With the sunrise coming over the mountains I woke up early, as always. I may be on vacation but my body clock rarely lets me sleep past 6:30am. My husband does not have that problem. I didn't want to disturb him on his first morning of sleeping in so I threw on jeans and a … Continue reading Day 2 – Burnsville and Mt. Mitchell State Park
North Carolina
Day 1 – Asheville, North Carolina
Cecil and I escaped to the North Carolina mountains a few weeks ago. We love the cooler weather and beautiful vistas. Living only a few hours from the Blue Ridge Mountains they make for a perfect long-weekend destination for us. Thursday morning we finished packing, made a stop for caffeine, and headed west. The three … Continue reading Day 1 – Asheville, North Carolina
Alamance County, North Carolina
The drawback of our country's interstate road system is that we miss out on so many wonderful towns and sites. Instead of being waymarkers along the route they are relegated to a name on a green or brown sign as we fly past on the way to our destination. My husband and I were given … Continue reading Alamance County, North Carolina
Stanly County Ag Tour
Most mothers want to get a manicure or go shopping for their birthday. Not mine! She enjoys those outings, too, but my city-dwelling mom has always had a love of the countryside and farming. On this outing she even confessed to me that she wished in college she had studied to become a county extension … Continue reading Stanly County Ag Tour
Belmont, North Carolina
Southwest of Charlotte is a beautiful, thriving town called Belmont. Located along the Catawba River, the area came to life in 1871 when the railroad was built. Originally called Garibaldi Station, it continued to grow as land nearby was donated to the Benedictine Monks and in 1876 they founded Belmont Abbey College. Incorporated in 1895, Belmont's … Continue reading Belmont, North Carolina
What Traveling Has Taught Me
By Joanna Grey Talbot This gigantic, magnificent, overwhelming world is full of wonder and beauty and mystery and I will never be able to see it all. Yet, that will not deter me from trying my hardest to do so. Traveling has taught me so much about myself, the people around me, and the world … Continue reading What Traveling Has Taught Me
Charlotte Hawkins Brown
By Joanna Grey Talbot Sometimes those who make the greatest impact are the ones who work passionately and quietly behind the scenes, not seeking fame or fortune. They seek the limelight only when absolutely necessary to champion the cause they believe in, not to bring themselves recognition. Charlotte Hawkins Brown was one such person. She … Continue reading Charlotte Hawkins Brown
From England to Badin: An Adventure on Ice Skates
By Joanna Grey Talbot There are so many fascinating stories in this world if you take the time to sit and listen. The best part is finding those stories in unexpected places. Badin, North Carolina, is a small town about an hour east of Charlotte that was created in 1913 by a French company looking … Continue reading From England to Badin: An Adventure on Ice Skates
2016: A Year of “Wait. What?”
By Joanna Grey Talbot Whatta year. I have had years that were so bland and "normal" that I barely noticed they happened except for the change of the date on the calendar. Then comes along a year, like 2016, where so many big moments happened that it is still hard to fully comprehend them. This year brought changes … Continue reading 2016: A Year of “Wait. What?”
Trees of Christmases Past
By Joanna Grey Talbot Judging by my last post I am slightly obsessed with REAL, LIVE Christmas trees - not the plastic ones that you have to assemble. Why get a candle that smells like a Fraser Fir when I could just get a real Fraser Fir. Completely logical to me. Yet, a few times … Continue reading Trees of Christmases Past
New Stories From Old Towns 