GARDENS
The greens are different in North Carolina and spring is softer than Florida. We were in Chapel Hill and Greensboro over the Easter weekend visiting my two sisters and their families. Lots of laughter, plenty of good food, and a chance to wander in several gardens. All the trees had leafed out, but the shade was between the yellow green (lime) of early spring and the robust hunter green of high summer. The azaleas were in full flower, iris too, with only the late variety tulips still hanging on. On our way to Winston-Salem, we stopped in the small town of Kernersville and explored the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Gardens, a small public garden with lots of potential. The visitors’ center is closed on weekends (strange, we thought), but we’d been told there were still tulips in bloom. The first beds we came upon were disappointing, but then on another side of the property were beds and beds of tulips still upright and mostly intact. A pleasing array of color. In Winston-Salem, we wandered around the Reynolda Gardens, on the former estate of R. J. Reynolds. Aside from the trailing wisteria, there was more to see inside the conservatory than outside. I was particularly struck by the bold gerbera daisies.
EATING AND SHOPPING
It was a family tradition for many years that every Hancock Reunion (held in the summertime) included a ham dinner. That was roast ham served with scalloped potatoes, a vegetable such as green beans or corn, and, most likely, a green salad. For dinner with my sisters, their husbands and my niece and her husband one night, it was potluck style. Ham provided by the hosts was the centerpiece (Honey-baked), along with a salad of greens and herbs from one sister’s garden, and a porcini mushroom rice dish from my niece and nephew, followed by brownies and lemon squares for dessert. Times do evolve; the previous generation would not have related to those mushrooms!
In Kernersville after the Ciener garden, we had lunch at a small place called Bistro B. Their claim to fame seems to be specialty wine dinners with a set menu and also a nice selection of tapas. Our lunch was simpler fare, but very satisfying. I had their grilled chicken panini while others enjoyed a classic Reuben and a Cubano sandwich. All were enhanced with beer from their wide range of choices.
Pittsboro is a very small town south of Chapel Hill. Founded in 1787, it’s the county seat for Chatham County. Along with some attractive historic buildings, it boasts a street of arty shops and an old-timey soda shop. It was the S & T Soda Shoppe that drew us back for our third or fourth visit. Re-created to look old fashioned, it has a wooden counter and a series of booths and tables. Menu items are mostly sandwiches and burgers and a host of ice cream flavors. Their tuna melt on sunflower bread is consistently good as are the hot dog and the cheeseburger (my choice). We were there on Good Friday and followed our post working life rule of “always be early.” Arriving at 11:30 we had our choice of booths. Half an hour later, the place was packed with family groups waiting.
After lunch, we did the shops—that is, my sister and I. The men mostly sat on one of the several benches on main street. Several shops include artists’ note cards and other gift items along with painting and sculpture. French Connections is a treasure trove of French fabrics and table linens, statues and art work from Africa, lawn art, and baskets, while Circle City Books Music, ostensibly a used bookstore, had more new books than one would expect. 
I’ve touted this other bookstore in the past, but it’s such a great store, I have to mention it again. It’s McIntyre Books in Fearrington Village (a bit south of Chapel Hill) and it’s a wonderfully well-stocked independent bookseller. We spent a good hour browsing and then, of course, buying! I picked up several paperback novels for myself, a children’s book for my granddaughter as well as several note cards. Simply heaven!
On our last evening in North Carolina, we were back in the Triangle area and enjoyed a lovely dinner at a small French restaurant, Rue Cler, in downtown Durham. We had the place mostly to ourselves and appreciated host Ryan’s warm welcome and friendly, efficient service. The black North Carolina sea bass entrée I had was superb! The fish was sautéed and served on a bed of spinach and capers with roasted potato cubes crusted with grainy mustard. Equally pleasing were the scallops of salmon with béarnaise sauce and the beef. To start, some of us had the house green salad, while others liked the frisee with French fries and the onion soup.
Images: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved)
