Gone to Carolina, Part III: Glorying in the Non-Political

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I’m writing this on Election Eve in America.

No, scratch that. I’m writing this BECAUSE it’s Election Eve in America. And even though I went back to my home state of NC a couple of weeks ago largely for political reasons, I’m feeling the need tonight to celebrate a bunch of non-political stuff from my time there.

Herewith, in no particular order: WONDERFUL THINGS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

  1. Red leaves in October. We do have fall color, here in Washington State: gold, yellow, and, uh, yellow-gold. Not red.
Maples!
Dogwoods! OK, you get the idea. I miss red.

2. Rolled ice cream. What the heck is rolled ice cream? is what I asked when one of my fellow canvassers in Greenville started raving about it. So I had to find out.

First, they pour your choice of flavored syrup + mix-ins onto a super-cooled surface.
Next they add cream…chop and stir…
…flatten and spread to the width of that circle, and then–voila!–use that spatula to scrape curls…
of ice cream into rolls of yum, with toppings! Didn’t get the proprietors’ names, but I was so impressed with their delicious innovation. Look them up in Greenville, NC!

3. NC-style BBQ. This place in Greenville is such an institution, the road is named after it.

Turns out eastern NC “cue” is about as good as the Triangle’s…

…but those weird-shaped hushpuppies got NOTHING on Allen & Son’s in Pittsboro.

4. My high school buddy Mimi Herman, whose recent novel, The Kudzu Queen, is winning prizes and taking names…including the name of one of my MOST ADMIRED authors, Luis Alberto Urrea, seen here promoting Mimi’s book!

See what I did there? Promoted two of my favorite people at the same time! Buy their books, y’all.

5. My folks, and the ability to keep coming home to them.

‘Nuff said.

Stressed out? Make your own WONDERFUL THINGS list. It sure works for me.

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