4th of July Celebrations

Here's the schedule for celebrating Independence Day here on the island. Hope you can join in the activities if you're here!

9 AM Flag Raising Ceremony - School Road, School Circle (Ocracoke Boy Scouts)

9:30 AM - Noon - 33rd Annual Sand Sculpture Contest - NPS Life Guard Beach

10:00 AM - Noon - Ocracoke Ponies - behind OPS Museum

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Classic Car Show - Lawn at Pony Island Motel pool area

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Ocracoke Lighthouse open for public viewing for the 11th year with guides Chester Lynn and Dale Mutro - this is the ONLY day of the year you can step inside the Lighthouse (no, sorry, you still can't climb it)

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM - The Herd Sky Diving Demonstration - Pony Island Motel lawn (time may vary due to weather conditions for flying)

3:00 PM - Old Time Ocracoke Parade - anyone can participate (drive, bike or walk) but you must pre-register by 6 PM on July 2 (forms are available at the Post Office or the OPS Museum, or call 252-928-6622 for more information)

At the end of the parade, there will be entertainment, awards, and the singing of the National Anthem at the OPS Museum

9:00 PM - FIREWORKS!!! - NCCAT Campus Building (former Coast Guard Station) - walking is recommended as the large NPS parking area near the OPS museum will be blocked off

Have fun!

Porch Talks

I have been remiss in mentioning the weekly Porch Talks which are held at the OPS Museum throughout the summer. There are typically two a week, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays, although there's some variation in the schedule, so check the website for accurate date and time information.

New this year are porch talks especially for kids (all porch talks are family friendly, but these include hands on "make and take" activities). They will be held at 10:30 AM on the four Mondays in July, and are recommended for children ages 4 - 10.

The next porch talk is on Thursday July 2nd, on the topic "Saving Ocracoke's Last Fish House". I'm hoping to attend that one myself, so if you go too, maybe I'll see you there!

Perfect beach day

Today is the perfect day to be on the beach. The ocean is calm, the sun is shining, and there's very little wind so your umbrella will actually stay standing. I was jealous of all the people who got to stay behind, as I left this morning to go to work. But hey, I am blessed to be able to go to the beach every day (even if not all day), so I'm not complaining.

Book sale

If you love to read, but don't necessarily want to break the bank to buy books, here's something you might be happy to know.

Friends of the Library Annual Used Book Sale
Friday, July 3rd beginning at 9 a.m. on the front porch of the library.
Hardcover books: $2
Paperbacks: $1
Most children's books: 50 cents

Friends of the Library membership forms will be available at the sale.

All proceeds benefit Ocracoke Friends of the Library, a non-profit
organization dedicated to promoting literacy on the island. Friends of
the Library will use part of this year's book sale money to purchase
new books for Ocracoke Child Care.

Donations of used books are still being accepted at the library this week.

Two results

There are two results of having family pictures taken by Mary Haggerty of Ocracoke Photo in Springer's Point at dusk.
First, and most importantly, you will get a bunch of terrific photos.

Second, and unfortunately, you will also get a bunch of mosquito bites. I usually don't complain about bug bites, because they are just part of life around here. They also don't bother me as much as they previously did (guess I'm used to them). But when you go to Springer's Point at dusk in a skirt, you learn afresh how annoyingly itchy mosquito bites can be when there are 16 of them in a small area!

Oh, and there might be a third result. People might laugh at you for acting like a complete fool while trying to get the baby to smile for the photographer.



Now, if you're thinking "wow, I can't believe Kati posted that picture of herself on her blog", let me just tell you: it isn't the worst one. Unfortunately I'm not kidding.

Heat lightning?

I woke up in the middle of the night recently to lots of flashing lightning. I waited to hear thunder but there wasn't any. And it didn't ever rain either. I guess it was "heat lightning", which I have heard of but really never before been sure if it actually existed or was just an old-wives-tale kind of term people used.

After this I started to think it must really exist, because it had been a scorcher of a day before the night this lightning happened, and it certainly wasn't accompanied by any rain. But then I looked it up on Wikipedia (here) and learned that the term is indeed a misnomer. I'm not convinced, though. Wikipedia describes it as "faint flashes of lightning on the horizon", and there was nothing faint about this lightning. There probably was a storm in the area that just didn't strike the village directly (that happens fairly frequently, actually).

Anyway, I love lightning (I think it's beautiful), so I enjoyed the show for the few minutes I was up...then I went back to bed!

