Planting with the kids

My Friday morning with the first graders was very different from the usual this morning - and very enjoyable. This week, the NCCAT campus staff have been planting marsh grasses, and today was the kids turn to go and help. I met them over there and helped myself (mostly digging holes for the kids to put the marsh grass plants into), and then I enjoyed lunch with them in the sunshine. It was a terrific break from work!

Here are a few pictures.

OISFT

It was very busy on the beach this morning - a sneak preview of July. The annual Ocracoke Island Surf Fishing Tournament (OISFT) is happening this week, so there are many trucks, fishing poles, and people out at the water's edge, hoping to land some big ones and win the prize. (I have no idea what the prize is!)

Nighttime driving on the beach

Here's a press release I received in email recently about restrictions on nighttime beach driving for the next few months.

National Park Service News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DATE: April 27, 2010
CONTACT: 252-473-2111, ext. 148

Nighttime Driving Restriction on
Cape Hatteras National Seashore Beaches begins May 1, 2010

Superintendent Mike Murray reminds park visitor that beginning May 1, 2010
all Seashore beaches are closed to off-road vehicles (ORVs) between the
hours of 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. in accordance with the court ordered
consent decree. Enforcement of the restriction will begin at midnight on
April 30, 2010. The 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. prohibition on beach driving
will remain in effect until November 15. Under the terms of the consent
decree the National Park Service (NPS) may issue permits between September
16 and November 15 to authorize night driving on Seashore beaches between
the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and NPS retains the discretion to
limit night driving to certain areas or routes, based on resource
protection considerations. As occurred in 2009, just prior to September 16
NPS will announce the availability of the night driving permits and how to
obtain the permit. The permits will be available through November 15 at no
charge and with no limit on the number of permits.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore provides crucial nesting habitat for
loggerhead and green sea turtles, as well as the occasional leatherback.
Loggerhead and green turtles are currently listed as threatened under the
Endangered Species Act and leatherbacks are considered endangered. Sea
turtles typically lay nests at night between May and September, when adult
turtles come ashore to deposit around 100 ping-pong ball sized eggs into a
cavity in the sand. While nesting, these turtles are susceptible to human
disturbance on the beach. If a nesting turtle is disturbed, it may not
nest at all, or may lay a nest in a less than optimal area. Once laid,
eggs will incubate in the sand for 50-70 days before the hatchlings emerge
and make their way to the ocean. The hatchlings will use light cues in
order to find their way from their nest to the sea, making them vulnerable
to artificial lights from houses, piers, headlights, beach fires and
lanterns. Although studies vary, it is estimated that only 1 in 1000 to 1
in 10,000 hatchlings will survive to adulthood. Ten to 15% of the turtle
nests laid in North Carolina are laid on Cape Hatteras National Seashore
beaches. In 2009, one hundred and four (104) sea turtle nests were
documented at the Seashore.

The night driving restriction will be posted at all Seashore ORV access
ramps. The regulation is enforceable by NPS law enforcement rangers and
violators are subject to up to six months imprisonment and up to a $5,000
fine. To report violations, contact: Dare Central Communications:
252-473-3444. For further information, contact the Chief Ranger’s Office
at 252-473-2111.

-NPS-

5th annual

The annual Memorial Day Firemen's Ball is planned for Saturday May 29 at the Community Center. The fun starts at 5 PM with the pig pickin' and silent auction. The live auction gets going at 7 PM, and the dancing begins at 8:30. Music will be provided by The Dune Dogs, Aaron Caswell Band, and The Ocracoke Rockers. The event is a fundraiser for the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, for a badly-needed new fire hall building. The cost for a dinner plate will be $10, and you can make additional donations, too. This is a really fun event which I have enjoyed for the last several years - if you go, I bet you will enjoy it too!

Shakespeare!

Coming soon to a stage near you (well, assuming you live on Ocracoke, it's near you) is the school/community production of Shakespeare's classic comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Here's the poster with all the details.



But since I can't figure out how to make the image enlarge so you can actually read said details, I'll repeat them here.

May 6 & 7, 5:00 PM
May 9, 2:00 PM
DeepWater Theater (outside)
$6 adults, $4 students
Tickets can be purchased at the School office,
or contact Charles Temple @ 252-921-0462

Stormy

I was really enjoying the show I was watching on TV tonight when it was interrupted by a special weather report about severe weather, including a possible tornado, on the mainland. It was a bit stormy (mostly windy) here, too, but nothing that scary, thank goodness. Needless to say, I didn't get to see the rest of the show, but I was glad to hear that there was no major damage and no injuries from the storm. Just one example of how spring weather can be pretty unpredictable and volatile around here.

