Planning

One of the side effects of working as a Project Manager is that my planning strategies tend to spill over into my life. I am currently working on preparing for our upcoming trip to Colorado Springs, and I'm doing so with a spreadsheet. Yes, really. I'm not kidding. Yes, I understand that this may be a sign that I need some form of professional help!

Seriously, when I travel, I feel like I don't want to miss any of the "best" things the area has to offer, so I like to do loads of research about what to do. I can't keep it all in my head, so I use a spreadsheet to create a list of ideas. And then I have to admit I can't do it all and shorten the list a bit. (Well, at least I will certainly have to do that for the Colorado Springs trip - there's LOADS to see and do around there, and my list currently has 24 things on it!) Let me know if you're planning a trip to that part of the world...I'll send you my spreadsheet if you want ideas!

I recently saw a list of the "assets" of Ocracoke (i.e. the things to do; the reasons people visit here), and was impressed with how many were on it. A group of people involved with the Civic and Business Association created it. Here it is - how many of these would you have thought of?

lighthouse
pirates
ghost legends
water sports
beaches
Portsmouth Island
fishing
bicycling
historic village
restaurants
lodging
live entertainment
welness retreat
night sky
unique shops and galleries
arts & crafts
park service
nature trails
ponies
birding
watermen
waterfowlers
history
British Cemetery
boating
festivals
traveling to the island

Quieting down

I drove by the Back Porch restaurant at about 5:30 tonight and was struck by the fact that there were NO cars there. They open at 5:00, and usually even on Sundays there are folks there to dine as soon as they do.

The empty parking lot was the first sign of fall. The busy summer season is winding down, and the village is certainly getting quieter. Weekends are still pretty busy, but during the week it is lovely and calm. It's a great time to visit!

Thai time

I had been craving Thai Moon for several days, so we finally called and ordered some tonight. I love it, and will be sad when they close for the season (which won't be for a while, thank goodness).

In case you don't know about this tiny but wonderful option for dining on Ocracoke, Thai Moon is located in Spencer's Market at the corner of School Rd. and Hwy 12. They have a varied menu, including vegetarian dishes, and you can order most things prepared from mild all the way to "Thai hot" (read: painful). My personal favorite dishes are chicken panaeng curry (mild or sometimes medium, when I'm feeling adventurous) and the shrimp and crabmeat fried rice. Be aware that it's take out only, and cash only. Enjoy!

Travel tweets

Did you know that you can sign up on Twitter to receive updates regarding travel conditions in NC? I didn't either, until I read the press release below regarding NCDOT preparations for Tropical Storm Danny. I haven't signed up for Twitter yet, but I just might do so now. (Been meaning to for a while, anyway...just too busy to keep up with the times!)

NCDOT PREPARED FOR TROPICAL STORM DANNY
Coastal crews on standby along the Outer Banks; travel information available on Twitter

RALEIGH — Although Tropical Storm Danny is not expected to reach North Carolina’s coast, the N.C. Department of Transportation is prepared for high tides and potential road flooding along the Outer Banks.

NCDOT has put coastal crews on standby, moved heavy equipment to flood-prone areas in Dare County, as well as Ocracoke Island, and will monitor flooding along N.C. 12 on the Outer Banks. Crews can use the front-end loaders, motor graders and bulldozers to push sand off the road and help drain any standing water once the tide passes.

There are several ways for citizens to find out about road conditions. Travelers can call 511, the state’s toll-free travel information line, or visit the NCDOT Traveler Information Web site at www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel. Ferry operations are not expected to be affected; however, motorists are encouraged to call 1-800-BY-FERRY (293-3779) for schedule updates.

NCDOT also offers travel information on Twitter, a free social-networking Web site. Citizens can get brief updates, or “tweets,” for 16 different routes or regions of the state, including the coast. The department’s Twitter alerts about the state’s ferry system include details on schedule changes, weather-related delays and ticket sales.

To see all the Twitter options NCDOT offers and information on how to sign up for a Twitter account, go to www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter. Signing up allows users to receive tweets on mobile devices such as cell phones and PDAs.

The department reminds motorists not to use mobile devices while driving. Instead, NCDOT encourages them to check the alerts before they leave home, work or school. This will not only enhance safety but also help motorists determine the best route to take.


***NCDOT***

Surf's up!

The only good thing about having a Tropical Storm approximately 500 miles away and coming this direction is the effect on the surf. Well, really that's only a good thing if you're a surfer. If you are a surfer, and you're here on the island, I suspect your mood is good at the moment!

