A Country Afternoon

Riding through the North Carolina countryside plastered with a cornucopia of yellows, reds, neon oranges, burgundies, and every shade in between were the smells and sights of onions, new mown lawns, majestic oak trees, farmers on their John Deers, and men working smiling as we passed.  We also saw old women with their grandchildren rocking on front porches, it seemed each little town we rambled through was advertising their BBQ fundraiser; the Millingport Fire Department, St. James Reformed Presbyterian Church of Mt. Pleasant, and the Bazaars of other Churches along the way.  Stopping in to the BBQ dinner of the Presbyterian Church we had a picnic in their little playground along with the yellow jackets, bumble bees, and Tiffany the pastor's golden retriever.  

My husband taught Rebekah our twelve year old to play tether ball right next to the picnic table.  I just sat and watched the yellow lab across the street as he kept sticking his nose in the air catching a whiff of the chicken and beans.  The leaves were cascading from their homes that they have had since spring, landing all around me and every time a leaf would come close it was as if  little drops of peace were filling my soul.  The sun was striking every leaf as it fell surging life into it, but even as it fell, it once again was hitting the earth where it would then go back to nourishing the same tree from whence it came.  

On the corner in the ball fields, the town had come out to watch the children as they played soccer.  The parents were walking back and forth between the fields little ones in tow, some also stringing along a prancing puppy or two.  Ken had beaten Rebekah in tether ball and had also broken the ball off of the the rope.  He did manage to fix it, but it was then time to mosey on back to our house.  

We had gone out to the little area between Millingport and Mt. Pleasant to an antique dealer.  I was like a kid in a candy store.  This man had acres of rod iron, black rod iron furniture, collectibles, furniture piled to the ceiling in each of his barns, old wooden windows, and doors.  We ended up buying an old well bucket, rod iron hook (that Ken thought was totally cool), an old wooden bowl, and a little stool.  Next time I go, I want to get one of the copper buckets that were just sitting around in the weather.  This time I was pushing it with the wooden bowl!  Just to see the things that Mr. Cline has was an education in itself.  The hook was the kind of hook that they used to take the cast iron lids off of the iron stoves.  We saw old signs used to point the way to the negro only beaches (I had never seen one of those in my life time and I really don't know why you would want one), an old, old jack hammer that I pictured on some NY City street project long, long ago.  We understand that Mr. Clines is the place the restaurants get their decorations from.  All I have to say, is that they would have to do a lot of work on anything they bought there after being acquired from Clines Antiques!  Oh, we also saw a seven foot sign with Oliver Oil on it!  My wish list is growing.  

Every once in a while God graciously gives us relaxing days with (at least partial family) looking at His creation, feeling His breezes, and basking in the laid back countryside.  Today, I felt sorry for all the people who live in big cities.  

Thanking Him for the day..................Lynn