A little glitch in the access to the blog but am back in business.

Back from my three week gramma-time in San Diego with the world’s most beautiful granddaughter.  Picked up Patience from her vacation-spot at the Red Roof Inn in Louisville and drove over to Lexington to visit Chandra's mom, Noreen.  We traded wedding stories and pictures and she also took me on a tour of the huge state horse farm complex.  Saw a very impressive demonstration by a trained quarter-horse who galloped into the arena, took a few turns and then calmly strode up to his trainer for a long list of additional tricks. The show also included five varieties of horses from the huge Belgian-type to a miniature, all handled by costumed riders.  Great museum on the history of horses, a showing of some retired top money-winners and the Man O’War monument where the “great one” lies.  Climbed aboard my gallant steed and crossed the line with ribbons trailing.

 

Got to take another romp thru Red River Gorge on my way to NC.  Looked a bit different this time as everything has leafed out so the views down into canyon are hidden but it’s a different kind of beautiful and in some places I felt like I was driving thu green tunnels. Leaving the park on the way to NC, I noticed the landscape that was covered with rhododendrons earlier in the year were now covered - actually carpeted - with a green ivy.  Hillsides, rock formations, trees and even utility poles were encapsulated with the greenery.  Almost eerie.

Took a wonderful ride down 421 thru the Cherokee National Forest from Bristol to Boone where I hopped onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Touched on 4 states in one day – KY, VA, TN & NC.  Was surprised to see so few cars on the Parkway – met 4, and 6 motorcycles, one of which had a video camera on his helmet. Lots of flowering shrubbery along the way and the aroma was wonderful.  It’s vistas are long and lovely – with views of stacks of mountains.

Got a little history update on “Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley”  It’s Tom Dula and according to sign, Tom didn’t do it, another woman did.  He was hanged anyway.

Saw an interesting roadside decoration on my way to Chapel Hill where I spent a couple of days in the Chapel Hill/Durham area (home to UNC and Duke) with a gracious UU couple. Spent some time on the Duke campus but unfortunately, the chapel was booked all day for weddings (June brides, the security guard explained) so wasn’t able to go inside but a stroll thru the gardens made it worth the trip.

Took the  2 ½ hour Swan Quarter Ferry over to the Outerbanks. Met a couple from Albuquerque who sailed the Atlantic in a 40’ boat in 1999 then remained for 8 years, sailing around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. I said “you must really get along together”.  She said they pulled a dinghy and when things got testy, one of them would take a “time-out” in it.  The most inconvenient thing about the trip was the lack of laundromats.  She’d fill a tub with water, then stomp around in it. 

Landed at Ocracoke Island at the southern tip of the Outer Banks. It was settled primarily by a group of people who had
been held in debtor’s prisons.  Comment was made that given the credit card debt out there, 95% of us would be in the pokey. Visited the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum to see mementos of the sunken ships, the most famous was the USS Monitor which was lost during the Civil War. Crossed to Hatteras on  another ferry, feeling pretty smug as I got on right away.  There were huge lines of cars for those heading south. Would hate to be here on a summer weekend as there’s only one road. The drive along the banks reminded me of the trip down to the Keys, but with more sand.  Hard to see the water from the road as the dunes were pretty high. 

Can’t go to the OBX (took me a while to figure out those letters) without a visit to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  It’s been the tallest landmark and a a guide for ships  since 1870. The ocean threatened to dismantle it so plans were made to move it almost 2900 ft. west.  Seems the land (with the ocean and hurricane wind action) is slowly shifting from east to west. A variety of house movers from all over the country came to lend expertise and assistance and the job was accomplished without so much as a crack in the base or tower. Amazing, since it weighed in at 9,000,000 lbs. and had to be moved inches at a time.

Have to admit, my favorite on the Banks was Roanoke Island with Fort Raleigh, the Lost Colony and Elizabethan Gardens.

Another breech in my history education.  Sir Walter pleaded with QE1 to expand the empire

to the New World as a defense against Spain and although she refused to let him accompany them (a little royal hanky-panky?), a small group of Raleigh-sponsored colonists landed on Roanoke Island. All went well until the appointed governor killed the native chief and then all hell broke out.  A request for a ship for provisions was sent but by that time, war with Spain was in full combat mode and all ships were required for the battles.  The fate of the colonists is a mystery.  Killed?  Moved? Anyhow, technically there were Brits here before Jamestown and the first baby, Virginia Dare, was born here. Found a couple of friends to walk with.

 A play about the Lost Colony is performed every night each summer at a lovely ocean-front theater.  FDR attended one of the first in 1937.  The current one is jam packed with music, dancing, comedy and a cast of equally talented actors, dancers and set design magicians.  No skimping on the costumes, either. I met a mother and daughter who have attended every year for the past 25. 

Fort Raleigh was also the site of the first Freedman’s Colony.  According to the law, captured slaves were to be returned to their masters.  When the Union won the battle at Fort Raleigh, that law was ignored and black soldiers were released.  Some returned home to the South but came back with their families to settle there. 

It was sticky hot so the stroll thru the Elizabethan Garden was a real treat. The NC Garden Club has beautifully laid out displays of flowers, shrubs and statuary among the tree-lined paths.  Particularly lovely were the hydrangeas of pinks and blues.

Final stop is a visit to Kill Devil Hills to hear the Oliver and Wilbur story. Hard to believe how far we’ve come since those first airborne 12 seconds in 1903.

Next is Virginia