giantsloth

Those are the directions I traveled in the past few weekends.

East to Manteo, for a free jazz wedding on the island where the First and Lost Colonies were, as well as the Mother Vineyard. After the nuptial festivities, we went up and prowled around the archaeological reconstruction of Fort Raleigh and the Waterside Theater before heading back through the land of cotton to the city of oaks. We never did find the exact spot of the Mother Vineyard, which is on private property but evidently is still visible from the road.

Southeast to a pine tree farm on the Neuse River near Fort Barnwell, to cook some pork shoulders in a Mayan fire pit, to steam oysters and shuck them on the back of a pickup truck with Doug Sahm tunes blaring, to hike around in the woods, to stare up at the stars, and generally to remember why it's good to spend some time outdoors in the middle of nowhere.

South-Southwest to the Carolina Renaissance Festival. Last weekend a big contingent from Maryland was there, including the Pyrates Royale. Good as always to see

terribleturnip,

thatliardiego, and

pyratelady, as well as the Pirate, BeerPam, and all the other fine folks. All of 'em stylish and talented. Of course there wasn't enough time for proper socializing, and we missed Beer Poker, and so on. So it goes.

There are worse ways to spend the weekends, y'know?