Home sweet new home

Going to my parents' house is a little weird now that they live in a house I've never called home, in a town that I can't find on a map and on a coast that is not shaped by the Mississippi. It's still lots of fun and being somewhere new makes it feel all the more vacation-y, but it's kind of surreal to "go home" and not have high school friends to see and cracker-crust pizza to eat.

This is where they live now. Well, this is an orchard down the road from them. Lovely, right? Maryland is super hilly and chock full of pretty scenes like this. This photo was at Brown's Orchard, where we got some delicious iced cherry bread (I know, who would have thought of that? It was just a little tart and very gooey.) and the loudest pretzels I've ever crunched. Annoying, but incredibly delicious.

We also did some family shopping, scooping up some of my Nana's nifty little trinkets and cookbooks. The highlight of it all were these three outfits: the dress she wore to my parents' wedding, an incredible 1960s 3/4 sleeve fur coat (which I'll share with my sisters. Since I live in the coldest place, I've got it this winter and it almost has me wishing for chilly nights just so I can wear it!) and the dress she wore to my uncle's wedding.  

We spent most of the weekend by the pool, shooting off wienie fireworks and eating cheese. It's not a family vacation if you don't gain seven pounds in less than 48 hours.

We also drove twenty minutes to the nearest bar where we learned that Marylanders call Natty Light "Natty Bow" AND are willing to pay $2 for them on special at a bar. Crazy East Coasters.

How was your Fourth? Learn anything?