Ice cream truck

Today I heard that old familiar music that reminds so many people of childhood. Yes, it was the ice cream truck, going down Sunset Drive. I looked out my window and saw a man with his three young sons, who were obviously very excited about the prospect of some cold, sugary goodness. (The family was staying in a rental house across the street from mine, and I had actually enjoyed watching the boys play all week.)

Anyway, what I saw next was really what made this blog-worthy. The Dad raised his arm, like you would to hail a taxi, to let the ice cream truck driver know that he and his boys wanted some ice cream. At first I thought the truck was headed their direction (I hadn't actually seen it as it came by, just heard the tune), so Dad was waving for them to stop. But then I realized that the truck was going away from them (had already passed them), so he was waving for the driver to stop so he and the boys could run down the street to catch it.

Turned out, though, that running wasn't necessary. The ice cream trucked backed up to come back to them! I loved the simple, sweet kindness of that gesture, and the fact that on Ocracoke, where there isn't too much traffic, backing up an ice cream truck is a doable thing.

Now I want some ice cream...

Every now and then

...it's good to do something out of your usual routine or norm. For me, tonight, that was watching a movie I wouldn't ordinary expect to enjoy. I'm honestly not even sure how this movie ended up at my house, but my best guess is that my sister put it in my Netflix queue while she was visiting.

Anyway, it's called The Salton Sea. It's somewhat odd, but quite engaging, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. (In the interest of full disclosure, I do tend to like most movies, of all genres. I have watched and rated hundreds of movies since we subscribed to Netflix, but I've only ever rated one "hated it". Don't ask...it's a very popular movie, and you probably loved it, but I ... well, like I said, I hated it.)

The cool thing about The Salton Sea (and what makes it so engaging) is that it's difficult to figure out, which is saying a lot for me as I often predict with strange accuracy what's going to happen in movies. (It's not that I'm psychic...but after you see hundreds of movies, if you pay attention to the structure of story, you can generally pin down how most of them are going to go.) But I digress. I was saying that what I liked about The Salton Sea was that I didn't predict it. Not that I didn't try, it just surprised me. I love a movie that surprises me. This one, I hesitate to say, might even stump my friend Julie, and she is the QUEEN of figuring out movies. There's only one she has ever seen and not known the end, and we've challenged her several times with ones we thought were hard to predict, but she gets them every time! So Julie, if you're reading this, get The Salton Sea and let me know if you predicted it as usual, or if it can be added to the exceedingly short list of "movies that surprised Julie". :)

Rain and rainbow

This morning it was pouring down rain, right at the time I needed to leave to take Connor to daycare, of course! We got drenched (well, actually really only I got drenched, I managed to keep Connor under the umbrella). Then by the time we arrived at OCC (less than 1/2 a mile away), it had nearly stopped. Ah well, that's Murphy's Law of rainstorms, I suppose.

Anyway, I still went to the beach for my morning quiet time as I always do. I actually prefer rainy days on the beach, at least in the summer, because it's like the dead of January - I have the beach pretty much to myself. This only happens in late June when it is pouring.

There was one brave couple out on the beach at the same time I was there, though, and they were far braver than I, since they were on foot! I'm glad they were there, because I had my head down in my Bible until I was distracted by their motion just down from my car. I looked up to see that the lady was taking a photo, and I was glad I did. I immediately tossed down the book, grabbed my camera, and jumped out to snap the shot, too!



So the lesson learned here is don't be so absorbed in reading God's Word that you miss His daily WORK. Amen!

I'm baaaaack

...and I'm going to try to get caught up now. So watch for a bunch of back-dated blogs!

Hope you are enjoying your summer...wherever you are.

Queen of the solstice

Tonight there was a potluck at Philip's house to celebrate the summer solstice. The food was delicious, as it is at every Ocracoke potluck, perhaps even more than usual because most of it was made with fresh summer fruits and vegetables, most of them probably home grown. It's hard to beat that!

Anyway, just before I went to get myself some dessert, Lou Ann explained that there was a "token" hidden in the fig cake and that the person who got it would be crowned king or queen of the solstice. Good thing she did, because that way when I came across the small seashell while slicing into my piece of cake, I wasn't as surprised as I might otherwise have been.

So yes, I got to be the queen of the solstice. Lou Ann even held a mock coronation ceremony, with a funny speech which ended with "wear this crown in good health, but only for about an hour". I didn't get to keep my crown! (I actually passed it on to Caroline, to serve as princess of the solstice for the second half of the potluck, since John and I had to leave fairly early to put Connor to bed.)

