inspiring Friendship dreams

This weekend we were in North Carolina for a funeral and a wedding, in that order. Both were great examples of love and dedication to your spouse. After attending my aunt’s funeral, it only made me appreciate Walter and Judith’s wedding all that much more. I think that the one thing that stood out to me the most throughout the weekend was the time we spent outdoors. When I left, I definitely had not spent enough time in the lush green North Carolina grass. I spent the entire ride home daydreaming about my future vacation home in Friendship.

My parent’s rent house is a pretty simple farm house, originally owned by my dad’s Uncle Rob. I have always wanted to update it. I want to add a large porch extending out to the well. I also want to plant a cutting flower garden out to the side. Plus this is the perfect place to have a nice kitchen for Henry to cook in. I can imagine us having lots of parties and cook-outs there. Most of all, I imagine a lush carpet of grass running through two rows of bountiful peony bushes. I can just see the thick green grass and I can’t wait.

I guess that it is easier for me to imagine redoing this house than any future home that we might live in. I already know what it looks like inside. I am familiar with the landscape. And I can imagine my children not even having to cross the street to visit Grandma. (Don’t get too excited. This is not some kind of passive announcement.)

In downtown DC, I don’t have any access to grass that I would consider laying down in to take a nap or even taking my shoes off to walk in. Who ever knew that grass, trees and flowers would be so important?

While visiting Carrboro and Chapel Hill before the wedding, we went into a lot of our favorite spots in town. One thing that they all had in common was that they looked great, but they also seemed to use simple materials that still show their infrastructure. I don’t care if the ac ducts are showing. That is great. I want to open up the ceiling adding height and skylights. I want it to bright and welcoming.

So these are the spots that really inspired me:
Cafe Driade – I love the outdoor patio and garden gate that leads down into the woods.
Branching Out – Fabulous antiques, flowers and paper products
Open Eye Cafe – another great coffee spot in Carrboro that has recently expanded into what was once Scott’s Rentals
Fifth Season – a great organic garden center that now faces my old apartment on West Carr Street – love the orchids!

You must stop by all of these when you are in the area.