Will the Bonner bridge ever get replaced?

I have no idea of the answer to that question, but I do know that the project has been delayed, again.

Here's a link to an article about the current status.

Just a little bit

We got just a dusting of snow before the precipitation turned to rain and washed it all away. I did manage to snap a few pictures, although they are all of the view just right outside my front door.

Bodie Isand lighthouse renovation info.

I mentioned in a recent blog that the Bodie Island lighthouse is undergoing some renovation. In case you're curious for more details, here's some info and photographs I recently received in email.

The crane is at the site now and will lower the cut pieces of iron work on the top of the tower. They will be sent to Florida where a cast will be made of each piece. The iron will then be melted and poured into the mold so that the original ironwork will be used in the restoration.



(Click on the picture for a larger view.)

Moves and changes

Winter is the time of year that I notice what we call MACs in my work life: moves, adds, and changes. A couple of recent things I've observed include:
- BWs Surf Shop is moving to the space in Spencer's Market where Ocracoke Restoration was
- Ocracoke Restoration is planning to open this spring in their new space - you can learn more on their blog (the link is under "other blogs about Ocracoke" to the left

And then today I noticed that the Community Store parking lot is receiving a makeover.



I'll let you know as I notice more MACs.

A photo a day

As you know, I try to post photos on this blog when I can, but often just don't have one for whatever I'm writing about that day. I have a solution, though. If you find yourself jonesing for an Ocracoke photo, and I haven't posted one recently (or if you just want to see some more!), check out pixadilly.com, George Brown's photography site where he posts a photo each day. George is on the island for the winter, so the pictures are currently of Ocracoke. He takes gorgeous photos!

Valentine's weekend concert

If you like jazz, and you're going to be on the island for the Valentine's day weekend, you might enjoy the concert planned for that Saturday night. Here are the details.

Like beer?

I am not a big fan of beer. (I do like a glass of wine occasionally.) Anyway, in case you are a fan of beer, I thought I would share about an opportunity to taste some. Here's the info. I received in email recently.


Saturday, January 30th
BEER TASTING at Zillie's

Call Now for Reservations !

Join Aaron Gallaher
of Howard's Pub
www.howardspub.com

To Taste
American Porters and Stouts
6 P.M. on Saturday, January 30th

Avery Out of Bounds
North Coast Brewing No. 38 Stout
Stone Smoked Porter
Highland Oatmeal Porter
Rogue Chocolate Stout

Paired with Hor d'oeuvres from the Pantry
Five Beers Tastings - Fifteen Bucks
Call 252 928.9036 Today to Reserve Your Spot!

538 Back Road
In Ocracoke Village

Kugler cottage

I recently took some photos of one of the oldest "summer cottages" on the island, the Kugler Cottage. I love the red doors, but the best part about it has to be the view!

Bonfire for bikers

There was a bonfire on the beach tonight, to say farewell and good luck to a group of young people who are planning to bike across the country (all the way to California) to raise money for the Youth Center and WOVV (the radio station). It was a lot of fun!

We used Christmas tree limbs for kindling, and Jon enjoyed running down the beach with them, lighting up the night.



Katy roasted turkey dogs, which were delicious.



The bikers - left to right: Katy, Vera, Ingrid and Jon.



You can keep up with their travels on their blog or Facebook.

Missing

One set of steps. I swear it was right here, but now there just seems to be a large pile of sand in that spot.

Projects

It's that time of year, when many building and renovation projects are done on rental cottages, businesses, and resident homes around the village. So far, I've noticed that Blackbeard's Lodge has extended a section of porch. I'm not sure what else is planned for other locations, but I do know that I have seen the Dare Lumber truck quite often recently!

Good eats!

I went to the Sunday buffet at Dajio and, as expected, it was excellent. There several sweet options, including apple pancakes, cinnamon uglies, and fruit, and several savory items, including shrimp and grits, potatoes, and a seriously delicious egg strata. If you're looking for a place Sunday brunch, I recommend it!