I found this first sentence of the 8 PM public advisory on the storm rather amusing: "Disorganized Danny moving slowly northward." That's my favorite kind of storm - a disorganized one, moving slowly, and staying off shore.

Appropriate dress for the first day of school

My friend Mary Ellen is the first grade teacher at Ocracoke School. She's also an avid NC State Wolfpack fan, a fact which is quite well known on the island. So imagine her surprise when yesterday, the first day of school, ALL of her new students arrived dressed in Carolina Tarheel blue! Of course, she went home at lunch and changed into her best Wolfpack red. I love that story as an example of a fun small town prank.

For all you teachers and students out there: hope your first day of school was (or will be, if it hasn't happened yet) fun, wherever you are...

'maters, part 2

The best thing about growing your own tomatoes, in my opinion, is eating fried green tomatoes. That was dinner tonight...YUM!

Slice 'em...


...fry 'em...


...and serve 'em up!

Concert for Roy

Long time attendees at Ocrafolk Opry shows probably remember Mr. Roy Parsons, who played guitar and harmonica, and sang and yodeled. He passed away a couple of years ago and is certainly missed. Most Opry shows end with the song "I'll Fly Away" as a tribute to him.

A concert in Roy's honor is being planned for next Saturday. Martin and Friends will be performing. The show is at Deep Water Theater at 8 PM and tickets cost $10. I always enjoy Martin and Friends, so I'll be there. Hope you can make it, too!

This is what the beach looks like...

...when there is a Category 2 hurricane passing by, even if it is (thankfully) far out at sea.


No swimming was particularly good advice!


The waves rolled in all the way up to the foot of the dunes.




This is the high water line up on the dune (I was there shortly after high tide).


And this is the high water line nearly all the way to the top of the access ramp.

The north end of the island (past the pony pens) was closed for part of the day due to ocean overwash which made it impassable. (I'm honestly not sure of the current status, but wouldn't be surprised if it was still closed.) These next pictures of the road are from Jaren.

Bill

Hurricane Bill seems to be planning to stay well away from the island (which is fine by me), but forecasters are predicting we will still see some impacts in the surf. A friend of mine actually badly wants to come visit this weekend for that very reason! (Not so much to swim in it, since there will most likely be more rip currents than usual, but just to see it.)

Anyway, I received the following travel advisory release (put out by Dare County) in email today and thought I would pass it on in case anyone is planning to come this way over the next few days.

For Immediate Release:

August 20, 2009
Contact: Dorothy Toolan
Public Information Officer
252-475-5903
dorothy@darenc.com

Weekend Travel Advisory for Hatteras Island

Hurricanes can create dangers even when they do not directly impact land. Dare County Emergency Management is asking visitors to be mindful of Hurricane Bill that will be passing well offshore of the Outer Banks on Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23. One concern is the likelihood of ocean over wash along areas of Highway 12 on Hatteras Island which may cause temporary closures of the roadway during periods of high tide. Travelers to Hatteras Island are asked to adjust their arrival and departure times to avoid high tide, if possible. Saturday high tides will be at approximately 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Please contact your real estate company for information on road conditions or call Dare County Emergency Management at 252-475-5655.

Prints

I see all sorts of different prints in the sand during my beach times, evidence of the many different types of humans and animals who enjoy walking on the beach as much as I do. Here are a few examples from this morning.


Some people walk in shoes...


...others go barefoot.


It may be hard to get the sense of scale, but these prints were large, so I think they were made by a big bird.


I'm not sure about these, but I think they may have been made by a small dog.

I didn't get any horse hoof print pictures this morning, but I see those quite often, too.

Dinner and a show

I love having guests, since it tends to have the affect of getting me out of the house and doing things more than I do when it's "just us". Tonight, the activity was dinner at the Back Porch and a show at Deepwater Theater. Both were fantastic! All three of us were so stuffed after dinner it was nearly painful...it's easy to do that at the Back Porch!


My mom and Pam.


This cat seemed to be guarding the restaurant. Or maybe he was the welcoming committee!

Even though we were so full that naps seemed more in order, we managed to drag ourselves over to the theater for the Coyote/Noah Paley show, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Movie night

We watched the movie Nights in Rodanthe this evening, and enjoyed it thoroughly (some of us for the second time) even though we laughed at the inaccurate order of the shots showing Dr. Paul Flanner's drive to Rodanthe (first he's in Nags Head, then on the ferry between Hatteras and Ocracoke, then driving NORTH on Ocracoke, but somehow miraculously arriving in Rodanthe). The shots were gorgeous (I adore good cinematography anyway, but when it covers my favorite place on earth, I love it even more), just the editing to put them in that order was a bit off. We laughed at the fact that this is most likely true for many movies, but unless you really know the area, you wouldn't have any idea.

