Summerton from my Window

Normally, the first day we are at a new place, we drive around a bit to see what is there.  Since we were here so late and it was dark, we had to wait until yesterday to do our meet and greet with Summerton.  This time I grabbed my camera so I could shoot some pictures from the truck window while we drove around.

I've noticed some common themes about small towns.  And I'm pretty sure since living on the road, my children will never be able to have the same idyllic view of our country that they would have been allowed otherwise.  Actually, none of us will.  Because as much as I say these things I'll share are common, there is also an element of "can't be captured and labeled" in each place we'll visit.  Like the Disco Club we saw in the middle of nowhere yesterday.  Disco???  Really????  Those parts would take a lifetime and far too much bandwidth for me to capture by myself, so I'll stick to what is easier to put pictures and words around for today.

Here are the common themes that I have noticed.  There are always some parts that are lovely:

Some not so lovely:

Some parts where time stood still:

Some parts where time marches forward. (I did not snap any of these places today).  There is always some evidence of religion:

Patriotism:

and Education:

All of these are interesting.  I enjoy them as we see them.  Nothing compares to my favorite category of all though.  It is the What the ?????? category.  It's the things that have me wanting to stop the truck, climb out and ask the story behind it.  For example:

There has to be a story behind this sign, which was placed in someone's yard.  Where there were no apparent businesses around.  I'm still trying to figure out the secret message.  Which is most definitely proof that the message was not to me.

This really has me thinking though.  If I still lived in a house, I'd want one of these in my front yard too.  I could leave messages for Nathan and the kids.  Like "Did you remember the milk?"  Because if they didn't remember the milk, they could turn around right then and there and go back to the store and get it.  Rather than go through our typical process that happens if they make it inside without milk, which is far less pleasant for both of us.

Or I could put my current mood on there, like one would the temperature.  That could be really useful to my family.  I could even send messages to my neighbors that way.  Like "Listening to you practice drums is not nearly as fun as you think" or "If I wanted a fertilized lawn, I'd get my own dog" or "Yes, those were my PJ's" or "It was probably my child".   We could keep score of the current Scrabble leader on there (usually me).  Or Monopoly (usually Nathan).  Or Guitar Hero (usually the boys-ok ALWAYS the boys). 

This could provide hours of endless fun for me.  So I'm confused why the owners of this fine equipment are using it in such a boring way.  If you decide to put it in your yard, shouldn't you then use it to its fullest advantage?  I might have to drive back down there today to find out what is going on there.

Oh and if you are scared after reading all of this.....if Diana were with me, we'd probably already be down there asking.  And no, I'm not joking.  At all.

Living the life in South Carolina.