Family Visit August 2025
We met Cheryl and her son, Matthew, last Thursday, August 7th, at the Charlotte airport. Cheryl is our sister-in-law, married to Rick, Ron’s brother, who passed away. We came straight back to our house so everyone could settle in and relax. In our recent upgrades, we worked to complete our back patio so we could relax and enjoy it throughout the rest of the summer. It came in handy since we all navigated that way and spent much of our time out there in the mornings, evenings, and sometimes in the late afternoons.
The following day, after a leisurely breakfast, we took Cheryl and Matthew to Blowing Rock, a small touristy town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We knew Cheryl would love the quaint village, and she did. Our first stop was pretty much the same as when we recently visited Blowing Rock with our neighbor, Barbara. We stopped at the Wild Birds Galore & More, and once again, we oohed and aahed our way once downstairs with the lights out to better show off their solar yard stakes and hangers. The place glows, and you feel like you stepped into a fairy garden!
This time, we bought two more solar-powered yard stakes, one of the cutest shovels with flowers, and a hot air balloon hanger that is awesome! I have a feeling our yard might become full of these lovelies each time we take family and friends to Blowing Rock! Ha!
We stopped by several stores, including the Spice & Tea Exchange, Sunset & Vine Wine, and Barks & Co. We ate a late lunch at the Blowing Rock Brewery, sitting on the patio, enjoying a reprieve in the weather, which included, gasp, a hint of sunlight that broke through the cloud layer!
Our last stop before leaving the area was, once again, The Blowing Rock, North Carolina’s oldest travel attraction. I discuss it further in this blog post, which you may find interesting.
On Saturday afternoon, we drove around Conover and Hickory to further introduce them to our neck of the woods – literally. After a brief tour, we stopped at the Old Hickory Tap Room to enjoy appetizers and a drink. We didn’t want to ruin our appetite because we planned to grill steaks for dinner.
After dinner, the guys went to the local races at the Hickory Motor Speedway, while Cheryl and I caught up on life over a glass of wine.
On Sunday, we drove to Mt. Airy (also known as Mayberry) and enjoyed our time there, shopping and having a late lunch. One stop at the Mayberry Trading Post (sorry, they don’t have a website), and we both lightened our wallets a bit with goodies we couldn’t pass up! I bought a cute turkey made from tin that caught my attention, a sweet guest bedroom sign I plan to hang very soon, and a doormat with inserts for various seasons and holidays. I couldn’t pass that up!
I also stopped by the Keswick Candle Shop, and I indulged in a reed diffuser that smells so amazing! I decided on the Day at the Spa – I love it! The last time I was here, I picked up a goat-based lotion that was delightful! And I should mention that we gravitated to Opie’s Candy Store, which has a wide selection of old-fashioned candy.
After touring the Whittling Wall, Brick People, that is AMAZING! These brick sculptures stretch across a downtown block in the rolling hills of Surry County, paying homage to a few of the everyday people who built America’s favorite small town. If you visit Mayberry, be sure to stop by these sculptures!
We ate lunch at Angry Troll Brewing Company for a quick lunch and a refreshing beverage. On our way out of town, we stopped by the Andy Griffith Museum and spent some time there, enjoying the relics and displays, which reminded us of Andy Griffith’s talent.
Our time together was too short, but packed with fun, with promises to visit again in the future. I look forward to our next visit…