I also enjoyed the fact that, after the hurricane comes ashore and water is shown churning under the house, Dr. Paul jumps in his (very low to the ground) sportscar, which has been parked under the house, and drives it away. Not bloody likely in real life, but of course that's part of what makes movies entertaining - they are not like real life!

My favorite part of the movie was (of course) the scene of the band playing at the party on the pier after the storm, since my friends and neighbors Marcy, Lou, Katy, and Kevin are in it. We watched that scene essentially frame by frame, using pause and rewind liberally. It's great fun to see people you know in a movie!

If you haven't seen the movie, and you love the Outer Banks, you'll probably enjoy it for the scenery, a few small samples of the local brogue accent, and the shots of musicians you can see live right here every week. The movie itself isn't earth shatteringly fantastic, but it's a sweet romance (although it doesn't have a traditional happy ending). And of course, Richard Gere is easy on the eyes, so you might enjoy the movie for that reason alone. (Diane Lane is lovely, too, if your preference is for good looking women!)

Day trippin'

Usually, I hear the term "day trippers" used to apply to the people who are vacationing on Hatteras or the northern Outer Banks who come to Ocracoke for the day. But today, my Mom, her friend Pam and I were "day trippers" in the opposite direction: we headed up to Hatteras for part of the day. We visited the lighthouse (of course), and it was a really pretty day for lighthouse photos.



I was amazed to see the changes at the original site of the lighthouse (where it was before the move). Many of the large foundation rocks are nearly completely covered by sand, and there's a clump of grass growing in the middle of the circle. It looks like a sneak preview of the future, when the original location of the lighthouse becomes a dune!


In this picture, you can see how close the ocean now is to the original site, and the new clump of grass and sea oats growing inside the circle of stones.


On one side of the circle, the foundation stones look like this...


...and on the other side, they look like this!

After our lighthouse visit, we went to Uncle Eddie's for some frozen custard (yum). Then we headed back home. It was a short day trip, but still fun.

Ride to New Bern

I had another long day in the car today, this time going to New Bern and back to pick up my mom and her friend Pam, who came all the way from South Africa to visit. On the way out of the harbor on the early morning ferry, I took a few pictures, so I'll share.

Birthday dinner

We went to Cafe Atlantic last night for my birthday, and it was - of course - absolutely wonderful. One of my favorite moments was when several of my friends who work at the Cafe upgraded my dessert by adding a candle, and then delivered it to me while singing.



Moments like this, of being known and cherished, are why I love living here. Hope you are also blessed by friendships, on your birthday and every day, wherever you are!

Long day

I spent the day driving up to Nags Head and back to pick up my husband, who was taken there yesterday by ambulance after he fainted. (Don't worry, he's fine now.)

Anyway, driving most of the way up the Outer Banks and back will eat an entire day, and wears me out. When we got home, I was as tired as Connor was in the car on the ferry. Ah, to be young and able to sleep anywhere!

Comments

I got three comments today, all of which were a bit snarky in my opinion. So here are my three thoughts about blog comments.

1. I love comments. I prefer when the commenter provides his or her name, making the communication more personal (and usually more polite, too...it's easy to hide behind "Anonymous" when one wants to be snarky). If you don't have a blogger account name to post under, you can still sign your comment with your name.

2. I reserve the right to not publish any comments that are snarky or rude. My opinion of whether they are snarky or rude will be the sole and final decision maker.

3. I reserve the right to respond (possibly snarkily) back to comments that I think are snarky or rude, should I decide to publish them.

If you can live with those guidelines, comment away!

Oh, and 3b - I reserve the right to add additional thoughts to this list of three thoughts, should I have any or find that any other "guidelines" are necessary. :)

Bingo bummer

It's a minor disappointment when you go to Bingo and don't win. Not a big deal, still have fun, etc.

But it's a major downer when you go and don't win, but the person next to you wins 2 games and 1 t-shirt, and the person across from you wins 2 games.

That sounds like sour grapes, I know. And I really was pleased for the people who did win. But sometimes I just have a bad day...and today was one. Just proof that even living on Ocracoke doesn't make life perfect. Although it surely doesn't hurt! :)

Hope you're having a good day, wherever you are...

Santa Cruz River Band (part 2 - the show)

The Santa Cruz River Band show tonight was fantastic. They are a seriously talented bunch. I really loved the way they are so connected to their heritage (they spoke and taught a lot about the history, people, culture, and beauty of the SouthWest). I also was deeply moved by their passion for their musicianship. I really need to find the thing in my life that I can feel that connected to and passionate about.

