Out & about & duck butts

We're already halfway into the first month of a new year...can you believe it?  We've had a couple of "weather events" since Christmas, but still plucking along.  I went back home to visit Mom & Grandma & ended up staying a couple of weeks.  I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have such a wonderful & loving family, small as it is.  I was able to chauffeur Mom & Grandma to Pizza Inn for the buffet on Wednesday night & have to say that I haven't eaten dinner that early since we went there over Thanksgiving.  I loved how everyone "spoke" (that means a head nod or brief wave in Southern terminology) when they walked into the restaurant whether they knew us or not.  I loved the amount of "ribbing" the men would give each other with the familiarity that only comes when you've known each other for decades.  

I grew up in a small Southern village.  Even though I spent most of my growing up years in Ohio, I'm still a Southern girl.  We moved to Ohio with my Mom's second husband, who soon adopted me, but my summers were spent with my Grandparents in the same house that they moved into a few years after they married.  We moved back to NC the summer before my senior year in high school & lived in a house that was about 100 yards from the house I lived in as a baby.  The house is also just around the corner from Grandma & Granddaddy's (in the South, it's pronounced Grenddiddy).  :)

I wanted to show you a little of my home.  It encompasses areas miles from my little village, but is still so familiar to me.  I took a little drive while I was home for Thanksgiving & I'm going to share what I saw & why I love it so.

I took the drive across the bridge to Edenton, a small town located on the Albemarle Sound.

This is the main drag in Edenton.  The brick sidewalks lead into the little shops that line the tiny two block strip.  This is one of the few existing downtown areas that is still bustling with everything from a movie theater, to a coffee shop, office supply & even a hardware store where one can purchase anything from crab pots to a new TV to plumbing supplies.  Byrum Hardware is connected to the gift shop which is connected to the little craft shop.  While I was in there (right after Thanksgiving) one of the ladies on the craft side was steadily making bows while taking calls for people wanting even more bows.  This is the kind of town where one can just call & order  bows, or floral arrangements & pay when you get there, no deposit necessary.

The main drag leads to the waterfront area, which is right behind where I was standing to take the downtown photo.  There's a nice concrete pier to stroll on while you can take a look around at the homes adorning the bay.

The little brick building on the right side of the picture is the police station.  While I was there, several working men pulled up in their trucks to enjoy lunch on the waterfront.

I walked to the other side of the park to the lighthouse that has been relocated & now being renovated.  This originally stood in Plymouth, NC, but was moved here via barge as it's reminiscent of the old lighthouses that used to reside on the banks of the rivers & sound.

 Once they complete the interior renovations the lighthouse will be situated over the water, but will have to wait until funds are available.

I looked around & saw this charming restaurant.  I'm gonna have to check this place out because I'm so curious at to what is at the end of that little shady path, but it'll have to wait until another time......I have other lunch plans & must not keep my fellow lunchers waiting.

One last look at some of the cannons on the waterfront before I move on.

I head out of town to get a hot dog at The Tastee Freeze.  No signs of my lunch guests as I headed inside to place my order, but I knew they'd show up & meet me at the concrete table beside the canal.

I settle down to enjoy my hot dog & onion rings when I see my guests arriving.

These little ducks have raw honesty.  They ain't playas trying to make you believe that they're there for anything other than the food.  They remain by the shoreline until they hear the paper crumple, signifying the end of my meal.  They waddle up with full expectation of getting paid for their appearance.  Once they finish their lunch, it's nothing but duck butts for you!!

This is across the street from The Freeze where you can travel via boat for your Sunday ice cream.  The larger body of water beyond the little canal is a small bay leading to the Albemarle Sound.

Not a bad place for noshing on a hot dog, huh?

Still headed out of town I stop by one of the marinas to look at the purdy boats.

Last stop before crossing the bridge to get on "my" side of the river. I stop to take a look at the old bridge turned fishing pier.  Most of the draw bridge was taken down when the new high rise bridge was built, but they left a section on the Edenton side, next to the boat ramp, for fishing & just looking around.

The wooden bridge branches out from a little cabin housing bathrooms & a little resting area to the actual bridge.  Little ramps were built along the length of the bridge to elevate wheel chairs for easier fishing or just....looking. This is a shot of the boat ramps area & the cypress trees stretching towards the sun.

I had to check out the new boat ramps, after "speaking" to another workers taking lunch by the water side (can't be rude to a stranger).  There used to just be one little ramp here with a pier than was a bit worn, now it's nice & fresh at only a few years old.

Driving under the new bridge takes me to a somewhat newly developed area.  What used to be...well, I'm not sure exactly what used to be there, I think it was a boat company.  Anyway, it's now home to a beautiful restaurant, Mac's Back Door Oyster Bar & Grill & Wharf Landing, a condo & private marina.  Mac's had the restaurant festooned for Christmas.

Mac's also offers dockside service so you can call ahead & they'll bring your meal to you dockside so you don't have to worry about getting your land legs back.

In the background is Wharf Landing.  A very nice community of condos, but I had to show you the fueling up station, properly garnished & ready for the holidays.  My gas station doesn't have the pretty picket fence.  I decided to spare you the pump out station, but I can assure you that it's a very pretty place for doing what you do in such a place.

That's my little field trip for now.  I know this is an absurdly loooong post & bless you if you've made it this far.  I just wanted you to see a little bit of home for me.  I know I live in Durham & I do love Durham, but there's no place like home.

The end.

Hope y'all have a glorious weekend.