It’s the second weekend in October and the population of Mount Airy, North Carolina has probably tripled for the annual Autumn Leaves Festival. It’s the 52nd year. This is the weekend the scents of apple butter, country ham, homemade donuts, and funnel cakes all drift together and fill the air with the most amazing aroma. Today it even feels like autumn, too. Just perfect for meandering through the crowd with no particular direction in mind. I’m not normally a crowd person, but I love Autumn Leaves Festival.
Groups of musicians are strategically placed along the whole of Main Street, offering many reasons to stop and enjoy the old time bluegrass coming from the strings played by masters young and old. I’m certain today I saw a bass larger than me!
I love Mount Airy. I love the feel of connectedness of the small town. I love the downtown shops along Main Street, I love the architecture of the historic homes business buildings. I love the fact I can take it all in within a couple of hours from home and be back in time to sleep in my own bed.
Today, I loved the drive home.
There’s this spot, where Highway 52 meets Highway 40, and it’s not like a normal cloverleaf on ramp. It’s a fast lane change into a blind curve and a prayer there aren’t any big trucks coming, because there’s only about a second to merge into oncoming traffic. I like to drive, but this spot is quite the challenge.
This evening, my husband was driving, so I was watching the sunset, and happened to spot a sundog rainbow as we approached the cloverleaf.
I rolled my window down and took a few snapshots as we made the turn into the curve. The thing is, when I’m snapping pictures outside with my phone, I’m never really sure how it’s going to turn out. Especially pictures from a moving car.
I was hoping for a clear shot of the little sundog rainbow, low in the west. What I got was so much more.
Southbound geese, a sundog rainbow, and the Saturday sunset. The perfect peaceful scene to end a festive day. It made me smile.
Like the geese, I was leaving too. I won’t need to go as far south as these birds. Most of my “flock” is relatively close, physically or in my heart. For that fact and those people, I am so grateful.
Until next year, Autumn Leaves Festivities. Well done, Saturday.
Kelly's keyboard 