Okay, enough with the deep thoughts. I'm not expressing very well how deeply this concert really moved me. If you were there, you might have noticed (I cried repeatedly). So without further ado, here are some pictures, for those of you who weren't there. (And those of you who were, too!)


You know the musicians are talented before the show even starts when you see the array of instruments they are planning to play. There was another row of guitars and a mandolin on the other side of the stage, too!


Speaking of talented...how about playing not only string instruments, but a whistle, too?


Father and son creating harmonies together.




One of the things I really loved was the fact that Mike and Ted bowed to the audience after every song. It was a wonderful way of respecting and thanking the audience, while also honoring their heritage.


This is the best shot I could get of Petie which almost captures what I was saying about how his passion for his music shows through. But a still image just can't quite catch it. Go see these guys perform live if they ever come anywhere near you! (You can find their touring schedule on their website.)

An evening at the Jolly

It had been a while since I went to the Jolly Roger on a Sunday night to listen to Marcy, Lou, Dave and Gary (aka MuLeDoG) play, and I had been missing it. We have guests staying with us right now, and as so often happens, that motivated me to go along with them tonight to enjoy this music. And I was really glad I did...it was a terrific show, even though Marcy was missing. (Does that mean it was uLeDoG?)

Here are a few photos, for your vicarious enjoyment. Wish I could include a soundtrack, too.


Kitty joined in on several songs.


The Windfall came by after returning to the harbor from the sunset sail.


Lou put on his rocker persona to perform some Beatles tunes.


Special guest Jamie sang "In a Town This Size".


The show was so great, the crowd insisted on - and eventually got - an encore.

Another Charlotte

There's a creature living on the outside of my house which I want to call Charlotte. It's a writing spider, and although she hasn't written "some pig", she has been doing some zig zagging recently. I finally got a good picture of her to share. It's hard to see her writing since the background behind her is a light color, but if you look close you may be able to make it out.



I had never actually seen a writing spider until I lived on Ocracoke. I am not a fan of spiders inside my house, but I think they are amazing, beautiful creatures and enjoying seeing them when they are outside.

Birthday on the beach

We went to another birthday party this evening - this one for Charlotte, who turned two today. The party was on the beach, which is now my new favorite place for children's birthday parties for one reason: easy cleanup! Yes, you have to put the food and tables away, but there's no need to sweep! Plus, you don't have to clean your house for guests if the party is on the beach...

Here are a few pictures from the celebration, which was lots of fun. Happy Birthday Charlotte!




Lachlan, Mariah Daisy, and Robert climbed and played on the dune.


Charlotte unwrapping presents, with a little help from Mommy.


A mom and daughter moment. No, Charlotte was not drinking the Corona, but it did make for a funny picture!


A kiss for the birthday girl.

'maters

John has been working diligently this summer on his tomato garden, and we are now starting to reap the rewards! We have bunches of cherry tomatoes, which are one of nature's perfect snacks, and we will soon have some full sized ones as well. (The first batch of full sized ones probably won't be on the vine long enough to ripen, as I'm craving some good fried green tomatoes!)

Many folks on the island have gardens and grow a wide variety of veggies and fruits. Ours is very small (and not very varied) by comparison, but here are a few pictures anyway.


Cherry tomatoes bustin' out all over.


Very small, very green, but soon to bigger, and soon after that to be sliced and fried!


The crop on our kitchen counter.

Those pictures made me hungry. I think I'll go eat a few cherry tomatoes now!

Furry friends

A blog reader asked whether there is a place on the island to board pets when visiting. I thought others might wonder the same thing, so I here's a blog to let everyone know about it. (I have a very vague memory that I may have blogged about this before, but I don't remember for sure and it will probably take me less time to blog about it again than to search for that old blog, so here goes!)

There is a kennel on the island, called Sandy Paws Bed and Biscuit. Here's their ad:



The lady who runs Sandy Paws is Janet Spencer, and she is a wonderful, warm, friendly person. She was one of the first folks to befriend me after we moved to the island (we lived close to her home and Sandy Paws at the time, and I would often see her out walking several dogs - her own plus the Bed and Biscuit "guests"). One of the great things about her facility is that you can go get your pet anytime you want to, without any need to coordinate with Janet to meet you there. She provides you with a combination code for the lock, so you can come and go as needed, and visit your furry friend at any time of day.

