Dates: June 6-August 7, 2022
Summer Base Camp
Remember Allie the Realtor from my Tybee Island stop? I'm setting up shop at her house in Pickens, SC for the summer. I have several excursions planned, but this will be my main stay.
Her house is the gathering place. Friends are always popping by. It’s warm and happy. I’m getting so much work done by day and enjoying evenings with friends. It’s the best kind of roommate situation. We take turns cooking dinner and eat on the patio every night. I always have someone to happy hour with too!
Her screened in patio is the perfect place to weather a storm. It rains frequently here.
We got creative with dinners. Kevin, her neighbor (same guy from Tybee) introduced us to sour grass. I'm not sure what part of the lawn he found it on but it's edible and tastes similar to Sour Patch candy.
The Nightlife
For a small town, they do have some options for those so inclined.
Friday night we started out playing penny poker on the patio. And then heard The Appalachian Ale House had a band. I’m not one to turn down live music!
Big Eyes Parker’s lead singer needs a YouTube channel. He said it’s coming… I spotted a harmonic and spoons on the stage. I go gaga over harmonics and fiddles. Spoons are now a highlight for me as well.
When they took requests I asked them to play something with the harmonic and spoons. He told me to grab the spoons and help them out! In case you’re not familiar, spoons aren't played like maracas. 😆 You have to slap them against your leg. Or hand. Or neighbor's head. Uh err not the last one.
Save the Water Tower
The water tower. It’s a small town horizon staple. Songs are written about them so you know they’re cool. Sadly, poor Ol’ Pickens water tower has to come down. Something about safety issues. It hasn’t been in use for years. Maybe decades. And one strong wind could topple it over. And so this could be one of the final pics of this beautiful icon. I hope they can salvage and repurpose some of it.
Coyote Coffee Cafe
By mid-summer, the baristas knew who I was. Their Chai latte is my local addiction. The mix is Big Train Chai from Amazon of all places. Remind me to order some. The coffee shop is currently in an old bank building on main. A new location is coming soon down the street so they can add a drive through. It's worth a stop for breakfast if you're ever in this part of the country.
Manual Labor
Being behind a screen all day does get old. Sometimes you just need to sweat. Thankfully Allie has a wild vine-y bush at her front door begging for attention. I'd say it's a job well done!
View From Above
My room was an apartment above the patio. One wall is all windows with this view! I stared out at the flowers every morning dreaming about the future and trying to focus on the current moment.
If I didn't leave my perch quick enough in the morning, Annie would come make sure I was up and at 'em.
By the end of summer this happened. Yep, that's me taking a nap with a cat on my stomach and dog at my feet. Who am I?!
I though this was cool. A flower caught in a spider web hanging across the balcony. Spider webs are freakishly strong.
Slick Marketing by the Local Tire Shop
Hiking A Roadside Trail
When spending the better part of a summer with someone, you tend to put off ALL the fun things. We managed to squeeze in one waterfall hike toward the end. South Carolina has umpteen (yes, that's a real number) waterfalls of all sizes! Allie's mom, Beth, joined us for this one!
Beth has a knack for finding unique things. These are the most random ice cream flavors I've ever seen! The hot honey is the only one I'd try again.
Greenville Drive Baseball
Allie and I met up with my marketing friend Kevin Luten for a baseball game one night. Our front row seats had a great view of the batter, but that's about it. One of the stadium attendants saw our struggle to see and moved us up higher. The stadium is actually pretty nice for a minor team! Big Joe was a fan favorite and hit the winning home run ball.
Kevin pointed out that he'd seen my neon tank top before and maybe it's time to add to my wardrobe. A guy calling me out on this hits home. (haha)
Jocassee Lake
This might be the prettiest lake I've ever been on. Very few houses leave the scenery natural and green (for a man-made lake).
There are all kinds of waterfalls a coves to discover! I jumped OFF the pontoon boat, swam over to a big cliff, and climbed UP to get the best view of this waterfall.
The legend of jumping off rock and the lake's namesake: Jocassee, a Cherokee princess fell in love with a man from a rival tribe. Her very own brother killed him! She then jumped off this rock to be with her beloved in eternity. Tragic for such a beautiful place.
Meet My Biz Friend
Lindsey Beckworth is a copywriter I met several years ago. She does a phenomenal job of taking something complicated and making sense of it in plain English. If you need anything written, I'd be happy to make an introduction!
The Church
Holy Cross Catholic Church. It's a small town parish where everyone knows each other. The priest is friendly and gave us a run down of the artwork. They have a 3D last supper displayed at the front of the alter and these two custom pieces of art depicting the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Around the 4th of July, they swapped out the regular American Flag for the original with 13 stars. Remember where we came from!
Here’s to saving small towns,
Megan “Save the Water Tower” Giles
Placeholder for a fun shirt design to commemorate the trip.
コメント