Return to Cheraw

I had never seen a Fox Squirrel before. I don't even like squirrels. Tree rats they

call them here, for all the damage they do, but I had to be intrigued by the little masked fellow that greeted us at the entrance to Cheraw State Park. This picture comes from the Internet as I was not quick enough with the camera. But he sat just like this atop the gatepost as we turned in. A friend from the Central Carolina Paddlers had joined me for a paddle trip this past weekend but it soon became a wildlife adventure starting with this little guy and his many cousins skittering through the park.

I posted about the park last October when the paddle club chose Cheraw for their annual club camp out. The lake is exquisitely beautiful ending in a cypress swamp, but cypress trees dot the shoreline and Pat caught this picture in the early morning calm near our campsite.

The ranger station, where we checked in is across the lake from the camping area. The swimming area and a golf course are on the side with the ranger station. Apparently the Fox Squirrels prefer to associate with the golfers, we never saw them on the camp side of the lake. When we settled into our campsite, we were beset with their obnoxious cousins, the Gray Squirrels, pushy critters who immediately assumed we were there to feed them. We spent a good deal of time discouraging them before they left us alone. When Pat inadvertently left a wrapped granola bar in her kayak after we beached, she returned to find squirrels close enough to step on but no sign of granola bar or wrapper.

The lake held other delights as well.

 A bridge and boardwalk connected us to the other side of the lake, a comfortable walk despite the heat. All manner of things were in bloom including laurel and delicate purple water iris. We had hoped to see pitcher plants when we paddled among the cypress trees but the water level was too high. Just across town, the Greater Pee Dee River was 6 to 8 feet above flood stage. There was no flooding near us, but this normally quiet lake had a definite current and we could hear a roar from the spillway back at camp.

Because of the heat, we paddled in the early morning, then again at dusk. On our first day trip to the swamp we desturbed an osprey who cried out and tried to lure us away from a large nest atop a cypress tree.

On an evening paddle, we followed an otter, swimming and diving for his supper. We saw ducks and geese. We saw very few humans on the water, this despite good weather and a very full golf course.

Cheraw's moniker is that it is "the

prettiest town in the South" and it may be. We decided to explore the historic district one afternoon and we're not disappointed.  The graveyard of Old St. David's Church contains soldiers from every war since the Revolution. Family plots are so full, graves are being stacked. Everything in the historic district is beautifully maintained. We have a map now and hope to return in cooler weather to explore more.

There is so much to see and do here, on the lake, in the town, and in the wonderful old graveyard, I hope to return in the fall with my nature-loving, history-appreciating children. Like the squirrels, we'll see what else we can find!

Birthday Boy

So my baby turned 23 April 12 (I got a late start...) and we decided to celebrate at Morrow Mountain State Park near Troy, NC.

Ben has just started a new job and hasn't accrued  vacation time, though he did have Good Friday off, but I was hungry for more solitude so I left out Thursday and spent the first night alone. I do believe we incarnate what goes on with us spiritually. When I am making a major life transition, whether I am fully aware of it or not, my dreams will be of buying a trusty vehicle and taking off in it. I have wondered what the purchase of this trailer heralds and I seem to be especially hungry for time alone and time in the woods to figure it out.

External things are certainly happening. I have undertaken some challenging projects at work, my kids are now grown, my parents are both gone, I am exploring retirement--much around me is changing  but the real shifts are internal. Between the campfires, the night noises and the haunting tall pines, I discern three internal shifts underway in my life: the movement from loneliness to solitude; the movement from anger to forgiveness; and the movement from grief to joy. Clearly I need this time away and alone to nurture and explore them and while I was delighted to share the weekend with Ben and his friend, Sydney, I was glad they had other appointments, too.

While waiting for Ben to arrive Friday, I decided to take a short hike

around the top of Morrow Mountain. You can drive to the summt--to a nice picnic area atop the mountain and an extensive parking area with turnaround. There is also a one mile loop trail with spectacular views. I have been nursing an enraged Achilles tendon but with a sturdy walking stick, I enjoyed the views and the laurel. When Ben did arrive, we explored the countryside by car. Catherine Bishir has written 3 books on the historic architecture of each of North Carolina's geographic regions. Our favorite vacation when the kids were young was to explore a new region of the state using a Bishir book as a guide. It was like a treasure hunt. Greg set the destination, I read the map and the kids spied out the windows for the structures we hoped to see. I carry the books with me now in the camper and we used them to good advantage that afternoon.

Sydney, an art major at UNCC, arrived after a long day in the studio. Grill meister Ben served up roasted corn on the cob and burgers. I provided the rest of the meal including cake and ice cream. We ended the day with a bonfire. 

The next morning, Sydney and Ben returned along with my friend, Ruthie who had not kayaked before. Sydney grew up kayaking this area and knew of a hidden waterfall accessible from the State Park boat ramp. The Uwharrie River empties into Lake Tillery just across from the boat ramp so the four of us headed up the river under Sydney's direction. It was a great first trip for Ruthie--lovely scenery and away from the motor boats, and the waterfall was a treat for all of us.

After a leisurely lunch, the kids headed off to a wedding shower, Ruthie set out for Costco, and I looked for other short hikes and discovered the Kron house. Dr. Kron was the region's first trained physician. He was also a remarkable horticulturist, bringing new plants for

food, enjoyment and medicine to the region. His home and greenhouse have been restored for visitors to enjoy. From the sound of it, his horticulture training may have been more useful to his neighbors than his medical skills as he trained at a time when leaches and turpentine were about the best he could offer.

I spent the evening reading and thinking by a last bonfire, grateful for my children and friends, anticipating the next leg of this journey, where ever it may take me.