I love seeing dogs on the beach - it's the picture of pure unadulterated joy. Dogs and the beach just naturally go together! So if you've ever wanted to bring your dog but didn't have a place to stay which would accept him or her, now you know about this option and can choose to bring your best friend on vacation with you!

Moon light, moon bright

I woke up in the middle of the night last night and thought briefly that my neighbors had turned on a bright light. Then I realized it was the moon! It was full, the night sky was perfectly clear, and the moon was centered in the window I see when I open my eyes (which is actually down a short hallway and in the den). It was a lovely moment, and I almost didn't want to go back to sleep again. I lay quietly, just staring at the moon for a few minutes, but then I must have drifted off; it was the middle of the night, after all! Anyway, the next thing I know it was light, the alarm was going off, the baby was making "it's time to get up now" noises, and another day was upon me. Ah well, at least I enjoyed the peace for a few minutes.

Following tracks

I was driving on the beach this morning when I had my "deep thought" of the week. Maybe I should post one weekly..."Thoughts Thursdays" or something. Or maybe not.

Anyway, this morning I was reflecting on how following in the tracks left by another vehicle sometimes makes it easier to drive on the beach. And sometimes makes it harder. Typically, driving in other vehicle tracks is a good strategy - the sand is packed and the going is easier as a result. But other times, driving in tracks creates more problems than it solves, specifically if the tracks were created by a very heavy vehicle, or have been packed down after use by many vehicles. In these case, the tracks get quite deep, which results in the bottom of lower-clearance vehicles scraping on the sand piled up between the parallel tire tracks. So in those instances driving in the tracks left by another vehicle is not a good idea.

I think life is like that. It many ways, it can be made easier by learning from others, following in their footsteps, and not reinventing wheels. But if the tracks left by the person you are following are not a good fit for the type of person you are, you may simply hurt yourself by trying to follow those particular tracks.

I feel like I'm not doing a good job expressing this idea, so it may just sound goofy. But there you have it...that's as deep as I'm getting this week!

Santa Cruz River Band

Santa Cruz River Band from Tucson AZ will be performing on the island next week. Here's a picture of the poster (I received this in PDF form in email, so this is a picture of my monitor...hence the odd quality).



And here's some additional info.

RARE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITY!
Monday August 10, 8 pm Ocracoke Community Center

The Ocrafolk Festival outreach program is sponsoring a performance by
a very special group from Tucson, Arizona which includes Ted Ramirez,
Michael Ronstadt (Linda Ronstadt’s brother!) and his son Petie. Don’t
miss this rare east coast appearance!
Proceeds benefit Ocracoke Child Care.
$10/adults, KIDS FREE!

Finally, here's more details about the Mike Ronstadt and Ted Ramirez, also from the emailed PDFs.

Teodoro (Ted) Ramírez and Michael J. Ronstadt

comprise the Santa Cruz River Band, a professional touring concert group from
Tucson, Arizona. The duo performs in Spanish, English, and American Indian
languages. Presenting an intriguing and powerful musical program filled with the
history and mystical lore of the Great American Southwest, they create unique,
beautiful music, with outstanding vocal harmonies and exemplary musicianship. Their
performance is authentic and original; deeply rooted in the musical styles and
traditions of the United States and Mexico.


Ted and Michael are prolific songwriters and gifted live performance artists, touring
constantly in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Mexico where their stories and
song introductions inform, captivate and enthrall! A more authentic and historically
significant musical group is difficult to find.

Ted Ramirez (vocals, nylon string baritone guitar, vihuela, harmonica)

Founder of the Santa Cruz River Band and first named in 1991.
He became Tucson’s official troubadour in 2001 in recognition of his cultural
preservation work and heartfelt celebration of Southwestern music and art.
He is an 8th generation Arizonan born in Tucson and his pioneer family roots date
back to 1752 and begin when Arizona was part of New Spain.
Ted is the creator and host of the “Sounds of Arizona”- a statewide radio broadcast
featuring Southwestern Folk Music.


Michael J. Ronstadt (vocals, steel string baritone and bass guitars, mandolin, penny whistle, pipes).

Michael’s appreciation for Mexican and American Folk music comes naturally from a
family tradition that began with his Great Grandfather, Frederick Augustus Ronstadt.
Michael is a 4th generation Arizonan born in Tucson. His love for this music, his
Ronstadt family history and his song writing skills make him a very special member
of the SCRB.

He has performed in the Southwestern United States for the last 25 years and has
performed live with his sister, Linda Ronstadt, singing back-up also on many of
her award winning albums. He writes and performs regional cowboy and western
ballads, country songs, bluegrass, folk and gospel songs with power and passion.