Even though I wasn't born here, Aiken feels like home.

Come see for yourself! What are you waiting for?

Saturday, March 29, 2014

The Peach State .... is really South Carolina!

I've said this before - that South Carolina is truly the peach state, producing more peaches than Georgia...     check out this story in the SCIWAY Newsletter:
here's a link to the complete newsletter - sign up to get it in your inbox, too!!

SCIWAY, South Carolina Information Highway http://www.sciway.net/sn/140.html
{ The Peachoid: Gaffney's Peach of a Water Tower }

Georgia may call itself the Peach State, but South Carolina actually leads its neighbor in peach production. In fact, despite our size, we beat every state in the nation except California. The delectable treat became the official state fruit of South Carolina in 1984 and has earned its place at the table, so to speak, producing more than 90,000 tons a year. How 'bout them apples ... er, peaches? The Peachoid, Gaffney's famous roadside attraction pictured below, depicts South Carolina's sweetest bumper crop.
(I don't have a picture - here's a google search so you can see the tower: Gaffney Peachoid )

The idea of the Peachoid came to Gaffney Board of Public Works member Jack Millwood when it was decided that an elevated water tower was needed for the area. His famous words – "Let's build it in the shape of a peach!" – are immortalized in the enormous depiction of the pitted fruit that looms over I-85.

Built in 1981 over a period of five months, the iconic water tower features a cleft, a stem, and a seven-ton peach leaf. It holds one million gallons of water and can be seen between exits 90 and 92 of I-85. Made to highlight the region's prime natural product, the Peachoid's colors are meant to reflect the varieties of peaches grown in the area. After the basic colors were applied to the tower's various parts, artist Peter Freudenberg used 50 gallons of paint and more than 20 colors to achieve the desired effect.

Learn more about South Carolina's state fruit – the peach!


POSTED BY
Kara Casamassina, Carolina Real Estate Company, Downtown Aiken SC.
Thanks for stopping by - come back again!  give me a call if I can be of any assistance with your Aiken area property search.
---------------------
I wasn't born here but Aiken feels like home. Come see for yourself!   What are you waiting for?!!
Give us a call when you're ready to call Aiken home, too!

Carolina Real Estate Company

333 Park Avenue SW - Aiken SC. 29801.
803.648.8660
Melissa Major, Broker-In-Charge

www.CarolinaHorseProperties.com


visit us on Facebook :)

Friday, January 31, 2014

Heading into the woods! (Hitchcock Woods!)

Aiken loves horses, history and Hitchcock Woods!  If you are a frequent visitor to my blog,
you have seen a few posts about our beloved Hitchcock Woods.  
Here is a picture of a horse crossing on Whiskey Road.  These riders are crossing to an entrance into the woods.  
The button to make the light change is posted high on a pole so a rider can easily access it from horseback.  
Come check out Aiken, a little horse town with lots of charactor!

equiestrian light on Whiskey Road, Aiken SC    

equestrian light, Aiken SC


POSTED BY
Kara Casamassina, Carolina Real Estate Company, Downtown Aiken SC.
Thanks for stopping by - come back again!  give me a call if I can be of any assistance with your Aiken area property search.
---------------------
I wasn't born here but Aiken feels like home. Come see for yourself!   What are you waiting for?!!
Give us a call when you're ready to call Aiken home, too!

Carolina Real Estate Company

333 Park Avenue SW - Aiken SC. 29801.
803.648.8660
Melissa Major, Broker-In-Charge

www.CarolinaHorseProperties.com


visit us on Facebook :)

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Snow?! I moved south to get away from snow!

Every once in awhile we get a freak snowstorm down here in the sunny south.  We're in the middle of a storm right now.   Currently it is freezing rain, but snow is expected - up to 3" in some areas! That is a lot of snow for down here!  Everyone be careful out there.  If you don't have to go out - don't! 
Happy Snow Day! (if we do have a snow day, I'll post some pictures tomorrow)
Thanks for stopping by,
Kara

William "Refrigerator" Perry honored by City of Aiken

My daughter and I were at the Aiken City Council meeting last night, and our hometown celebrity William 'Refrigerator" Perry was in attendance!  The City was honoring him for his recent vote into the SC Football Hall of Fame.      Here he is, #72, with some of his family members :)
William Refrigerator Perry
I didn't get a chance to speak with William, I wonder if he remembers me.  Years ago I worked part-time at the local grocery store (Bi-Lo) where he was a regular customer.  I'm definitely a fan of his!  We were on a first name basis back then and spoke all the time at the store. I even bumped into him at the airport one time and he said hi.  I haven't seen him since I worked at the store.  It was nice to see him last night, even if we didn't get to speak.  
Another reason to live in Aiken, you never know who you will bump into at the grocery store :)
POSTED BY
Kara Casamassina, Carolina Real Estate Company, Downtown Aiken SC.
Thanks for stopping by - come back again!  give me a call if I can be of any assistance with your Aiken area property search.
---------------------
I wasn't born here but Aiken feels like home. Come see for yourself!   What are you waiting for?!!
Give us a call when you're ready to call Aiken home, too!