Now here are a few additional options for food in the next few weeks:
- Sunday 1/31 - farewell potluck for Pastor Sam, Assembly of God Church, after the morning service (which starts at 11:00 AM)
- Sunday 1/31 - spaghetti lunch fundraiser for Boy Scouts, Jason's restaurant
- Wednesday 2/3, noon - lunch (soup, sandwiches, and hot dogs) - Methodist Church Rec Hall (I'm not sure, but this may be a fundraiser for the United Methodist Women, who are raising money to work on maintenance needs for the Parsonage)
- Saturday 2/6, 4:00 PM - dinner fundraiser for a local lady fighting Multiple Sclerosis - Methodist Church Rec Hall
- Sunday 2/14, noon - lunch (fundraiser for Parsonage work)

Eat up, and enjoy!

Sick?

I feel like I might be coming down with something. Aack! It's certainly that time of year, and I've heard that there is something "going around", so hopefully I'm not getting whatever it is. Anyway, that's why the blog has been a bit behind...

Hope you are well, wherever you are...

Well, that's one way...

...to run your dog on the beach when it's freezing cold, and the dog is the only one who wants to be outside running.

Warm, but wet

The freezing snap is finally over, but now it has been raining for days. (At least it's happening with the warmer temperatures, since it would've been ice or snow if the precipitation had arrived during the cold spell.)

Often, when we have prolonged rainy spells around here, we end up with small lakes in the village, which our feathered friends love!

Here are a few in a local back yard...



...and some at the edge of Silver Lake.

Things I learned (or learned more about) by driving up the beach

I drove up to Kitty Hawk today to go to an appointment and do some shopping. It was a long day, during which I learned (or learned more about) a few things.

1. The project to add another stacking lane at the north end ferry terminal is ongoing.



2. Serendipity, the cottage made famous by the film Nights in Rodanthe, is about to be moved. I knew this was happening, but I mean it's really imminent now. The crew from Expert House Movers was there when I drove by this morning, and the house was on a truck and in a slightly different position (closer to the road) when I drobe by this evening.

3. There are LOTS of waterfowl at Pea Island during the winter.



4. The Bodie Island lighthouse is being renovated. (There's scaffolding around it.)

5. The Bonner Bridge is being worked on, too (winter is a big time for projects around here!) There's a short section of one-lane only traffic, controlled by lights.



And now you know! My next trip up the beach (that I know of, anyway) will be in mid February, so I'll let you know what new things I learn then (if there are any).

P.S. I did take a few pictures that go with some of these points, and I'll add them to this post later.

Frosty...and dolphins

There was frost on the beach this morning. Yes, on the sand. It was hard to take a picture which captured it, but I got a couple of decent ones.





But the frosty sand wasn't the best thing to see at the beach today; it was only a part of the beautiful morning. The sky was a clear, lovely blue, the sunlight was sparkling on the ocean like diamonds, the waves were rolling in quietly, landing softly on the beach with a peaceful susuration. And in the middle of it all - a pod of dolphins, jumping, playing, and just generally exuding joy. It was the greatest show on earth, and I found it difficult to stop staring. I neglected my Bible study in favor of watching instead, and when it came time to leave, I literally walked backwards to my car after touching salt water because I didn't want to miss a second.

These pictures don't come close to doing it justice. I wish I'd had my video camera, but even that couldn't have adequately recorded the moment. But here are the best shots I got.

Community art

You may have heard the phrase "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty". (If not, now you have!) Anyway, recently a couple of people put a tree on the beach with a few decorations on it. Others have added to it, creating what a friend referred to as "random art". I think it's an act of beauty. Here are a few photos of it that I took this morning.



It has some Christmas ornaments on it



...and some less traditional decorations.

Birds galore

I know I've said this before, but I swear there are just so many more birds around this time of year than usual. Here's a big flock I noticed hanging out at the Cafe Atlantic recently.

