The End of the Crazy

The first weeks of May have been crazy! So many of my classes had large projects due toward the end of the semester. If my calculations are correct, over the last two weeks of school, I took 7 quizzes, 5 tests, and 6 major assignments (adding up to over 50 pages of writing), and a presentation. It was a nutty few weeks, to say the least!

Besides all of that, I also had to pack all of my worldly possessions (at the same time that all of my 6 quad-mates were packing as well -- STUFF EVERYWHERE and SO MUCH MESS), move them to my new apartment, clean EVERYTHING in the dorm, and move other peoples' things into my apartment to store over the summer. I also had to go ahead and pack my things for a week away with some sweet friends. As soon as we left campus, I felt the tension of all the built-up stress leaving my body. It was wonderful to finally relax and not have to worry about the next deadline, assignment, presentation, exam, or chore to accomplish.

All I had to worry about was making the most of the drive to Winston-Salem, and enjoying the exploration! Our first stop was the Airport in Raleigh to drop off some friends for their up-coming departures. The drive was mostly un-eventful, and when we had safely delivered each of them to their respective places, we went ahead and drove to get lunch in downtown Durham. The only problem was that we had no place in mind to have lunch. The idea was that we would explore the area until we found a local place that was cute and inviting (and was affordable on a college budget!). After finding the only available parking spot at the bottom of the hill, we took to our feet to slowly explore and appreciate the area. Only problem was that we were STARVING!

...and it was hot.

... and we had no idea where to get food.

After walking up and sideways and across downtown, there was nothing that was both attractive and affordable. Just as we were about to give up, we came upon a sign for "9th St Bakery".

Austin pointed it out, so when I got up to the sign, I looked in where the store would have been, but there was no store at all! I was so upset!

I mentally prepared myself to walk all the way back to the car and ask Siri to take me to the nearest Chic-Fil-A. Turns out, in the parking lot of an old factory was this cute little bakery where every thing was made of real, locally-sourced food, with no preservatives and no bleach. Needless to say, it was one of the most un-expectantly good meals I have had in a long, long time.

It was cute, the people were friendly, the food was great, the music choice was on-point (a great jazz collection), the water was cold, and there was a cool place for me to sit down. It was PERFECT.

After an enjoyable lunch, we went back outside to appreciate the set-up of the outdoor seating, and then head back to the car and be on our way to Winston-Salem.

The days we have been here have been fantastic. We have had wonderful fellowship with forever-friends, eaten some fantastic food, seen breathtaking art, nature, and architecture, done some neat projects, completed cool and useful crafts, worked on a nearly impossible puzzle, and over-all just had a wonderful time. We explored several places around town that were super cute and fun, but the one that stuck out the most was definitely the Reynolda House and Gardens. The scenery was beautiful. Till the end of July, they are hosting a gallery from photographer Ansel Adams (AMAZING). The vision for the garden was for it to be "...a refuge for relaxation and contemplation and a haven for reflective outdoor leisure..." In my opinion, they definitely achieved their goal. Here are some photos that will give you an idea of the variety of plant-life on display in the gardens:

A beautiful set of Brassia orchids

These beauties were my favorite. So soft and white against such deep, green leaves! Such stunning contrast!

We made a friend who worked in the gardens, and as we walked.

She pointed out things to us such as beautifully grown, ready-to-eat lettuce;

a sprouting hickory nut; (note: we did not pull it up; she did!)

...and even gave us some lemon-basil clippings (they smell AMAZING, and have already begun to root in my kitchen!), which are quite simply useful for anything (tea, chicken, flavored ice cubes, salads, and even soups!).

Since we were in North Carolina, we couldn't leave without getting some Carolina barbecue. I asked our host (who has lived in the area longer than I've been alive) where we could get the best barbecue. He send us to this unique tiny place called Little Richard's that does both seated and curb-side service. Needless to say, it was well worth the wait to get to our table! I could quite literally have drunk the sauce! It was EXACTLY what I was craving.

A few days later, I had the privilege to join one of our hosts in going to her quilting group at Calvary Baptist. It was SUCH a fun group of older, spunky ladies! I thoroughly enjoyed the time with these women: putting together materials, cutting out pieces to quilts, and just seeing their heart for the hurting.

Each quilt made by the group is made with a particular person in mind. As the quilt is made, prayers are prayed for the person, represented by each knot made in the quilt. The quilts are then taken to the hurting person, and through this ministry, several lives have been drastically changed. I was so blessed to have been able to be a part of the group for even just a few hours.

Overall, the week in North Carolina was JUST what I needed: time to relax, fun projects, natural beauty, encouraging elders, activity, exploration, and conversation. It was truly a blessing to have had that sweet time.

Thank you, Brooks from the very bottom of my heart (and Austin's). We love you dearly and are so very very thankful for your generosity in hosting us!