215 Sunset Hills Road

Roughly 73 miles, an hour and a half's drive separates 1009 McKnight Street from 215 Sunset Hills Road, my grandparent's address.

As a child I spent a week or more every summer at my grandparent's home to make up for lost time during the school year. I lived across the street from my dad's parents so I saw them a lot more often than I did my mom's. Me, being the independent child that I was would go and stay for a week or more every summer at my grandparents. I was the only grandchild out of 4 who didn't get homesick and would actually stay with them. I have many fond memories from those summer visit.

Today we gathered at my grandparent's home to celebrate Father's Day. Upon arrival, as always, I took a stroll across my grandparents yard reminicing some of those sweet summers...



This is the infamous hill. Mom recalls childhood stories of sledding down it in the winters. I recall walking and riding bikes down it in the summer time.



Paw Paw's garden. As a child I remember the back row of the garden, adjacent to the corn was a row of the tallest and prettiest sun-flowers you've every seen. Those sun-flowers aren't there but everything else sure is. The garden has always been one of Paw Paw's pride and joy. When I was little I loved for Maw Maw to sleep with me. I can remember waking up most mornings to an empty bed, most of the time Maw Maw could be found in the garden. She liked to pick the garden early in the morning before the sun made temperatures and humidity unbearable. I can remember picking "messes" of beans and then sitting under the carport shelter stringing and breaking beans.



Dad and Paw Paw taking a stroll through the yard. Paw Paw always has a lot to show off.




Paw Paw showing dad his grapes. He has several grape planters. Grape of choice is muscadine- a sweet tasting grape used for a variety of things.



You see that bird house? Paw Paw has built many a bird house in his wood-shop through the years. I remember running over the yard peeking in birdhouses and chasing fireflies.



Paw Paw's woodshop. He's built anything from banana holders, birdhouses, lazy susans to swings. He spent many an hour piddling in his workshop.



Paw-Paw's storage shop. Several years ago Paw Paw started working at the recycling center in Southern Pines. This is where people come to get rid of "junk" they don't want. Paw Paw never fails to find something worth bringing home. As the saying goes, "one mans junk, another man's treasure". He's brought vacuum cleaners, fans, books to shoes home. He's accumulated so much that he bought this storage shop. He loves fixing things up and sharing them with others.



Another summer favorite was going fishing with Paw Paw at the lake or beach in his little boat. This is the "cleaning set up" where Paw Paw cleaned many of fish for fish frys.



This is the living room. I remember one summer sitting and watching Fried Green Tomatoes and then asking Maw Maw to make me some. Priceless memories. I also remember following in my Aunt Myra's footsteps and playing beauty shop in here- Maw Maw and Paw Paw my patrons. Paw Paw would also come in in the afternoons to "cool off" and stretch out in the recliner for his 30 minute naps. Anytime Maw Maw would sit down it was only a matter of minutes before she was fast asleep.



For a short time I took piano lessons as a child and around the same time Maw Maw took lessons. We spent countless afternoons on the piano bench pecking away childhood ballads.



Many wonderful meals and sweet conversations have been shared around this table.




Maw Maw doing what she does best! I love love love her homecoming. As Kelley told her "MiMi you're a good corn cooker!" My favorite thing she cooks is her biscuits and gravy, always a staple. She likes to recall my squash story. Maw Maw Dancy always fried squash for me. One summer I told Maw Maw Butler I wanted some squash. She went in the kitchen and fixed me, all she knew, stewed squash. I shook my head and told her I would not eat that! "That's not squash". She had to get on the phone and call my Maw Maw Dancy for her fried squash recipe.



A full plate of sweet goodness! Fried chicken, london broil with potatoes and onions, greenbeans, creamed corn, brocoli casserole, gravy and biscuits...



I had to take this picture for proof. Everyone says I "pick" when I eat. Tyler "I've never seen you clean your plate!" Well I did it!



Grady found him a spot to stretch out nearby the dinner table. Look at his feet!





Paw Paw in his metal detecting hobby has collected thousands of coins over the years. He got Paw Paw a coin collecting book for Father's Day- here the boys are pricing some of his silver coins.