To paraphrase an old saying, "When the boys are away, the
girl will...pick a new destination to explore, grab her camera, hop in
the car, and...go play". So for this year's Friday Field Trip:
Thanksgiving Edition, I selected Fayetteville, NC. According to
my extensive research--um..."5 seconds of Googling"--the town would
be hosting A Dickens Holiday, with the historic area blocked off to
vehicle traffic to allow craft booths, horse-drawn carriage rides, strolling
Victorian-costumed characters, and period-themed street performers. Throw in a
nearby nature center where I'd be able to enjoy the fabulous
Fall weather and scenery, and it began to add up to my kinda gig.
Thus, armed with the aforementioned photographic equipment, and a
handful of healthy snacks (which later on would turn out to be utterly lifesaving,
as you'll see) I hit the road for the 75-ish mile, almost-due-south jaunt. I
had my heart set on stopping somewhere in the first couple of minutes to obtain
some of that restorative elixir known as Peppermint Mocha, from the
magical realm of...the Celestial Stags (Get it? Star...bucks?
Sorry, I couldn't resist...I'm cracking myself up, here...) but alas, this was
not meant to be.
You see, I'd forgotten one very crucial fact: once you leave the
protective circle of Chapel Hill, there are vast, wild swaths of North Carolina
that contain...a whole lotta NOTHING. In case you don't believe me,
or think I'm exaggerating (plasters on her most innocent
expression: Moi? Perish the thought!), how's this
for evidence: apparently, folks in the rural regions must be
satisfied picking up their java from...gas stations! (I KNOW, right?
Shudder! Also, I might be a bigger coffee snob than I
previously admitted. Eh, I'm comfortable with that...)
Other than that little hiccup, it was a peaceful,
scenic--albeit super-flat--drive through acres of pine trees and a couple of
small 'burbs along the way, breaking up the monotony. My first stop was
the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, which--even this late in the year--offered
an oasis of brilliant colors along its tranquil, winding paths. With an
abundance of Autumn foliage bravely clinging to the bushes and
trees...strategically placed overlooks for viewing the lazy Cape Fear
River...adorable gazebos tucked into forest nooks, patiently waiting to be
stumbled upon and admired...and a delightfully reflective pond in the middle of
all the flora and fauna....it provided several hours of soul-satisfying
communing with the Great Outdoors.
Then it was time to rejoin civilization, and see how Fayetteville
was decked out for its throwback reimagining of the Yuletide season. The first
thing I encountered after pulling into my "Free All Day" parking spot
along a side street (Score!) instantly set the tone for my excursion: one of
the advertised carriages, decked out for the holiday, loaded with
visitors, and pulled by an enormous workhorse. Okay, I'm in the proper
mood--let's do this! I wandered into the fray and was struck
first by the juxtaposition of the old and new elements on display. The stores
and restaurants that line the street were open for business as usual, for
example...but while you stood window shopping, Bob Cratchit and Tiny
Tim might just pass by, amiably waving to the crowd and posing for
pictures at tourists' requests.
Smartly dressed police officers occasionally blew their
silver whistles to clear the road when the intrepid riders on towering,
3-wheeled bicycles needed to pass. Or you might hear a loud clanking and
moaning, and turn to see the ghost of Jacob Marley stalking
down the sidewalk. When I needed a short respite from the exhausting business
of popping in and out of boutiques and floating from one booth of unique
handmade items to the next, I stopped to listen to the choral or instrumental
groups, who set a festive mood while filling the air with the lilting strains
of traditional carols. 
It was altogether entertaining and charming, and I ambled up and
down the main drag for several hours before finally making the one very
important choice of the day: which ornament to purchase for
the Team WestEnders Christmas tree. By this time I was approaching the
dangerous red zone of "famished: feed immediately or risk unpleasant
consequences"; however, there weren't really any viable food options for
me at this shindig, unfortunately. That's where the protein bar I'd packed that
morning came in handy--allowing me to stave off the worst of the
low-blood-sugar effects for a while longer. At that point, though, I'd also
been walking around for hours and hours, and while I'd originally planned to
stick around for the candlelight parade at 5, I reversed course and opted to
start the commute back home.
Besides, my celebratory 19th-century interlude had infused me with
the proper inspiration to continue the spirit at my own house. I mean, since
it was the day after Thanksgiving, I could now follow the
example my mother set for me all those years ago--by cranking up the holiday
tunes, and unpacking ALL the Christmas decorations to
merrily deck the halls. Fa la la la la, la la la la...y'all!
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