OK - this week ahead will be a whirlwind - here I am back from a weekend road trip/wedding and now preparing for my trip home to England in one week. Lots to show you, lots to do, please bear with me as I post all these pics now - time will be at a premium.
A side trip to Florence, South Carolina on the way to the wedding, took us to the Pee Dee Farmers' Market..........................and there they were, the elusive white pumpkins, my search was over! I found some beauties and a gorgeous pale green one - the only one remaining.
Fountains, statues, benches - all lovely. No pick up truck, no take home!!
Great veggies such as organic garlic, white radishes, pale green zucchini (courgettes to you European gals) and patty pan squash.
Driving home along the back roads we noticed how the terrible drought has affected the crops. Tobacco has suffered (not that I'm shedding tears over that one), but the soybeans and cotton looked parched, the corn was already ploughed under, and even the pumpkin crop has been damaged this season.
Below is a cotton field awaiting harvest - this crop is making a come back in North Carolina..JPG)
A beautiful plantation style antebellum mansion which now seems to be a farm house as it was surrounded by barns and outbuildings.
The imposing historic market place in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Above you can see my lonely green pumpkin waiting to be taken home - below a real white one front left, and the green one. The white twig 'sculpture', already a bit shabby, I found at SuzAnna's
More postcards from the road soon.
More postcards from the road soon.
-crop.JPG)
WELCOME HOME MARY!
ReplyDeleteGlad you found your white pumpkin - I've yet to see one. Isn't it fun taking the back roads?
Next time you go back that way - take a pick-up!
I know you are going to be crazy busy this next week - but I'll be looking for more posts from you.
Hugs,
Deborah
It looks like a wonderful trip! Your photos are breathtaking. I'm glad you had a wonderful time. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun road trip and great that you found the pumpkins. It was fun for me to see the historic building in Fayetteville as my niece is now working at the universtity there.
ReplyDeleteWe have no drought here and it is hard to believe how much difference there is in various places. As I am sure you know, England camped with so much rain this past summer. We got the tail end of it each time which made it more tolerable here.
I keep looking back at the plantation house. I would love to live in it so I could decorate it! How fun would it be to drap the outside for the upcoming holidays. I can just picture wreaths and garland everywhere. So back down to earth...I will just have to be content with my tiny row house and turning it into a Christmas paradise.
Are your suitcases out and poised for packing? Going home is fun but that part is not!
~~ Heidi ~~
Great pictures! I'm so happy to see these photos as I'm from coastal NC and have driven that same route many, many times. Oh, the homesickness is getting me--it's so different living here in Tucson although I do enjoy it, too. But it's not the home of my heart.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures but how terrible not to be able to take home one of those lovely fountains! Glad you found you white pumpkin. That whole arrangement looks just lovely!
ReplyDeleteManuela
I really love those unusually colored pumpkins. I'm dyin to get my hands on some but I haven't found any yet. Yours look great! Love the tour too.
ReplyDeleteMary, these images are gorgeous! I loved this tour of SC.
ReplyDeleteYour pumpkin vignette is wonderful!
Pat
Yes,I have travelled those roads many times, too. My family lives in Clinton, and Roseboro, and Wilmington. How I love that part of the country. When my youngest was having so much surgery in Chapel Hill, we would always travel from Clinton to CH on the back road...going through Dunn, and Apex ...such beautiful country. I especially loved it this time of the year when most all the houses would have harvest scenes in their front yards.
ReplyDeleteSo, you're going home? I'm happy for you and I wish you Godspeed. I hope your travel is easy and safe and that you have time to do all you desire to while you are there.
Yea! for the white pumpkin...and the green one!
Blessings,
Tonja
Mary, You were in Fayetteville????? I wish I had known and you could have stopped by for a visit and taken some fresh eggs and goat cheese home with you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures and very familiar since I'm from that part of North Carolina. I love your display with your white and green pumpkins!
ReplyDeleteIt's always a joy to see your photos and read your postings!
Donna
Looks like you had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteLove all of the pictures!
Rosemary