Tuesday, 18 May 2022
I was a late sleeper this morning. Part of the reason was taking a Benadryl last night for itching. I probably needed the sleep anyway since I’ve been getting up around 5 am on this trip.
Stephen had coffee ready for me first thing and then we all sat down to bagels for breakfast. From there, Jimmie and I decided to head to Kernersville to tour the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden and Körners Folly. My GPS routed us through the back roads to Kernersville and we both thought how quickly the trip went even though it was the back roads. We figured it was because we were busy talking and seeing the sights of the area we passed through. Actually, Kernersville is 14 miles west of Greensboro.
This is a really neat, small quintessential southern town. The main street is Main Street. Some of the architecture of the old homes reminds me of the Federalist period.
The botanical garden was named for Paul J. Ciener who had a vision on the garden for the Piedmont triad of North Carolina. I can safely say I’ve never seen a better maintained botanical garden. That may be, in part, due to the small nature of the garden (7 acres) but when Jimmie and I arrived there was a host of volunteers at work weeding the garden.
The visitor center was completed in 2011 and when the garden is completed, the garden will have 25 different botanical areas.
Most gardens have butterfly gardens to attract butterflies but this is the first time I’ve run into butterfly houses. Look at the slots on the houses. At first confusing, I realized that the body of the butterfly can fit through the opening when the butterfly’s wings are folded upward over the body. The idea is to protect the butterfly from predators.
There is still a good bit of land for development of the 25 areas but the areas that are complete are exceptionally maintained.
From there, Jimmie and I walked two blocks to Körners Folly. The bachelor home of Julius (Jule) Körner is 6,000 square feet, 7 levels, 22 rooms and 15 fireplaces. It is one of the most unusual architectural structures I’ve ever seen.
The home was initially completed in 1888 but it’s probably been under constant construction during Jule’s lifetime. It was scheduled for demolition in the 70’s but a private group took over the facility and began renovation. There are still rooms that need renovation but the house is in amazing shape.
What is now the dining room was originally a carriage entrance where carriages would pull into the center of the house and guests would then enter the “real” house to be entertained by Jules. Eventually it was enclosed to include the dining room and the breakfast room seen at the back of the arch.
There were two playrooms for the children. The ceilings were exceptionally low (child height). To get there, you had to walk up a confusing number of stairs and twists and turns in the house. It was very easy to get lost in the house but the staff figured out that if they numbered the rooms, tourists would be able to figure out if they had missed any of the rooms. I think we must have missed room number 5 but to be honest, I was doing good to figure out how to get out of the house.
The reception room was probably the largest room in the house. Guests were entertained here.
The top floor (remember there are seven levels) was a home theater with a stage where plays and performances occurred. It was easily the second largest room in the house.
If you are ever in the area, this place is a must do on your list.
Our last stop of the morning was at the Musten and & Crutchfield market.
Jimmie wanted to stop and get their original pimento cheese. Jimmie and I have a pimento cheese history. Both her mother and my mother used to make it for us. My grandmother had a hand grader that you slipped cheese into and you turned a handle that rotated a cylindrical drum that grated the cheese.
Her mother had a sausage grinder that clamped onto the kitchen table. Both made excellent pimento and cheese. We were pretty much raised on pimento cheese sandwiches, potato chips and cokes. We are pimento cheese connoisseurs. She swears by the version put out by Musten & Crutchfield. I have to admit, we had some for dinner tonight and it is far and away better than any pimento cheese you can get remade in supermarkets.
Of course, I make a superior pimento cheese by adding raw onions to mine. There are enough people who don’t like raw onions in their pimento cheese that they refuse it when offered which means there’s more left for me. I think what makes Musten & Crutchfield’s so good is they add a little vinegar to theirs – no onions, though.
Tomorrow is tea cake day. We’ll make a batch from my great grandmother’s recipe and eat ourselves into a sugar coma.
Stay tuned.