Monthly Archives: September 2013

Fun with friends at the orchard

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In a post below Pat talked about our issues with picking apples in summer weather, and it’s true that even after spending almost 16 years in North Carolina, we have hard time adjusting to its fall timelines. In Michigan, apple season is in the height of the autumn— October. It’s crisp temps, crunchy leaves; a sweaters and hoodies, hot cider and donuts kind of thing.

Well, as a guy at the NC DMV so kindly pointed out ages ago while I was attempting to pass my written driving test for the third time, “Missy, you are not in Michigan any more.”

For real. Who picks apples in late August/early September? People who live in the Carolinas.

We headed up to our favorite spot — SkyTop Orchard near Flat Rock, NC. We’ve been going nearly every year since Vivian was in a stroller. This year, we brought along our friends the Lucas family for their first visit.

We spent the tank-top warm afternoon climbing trees (which is frowned upon at the orchard — Breakin’ the law! Breakin’ the law!), filling bushels with Honeycrisp apples, enjoying a picnic lunch and eating freshly made donuts.

We followed that fun up with a ridiculously delish impromptu dinner at Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge in Shelby. Neither family had been before. I’m not sure if it was all the hard work we put in apple picking or what, but that was some of the best NC-style ’cue we’ve had in a while.

Apparently so good, no one (including myself) could stop long enough to snap a pic of the kitschy-cool interior: knotty pine walls and turquoise vinyl booths.

Oh, and the banana pudding? Insane.

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The Carowinds Experience

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Pat and I were spoiled by our proximity to Cedar Point when it comes to amusement parks. We didn’t realize this, of course, until we took our first trip to Carowinds on the NC/SC border as new Charlotteans.

Expecting Magnum-like coaster amazingness, we were instead met with a Wayne’s World themed area featuring “The Hurler” and other equally lackluster rides. It was like Boblo with a vaguely Southern theme.

I was busted for my Northernness within minutes of stepping foot inside the park for calling Coke “pop.”

So, we hadn’t been back since until this summer (some 15 years later — no lie — how have we been in NC that long?).

But all Nathan and Vivian could talk about longingly for the past few summers was this magical place their luckier friends had visited, rife with hair-raising rides and a water park. Certainly we couldn’t be talking about the same Carowinds.

I begrudgingly dropped the mean mom act and got a few discounted day passes. My friend La and her boys Evan and Alexander joined us for a summer’s end marathon Carowinds session (including Boomerang Bay, the water park) in late August.

I haveto  say, even though we spent nine, yes NINE, hours at the park and it rained off and on, it was fun. The kids had a blast.

So much so that when other friends mentioned they were getting family season passes for 2014, The Sutherland family did so, too.

We took advantage of one last park day in October as newly minted season-pass holders (and took Nani with us for good measure).

We’ll be BFFs with Carowinds in 2014 for sure. I admit, I am looking forward to it right now, but check back with me in July.

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