Here's a picture of me in my royal finery. (Thanks, Lou Ann!)

Working watermen and waterfowl

From my "staycation" cottage, I have a birds-eye view of James Barrie Gaskill's house. James Barrie is a local commercial fisherman, so I have gotten to see him (and his nephew Morty) go out early every morning, return with their days catch, and prepare the fish for sale.

I especially enjoyed watching the birds - who are well aware of James Barrie and Morty's daily routine - waiting in the general area until they see the boats come back, then getting gradually closer, watching very closely as James Barrie filets the fish, until they are rewarded with a sliver or two of leftover pieces. Lucky birds!

James Barrie and Morty working on the days catch...

...while the bird across the street watches and waits...

...but not for long!

He makes his way gradually down the dock...

...and is thrilled with his reward!

A lovely evening for kayaking

We went to Springer's Point this evening to have family photos taken, and saw a group of kayakers out on the water. It was a gorgeous night for kayaking, and a few minutes later we saw a pod of dolphins frolicking in the water not far from the group, making it even better. I was jealous!



It was also a lovely evening for a sail on the Schooner Windfall.

Dajio review

I finally ate at Dajio this evening, with my sister, so I thought I would share my reaction. Summary: it was fabulous. The atmosphere is cozy, the service was terrific, and the food is made with very fresh ingredients,including locally caught seafood, and is very tasty. I am a fan of bold flavors, and Dajio did not disappoint. (Be aware, if you don't like strong - especially hot/spicy - tastes, you should ask which items are spicy...the appetizer we got was quite hot, which I loved but Jocelyn found a bit overwhelming.)

Another thing to know is that the portions are generous, so a good strategy for dinner there (especially if you want to try one of the marvelous desserts) is to share an entree. (Of course, this does mean that you will have to choose only one, which may be difficult.)

But don't take my word for it - next time you're on the island, go try it yourself. I suspect you'll be glad you did.

Whoopsie at the Post Office

I went to the Post Office today, and noticed this evidence of someone's "little whoopsie".



Looks like someone hit the gas instead of the brakes when pulling into that parking space. I'm not making fun, really. I've done that very thing myself. Once, I pulled up onto the curb at a Burger King instead of stopping neatly in the parking spot as I intended to. I was actually so shaken up by it (when I realized I could really have hurt people if I had gone much further, i.e. through the windows and into the dining room) that I cried nearly hysterically for several minutes. Then, when I tried to compose myself, taking off my glasses to wipe the tears off the lenses, I was still shaking so badly that I snapped my glasses in half! Oh, and did I mention that I worked at this Burger King and had been driving myself in for my shift, so I had to go in and spend hours there after this happened, with people who saw it happen and were all teenagers (like me) and therefore not terribly compassionate about it? So in addition to the comments about my less-than-stellar driving skills, I had to endure nerd comments since my glasses were taped together. Why are teenagers so unkind to one another? If there were one thing I wish I could teach every teenager in this world, it would be that you will not only most likely survive your adolescent years, you will also probably realize one day that most of what happened during this time turned out to be irrelevant in the grand scheme of things (aka the rest of your life).

Okay, I'm done waxing eloquent (or whatever that was!) about adolescence now. :)

Hope you are driving safely and not having too many whoopsies, wherever you are...

Cut yourself some slack for your whoopsies, though. Remember the most important thing I learned in first grade (well, I learned this when I was student teaching first grade; I don't actually remember anything that happened when I was six years old and in first grade myself): "Human beings make mistakes." Yep, all of them. The teacher, Ann Wasson, actually had that exact phrase posted in the classroom and talked to the kids about it often. Simple but so true, and good to remember once in a while, especially after making a mistake yourself. Thanks, Mrs. Wasson...of all the things I learned from you, this one has served me best and ministered to me most. And I bet many of "our kids" would say the same.

Kayaking the canals

Jocelyn and I went kayaking today. (The cottage we are staying in has a couple of kayaks with it. We only took one of them though - a tandem one, obviously...the other one looked pretty rough.) Anyway, we didn't go very far, just paddling up and down the canals in Oyster Creek, but we enjoyed it very much, and I plan to go again several times before I have to check out and lose the access to the kayaks (and the water).

