Category: Hickory Things To Do

Daily Happenings, Family, Hickory Things To Do

Fun Fall Festivities

Lora Knows...

The weather isn’t screaming Fall here in the Piedmont of North Carolina. We have had unseasonably warm days in the 70s and 80s. I’m hopeful for some cooler days in the near future that will peak in the low 50s, aka sweater weather.

Even though it’s warm outside there are fun fall activities to be done and enjoyed with family and friends. Here are some I think would be great – share what you like to do in the comments below.

Take a Hayride

As part of the pumpkin-picking experience, many farms offer hayrides that take you to their respective pumpkin patches. Many also have their own corn maze, which makes for great fun during your visit.

Visit an Apple Orchard

Many apple farms provide not only apple picking but also a variety of other activities. Some also have markets that sell jams, cider donuts, and other homemade baked goods. To finish off your day of fun, set aside some apples from your adventure and make caramel apples when you get home.

Hike or Bike with a Picnic

Autumn weather is ideal for outdoor activities, so connect with nature by hiking or biking through a park—ideally where foliage is in full bloom. Pack a picnic lunch, and just enjoy the beauty around you.

Stargazing

Bundle up with your favorite sweater and blanket, head to an open space to take in the beauty of the stars, and enjoy the peace and quiet that surrounds you. Take a bottle of wine and some charcuterie and make it a date night.

Scenic Drive

Hop in the car and take a ride to behold the wonders of the fall foliage. Turn on your favorite playlist, put the windows down to breathe in the fresh, cool air, and enjoy the view.

Outdoor Games

Gather your friends for a variety of games that everyone can enjoy: a relay race, cornhole, Frisbee, a scavenger hunt, or flag football. You could even organize a pumpkin-carving contest. Top off the night with an outing to your local ice-cream store.

Game Night

A game night is an excellent way to spend quality time. Cozy up with cups of hot cider or hot chocolate, play card games, board games, or charades, or extend the definition of “game” by starting a puzzle that everyone can then work on each day thereafter.

Deliver Treats

Make some pumpkin muffins or candy apples, and deliver them to your local police officers, firefighters, nurses, doctors, teachers or whoever to thank them.

Donate Time

If you’re looking for ways to give back to your community, volunteer at an animal shelter, a local food bank, soup kitchen, or any other local charity. It’s a meaningful way to spend a fall afternoon.

Daily Happenings, Hickory Things To Do

Spring Fever Is Here

Lora Knows...

There is something about the first warm days in March that make me so happy. The bright sunshine, the cloudless Carolina blue sky, the warmth of the day making me forget the cold shivering of just a few weeks ago. Yes, I have caught spring fever!

The other day a few of us, from my office, made plans to meet in downtown Hickory. Tiffany and Brittany have also caught spring fever, and it was a perfect day to be outside. The place for us to meet and enjoy an afternoon would be under the sails on The Square.

I finished my real estate appointment early and arrived at The Square a bit before 2 PM. I was able to find a great table where the wonderful warm sun was peaking under the sails. I had my sunglasses, a magazine, and a bottle of water, and put my phone away. Quiet time in the afternoon is rare, and I was taking full advantage. I was just about finished with my mag when Brittany arrived, she too had just finished an appointment and brought her shrimp spinach salad to enjoy in the sunshine. We visited for a bit before Tiffany arrived, because her appointment ran long. Once she got there it was time for a bottle of white from the Hickory Wine Shoppe (on the square, they give wrist bands and serve at the table).

We sat there together in the warm sunshine laughing and talking, and before we knew it a couple hours had ticked away. It was time for us to go our separate ways and get back to our daily tasks of making dinner, doing paperwork, and getting ready for the next day.

Later I told them how great it was to get together, and how much I truly needed that time. There is something great about being around people who are positive, thoughtful, laugh easily, and share openly. Thanks Tiffany & Brittany for a great spring fever afternoon.