New Sunday brunch buffet

With very few restaurants open on the island at the moment, and at least one that is open during the week being closed on Sundays, there aren't a lot of options for a meal after church (or just a meal on Sunday, even if you don't go to church!) That, however, is about to change.

Starting this Sunday January 17th, Dajio will be serving a brunch buffet on Sundays from 11 - 2. The cost will be $15 for adults and $8 for children, and here's a sampling of some of the items planned to be available:
--Apple Pancakes
--Frittatas
--Shrimp and Grits
--Eggs
--Reggiano Potatoes
--Bacon/Sausage
--Fried Chicken
--Collards

The flyer I received notes that that's just a few of the items, and that the buffet will be subject to change weekly. Sounds like a yummy option to me! I'll plan to try it on Sunday and let you know what I think.

Oh, speaking of Dajio...I went there last Thursday with a group of friends (we had a ladies lunch), and ate a seriously fantastic upgrade on my favorite comfort food: macaroni and cheese with lump crab meat. YUM! If you also like mac-n-cheese when the weather is cold, I highly recommend this one...go to Dajio, get it, and enjoy!

Still freezing...

It continues to be unusually cold here on the island. (And just about everywhere else, from what I hear...)

This weekend, I noticed that the water along the side of South Point Rd. was iced over. I personally have not seen that before. Here are a couple of pictures, in case you haven't either.

Roast beef in the Rec Hall

I enjoyed a delicious lunch of roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and iced tea (of course, this is the South!) today after church in the recently-renovated Rec Hall building. The lunch was a thank-you to everyone in the community who had supported the renovation project, and an unveiling of sorts of the updated building, which looks great! Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me, so I don't have photos to add to this blog. Sorry about that!

Pickin' and singin' update (pictures)

I went to the first pickin' and singin' at the Community Store last night. It was really well attended - the parking lot at the Community Square was completely full. The warmth inside from both the old stove and the camaraderie were welcome on an icy cold night. Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.

One of the younger pickers, Sammy Marinace, joined Pat Garber and John Golden.



Robert tunes because he cares.



Charlotte helped Marcy play her mandolin.



The crowd appreciated the music...



...and the warmth of the stove.



Evidence that Lou can play anything with strings:



The group of musicians grew as the evening continued.



The plan, as I understand it, is to continue these evenings through the winter, so if you are on the island on a Friday night, come enjoy and join in the singing!

Angel-less

I don't like taking down Christmas decorations, and am often the last person around to do so. My Christmas trees are still up as I write this (they are fake, so that enables me to put off this task longer than I could if I had a real one dropping needles in my living room).

Anyway, yesterday I heard a truck stop outside the window to my office and looked out to see - much to my dismay - that it was an electric co-op truck, and it was there because they were removing the angel from the light pole.





Sigh. I guess this means I have to accept that Christmas is officially over. Darn.

Pickin' and singin'

Starting tomorrow, you can enjoy (and participate in) an evening of music on Friday nights at the Community Store at 6 PM. Bring your voice, an instrument, or a song. Everyone is welcome!

Merry Old Christmas! (belatedly)

I missed posting this post on the actual day celebrated as "Old Christmas" in parts of the Outer Banks (it was yesterday), but I thought you might find this interesting. Some area residents still celebrate Christmas on Epiphany. The legend is that it's related to the change to the Georgian calendar in 1752, which shortened the year by 11 days. The story goes that the word of the change was slow to reach the Outer Banks, so the islanders continued to celebrate on the day that used to be Christmas before the update.

The village of Rodanthe holds an annual celebration of Old Christmas on the Saturday closest to Epiphany each year. If you subscribe to Our State magazine, there's a terrific article about it in the December 2009 edition.

Are you crafty?

I mean in a good way, as in do you make craft items or create art pieces? If so, you might be interested in participating in the Ocrafolk Festival as an artisan. It's a great way to attend the Festival, since you can still hear the music from the vast majority of booth locations, and you can make some money while there, too!

