Sunglasses Always Fit

So last week, I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to get in my car and drive. I went to Hanging Rock park, because I had always wanted to hike it. It was very pretty, but what is a “moderate” hike in good weather is “why did I think this was a cool idea” when the snow has started to melt and made an icy mess of life. Literally hiking in snow, uphill both ways. But the view was cool and I just love rocks and hiking.

Then I went to Asheville, which would have been much more fun to explore with a friend because there was a lot of cool food and beer to behold. I DID love having a hotel room to myself. Two beds = one for all my stuff, then take all the pillows and make a fort for myself on the other bed. Ideal situation. I went to the Biltmore in the morning, which was incredible, even without all the normal flowers and things. It was reeeeally pricy, but I got the audio guide for free. This place made Downton Abbey look like a stable. And because it was off season, I had a lot of space to explore on my own. I love old cool houses with neat history. I sent pictures to my friends and convinced them it was haunted.

Then I went to Kentucky. I had such an awesome time in this state. I had always wanted to go, and knowing I was leaving North Carolina motivated me to get a trip together. I went up to the northern most part of the state, getting to meet a blogging friend, actually, who lives right at the intersection of Indiana, Ohio and KY! I was so pumped to mark off those two places on my state list. We had an awesome time and it was so cool to meet her, if only for a short time. Then I went to Paint Lick, KY, to meet my friend Megan, who I actually hadn’t seen in probably 12 years! It was super cool to reconnect and hear about all the cool stuff God is doing in her life.

She lives on a huge farm with her husband and child. They raise cattle, have hovercrafts and quads, grow soybeans. Riding a hovercraft was surreal. I felt like I was Luke Skywalker. It was awesome. We went to an Amish store, a hippie agriculture college, a dairy, made our own butter, she made her own bread. We ate meat that they had raised. Their neighbors raise bees and sheep and make gypsy wagons in their spare time. At one point, we had to take the long way around something because the road had been washed out by the creek.

I LOVED wearing boots everywhere, getting muddy, walking out to the chicken coop at night with a pistol in case there was a possum to shoot. i loved fresh air, and a house heated by wood so everything smelled like camping. And a million stars at night, and nothing convenient around for miles. I barely had cell service and I didn’t miss it at all.

I think the pictures are awesome, even though my friends said I was there at the ugliest time of the year. It only makes me want to go back!