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Fireflies (lightning bugs) in a jar! |
As Bree & I are making our way through the Midwest,
looking out at the amber waves of grain (miles and miles of corn)- we got to
talking. At this point, we’ve covered 29 states, close to 10,000 miles, and
seen a whole bunch in-between. From purple mountain majesties to spacious skies
and from sea to shining sea, we’ve had an amazing time taking in this beautiful
country. As every day takes us closer and closer to home, and further away (physically at least...) from
the experiences and people we’ve had along the way, there are a few things we
are going to miss in the Southeast region (outside of our friends/family we’ve
been blessed to spend time with, of course).
First and foremost, lightning
bugs. Something about them just seems so magical and happy. Kind of like that
feeling you get when you see a dolphin jumping out of the water. Or a shooting
star. They are nature’s nocturnal faeries, and we were graced by their presence
all the way up through West Virginia. Love you lightning bugs, keep on shining!
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Only found in high-end establishments |
Another
magical treat, that sadly we can’t seem to find anywhere anymore, are glorious,
mouth-watering boiled peanuts! They are a 7-11/gas-station delicacy, found only
in the Southeast. There’s nothing like fishing through a crock-pot of hot spicy
broth to find a cups worth of perfectly soft, boiled peanuts. Mmm-mmm-good.
Something
else that us Northern California girls loved about the East Coast was the
ability to actually swim in the ocean. The temperatures are perfect to just
jump right in and frolic about in the waves, without getting hypothermia. So
nice. Bree & I have both always been more partial to fresh water swimming
(as anyone who grew up near the Yuba River would understand), but we had a
great time in the sand ‘n surf of North & South Carolina, even if my eyes
were stinging half the time from the salt. Totally worth it.
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Shackleford Banks Island, North Carolina |
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Kure Beach, North Carolina |
Those
are definitely the top things we shall miss from our time in the Southeast…but
some other honorable mentions are: east coast oysters, chick-a-filet, sweet tea
(even though it’s sickeningly sweet. Half sweet/half unsweetened is the way to
go), southern terms of hospitality (sweetheart, darlin’, thank ya’ kindly,
etc.) and hush puppies. Peace out Southeast, see y’all next time.
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Hush-puppies & sweet-tea! |
I am glad to see you enjoyed the South!! What a wonderful trip you had!
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