I love getting out on the water around here. No matter what area of the island I do so in, I always enjoy the different perspective it gives me on things I see every day from the other angle. If you haven't been kayaking (or for a sail on the Schooner Windfall, or across to Portsmouth with the Austins, or on a fishing excursion, or even for a wade in the Sound off Springer's Point, or some other way I'm not thinking of to get out on the water around here), I highly recommend it!

Dreary day

It was overcast and rainy all day, an excellent day to stay inside and read! So my sister and I did just that, and both finished our books. Luckily, I had brought several with me to our "staycation" cottage, so I just started one of the other ones.

I always take way more books than I can actually possibly read in the time available, so I've decided that this is another reason I need (okay, want) a Kindle. That way, I could take over 1,500 books with me on vacation, and no one would laugh at me for packing more books than clothes, plus I wouldn't throw out my back from carrying all the extra weight that 1,500 books would create.

So what do you think? Any Kindle owners out there? Love it or hate it? Should I get one? Share your thoughts with me, please...

Allow extra time to get to Swan Quarter

Here's an FYI just in case you're planning a trip to the island and will be coming via the Swan Quarter ferry.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: June 11, 2009
CONTACT: Lucy Wallace (252) 473-3461

MOTORISTS SHOULD ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO ARRIVE AT SWAN QUARTER FERRY
TERMINAL IN JULY
U.S. 264 Will Be Closed for Bridge Maintenance at Hyde, Beaufort County Line

MANNS HARBOR — Beginning Tuesday, July 7, travelers planning to take
the Swan Quarter to Ocracoke ferry should allow an extra 10 minutes in
travel time to reach the ferry terminal in Swan Quarter due to a
bridge maintenance project on U.S. 264. The highway will be closed to
traffic through Wednesday, August 5 at the Leechville Bridge over the
Pungo River between Belhaven and Swan Quarter.

The N.C. Department of Transportation will have detour signs posted.

Motorists traveling to the ferry terminal should take the following
signed detour:

From Beaufort County traveling east on U.S. 264, turn left on N.C. 99
North and follow for 6.8 miles to N.C. 45 South. Turn right on N.C. 45
South and follow for 10.2 miles back to U.S. 264. Total detour length
is 17 miles.

Motorists leaving the ferry terminal should take the following signed detour:

From Hyde County traveling west on U.S. 264, turn right on N.C. 45
North and follow for 10.2 miles to N.C. 99. Turn left on N.C. 99 South
and follow for 6.8 miles back to U.S. 264. Total detour length is 17
miles.

Travelers are urged to make their ferry reservations early and allow
enough time to reach the ferry terminal 30 minutes prior to departure.
For reservations, call 1-800-BY-FERRY.

Hatteras ferry long lines...

I had heard that there were really long lines and delays at the Hatteras ferry, but I didn't know much about it (or even whether it was true, or if the long lines were just the usual long lines of summer). Then, I saw a flyer, directed at vacationers, addressing the issue. So I guess it is true. Here's the info. from the flyer...so you can follow up to try to help if you would like to do so.

(I copied this exactly as it appears on the flyer...so all incorrect capitalization, missing punctuation and less-than-perfect grammar is intact. At least it didn't have any unnecessary quotation marks)

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Many of you have mentioned the long ferry lines at the Hatteras/Ocracoke ferry and the diminished Ocracoke Ferry Schedule to Cedar Island and Swan Quarter. The Hyde County Commissioners share your concerns as do Senator Basnight and Representative Spear. The cuts in the Ferry Service were made in response to the higher fuel prices last summer, the coast Guard regulations that began being enforced in the winter/spring, and the overall State revenue shortfall experienced since last fall.

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED if the ferry service is to be returned to its former level of service. The NCDOT recommended adequate funding for the ferry service in its budget proposal - the Governor has included the funding in her budget proposal, and the Senate has included the ferry request in the budget that passed that Chamber. The House is now writing its budget, but is facing a large shortfall. Please email your House members and ask them to support the NCDOT request from the Ferry System. Their addresses can be found on www.ncleg.net. Not only are the ferries essential to keeping Ocracoke alive, but 2/3rds of every sales tax dollar created on Ocracoke by a ferry rider goes into the STATE BUDGET, so reducing the traffic to Ocracoke hurts all of North Carolina!

Please help spread the word - the Ferry System supports the entire state not just Ocracoke!! Contact your state representatives!

Staycation of sorts

I find it really interesting that the current state of the economy has resulted in new vocabulary. One example is the word "staycation". That's the idea of having a vacation, but not going anywhere (staying home...hence the "stay" part of staycation). So I'm going on staycation! (Sort of...I am not literally staying home in my own house. I am going to stay in another house, but it's probably approximately 1/4 mile from my house, so since I'm not really traveling, I think it qualifies.

