Last week we broke down and went back to Columbia for the weekend. But this past weekend we stuck it out in our new hometown! We don't have a place to live yet, but we are still trying to call Hickory "Home".
Friday Night
It helped that, during the summer, there are some fun things to do around here. Every Friday June-July the town hosts "Hickory Alive", a live band and food vendor night. This was the last weekend Hickory Alive was to happen for the summer, so we were excited to check it out.
Some observances about our new town:
It's nice to live in a place where 70's-rock cover bands are so revered that their shirts would be sold, strategically ripped, and displayed proudly by women with streaky bleached blonde hair and beautiful tattoos. The men in our new town embrace their charge as heads-of-household by not letting the women take center stage. They perform their peacock ritual by sporting their own lavish tattoos, thigh-high socks, mullets, and entertaining the masses with their talent for playing air instruments. Refreshingly, dogs are treated as a true "man's best friend" by sharing their owner's beer, nachos, and shaved ice--weighing in at a weight higher than a healthy adult. It's too bad this was the last music night. It would be nice to get together as a town more often.
Saturday
had something to offer, too!
Our bi-weekly local Farmer's Market!!!!
Ahhhh... That feels good.
The largest and tastiest blackberries you have ever seen! I don't eat fruit and I couldn't get enough of them. Even when I started to get sick. Ben had to physically take the bucket away from me.
Saturday Afternoon
Lucky us... Boone (AKA the place we spent New Years 2010, AKA "the trip we didn't get engaged") is just down the road!
We brought back 3 lbs of Kilwin's fudge. Proudly created in Northern Michigan!
And.... drum roll please.....Grandfather Mountain!!!!
Don't judge. It was unseasonably cold! Unfortunately the blanket + HEAVY fog = a giant bear look-a-like. "Don't look too closely at that man with the rifle..." Just kidding.
The suspension bridge is RICKETY and SMALL! Only 40 people are allowed on it at a time!
Good thing neither of us are afraid of heights. At least I didn't used to be.
No, Ben! Don't do it! You're not attached to a bungee cord this time!
Ben spent as much time looking at the turnbuckle as I did at the beautiful (though slightly obscure) view.
The onlookers seemed pretty relieved to learn how the "Mile High Swinging Bridge" stayed safe while listening him explain the technology to me.
I tried not to look too bored.
He is so funny.
Learn more about turnbuckles here.
I guess we'll stay.
