a revival: carols, art, and Cabernet Franc.

The Deep South has a whispy nature, an ear of almost whining wind, akin to scratching strings of a worn violin or distressed wail. The sway is gentle.

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Even though we drove through the night, the day beckoned us with promises of carols intertwined with stage. So, sommkid and I made our way to the Thomasville Center for the Arts to view an refreshed version of “A Christmas Carol” by the Red Hills Players.

Built in 1915, the center was originally the first public school in Thomasville, and has been restored to a community art mecca for the bustling town.

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Each room restored with care, the floors squeak in memories of harried children, while the walls reflect beauty and history of the area.

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The harmonies of the young singers were layered with care, the vibrancy of their voices rang with Victorian spirit. Sommkid sat on the edge of her seat, feverishly applauding every chorus.

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We emerged the play refreshed in holiday spirit, de-Scrooged of months past in wallow and decay. Our souls revived.

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As we walked out in a thick mist of evening fog, I promised myself this Christmas would be deep in love and tenderness, full of understanding and patience. I may even pair it with a Domaine Pierre Guindon Coteaux D’Ancenis Cabernet Franc.

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Hailing from vines planted in 1973, this Loire Valley wine is luscious in deep, complex flavors, ripe with dark fruit and a hint of spice. A soft finish to sip by the fire. A perfect end to a slow, Deep South day.

A day for revival. A refresh of our minds, our souls, and our palettes.

No BahHumbugs here. Cheers, y’all.

somm road trip: driving towards a Deep South Christmas.

I can’t remember the last time I took a road trip… it may have been when I moved cross-country over 10 years ago. In fact, I’m pretty positive the sommelier and I have never been in the car together for more than a few hours in a long time; even so, we’ve never driven very far as a family together… ever. Suitably, this holiday we decided to make the 11 hour trek to visit my in-laws in Thomasville, Georgia.

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Truth: we are traveling with a three year old. While sommkid may be well behaved, politely mannered, and gracious, she’s still three. And it’s a mammoth drive. So we opted to leave Houston later into the night, and said goodbye to our beloved city as the lights whizzed by.

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I’ll be honest, it’s dark out there y’all.

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The sommelier and I took turns at the wheel while sommkid slumbered in her seat. There’s a lot to think about when faced with the open road, and luckily, there’s also podcasts.

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(haven’t heard of it? download it now. seriously, like right now.)

When I was 25 I used to drive through Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana on a pretty regular basis. Since it was pitch black, memories were hard to come by. However, there were gems everywhere, including the rest areas in Mississippi, with complimentary coffee and views of NASA spaceships.

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As morning emerged, pellets of rain fell softly into our windshield. Tall, thin trees lined our path to a Deep South Christmas.

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We sighed in relief that sommkid slept almost the entire way; when she awoke, the utter joy expressed with the realization of cousins, jingle bells, and forthcoming hot chocolate was a moment to cherish. Success! We had arrived.

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Cheers, y’all. Safe travels out there this week.

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Linking up with PackMeTo and #SundayTraveler this week. Check out some great travel blogs here.