Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Small Town Snapshots

After spending almost twenty years living on the road as a full time travelin’ gypsy (doing concerts around the country) I have developed an intense appreciation for small town life and small town community.

And so out, out of the abundance of that intense appreciation, I thought I would share with you a few small town snapshots.

Snapshot One

Last week, one of our new neighbors came over with homemade, warm apple dumplings. She said, “Anytime you need to come over and borrow a cup of sugar or something, please feel free!”

There’s even a pathway between our houses (reminiscent of Jan Karon’s writing) where we can just “pop through the hedge” whenever we want to. Popping through the hedge sounds like such fun and ever since reading Karon’s books, I’ve always wanted to try it! (I wonder how many calories hedge popping burns up?)

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Snapshot Two

Yesterday I went through our bank’s drive thru (it’s been around since 1910—the bank, not the drive thru) to make a deposit and to get the five thousand dollars in cash that I spend on clothes every week. (ha) Just as I was finishing my transaction, the branch manager came by the window, waved and said, “Hi, Becky!” He’s a member of our church, sings on our worship team, and his wife teaches Sarah’s Wednesday night class. Nice to live in a small town where I actually know my own bank manager!

Snapshot Three

Monday night Steve and I went saw “Invictus” at the Pioneer Theater. We each paid $5 to get in and bought two bags of popcorn and a box of candy for a whopping total of $3. (The most expensive concession stand item is $1.) The theater has been in existence since 1918 and it’s a wonderfully quaint, down-homey place to spend an evening with ones sweetheart.

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Snapshot Four

Yesterday, I stopped by our small town thrift store (a mere block from our house) where I found a shirt (with the tags still on it!) for a certain small town pastor who I’m acquainted with.

Ain’t it nice? Ain’t he cute? Dontcha love a bargain? (Small town, or otherwise?)

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Snapshot Five

And of course, I’ve already written about the small town school that Sarah just started attending.

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I’ve mentioned that the Resource Officer at her school attends our church; it’s really nice for Sarah to know someone from church at her new place of scholarliness.

However, since I last wrote about him, I’ve been thinking that it may be a good idea to start offering him a $20 bonus every time he uses his Official Resource Officer Persona to run off any young man seen speaking to Sarah. (Or even standing within three feet of her.) Think that might be a good plan? Hmmm . . . something to consider.

Snapshot Six

When Sarah’s friend, Victoria, came for a visit, one of their outings included this trip down to the harbor front area. How “small town lovely” is that?

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Snapshot Seven

And my last snapshot of the day is comprised of this most delightful hair salon, owned by Linda, another member of our church.

Linda cut Sarah’s hair yesterday and I was ever so entranced by the way she’d decorated her shop. (She also did the angel paintings and she makes belts and pocketbooks that she sells. AND she did the decorating of our church for Christmas. Sigh. Ladies like that make me feel just ever so slightly inferior. My only “crafty talent” in life is . . . um . . . is um ---well, it seems that I don’t have any crafty talent. Shall we move along?)

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It's Royalty

Of course, I was especially entranced by this particular customer Linda had in her chair when I took the picture.

The best small town snapshot ever.

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I added this note after posting:

There was just a comment left asking if I was going to show Sarah's hair cut. Actually, it wasn't really a hair cut, per say, just a hair trim. So I'm afraid there's nothing too terribly dramatic to show. (Her hair looks short in the picture because Linda had pinned her hair up in the back while cutting.)

11 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Anonymous said...

What? No picture of Sarah's hair cut???

Marysienka said...

What a lovely town you live in! Coming from a small place myself, I can only agree that they are the best :o) I like to run into people I know where ever I go, or getting a smile or "hello" from a stranger on the street. I certainly don't get that in BigCity! :)

MaryH said...

Oh, my goodness. What a great place to live! God sent you a treasure for a home town and church. I love small towns - I don't exactly live in one but there are similarities to a small town in the "city" I live in. However, there is no OCEAN! After all you have been through to get to Manteo, you deserve every delightful moment of life in that gem of a small town. Enjoy!

Nicole D. said...

Your craftiness is your writing :-)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pics! Wish I went to a salon that looked like that! I love small town living having lived in a village the first 2/3 of my life. Becky, you are extraordinarily talented in writing, music, singing... I've no doubt you are a craftperson.

Guerrina

Anonymous said...

Do you love Jan Caron's books as much as I do? I have read every last one of them, including her cookbook...I haven't cooked anything from it but I have read it from cover to cover..
And in case you haven't read them all, in one of the last Mitford books, they actually pastor a church on the Outer Banks...the town was fictional, but still.... :)
Hope you are having a great week!
Buff
GO COLTS!

Anonymous said...

and I spelled Ms. Karon's name wrong..Duh...I do know better..

Anonymous said...

I am jealous that you get to "pop through the hedge". I have always wanted to do that to after reading her books. Make sure you let us know how that goes.

Anonymous said...

I love the Jan Karon books, hopefully we'll be due for another one soon.
Your town looks so lovely. I always wanted to live in a small town.

Margie M

Lisa L said...

sigh. i would love to live where you live. my greatest wish would be to live in north carolina. my hub was raised in the south and feels he has 'been there, done that.' aaaargh! becky..can i tell you how much i love your blog? it just makes me smile. alot. you and your family have so much fun together.. i wish i could have had that with my guys. (who are all ok, but we had our 'issues' to be sure..) i am also a thrift store addict. thanks for blogging and making my day a little brighter. oh..i saw another church sign today on the way to work: 'this church is prayer-conditioned.'

Anonymous said...

any news on the people who looked at the Smithfield house the other day?