Anyway.
We did end up going to NC for Memorial Day weekend, and had a nice time. I have bokoodles of pictures to post, so here goes:
It was lovely up there. We went for a drive on the parkway, went to the Artisan Center to look at the local arts and quilts and such, and the weather was very pretty.
How can you not appreciate this kind of scenery? Gorgeous!
We went to Biltmore Village that day as well, because I wanted to see a fabric shop there that's reputedly very expensive, but we found it to be reasonable and full of gorgeous fabrics. It's called Waechter's Fine Fabrics and is the oldest continually running fabric shop in America: http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/ I found some lovely fabric there that I got a couple of yards of, to make a fun little summer dress. Let me see if I can find it....Yup! Here it is:
http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SandiHenderson-11770&Category_Code=MichaelMiller
Adorable, no? The shop itself is very pretty, and the staff is helpful.
So we did that, and then stumbled upon this little beaut:
Woo hoo! Yarn store! And you know what I bought there? NOTHING. I am an oak. Also I have a ton of yarn already and just couldn't justify shelling out money for knitting that I might get to sometime in 2014.Moving on! The next day, we went to the Biltmore Estate to take in the finery and expensivity (is that a word?) of the Vanderbilts. These folks really know how to spend some cash. It's the largest private home in the U.S., with 250 rooms in it. We saw only about 60-70 rooms. Unfortunately they wouldn't let us take pictures on the inside, so I only have shots from the outside and the extensive gardens.
First, the house itself:
Cozy and quaint, no? Unfortunately it was rainy that day, so you can't see the mountains behind it. Oh well. Here's a detail from the outside:
Fancy schmancy!
Here are some pictures of the gardens and greenhouse. First, the cultured gardens, which Mom really enjoyed:
I like to call this one Still Life of Noel Among Orchids and Lilies:
The greenhouse is impressively large (just like the house) and full of weird, exotic plants.
That kinda looks like a plant that could, with enough motivation, eat you. Scary.
And for those of you who just can't get enough Things In Sky:
Japanese maple tree:
Greenhouse ceiling:
Arbor and vines:
Scary plant leaf that makes a lovely light filterer:
Another still life: Noel in Tree, Exuberantly
I guess the nice weather agreed with him (that and the whole Being Back in the Mountains thing, as his dad lives in TN). He couldn't resist climbing this tree in my mom's backyard and got really high up there before I could dig out the camera. I then related my Learning To Climb Trees story, which involves my cousin Brooke in West Virginia, much grunting and strenuous attempts to grab lower branches, and a misguided idea to climb a pine tree, resulting in copious amounts of sap on my clothing. Note to self: don't climb pine trees. End of lesson.
So we had a nice time, ate a LOT (thanks Mom!) and enjoyed a weekend replete with several very exciting things that we don't experience frequently here in the SAV:
(1) NO BUGS. This is uncanny, to be able to sit outside and not be 3 pints of blood low because of the swarms of mosquitos waiting to ambush you ninja-style by the door. Unbelievable.
(2) Cool breezes. As opposed to hot breezes that smell vaguely of sewage. Nice.
(3) Clean roadsides. Noel pointed this out, that there is very little or no garbage on the sides of the roads. I hadn't noticed it til he mentioned it, and then realized that it's really quite amazing. I guess we've gotten so used to people not giving a crap, and emptying their car floorboard onto the road at redlights (I've seen this happen, and sersely? The world is not your garbage can, asshat.)
(4) Real forests that have lots of trees. So pretty. The mountains are beautiful.
But now it's back to heat, mosquitos, sewage smell, and Hardee's wrappers on the side of the road. Ah yes, Savannah. How we (didn't really) miss thee!
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