closer and more at home when we’re in danger of slipping and plummeting off a cliff, or when we’re lying on our stomachs on a precipice, holding our faces out over the edge to feel the exhilarating breeze. Or when we’re standing a mile high at the top of a mountain; shut out from the rest of the world in a foggy cloud.

But good dreams eventually come to an end, and we begin descending the winding roads. Let the cow counting begin.

Clown shoes and carousels

Adventures can take you anywhere. They are enticing occasions that can take you from the sultry cabin of a coal-guzzling locomotive, to a hard, jutting peak in the Himalayas slicing the sky, to the gut of an aircraft, plucking conveniently salty peanuts out of their crinkly gold packaging while scribbling furiously in a deliciously old and rumpled notebook. Which is where you find me, yet again. On my way back home sweet home. 

Ah, Florida. It was grand to see it again. Although, I’ll admit, I thought flying was a bit strange. You see, I’m used to driving the whole long fourteen hour journey south in our good ol’ blue club wagon with the rest of the clan, where changes along the road come gradually. But flying, oh no, you land and, whoa, there’s palm trees, like, EVERYWHERE. But that’s just culture shocked little ol’ me.  ^_^
                Anyway. I decided I’m not going to record my adventure play-by-play, but I’ll just give a description, in case you’re interested 

Twice, we went to the beach, where the clear emerald surf crashed its white foamy mass over the sandy coast. The shells shone like time-worn pebbles on the grainy bottom. Pelicans soared overhead. It was gorgeous. The sunburn? Not so much.

                At the Brunswick harbor lanes we pulled on those funny clown shoes, tugging at the greasy laces. Then we bowled a good five games or so. Phil creamed me in like every game. But it’s all good. 

Don't they look like clown shoes?

                Driving down US 1, we visited some relatives and swam in their pool (FAIL of the day…stepped on my sunglasses and cracked them…oh well), and then strolled down to the fish and gator-infested river.  (Well, I’m not so sure about the gators, but you never know …) 

River :)

Grandma :)

                Ah. And we went to the chocolaty cocoa beach, where the crowds surf, swim, play volleyball, or just stroll along the shore. Oh, and we went to Ron Jon Surf Shop. That place is incredible! It’s like a beach version of Dick’s Sporting Goods. No joke. It’s an extraordinary place with a medley of souvies and hard-core surfing equipment, from key chains to wetsuits.

Need i say more?

Ron Jon Surf Shop ♥

Welcome to Cocoa

But most of all, we had opportunities to visit family, which is most important in my book.

One day we had dinner with my uncle, or, my dad’s “older brother’s little brother.” As they like to put it.  And then Tuesday we drove two hours across to Lakeland and had lunch at steak and shake (I think it was my first time) with cousins, whom, I might add, we hadn’t seen in AGES.

"He makes this really funny face when he bites into a lemon.."

Me and Sierra :)

___________

So even though Florida was marvelous I can’t wait to touch back down, hug the fam, stand in line at the carousel and wait for my overstuffed suitcase to come around the corner. Question. Why do they call it a carousel? 

That’s a carousel.

That’s a baggage-goes-around-in-a-circle-so-people-can-watch-it-and-find-their-bags-after-they-go-around-a-million-times-thingamajig. 
 Why do they call it a carousel just because it goes around in a circle?

anyway.

I know I was only gone a week and a half, but it felt great to step into the terminal in our tiny little airport (the one in Orlando is like a mall) and power walk down the familiar mermaid-adorned carpet and see family at the end of the long corridor. Thanks for reading.

-yours etc.

Peculiar places: airports

I'm writing this to you in a notebook while reclining in the belly of a SouthWest Airliner. Below, me, the fluffy avalanche of Toy Story clouds spill across the face of the earth, like someone had gone crazy with the shaving cream or something. Beside me, the sun glints off the tip of the blue and red wing. The little girl in front of me peaks between the seats at my scribbling, but turns away when i glance up. Above, the sapphire sky canopies safely all around. The flight attendants hand out complimentary snacks, and soon the scent of salty peanuts spreads like butter through the cycled air. Airports are peculiar places. Most of us have entered them at one time or another. Either for the arrival or departure of a loved one, or for our own means of travel. I think they're peculiar because they're pretty much the only place where people come together at one time from all the corners of the world and congregate in one place. each with their individual stories. And it's the start of something big. Something that 200 years ago was said to be impossible. That's why it's peculiar. Strange. Unusual. As we said goodbye, scanned our boarding passes and walked down the terminal, I felt a mixture of excitement and fear swirling around me. we put our bags in the overhead bins and grab a pair of seats. And this is where you find me. So i'll just munch my over-salted peanuts and anticipate our landing in Orlando.

Williamsburg, monkeys, mustaches...summer so far

I know. I know. I haven't been posting very much. But that happens to everybody, right? Anyway,  I thought I'd catch everybody up on what's been going on since that final exam on May something-or-other. 

After my final final exam, i accompanied Laura and Rebekah to Colonial Williamsburg where we strolled along the near-empty pathways and soaked up the colonial culture. For dinner we ate at the Cheese Shop in the merchant's square part of Williamsburg. Never been there? I highly recommend it.

Bekah ♥

I love the colors in these hats

Friday i went to Busch Gardens for the first time this summer. It was great! among riding the rides, eating pretzels, and other things, we babysat a monkey, almost drowned in all the rain, and had lots of good laughs. Fun times :)

However, after all this, my summer didn't really feel like summer. I mean, I was only going places on the weekends. But yesterday that changed when Cat came over and made my day :)We went to target and browsed the aisles. Tried on a few pairs of sunglasses (so i exaggerate a little...) etc, etc, etc. Then, we had a surge of creativeness. and, well, see for yourself.

Don't judge...^_^

She's so pretty :)

cat took this and the four above by the way :)

So it's been a pretty great summer...so far :) hopefully there are many more posts to come.