I had a couple hours to spare on my way to Virginia so I detoured to Occaneechee State Park. Situated on the northeast bank of Buggs Island Lake (formed by the John H. Kerr Dam in 1952), the park preserves over 400 years of human history.

At the time of first contact with Europeans in 1650, the Occoneechi* tribe had a thriving village on the bank of the Roanoke River. Sadly, as happened with many of the native populations, it did not end well for them.

Fast forward to 1839 when William Townes established his 3,100-acre Occoneechee Plantation. The acreage was dispersed between his relatives and some of his slaves after his death in 1876. In 1968, the state leased 2,690 acres from the Army Corps of Engineers to form the park.

Other than a few trucks and trailers down at the boat ramp, I didn’t see any people while I explored. But I wasn’t alone, I met a few interesting residents, the most colorful by far was the American Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus). Appropriately enough, juveniles are often referred to as Blue-tailed Skinks.

It was a relaxing place to stretch my legs, speaking of legs…

*There were various spellings of the tribe’s name historically.

Taking advantage of a slow work week, I drove north to visit some friends in North Carolina and Virginia. My first stop (after a bit of tire trouble) was in the Raleigh-Durham area.

Hector and I spent the morning wandering the lovely Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University. Not only did I enjoy the beautiful flowers and numerous water features but the slightly lower temperatures were much appreciated as well.

In the evening we went the other direction and strolled through the state capital. The statue of Sir Walter Raleigh, looking quite smug all decked out in finery, seems befitting for the titular city but it’s worth remembering that the English statesman never even visited North America.

Raleigh is also known as the “City of Oaks”, which explains why they drop a massive acorn as part of their New Year’s Eve celebrations. While I enjoyed touring the downtown area, and sipping delicious craft-brewed beer, my favorite part was learning about the ever-humble Tucker, the Oak City Kitty.

When I purchased my Kia Niro last year the only thing that dismayed me was the lack of a spare tire. I realize it is standard operating procedure with new vehicles these days (I heard it was an effort by the manufacturers to reduce weigh to help them meet the higher fuel efficiency standards) but it bothered me.

As you know, I do a lot of driving and am prone to long, meandering road trips so I did not feel comfortable with the idea of being stranded in the middle of nowhere with a measly can of air. Especially since I prefer the road less traveled, which often means there’s no cell phone service (the modern day equivalent of up a creek without a paddle).

So, shortly after buying my car a friend helped me research and find a spare tire that would fit (the tiny donut available through the dealer wouldn’t have been compatible with my “sport” edition).

Of course, the larger tire wouldn’t fit in the pre-molded space in the back of the car but I didn’t let that stop me. I took everything out, did some creative cutting and rearranging to make it fit. It was a bit of a project and I know some people were frustrated by my determination to make it work.

Fast forward to this weekend. While driving through South Carolina on I-95 (on my way north to visit friends) I had my first dreaded blowout in this car. A can of air wouldn’t do me any good in that situation!

Thankfully, my spare tire enabled me to continue safely to my friend’s house (albeit at a bit slower speed). And even allowed me to get to Discount Tire this morning where I’m currently waiting for two new tires to be installed (I always buy at least in pairs but the other tires still have some life left).

Had I not been so insistent, my car would probably still be stranded along the interstate or I would’ve had a huge towing bill or a ruined weekend while trying to cart a tire back and forth. Instead, I enjoyed a lovely visit with my friend here in Raleigh and within the hour I will be on my way to see friends in Virginia.

The peace of mind that will travel with me? Priceless!

I’m not big on bumper stickers myself but I admit that I found these quite humorous. I’d like to thank these drivers, they certainly made my commute more enjoyable!

Suffice it to say I’ve see more than my fair share of beach art over my years of coastal wanderings. The sweet simplicity of this design makes it one of my favorite discoveries.

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Bok Tower Gardens over in Lake Wales. Wawa, an East Coast gas station/convenience store chain, sponsored several free admission days at this historic landmark this summer. I was fortunate to grab a ticket.

The 14-acre property that encompasses the top of Iron Mountain was purchased by Edward Bok in 1922. He became enamored with the area while staying at his winter residence in Mountain Lake, the nearby gated community.

In keeping with Bok’s “gospel of beauty”, he hired Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to transform the native shrub land into lush gardens, multiple ponds, and meandering pathways.

The central feature of the park, the Singing Tower, was Bok’s idea in homage to his childhood home in the Netherlands. Sparing no expense, it is one of the largest carillons in the world. The heaviest of the 60 bells weighs 22,400 pounds, while the smallest weighs a mere 16.

It’s a testament to Bok’s prestige (as former editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal) that none other than President Calvin Coolidge spoke at the opening ceremony on 02/01/1929. It was estimated that 75,000 people attempted to attend the event, completely overwhelming the tiny community of Lake Wales. According to reports, cafes ran out of food and gas stations ran out of fuel.

Perhaps that’s why Wawa sponsors these free days at the Gardens?