South

We're back from a week in the Carolinas. Home to most of my extended family.


He just got passed around. Growing so quickly these days. Big changes.


Spending some time with Grandmother Mann.


Lake practiced rolling over with Aunt Wanda looking on.

It was a wonderful opportunity to introduce Lake to the clan, eat too much good food, experience 80 degrees and high humidity in October, marvel at my mother's familiarity with a place in which I had no sense of direction, eat even more good food, re-introduce my son Calder, expose him to his family and a life even I don't really know all that well.




In the cotton fields with Calder (and the giant mosquitos!)


At Ron's: Calder and Daddy with the pups, Lake and my mom on the tractor, second cousin Kaylee's horse


Check out who got to drive this beauty! My cousin Ron is the best!




In Uncle Clarence's garage: a 1910 Maxwell, a Ford Model A, and a little something for Calder to ride.


Jeff's new favorite dog: the Blue Healer


Best friends at Cousin Ron's.

There was cotton and cotton pickers. Tractors, 4-wheelers and century-old cars. Dogs and horses and donkeys.




Two from Woodham's Home Phone Service and hand-scooped ice cream in Bennettsville, SC


On the plate at the Harvest Sale: Stanton's Bar-b-que, hushpuppies, candied sweet potatoes, slaw, a chocolate cupcake on the side, and a cup of sweet tea to wash it down.


Daddy and Calder fishing in Burlington, NC

We carved 2 pumpkins. Went fishing a handful of times. Ate bar-b-q twice (not enough!), fried chicken once, drake too many glasses of sweet tea and helped ourselves to multiple servings of a creamy concoction made from cottage cheese, cream cheese, whipped cream, canned pineapple and mandarins (delicious sprinkled with chopped pecans.)

I love that Aunt Wanda's house is always open. There's always someone, a child, a grandchild stopping in to visit or just grab something to eat. Even if she's not home. So much hospitality in each one of their homes.

* * *



There's more things I'd like to share here, like what Calder said to the woman who was smoking in the farm implement store in Clio, SC, (made me so proud.) But I'm feeling worn out. I need a vacation from our vacation.

Fall is happening so quickly. Normal life is seeming hard right now.