Carolina Real Estate Company

333 Park Avenue SW - Aiken SC. 29801.
803.648.8660
Melissa Major, Broker-In-Charge

www.CarolinaHorseProperties.com


visit us on Facebook :)

- See more at: http://activerain.com/blogsview/4313342/william-refrigerator-perry-honored-by-city-of-aiken#sthash.F02Awu9h.dpuf

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Heading into the woods! (Hitchcock Woods !)

Aiken loves horses, history and Hitchcock Woods!  If you are a frequent visitor to my blog,  you have 
seen a few posts about our beloved Hitchcock Woods.   Here is a picture of a horse crossing on Whiskey Road.  
These riders are crossing to an entrance into the woods.   The button to make the light change is posted 
high on a pole so a rider can easily access it from horseback.  
Come check out Aiken, a little horse town with lots of charactor!

equiestrian light on Whiskey Road, Aiken SC    

equestrian light, Aiken SC

POSTED BY
Kara Casamassina, Carolina Real Estate Company, Downtown Aiken SC.

Thanks for stopping by - come back again!  give me a call if I can be of any assistance with your Aiken area property search.
---------------------
I wasn't born here but Aiken feels like home. Come see for yourself!   What are you waiting for?!!
Give us a call when you're ready to call Aiken home, too!

                     Carolina Real Estate Company

333 Park Avenue SW - Aiken SC. 29801.
803.648.8660
Melissa Major, Broker-In-Charge

www.CarolinaHorseProperties.com


visit us on Facebook :)

Monday, November 25, 2013

Don't forget - Thanksgiving morning in Downtown Aiken!

So much to do on Thanksgiving Day in Downtown Aiken, South Carolina.   Start your morning with Bloodies & Bagels, mix and mingle with the Aiken Land Conservancy members, maybe even become a member yourself!  Enjoy the bagels with all the schmeers, and bloodies to get your morning started.
THEN>>>>>>>.....  walk down into Hitchcock Woods, and join the crowd at Memorial Gate (it's about a 1/2 mile walk, be prepared!)   Aiken Hounds has their annual 'Blessing of the Hounds' on Thanksgiving morning.   This year will be the 100th anniversary of Aiken Hounds!  We are blessed to have Hitchcock Woods, it is absolutely a stunning piece of nature right in the middle of town.  One of our nations LARGEST urban forests!  Check it out sometime:  www.hitchcockwoods.org 
After The Blessing, stroll to The Alley, Downtown and join the community for One Table, Thanksgiving Dinner.  

Here's a few pictures from last years blessing, I'm looking forward to this year.
aiken hounds blessing of the hounds 2012 hounds waiting
                                                                     foxhunters ready Aiken Hounds foxhunters ready

little foxhunder the littlest foxhunter :)
                           foxhunters arrive to memorial gate from third avenue



Thanks for stopping by - come back again!  give me a call if I can be of any assistance with your Aiken area property search.
---------------------
I wasn't born here but Aiken feels like home. Come see for yourself!   What are you waiting for?!!
Give us a call when you're ready to call Aiken home, too!

Carolina Real Estate Company

Melissa Major, BIC
333 Park Avenue SW - Aiken SC. 29801.
803.648.8660

www.CarolinaHorseProperties.com

visit us on Facebook :)

- See more at: http://activerain.com/blogs/kara803#sthash.WFHehjO2.dpuf

Sunday, November 3, 2013

A cool app for great gift ideas!

I'm so excited about this app I found on my phone.  It's called 'Sketch Guru' and it is the best!    I love the idea of taking photographs and turning them into a sketch.  I was actually looking to commission a local artist to create a sketch for me, as a gift for someone.  
I found this app and now I can be the artist myself!
Here's an example of what the app can do.
Start with a picture already on your phone, or take a picture
 start with this, 
                                                                      and end up with this   

this is the default setting for pencil sketch, there are about 16 different sketch options, including color pencil, crayon, watercolor, and a bunch more!  It's really cool.     I'm going to use a few photos from around town and use the color pencil option and hang them in my office.   
Here's one that I will use for sure:
farmers and merchants bank building, downtown aiken, sc
Farmers and Merchants Bank Building, Downtown Aiken, SC
Framed prints are cool gifts, and Christmas is right around the corner!   You could create a sketch of someones home, office, children, pets, car.....   you can then use the sketch to either give a framed print, or create a photo gift of another kind, I'm thinking coasters, coffee mugs, playing cards, note cards....  so many possibilities!  Have fun with it.  

Thanks for stopping by - come back again!  give me a call if I can be of any assistance with your Aiken area property search.
---------------------
I wasn't born here but Aiken feels like home. Come see for yourself!   What are you waiting for?!!
Give us a call when you're ready to call Aiken home, too!

Carolina Real Estate Company

Melissa Major, BIC
333 Park Avenue SW - Aiken SC. 29801.
803.648.8660

www.CarolinaHorseProperties.com

visit us on Facebook :)