The Southern Sassafras: July 2012

Whats in a name? Or a wrong turn?

Kind of random but we were heading up to North Carolina for memorial day weekend to visit family and went to Tryon to have dinner with them on the way. We completely missed our exit and wandered through the most switch back roads you've ever been on. I mean nausea inducing. These roads took us through the steep Appalachian mountains of Saluda and wandering by the Green River which is famous for its trout. So needless to say, it was a blessing we missed our exit because now Nate & I know where we want to plan a little vacay in the near future. We love discovering small town america and going for short visits. We did finally make it to Tryon and had a delightful little dinner at Sidestreet Pizza & Pasta http://www.sidestpizza.com , not bad for being in the middle of nowhere, and it was a packed house too.

So back to my point of this posting. While meandering back out to the highway we notice a sign (the one pictured above), wow, out of nowhere....such a suprise....here on a randomly traveled road we spot Nate's ancestors final resting place or the place he died. Nate's middle name is Lanier, his cousins middle name is Lanier, his other cousins name is Sidney Lanier (a she)...it seems his whole families middle name is Lanier, out of thier great pride and association to this poet who lies deep in thier geneology. So cool. We swerve around head back to the location and take a few pictures. We already knew there was a Lake Lanier in South Carolina, there is a street called Lanier in our new neighborhood, but low and behold a historic site in Tryon, NC, on a road we may have never traveled, if it hadn't been for the wrong turn. P.S This man looks just like my husband! Kind of.

Sidney Lanier

A Song Of The Future.

Sail fast, sail fast,
Ark of my hopes, Ark of my dreams;
Sweep lordly o'er the drowned Past,
Fly glittering through the sun's strange beams;
Sail fast, sail fast.
Breaths of new buds from off some drying lea
With news about the Future scent the sea:
My brain is beating like the heart of Haste:
I'll loose me a bird upon this Present waste;
Go, trembling song,
And stay not long; oh, stay not long:
Thou'rt only a gray and sober dove,
But thine eye is faith and thy wing is love.

Final Home of Sidney Lanier
Some random road in Tryon.

River Trout

One thing that Nate has been loving since we moved here is, the rivers! There are 3 the Saluda, the Congaree & the Broad which all run right through Columbia, connecting us to the upstate and all the way to the coast. When Nate has free time you can find him in his study tying flys, or loading up the subaru with his fishing gear, a cooler full of ice with the kayak strapped onto the roof heading out to any of the above rivers. I do believe the Saluda is his favorite, and where he has caught most of his trout. The Broad river is full of catfish and we see many locals catching some gargantuan ones...but Nate has yet to go the catfish route, though I do believe he has a hankering to, and a friend who is ready to get out there and show him the ropes. We've been eating the trout which is delicous, but Im ready to give some southern fired catfish a try too. I think what is exciting for Nate is having found this new love of fly fishing. Getting to know the rivers, the types of flys the fish are going for and inventing new fly tyes that mimic the environment....it is a really cool science and Im learning a lot from him. We know plenty of people who pull in lots of fish on standard reels.....but I think there is something deeper and more rewarding about fly fishing as you are connecting with every aspect of the sport; the environment, the fish, the equipment. It is all a beautiful song and dance and right up Nates ally. One of these days I think I'll give it a shot, but for now I'll just put on some sunscreen, my swimsuit, bring a towel and lie by the river watching my husband work his magic. Oh and I'll defnitely be going for a swim too!

Trout ready to be fileted, tossed in flour and fried up in a pan!

We bought a house y'all, way down in Dixie!

It's official Nate & I are southern home owners. Yay! Our new address is 300 S. Ott, in Columbia, SC. We got ourselves the cutest little house for a steal. And the house is adorable. Its a 2 story 3br/2ba southern style Mill home, which we plan on adding an even more southern covered porch too, when the means are available. The house is located in the Rosewood neighborhood which is a great residential area with charming southern homes, great parks, home to City Roots Local Organic city run farm, a slew of restaurants, shops and a wonderful community feel. We are just so excited to find a place we can call home, fill with our energy and creativity and of course host family and friends for holidays, parties, delicous home cookin', you name it. SO welcome home everybody, check out our new digs. We'll have our calender ready to schedule your next visit to our new hometown!