I am really looking forward to being (or pretending to be) a visitor to Ocracoke again, like I used to be several times a year before moving here. I plan to go out to eat, play Bingo, go kayaking, watch movies, eat ice cream, go to the spa...and I'm sure I'm forgetting several other things. There's loads of fun to be had around here!

Behind...

Well, I probably don't need to mention that I'm a bit (okay, a good bit) behind in my blogging. There's something about having guests that bumps me out of my usual daily routine, so things like blogging and checking email fall by the wayside. Don't worry, I'll get caught up eventually and then I'll be back!

Stuck

I was stuck inside all day today, working. That's not unusual, but in the summer when the weather is gorgeous and I see many, many people walking and biking by my window all day, it is sadder than it is during other times of the year. I'll be taking a vacation next week, though, and you can bet I won't stay inside all day!

Now I understand

...the lure of iPod. My sister finally got mine working, so after I downloaded my tunes to it, I put in the headphones and hit play. Instantly, it was as if the world around me had disappeared. There were actually two people in my living room who were having a heated discussion, but once the music started, I couldn't hear them. I quickly discovered that if I closed my eyes, they (and the stress) were completely gone from my consciousness. No wonder these little things are so popular!

Time for fun!

I was sitting in my car on the beach this morning, when another vehicle pulled up and parked next to me. There was a family in it, and the kids were out of car and jumping in the waves on inflatable rafts within 30 seconds of the car stopping. Yes, really, within 30 seconds. The rafts must have already been blown up and just waiting for them in the back. I like that kind of enthusiasm!

Festival!

Saturday was the big day - the main day of the 10th Annual Ocrafolk Festival. It was a marvelous 9 hours of all kinds of music, entertaining storytelling on two stages surrounded by booths filled with excellent art and craft items by artisans from around coastal North Carolina and beyond. Oh, and did I mention the clogging, miming, chainsaw art and kids activities? Anyway, the best way to tell the story of the Festival is to show it, so here come a bunch of pictures.

Ocracoke Jazz Society opened the morning on the Howard Street Stage.

Kate McNally, new to the Festival this year, got things started on the Live Oak stage.

Rodney Kemp entertained the crowds with his stories, and was a terrific MC for the Live Oak stage between sets, too.


Jef the Mime taught a juggling class...

...and entertained the crowds.

In the kids area, one of the activities was making fish print t-shirts.

Philip Howard told stories of Ocracoke.

The Barnraisers rocked with their original tunes.

Coyote, Noah Paley, and Robbie Link.

Gerald Hampton (you can barely see him over Gary's shoulder), Gary Mitchell, and Fiddler Dave played, and the Green Grass Cloggers kicked up their heels.





April Trueblood, longtime favorite at the Ocrafolk Opry, had a set in the Festival for the first time.

Trent Wagler and Steel Wheels appeared at the Festival for the first time this year, and gained many new fans.

Bil Lepp, storyteller and liar, told hilarious (and mostly tall) tales.

Ruth Wyand.

Mandolin Orange, another new group this year, was very well liked.

To learn more about all of these performers (and more!), the artisans, or the Festival in general, visit the Festival website.

Another auction

Tonight I attended what has got to have been one of the largest potlucks ever. Seriously, there were several hundred people there, locals and visitors. It was the kickoff potluck for the 10th Annual Ocrafolk Festival, and it's a good thing it was held at the School Gym to allow enough space for everyone because it was extremely well attended!

Here's a picture which will give you some sense for just how well attended the potluck truly was. The long line of people against the wall in the back of the picture is made up of folks waiting in line for the food. The line was 3 to 4 people wide, and snaked all the way across to the other side of the room!



The length of the tables filled with auction items was impressive, too!



After the potluck, all those items went up for bid in the the Festival fundraiser auction, which - although it didn't raise as much as the recent OVFD auction, did provide funds to help ensure that the Festival will remain a free event. Here are a couple more auction pictures - one of Philip leading the proceedings, and one of a unique sign which was auctioned off during the night (there were several interesting signs auctioned, one of which I purchased...but details on that one will be in a later blog).

Thoughts on things to do on Ocracoke

A reader recently commented to ask about things to do on Ocracoke, specifically if the planned trip is a short one. I started answering the question in a comment on the same post, but then realized that this kind of info. might be helpful to others planning a vacation here, so I decided to post it as a blog instead.

