AYDEN AREA (PITT COUNTY, NC) (Mark)

Cheri spent two intensive days comparing sewing machines for quilting, which left me time to roam around the 14th most populous county in North Carolina.

The town of Ayden, population about 5,000, is located in Pitt County.  We have already done another blog post set in Ayden, but I did have plenty of time to find new things.

In an alley very near  Quilt Lizzy, the shop Cheri spent her time in, was this wall art.  Sammy Pierce was an amazing man with a colorful life during and after WWII; it is worth taking the time to read his obituary.

On the opposite side of the alley I saw a little texture:

George Washington was determined to visit all of the states after his election, to try and give the country a sense of community and common ground.  As we travel around North Carolina, I enjoy seeing where our paths cross his 1791 Southern Tour.

As I was walking about two blocks from the quilt shop, I saw this.  I guess if you get a good deal on a used hearse this is one thing you could do with it:

The temperature was about 80°, with a pleasant breeze.  I was walking from one shady spot to the next, and I almost missed the miniature decorations:

At the Ayden Fire Department, one of the trucks they were not currently washing was parked in its bay.  I love playing with reflections in windows, and this was one of the results:

Nothing is very far away in downtown Ayden; this mural is literally just around the corner:

I love the texture and the color of this mailbox.  Someone took some time to get the effect just right.

Right across from Fryday Nite Fish - where we had lunch seated on picnic tables in the front yard - were these murals.  These have been painted since we were here last year.