You can take the GRITS out of Florida, but you can't take Florida out of the GRITS!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Fun Monday~ Your favorite vacation


RDH Mom is this week's host of Fun Monday. She wants to know about our favorite vacation. "Vacations...this is the time of year when most of us go on vacations. Show us and/or tell us about your favorite vacation - where you went, what you did, etc. Pictures would be great. Let's all take a trip around a the world via our FM friends!!"

I thought about this one a long time. My best vacations were when I was younger, junior high, and my mom and dad and I would drive up to North Carolina to see my aunt and cousins. They lived in this really cool old house and we would actually sleep in the attic! I loved the mountains, the sights and smells...so different from Florida! We would always go visit something, whether it was the Biltmore or just an old graveyard, it was always memorable.

I remember catching fireflies at night and keeping them in a big peanutbutter jar in the house and being amazed at their glow.

I remember pulling honeysuckles off the vine, pinching and pulling gently on them just to get one drop of their sweet nectar.

I remember the icy cold water of Sliding Rock! DAMN that water's COLD!!!

Mostly I remember never having to lock the front door, being able to walk just about anywhere us kids wanted to, and never having our parents worry about us eventhough we were gone all day.

I only have one bad memory of our times in NC, and I just do not want to talk about that now since this is supposed to be FUN Monday.

Wish I had pictures, but I don't. But

Ahhhh..yeah...those were the best vacations I ever had... Thanks for the memories, RDH Mom!

Now go visit everyone else and read what their favorite was!

P.S. I am remiss in mentioning a weekend spent on the west coast of Florida not too long ago with my bestest friend, Lois. I had a terrific time checking out places I'd never been to before, staying in an awesome resort and getting sweaty and cut up and stung by some unidentifiable evilness (we're cachers, ya know!). I want to go back there again one day and bring my family so they can see some of the cool things we saw, and maybe even go over the "rickety-fricken bridge" to Sanibel! Meeting up with Susan and Corky made is extra special, too :)

13 comments:

Hootin Anni said...

Oh, how you brought back some very fond memories of mine today too! Fireflies...they're part of nature's wonder. You had me reminiscing...great job!!

This is really a fun Fun Monday this week, seeing all the stories of all the great vacations!!

Anonymous said...

My dear friend - it is a vacation for me everytime I come to visit you.

Your time in North Carolina brings back memories of my childhood. Thanks for retrospecting your youth with us.

IamwhoIam said...

Funny how as a kid it is the simple things we love and cherish the most, firefly in a jar, sleeping in the attic and just being with family safe and secure.

No post for me this week just enjoy reading others.

kitten said...

What beautiful memories!

Pamela said...

every participant I visit has given me the desire to tag along on their next jaunt.

Yes -- I want to venture across the bridge with you (please no stingers, tho)

maybe you didn't need pictures. I think I got the "picture" just fine!

ChrisB said...

I know what you mean about never having to lock the doors and be out all day. That is exactly what it was like when I was growing up here in the UK. We'd take a picnic and play in the woods and swim in the river~ great fun. But not safe to do these days!

Alison said...

aren't childhood memories just the best...vacations were so much sweeter back then because all we had to do was have fun!! I have never seen a firefly, ever...must put it on my list of things to do!!

Thanks for playing this week!!

Joy T. said...

As a fellow 'cacher' I can definitely relate to the "cut up and stung by some unidentifiable evilness". What we won't do to find the loot :o) Sounds like your childhood vacations were filled with great memories. We still leave our doors unlocked where we are, but I'm sure the time will come where that won't happen anymore.

Anonymous said...

sounds like fond memories, i agree you did not need pictures, just by reading, it brought sweet memories to me

Faye said...

I agree with you about trips to the mountains--nothing better. North Carolina is such beautiful state at any time of the year. Must confess that although I lived in--and appreciated--Florida(Clearwater), my heart was always in my childhood mountains.

Sai Hijara - Ferraris said...

We can make use of our imagination...so it's fine if there are no photos...you're so good at relating things with words anyway... ;)

I'm enjoying my trip to different sites...this is so much fun!

Have a nice week!

Molly said...

My husband and I visited North Carolina last summer and had a wonderful time. But part of the charm your vacations was the old house, sleeping in the attic, seeing aunts and cousins...what fun.

Melanie said...

What a wonderful post! You made me think back to some of my vacations I took when I was younger too.

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