Song of the South

Tallahassee was great.  I love it up there and realized it had been over two years since my last visit.  Far too long.  After this weekend, I’m 100% sure I am destined to live in a commune.  The buzz of a full house is just addicting.  When I got home, the quiet of a house with just me and my dog was odd.  I love the chaos of lots of people living in the same house. 

Some highlights….

Where else can you find dog/cat repellant?

I found these on the kitchen table.  The smell could possibly be toxic.  My grandma said that gin soaked raisins help circulation.  I’m pretty sure she made that up.

My grandparents own a ton of land and grow lots of fun things including the best kumquats I’ve ever tasted.  Sorry, Granddad for eating the rest of them.

These camellias were beautiful, I don’t think they had really bloomed yet but I cut them for the kitchen table anyway, they reminded me of ranunculus.

The house my dad grew up in….

85 years young, however, people live to 100 regularly in our family.  Good genes. 

My aunt perfected the potato salad.

My grandfather built this apartment on top of his work shed for his family to stay when they visited.  He is amazing.

My grandfather said he saw an animal in the field across from the house.  These kinds of things are very exciting in these parts so everyone needed to see it.

After a big southern-y lunch we headed to the woods for a family hike which included timber yards, stocked fishing ponds, hunting perches (?), ticks, barn exploring, and of course, laughter. 

My dad and I went for a run one morning.  Holy hills Batman.  The sunrise was lovely though, and I needed to run.  Obviously, my aunts’ honey bun cake and homemade dinner rolls were the reason why Bob Harper’s plan took a backseat this weekend.  Oui vey.  I probably should have run 14 miles but Dad and I stuck with 4 hilly beautiful miles through rustic homesteads and farms.

I've no idea why this bathroom towel is here.  Our family's name is "Mahaffey" and not one person's name starts with a "T". 

I can’t wait to get back this summer and pick all of the blueberries before my aunts get there.  They love arriving to bushes that have been picked clean. 

While I was consuming salt for two glorious days (oh the salt I consumed....I think my feet are swollen), I asked my parents to stop for some boiled peanuts.  Boiled peanuts should come from places that look like this.