Hallo Netherlands!
I see that I consistently get almost as many blog views in the Netherlands as in the U.S. I love the Netherlands, but only know 4 people there. What gives? Who is watching?
Please comment on how you found the blog.
And whether or not I can bring my family to stay with you on a vacation sometime soon.
Here's a quick finish to our beautiful day last week. According to the mini-goals for Take a Trip Tuesday, we had to follow the Burlington prime directive: always eat well. I also wanted to check out a local place (not a chain!) and eat somewhere with a wide variety on their menu to suit the tastes of everyone in our group. Pete's Family Restaurant fit my criteria perfectly. You know you have found a local hot spot when it is packed at lunch time and everybody turns around and looks when you walk in: they could tell we weren't from town. We ate well.
Before disclosing our final stop on Take a Trip Tuesday, I must mention one of the pitfalls of following your nose adventures: unplanned bumps in the road. Thankfully, we did not encounter any car issues, but when we reached Korner's Folly, in Kernersville, NC, it was CLOSED. One cannot see Korner's Folly, a multi-level, architecturally eclectic mansion, on a Tuesday. Ever. Just Wednesday through Saturday. That is NOT clear on their website, because I checked. Of course.
However, the exterior grounds are quite lovely, of especial interest was the fancy brick outhouse (not pictured)!
The tile floor on the porch
Water pump
I wish I knew why this part of the porch was called the Witches Corner.
A perfectly sunlit magnolia eased by disappointment. Until the next adventure!
First stop on Take a Trip Tuesday: Mrs. Hanes Moravian Cookies in Clemmons, NC. This company has been making their signature thin and crispy cookies BY HAND since 1960. In Clemmons, NC. And they offer tours for the lovely price of $3 per person. Do you see how beautifully this place fit into all of my mini-goals (see Day 25)? When you take a tour you get to sample all six flavors of their cookies: Ginger, Sugar, Chocolate, Lemon, Butterscotch and Black Walnut. But even before you begin the tour you are immersed in a sea of sweet spicy gingery cookie aroma. It beckons to visitors from outside and intensifies in the modest lobby. The warm welcome of the ladies who work there matches the genuine nature of cookie making at Mrs. Hanes. They guard their recipes carefully, but I can guess a few of the cookie ingredients: molasses, ginger, cinnamon, kindness, sugar and the deep satisfaction of working with one's hands in a peaceful environment.
Tins full of cookie love.
Esther looks on as a woman rolls out the cookie dough.
On the tour one gets to meet Big Bertha- capable of mixing 700 lbs of cookie dough.
We were all fascinated by the beautiful design of this wood stove. It is much like Mrs. Hanes' mother used to bake her cookies. You see, she was looking for a way to make some extra money during Christmastime. She started baking extra for friends and neighbors. In a few years, her cookies were in high demand.
Now the business bakes 10 million cookies every year.
Each worker has a station that is specially suited to her height. By working with a custom made table, workers can roll and cut cookies comfortably all day.
The Take a Trip Tuesday Crew
Our tour was by far the highlight of our day. Go visit Mrs. Hanes Cookies! But don't go at Christmastime, the place will be overrun with elves.
In the effort to promote family harmony and parental sanity in the Burlington universe this summer, I set a goal. Not the goal of 100 days following my nose, I had already set that goal. Not the goal of giving the kids writing prompts every weekday, that was done. Not the goal of exercising 4x/week, also already a goal. No, I decided to add one more goal to the list: to take 3 separate field trips in the great state of North Carolina with my children and some of their friends. I have a 13 year old son y'all. Nothing I can do will be remotely cool or fun without some of his friends along. It's all about hanging with friends now. Welcome to Life Chapter Number 15-B, a.k.a. I Am An Embarrassment To My Offspring By Virtue of the Fact That I am Alive.
