Asheville and Home

After driving from St Augustine back to the Charleston area, we returned to Sullivan's island for the night, where "Girls Weekend" with some of Ann's friends was in full swing. What a delightful bunch of women - so happy I finally got to meet them!

This is Ann's beach house. So comfy and relaxing...

The next morning we drove to the Charleston airport, where I picked up a rental for the rest of the journey home, including a stop in western North Carolina for a visit with my Mom and step-dad. The original plan was for both of us to make the last leg of the trip, but since pet-sitting problems necessitated an early return, it just didn't make sense for Ann to drive the camper all the way to Pennsylvania, only to turn it right back around again.

Route 26 from Charleston to Asheville is SUCH a pleasant drive - beautiful scenery, and very little traffic, even on Memorial Day weekend! I arrived at Mom and Frank's house in the early afternoon, and we had a wonderful several days visit, including a day trip to the Folk Art Center, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway. What an amazing place...

...and tempting! So many talented folk artists displaying their work. I was simultaneously happy and disappointed I didn't have a credit card with available funds on it, or something very bad (or at lest very expensive) could have happened.


After a ramble around the Folk Art Center, we stopped for Mexican food at Papas and Beer - which didn't sound like the kind of place you take your Mom, lol - but we were following a recommendation from two locals, so decided to try it. GOOD CALL. Fabulous food, great service. If you're in the Asheville area, it's on Tunnel Road, and I highly recommend it.


After lunch, the drive back to the house took us past Lake Lure - one of my favorite places in North Carolina...

...And also through the little town of Chimney Rock (which is home to the state park and the spectacular monument where "Last of the Mohicans" was filmed). We found a wonderful little antique store right on the main drag, where I picked up, of all things, a vintage jadeite sugar shaker and a couple of hundred buttons to be used in art. :)

I left reluctantly (two years is far too long between visits and three days goes by so quickly) the next morning, and made it as far as Leesburg, Virginia before stopping for the night. The drive back to Pennsylvania was uneventful, save for a couple of road delays, and my welcome was enthusiastic to say the least. I don't know who was happier to see me - John or the dogs, haha! The cats just looked bored, as if to say, "Oh, you're back. Well, as long as you're here, can you feed and/or brush me?"

I'm not sure where the next adventure will take us - possibly west, possibly north...who knows?

All I know is I look forward to it!

Until then,
♥ Carolee