Glimpses of North Carolina

 Glimpses of North Carolina

      Earlier in February, Larry and I traveled to a few places in our neighboring state, and also visited our son and daughter and their families.  Here are glimpses of our trip, beginning with the photo above taken on the grounds of the Graylyn Estate in Winston Salem.  The heavy circular piece was once the grinding stone in a grain mill.  My feet represent the famous saying by Lao Tzu, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Now, THAT'S a camel!!  This is Gaylord, the bronze mascot camel at Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC. He's trying to get away, but I'm holding him back with a hand to his flank.  Bet you didn't know I was that strong.

Here, we have an even more massively large creature -- this time a sauropod dinosaur at the Raleigh Science Museum.  He's trying to get away while my grandkids Marisa and Landon are gripping the dino's leg to hold him still for the picture.  The poor fellow has a boo-boo on his hip and he wasn't too happy about that!  Sadly, we couldn't find a band-aid large enough to cover his wound.

I made myself part of this mural on Fayetteville Street in downtown Asheboro, joining the lawyer walking out of his office.  Then, there's the southern gentleman at the foot of the steps, admiring a sweet little baby girl.  He's probably running for mayor and trying to get another vote from the mother.  I was born in Asheboro, but I don't think I'll be able to vote for you, Mr. Mayor-Wannabe.

Stop that train, Larry!!  Whew!!  So glad the conductor spotted him and stopped the engine.  There was no track up ahead and the train would have been in dire straits - not to mention the dangerous predicament in which Larry placed himself on the tracks.  Thankfully, where we were going we didn't need rails.

You've probably never seen one of these before.  In fact, this is the only Shell Oil clamshell station left in the United States (or probably, the world).  This abandoned shell-shaped petrol pump station was built in 1930.  It proudly stands on the corner of Sprague and Peach Streets in Winston-Salem.

This is the beautiful stone mansion called Graylyn Estates in Winston-Salem where we spent the night of our wedding anniversary.  I was so excited to stay in what was like a castle to me!  

This handsome statue stands on the grounds of the historic State Capitol in Raleigh.  I suppose these three presidents are highlighted in bronze because they were born in North Carolina.  Polk was born at Little Sugar Loaf Creek, while Johnson was born right where he sits in bronze - in Raleigh.  Jackson, however was born in Waxhaw on the border between the two Carolinas and it's unsure whether he made his entry into the world north or south of the state line.  Hmm...is Jackson to be an official tar heel, or rather to seem to be one?  I guess we'll never know the answer to that burning question.  

I was surprised to learn that the phrase, "To be rather than to seem," is the North Carolina state motto - and has been since way back in 1893.  Here, the phrase is displayed in both English and Latin in the shop window of a clothing store.  The store is in the historic temple for the Order of the Odd Fellows (ca 1924), in downtown Raleigh.

And why would this store include the motto in Latin?  I'm so glad you asked.  The quote was taken from Marcus Tullius Cicero's essay, "On Friendship," written in 44 B.C.  Cicero was a Roman statesman, and considered to be a great orator and philosopher - thus the Latin translation.

This phrase reminds me of Shakespeare's famous line from Hamlet, "To be or not to be, that is the question."  It also reminds me of what we need to be - rather than what we may seem to be.  The Apostle Paul wrote that "God our Savior...desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth," 1 Timothy 2:4.  When it comes to the assurance of salvation, how much better it is to be rather than to seem to be.

To be, or not to be -- that is the question.