There is a lot to do on Ocracoke, or you can do nothing at all! I think that the choices you make depend on the kind of things you like to do (in general, and when you're on vacation). So here's a general summary broken down by categories/types of options.

Relaxing
- sail on the Schooner Windfall at sunset
- enjoy a massage, facial, body scrub or other treatment at one of the day spas (Deep Blue Day Spa, The Lake House Day Spa, Stillwater Spa and Wellness, and Ocracoke Massage and Day Spa, which apparently doesn't have a website)

Musical
- take in a show at Deepwater Theatre
- listen to a performer at one of the bars/restaurants that host them frequently
- if you want to sing yourself, try karaoke at Howard's Pub

Active/adventure
- rent a wave runner or a kayak and explore the waters around the island
- learn to surf
- go parasailing

Historical
- pick up a copy of the Ocracoke Walking Tour and Guide book and take a self paced tour of the village
- visit the OPS Museum, the lighthouse, and the British Cemetery
- take a trip to nearby Portsmouth island and walk through the historic village (now uninhabited)
- join a group on a Ghost and History walk

Shopping
- bike or walk around the village and pop into any or all of the shops which appeal to you - there's something for about every age, style, taste and budget

Eating!
- pick one of the many restaurants on the island and enjoy!

Whew! Hope this is helpful info for you!

Tapas time

A couple of times a year (or so), there is a special dinner event at a local restaurant. The last one I went to (before tonight) was an evening of Greek cooking at The Back Porch. Tonight, it was tapas at Cafe Atlantic. I was really excited about it, as I missed it when it was held last year, only to hear the next day how fantastic it was. So I wasn't about to skip this one!

In case you don't know, the concept of tapas comes from Spain. In Spanish cuisine, tapas refers to a variety of appetizers (both cold and hot). The idea has been expanded in America (and the U.K.) to include other courses, all comprised of small portion sizes, so diners can combine many different tapas to make a complete meal. Jocelyn and I each ordered one appetizer, two entrees, and one dessert (remember, they are small servings!) It was a delicious meal, and I enjoyed every bite.

Here are a couple of pictures.

The announcement sign and special menu were posted outside...


...for people to read while waiting for a table!

Girl's night

Jocelyn and I enjoyed a "girl's night out" this evening which was a lot of fun. We started out by attending a jewelry and handmade greeting cards party (I told you it was a girl's night!) at Mary Ellen's house.

Just in case you don't believe me that this was a "girl thing", here's a picture of some of the party attendees. Not a guy in sight!



After the party, we (and LOADS of other people) headed over to Dajio, the new restaurant located where the Pelican restaurant was previously. We got a sneak peek at the menu, which looks quite varied and unique, and also enjoyed sampling some of the appetizers, which were delicious. We also learned the origin of the restaurant's name: the letters D A J I O stand for "Doug And Judy In Ocracoke". The couple who own Dajio previously owned an award-winning, nationally acclaimed restaurant in Kentucky (if I remember correctly), and have visited Ocracoke frequently. Dajio is the culmination of their desire to someday live and have a restaurant here. Now isn't that cool?

And just in case you don't believe me about the loads of people at the Dajio open house, here's a shot of the patio during the event. This is just one small area...there were plenty more people inside the bar screened porch space, too.




Dajio opens officially for the season in a few days. I will certainly eat there soon and let you know what I think.

Full evening of fun

Tuesday is a good night on Ocracoke. Well, at least in my opinion. I happen to enjoy the things which are available on Tuesdays: sushi and bingo. I suppose if you don't like either of those, then Tuesday would be just another night on Ocracoke...which is still a good night, if you ask me! (Any night on Ocracoke is a good one...)

Anyway, I enjoyed this particular Tuesday night with John, Connor, and my sister Jocelyn very much. We started out at Jason's for Tuesday night sushi, which was delicious as usual. To top it off, we had some fabulous chocolate peanut butter pie for dessert.

After dinner, Jocelyn and I went to OVFD Bingo, which is always fun. To top THAT off, Jocelyn won a game! (It still would've been fun even if she hadn't, but winning never hurts in the fun department.)

Here are a few pictures.


Jocelyn with her winning card (she won the "floating postage stamp" game).


She was pretty darn happy about that check!


Me daubing away like a madwoman, but still not winning anything...

Hope you are having fun on Tuesday nights (and every other night of the week, too), wherever you are...