Memorial Day drive

After breakfast burritos, we set out to see new things. I get it from my Dad- the desire to not be on the interstate. The back roads have more to see and friendlier people.

First stop was http://www.deercreekgunshop.net/index.html to get information on build kits for match lock pistols and rifles for our Elizabethan Trayed Band recreation. These guys have a large Civil War re-enactor clientele, with all the black powder supplies they need. Since that means percussions cap, Pat Rabun advised us to explore The National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association website http://www.nmlra.org/index.asp. I found myself admiring the craftsmanship of the filigree work of the trigger plates and the carving of the stocks.

While on Fairground, I spied an estate sale sign. At the end of a dead end, we were greeted by a 3 month old guard dog named Daisy who’s preferred plan of attack was looking up at you and asking “Why are you not petting me?” and you just had to, so you wouldn’t break her little puppy heart. Once we made it past Daisy, we met Clay and Eric McNeil of Certified Asset Removal and Liquidations http://certifiedliquidations.com/About_Us.html
The unusually big house and ware house were peppered with furniture, books, and renovation supplies. This was the first of their big shop sale and they hope to make a regular thing of it.

Back on the road north- We pealed off onto Old Highway 41 just after Kennesaw University. Hooters was hosting a “Mud for Blood” event. Georgia Bounty Runners http://www.gbr4wd.com/ were running a blood drive while showing off their off road mud running vehicles tricked out to the extreme. Arin’s favorite was red, with a black exterior roll cage, 5 point harnesses in the bucket seats- and pink knitting on the floor boards.

Every week, we pass a shop on South Main Street in Kennesaw. We finally stopped and visited Holly Jones at The Painted Butterfly http://www.thepaintedbutterflykennesaw.com/ . Her huge collection of colorful folk art is watched over by Sylvester – a loving Hemmingway Cat. With careful reading of the painted quote plaques in the gallery, you can find a few from Holly herself. One room has wonderful hand knitted Christmas stockings.

Turning right again, we stayed on Old 41 to see where it went.At the intersection of Old 41 and Hwy 293, we saw the sign for The Dixie Highway http://dixiehighway.org/dixie-history/ and we just had to turn. The drive was beautiful curvy green. We didn’t see very many cars until we got to Acworth. I had been to Acworth a couple years ago for an architectural restoration workshop. It was lunchtime, so our first stop was Henry’s Louisiana Grill http://www.chefhenrys.com/henrys/index.html . The back of the menu told a story about Henry learning to make “the best cornbread in the world” from his Nanny. And yes he did! It’s sweet, thick, cake like consistency, and bits of peppers mixed in. Jesus would have more followers if Henry’s cornbread were the bread of life. We ate crawfish etoufee’ and seafood po’boys with battered fries. I wasn’t that full even after the all you could eat buffet. We needed a walk around. Randy Shaw at Bars and Pubs LLC http://www.barspub.com/ had custom made the skylight in The Oak Barrel wine shop where Cookie Thorpe knows her stuff. She also consigns bottle art by Bonny and James Tillman from the Vino- Eco Candle company http://vinoecocandles.com/ We spent the majority of our time in the Acworth Bookstore and Library in Southern Expressions http://www.acworthbookstore.com/ We sipped coffee browsing the shelves. Arin found a wonderful repro copy of an Ames Sword Company catalog http://www.amessword.com/ in the Military History section.

Back on the Dixie Highway, we tried to find the Etowah Indian Burial Grounds, but the signage was poor. Instead, we found an 1800’s cemetery that shared a parking lot with an elementary school. The town of Emerson is so pretty. Families adopted the highway in front of their own homes. Eventually, the Dixie Highway fed us to Cartersville. Arin caught sight of the City Hall dome through the busier 4 lane. When you want to go downtown, turn on Main Street. The list of shops we stopped in is huge- Psycho Sisters, Blue Sky Outfitters, Pawn and Shop, and so many more I can’t remember. Spring Place Pottery sells local artists’ work including Dry Creek Naturals http://www.drycreeknaturals.blogspot.com/ raw and hand dyed wools from her very own goats. Tina said she will let a few folks come out to her farm in Taylorsville to help and learn.

For the ride home more than 6 hours later, we ended up heading south on Highway 5. through Holly Springs, Woodstock, Canton, and Marietta. It is strange that on a Memorial Day weekend, Marietta was the only town with flags on display for our Honored Dead. Kind of odd-

Homesickness

I remember being amazed at how big the sky was my first night in the deep south. The stars seemed further apart, though jut as many. I noticed everything of that type and found it interesting how the northern and the southern ends on the country were so vastly different parts of the same body. After all this time, these new traits are how it is.
I am homesick- maybe for the place, maybe for the wild eyed child I was in my hometown, but I am homesick.
I miss the angle of the sunrise on the first day of spring.
I miss forsythia and lilacs, Lily of the Valley.
I miss the echos of voices and water in the gorges and the blackness of the deep lakes in the height of summer.
I miss the sounds and shots over the cornfields as summer turns to fall, like a calling to the end of the season.
I miss the scent of hickory and oak leaves crushed under my feet in autumn.
I miss the smell of snow and eerie brightness of a full moon reflecting off fresh snow drifts.