You can learn more about being an artisan, and fill out an online application at the Festival website (click on "2010 Artisan Application" in the left menu). If you're interested in seeing the types of art which have been represented at the Festival before, click "The Artisans" to see the list of artisans from the 2009 festival, along with pictures of their work (for most of them). We're certainly open to additional/new/different kinds of art, though, so don't take that list as a limitation if your work is in another category.

If you apply, good luck! If you're not talented in that area, just plan to come to the festival to enjoy shopping from those who are (and the music and storytelling too, of course!)

Island exercise options

If you made a new year's resolution to exercise more, there are a few options that I know of for exercise classes on the island. (There may be others that I don't know about, too).

If you're a morning person, Barbara Jemison leads classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8 AM in the Community Center. She rotates the type of exercise (standard aerobics, step aerobics, toning, flexibility training) to keep things interesting and challenging.

If you prefer (or your schedule can more easily accommodate) an evening workout, Angie Todd is teaching Turbo Kick classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:30 or 6:00 PM. There's a little flexibility in the schedule and location for this class (sometimes it's in the Community Center, other times the school gym), so if you're interested in this one, you should check with Angie on it.

If you need to work on your flexibility, Amy (from Deep Blue Day Spa) teaches yoga classes at DeepWater Theater multiple times a week (check with her for the exact schedule). The classes are $15 each.

Have fun, and be well!

Icy

It is really cold here today, a fact which is most likely not surprising to you since it seems that many areas (especially in NC) are having a colder-than-usual snap right now.

Anyway, there are many icy areas around the village, including this large patch near the Assembly of God Church.

(Sorry the photo isn't great...I forgot my camera, so I took this with my phone instead. It'll do in a pinch, but doesn't have the resolution of my camera, unfortunately.)

I heard this morning that there was even ice on the sea oats at the beach! Part of the reason it is this cold is that the wind is blowing at around 40 knots. As a result, the mainland ferries didn't run today, and the Hatteras ferries ran a slightly limited schedule. There is overwash at Rodanthe (as usual), which is expected to freeze tonight, making travel that way potentially hazardous. So if you're planning to drive through there, be careful! And stay warm, wherever you are...

I might be crazy but...

...I just started yet another blog. It may or may not be daily, and all the posts will be short and oddly similar, yet highly varied. Check it out here.

I figured it's a new year and a new decade, why not start a new blog? Speaking of new decade, click here for a short summary of the last decade. (Yes, really short. It's a three minute video summary of the last 10 years.)

Shopping

I am not a big shopper. I have been accused of shopping more like a man than a woman, meaning I go into a store for the purpose of buying a specific thing (or perhaps a list of specific things), I go get those things, pay for them, and leave. Yes, I may add a few extra things that I hadn't thought to put on my list, but then when I saw them I realized I needed them (only in grocery stores, or when shopping for household items at Target, etc.) I don't generally "go shopping" just for fun.

Except on New Year's Day, when (for two years running now), I go to Books to be Red for Leslie's annual "No Football Zone" open house even though I don't necessarily "need" anything specific from there. Why? Well, there are several reasons.
- I love books, so I can always find something to buy there.
- I love Books to be Red, so I can always find something to buy there.
- People who know and love me know that I love books and Books to be Red, so I usually get at least one gift certificate for the shop as a Christmas gift.
- I know I will get to see and chat with some of my friends if I go, since many of them will go at some point, too. The longer I browse, the more friends I'll get to see.
- Leslie provides delicious snacks and wine at her open houses. Here's the evidence:



There's also evidence of Leslie's sense of humor in that picture. Yes, that bowl at the front contains Goody's headache powder and Alka Seltzer, in case you need some. It is the day after midnight revelry for many people, after all!

A Southern custom says that you are supposed to have black eyed peas and greens (collards or the like) on New Year's Day to bring good luck and wealth. Leslie had a bowl of black eyed peas on the counter in a nod to the tradition.



I shall now return to my usual non-shopping persona. Except I do need a few things, like a DVD player for the flat screen TV my sister got John for Christmas and a game or two for the Wii I got from Damon. Online shopping, here I come!