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When I was growing up in hot, humid Florida, we would vacation up in the Mountains of North Carolina. We would rent these one bedroom cabins near a small lake. No air conditioning. No phones. No TV. No connection to the outside world.
We rarely ventured away from the little cabins. We were content with nothing. My parents would sit lake-side and read or play card games. I was young, so I ran around catching tadpoles, fishing, and exploring. Yet one thing we always did during the trip was go on a picnic.
Just inside the Pisgah National Forest are some tables and grills that sit river-side. We would pack up a bunch of snacks, food and drinks. Grab our swim trunks and water sheos. We would set up at the same spot with same table every time. We would tube and swim in the ice-cold water while we waited for the food. I would collect rocks and name them.( I still have some of those rocks) We would pick raspberries and run from yellow jackets. Dad would grill. My grandfather would nap. It was a blast.
Many years later we moved up to North Carolina and could picnic whenever we wanted. The excitement of a picnic started to fade.
However, every so often we still go. The same people. The same spot. The same exact basket. We use the same flat rocks we collected many years ago for the hot beans. We drink from the same plastic cups and eat at the same exact table.
This fourth of July we all piled in the cars, drove down to the river and did just that.
It was a blast.
How was your weekend?
-tim
ahh! that sounds so nice! I wish I went away this long weekend. Even for a picnic.
This post just screams SUMMERTIME to me. Being in the woods with nothing to do but play as a kid, adults hanging out around picnic tables. I’ve been on the hunt for somewhere near us with water like in your picture – shallow and rocky for the little ones to explore – and this just made me even more excited to find just the right spot. Happy Summer!
this sounds amazing Tim, I love the feeling of your photos
oh, tim. you should write more. this is excellent…the photos, your voice. i’m going to come back and read this a few more times, i’m sure.
xo.
this one’s especially good, t.
camping is the best way to spend the 4th. beautiful shots.
Wow this place looks beautiful! And it’s great that you’ve kept up this tradition throughout the years! Love these photos (and your writing was well!).
I stayed with a friend at her parents’ cabin. We took the dogs for walks every morning, and watched flying squirrels attack the bird feeders at night. I learned how to make a mojito and ate we ate bacon with practically every meal.
It was delightful.
oh man, you’re making me feel it. escapes like this are the best.
so much goodness here, tim.
You are good sir. These are good and so is escaping to the woods.
Nice Tim. Nice! Can I be an honorary member of your family. I’m great at picnics!
honestly…i thought that first rock was a chicken and was surprised you would put meat on the ground…
hahahaha…wow. i might be hungry.
you have mad skills time and i showed you off to my roommate this weekend
and by time i mean tim, duh
Thanks Claire! ( Come back to NC!)
missed you in town this past weekend, but it seems like you had a great trip
glad you had a good 4th!!!
What a beautiful moving post, Tim. Thank you for sharing a part of you. What a beautiful day and photos.
and I second Tara Thayer’s comment.
Your 4th looks like it was heaven! And I love your story about picnics and camping!
your weekends sound so lovely and you recreating them for the holiday is so perfect.
your pictures bring me such peace!
thank you!
What a nice weekend you had. I like to read what you wrote. This all sounds very cozy and familiar. And I really like your photos.
what a gorgeous post, and the photos are just divine!
These photos are something else – magazine quality.
what a wonderful way to spend a weekend. and living in hot humid weather as i am now, a trip to some shady carolina mountains sounds like heaven.
your photos are so beautiful. i love how you see your world around you.
I LOVE these. How do you get such perfect white balance in the forest? I feel like my forest pictures never look right.
That is so cool. How fun to get to re-live a favorite thing about your childhood!
A picnic by a stream is what I most wanted when I was just there but it was just way too hot. It is also one of my most favorite things to do. But I don’t get to often! Miss you….
Great job & photos Tim! But then everything you do is great!! Very proud of you & happy to call you my nephew!! xox
please pardon my language but jesus h. christ these are good, tim! like… seriously amazing.
my weekend was good, but it definitely wasn’t as good as this sounds.
I just knew this was NC. Beautiful work!