But, surely I could circumvent the humiliation of my own children if I involve their friends in any activity at which I was present. In the process of such an endeavor, I could avenge the injustice of thousands of years of children who have disowned their parents. Furthermore, I might reverse the rotation of the earth (with Superman's help?), go back in time, and not gain that last 10 pounds. Think of the possibilities! With the motivation of rewriting my own body history, it was time to narrow my goals with mini-goals. Mini-goal A- to spend the majority of one day in the presence of my children and some of their friends. Mini-goal B- to drive to unexplored/weird/educational destinations in North Carolina, no farther than 90 minutes away from our home. Mini-goal C- to spend $20 or less per person. Mini-goal D- to somehow raise my standing in the esteem of my children by cementing good summer memories in their minds. Mini-goal E- (A Burlington prerequisite to any activity) to eat delicious food along the way.
By yesterday I had the whole plan in place. Offspring: check. Friends of offspring: check. Destinations: check. Directions: check. Snacks: check. Another responsible adult: check. And we were off! Details tomorrow.
If you are alive and you live on Planet Earth, you use Google. If you use Google, you saw the birthday doodle yesterday in honor of Lotte Reiniger's 117th birthday. Esther saw it. She watched the doodle while we were at the library. In the great spirit of following your nose, a.k.a. curiosity, she decided to dig deeper.
It turns out that Ms. Reiniger hand cut shadow puppets to portray stories in film. Her work is one of the earliest forms of film animation. Did you hear me? She HAND CUT the paper shapes. With her hands. And scissors. If that isn't crafty, I don't know what is. Also, laser cutting and digital animation were not invented yet.
Ms. Reiniger using her hands.
While still sitting at the library, Esther and I watched one of her puppet shadow films, Aschenputtel (Cinderella.) The scene below is not from that film. I just liked it so I added it to the blog.
But you can watch the entire Cinderella film here. Don't miss the lovely light fixtures and check out the the detail on the ends of the hour and minute hands of the ominous clock. Thank you Lotte!
Another Tuesday evening rolled around. Another Choir School rehearsal for Robert and Esther. Another couple of hours in Uptown. I love Uptown Charlotte, but I was fresh out of ideas. This time Rob saved the day! He suggested going to the library, to read. Yes, how elemantal. How simple. Yes, I would go and read. At the library. But thankfully, it wasn't that simple.
https://www.cmlibrary.org/idea-box
I have spent many a winter evening at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Main Libraray, in Uptown. But I had never stumbled upon THIS.
3-D printers made this stuff!
The Main Library has added a maker space/artist studio/creative hotspot that is open for everyone. It is equipped with sewing machines, 3-D printers, a weaving loom, craft books, a laser cutter, and really helpful library volunteers. Behold, IdeaBox. What's a compulsively creative girl to do?
I wandered, I read, I chatted and I explored.
At the advice of one volunteer I started exploring the Thingiverse . Here anyone can browse "digital designs for physical objects." I found a design that resonated with me. Actually, it resonated with me because it completely suited a friend. I could make something for her and give it to her as a surcee. See Blog Day 20 for reference.
A volunteer loaded it on a flash drive, changed the filament in the 3-D printer to red, my color of choice and boom- we were off!
The mighty mighty Makerbot.
Weaving anyone?
The studio is calling to me.
Laser cutter.
Loom.
Of course I dragged the kids there after rehearsal. They were actually impressed. Here, Esther hangs outside the library with her homie.
Voila- Mayan lotus pendant, made by a machine.
Above, time lapse video of the pendant being made!!!
Yesterday my nose was in cahoots with my daughter's ears. I knew that Esther and CC were (close to) ready for ear piercing, but we didn't plan it. After lunch with our friend Mary Virginia, we decided to walk around the block to the iconic ear piercing mecca, Claire's at Birkdale Village.
Claire's pierced my ears back in 1983 at the Westroads Mall in Omaha.
33 years later, Claire's is still making little holes in little ears.
I don't remember my mom filling in paper work. I don't remember a real diamond and 14k gold stud option either. But I can remember our phone number- 333-2914. Cuz we had to dial it. With our little fingers. Each time. But I digress.
Of the two, CC was most ready. She volunteered to go first.
Esther was nervous. But she didn't cry. Or throw up.
The bear has pierced ears so she understands your fears.
They do both ears at once now. 1-2-3 done!
Not crying or throwing up.
Post surgical clean up.
Done.
Very quickly the adrenaline build up turned into girlish giddy glee. They didn't stop talking for 12 hours.
I also remember Steve Van Buren's phone number, by the way- 334-1379.
