100 Day Project 2021

Friday, February 14, 2014

Friday Finds and Random 5 Friday

I found Romance this week!
 
Not the

dreamy,
poetic,
enchanting,
mushy,
starry-eyed,
kind.
 
No, I found Romance, a little town nestled in the gently rolling hills near central Arkansas. Romance was first settled by Kentuckians and was supposed to be called Kentucky Valley, but the U. S. Postal service rejected that idea. According to some sources the  name Romance was suggested by local Schoolteacher, J. J. Walters,  who thought the view from the bluffs was particularly romantic. Others say it was named for a local spring that was a popular rendezvous place for couples.  Other towns nearby are named, Harmony, Joy, and Rose Bud. What else to you need for romance?
 
 
 
My facts are not all that random this week. They all center around this trip to Romance.
 
Fact #1
By now you must be wondering why I went to Romance since I wasn't looking for the "love" kind!  I wanted to mail my grandsons their Valentines from the post office in Romance. Each year a unique postmark is designed for use from Feb. 1-15.
 
 
 
Fact #2
The postmaster canceled the stamps as I watched. Before she started, she patiently waited till I ran out to the car to get my camera. I didn't hold up the line. I was the only person in line. They hand stamp thousands of Valentines each year.
 
 
 
Fact  #3
I mailed myself an envelope so I'd have the postmark, too.
 
 
 
Fact  #4
Right across the street from the Post Office is a cemetery established in 1880 and is on the registry of historic places in Arkansas. I took some time walking around looking at the very old and weathered markers. I had no idea I'd be out of the car any length of time so I hadn't taken my gloves or hat. I thought my hands were going to freeze off!  I kept taking just one more picture, until I had to get in the car! Note to self:  put extra pair of gloves and hat in the car!

 


Fact  #5
When you take a trip you get hungry. When you're hungry you start looking for a place to eat lunch. When you see the sign for The Original Fried Pie Shop in a town you're passing through,  you just have to stop!  Their chicken with vegetable fried pies are the ultimate chicken pot pie...true southern comfort food. If you have a fried pie for lunch you have to have a fried pie for dessert...coconut cream...oh, my!!!  Let's not talk about calories or fat!  This was a rare treat!
 
 
 
The day has arrived.
The day of love and kisses and hugs and romance.
I'm wishing you a wonderful Valentine's Day!
 
 
Linking with Kim for Friday Finds 
Linking with Nancy for Random 5 Friday

26 comments:

  1. Romance! That name is just the best one yet. Love the hand cancelled rubber stamp, and happy you sent one to yourself Cathy! The fried pies looooook so good. Love your Valentine - and have a lovely day, and week!

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  2. What an awesome name for a town -- and I love that you make the trip to get your valentines postmarked there. We have a Valentine, Nebraska, but it's way too far to drive to from here! :)

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  3. How very cool is Romance AR. so very cool, and Cathy, I would have skipped right over the Chicken and had two of the Coconut Cream.

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  4. Oh I want to go to Romance what a wonderful stamp idea. I love it. B

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  5. I just love that stamp from a place called Romance!
    Happy Valentine's Day to you!

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  6. When you go on an adventure, especially one to Romance -- there are NO calories in anything you eat ... I think it is the law! ;) ;) I love that you sent yourself a Valentine, too so that you'd have the cancellation on your stamp, too. Fun post. Happy Friday and Happy Valentine's Day!

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  7. Cathy, I always enjoy the tours of your "little corner." I've never been to the part of the country where you live and it's so much fun to visit and learn about it through your words and photos. It sounds like it would be worth the trip just for fried pie! Happy weekend to you.

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  8. What great fun! I love this hand-canceling idea - and that you took advantage of it to make your grandson's cards that much more special. M<y Mom (who is originally from Kentucky) made the BEST dried apple fried pies when I was growing up - yum, you are making my mouth water just thinking about them.

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  9. oh, i want to travel to Romance ... so cool. that is on my too list for sure. how awesome!! i love that you went to the USPS to get your letters stamped. so fun! happy <3 day! ( :

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  10. What a grand idea for that city. And I love all those cities that surround it too. And that chicken pot pie looks soooo yummy!! You are such a sweetheart for making the trip to have your valentine's cards hand stamped from the town of "Romance".

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  11. I want to travel to romance just to get the postmark stamp!! what a lovely place to visit.
    lovely post! happy saint valentine's day ♥

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  12. You're such a good grandma to drive over to Romance to get the grandkids Valentine's stamped with such an awesome postmark....You always find the neatest places to share with us.

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  13. I keep my fingerless gloves in the car at all times as well as rain pants, rain coat, hat and in non-snowy weather my boots. Love what you do for your grandkids.

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  14. oh my gosh... love it!! what a wonderful name for a town......

    beautiful FF Post... thank you for sharing... xo

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  15. What a great place you found, and the Romance postmark is just awsome! I wonder if you're not tempted to buy that lovely stamp ;)

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  16. A great place I love the idea of living in Romance....

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  17. That is the coolest thing! Wow. And that pie place sounds delicious. My friend in NH used to get her Christmas cards stamped in Bethlehem near where she lived at the time (maybe it is in NH? Not sure...) Snail mail is the best.

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  18. That's such a wonderful post!!! I also love the idea of living in Romance very much! And how beautiful the stamp and these cute postmark are! This is really a lovely find :)

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  19. That postmark is really neat--I'm not surprised they do such a good Valentine's business. Do you know whether they accept letters addressed to the postmaster so the letters' contents can be stamped and mailed? I'm thinking a trip to Romance is a little outside the realm of possibility for me, especially in February, but it does seem a perfectly "romantic" gesture. Thanks for a truly unique Friday Find.

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  20. what a great little adventure you had!

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  21. What a fun post. I love unusual town names like that. How neat that they design a special postmark for V-Days, that one was really cool looking. I loved your Cemetery shot and oh my those Fried Pies sounded yummy!

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  22. Excellent post - What a cool place to visit. The fried pie shop sounds divine and your pictures are perfect. Happy V Day.

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  23. I am going to go to a pie shop this Saturday. Can't wait. Love the shots of Romance. I think that is neat that they do a new stamp for each year. Glad the Postal Lady waited for you to get your camera. I know you had a great time.

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  24. A wonderful post! Just loved it. and I learned something... first time heard of Romance, AK.

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