Portsmouth Homecoming

I have been wanting to go to a Portsmouth Homecoming event for years (ever since I heard of Portsmouth, basically, which was nearly a decade and a half ago). I moved to Ocracoke in late 2004, and had already missed it for that year. I wasn't able to go either of the last two even-numbered years because of running a B&B (2006) and traveling for Connor's birth (2008), so I was really looking forward to this year's event, and nothing was going to keep me away. I wasn't disappointed. Here are some pictures so you can experience it vicariously (assuming you weren't also there).

One of the things I loved about the theme of homecoming this year, which was "Portsmouth Lives", was the fact that in order to bring the village back to life, there were people sitting on the porches and in the yards of some of the houses, engaging in pastimes previously practiced and enjoyed by island residents, such as quilting. These particular quilting hands belong to my friend DeAnna.

Ribbon cutting to officially open the new exhibits, which are not only in this building (the Visitor's Center), but also in some of the others (the Post Office and School, specifically).



Homecoming every other year is your only chance to mail something and have it postmarked Portsmouth. Dale did a great job of carefully applying the special stamp, so it would be legible on the envelopes but still meet the requirements for postage cancellation.

I loved seeing the church full of worshipers...


...and hearing it full of music!

Speaking of music, Molasses Creek provided the entertainment during the "dinner on the grounds" portion of the day.

Roy Willis worked on decoy carving in the yard of a nearby house.

The oldest living person born on Portsmouth, Dot Salter Willis, who is in her 90s, traveled to Homecoming in style!

Now here are some pictures which show why I love Portsmouth so much.

I love salt marsh and black needle rush.

I love old cemeteries, especially ones that peacefully coexist right next to houses.

And I love old trees, adapted to the harsh saltwater and wind environment of the islands.

There are plenty of all of the above on Portsmouth!

Portsmouth Photos

Tonight, the OPS Museum had an opening reception to introduce the public to a new temporary exhibit of terrific photographs taken on Portsmouth Island by Frances Eubanks. The exhibit is called Amid the Cedars and Salt Marsh, and will be at the museum for the next several months. Go see it when you have a chance!

There was a good crowd for the reception, which spilled out from the hallway (where the photos are displayed)...



...to the porch...



...where Lou and Aaron provided music for the party.



Connor is their youngest fan!



There was delicious food, and it was a treat to see the kitchen in actual use!

Tapas!

I went to the Cafe Atlantic with a group of friends tonight. There were seven people, and we ordered 4 appetizers, 10 entrees, and 4 desserts. No, we weren't overly hungry, and we also weren't terribly greedy. It was tapas night, meaning each of those items were small portions. (Except the desserts - those were the usual size and wonderful delicious-ness.) The Cafe does a tapas night a couple of times a year, and I highly recommend you attend one if you get the chance!

New stickers

Today was the second day the ferry service distributed the new Hatteras Inlet priority stickers for residents of Ocracoke. (Today was my day, since my last name begins with W.)



The process was quick and painless, and they had it down to a science. As soon as I pulled in, I had help scraping off my old sticker.



I went inside, filled out a form, and was handed a new sticker, which I took outside and which was quickly stuck on my windshield.

I got a kick out of seeing what had to have been one of the oldest cars to come get a new sticker, too.



I'm now the not-so-proud owner of a yellow and black sticker. I'm not a fan of the new color scheme, but they didn't ask for my input!

NCCAT Planting

Want to help the Ocracoke campus of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) restore some local marsh? Now's your chance according to the info. recently posted on the Post Office bulletin board. Check it out...

Almost summer

I know that summer is just around the corner when the ferry division announces they are adding back the extra mainland ferry runs which help bring visitors over to the island from Swan Quarter and Cedar Island during the busy season. Today was the day for that announcement, so here it is for your edification, enjoyment, and vacation planning needs. :)

ADDITIONAL FERRY RUNS TO OCRACOKE WILL BEGIN MAY 25

MANNS HARBOR — The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has announced the addition of two extra runs at its Swan Quarter-Ocracoke and Cedar Island-Ocracoke routes beginning May 25, 2010.

“This is an exciting announcement,” said interim director Charlie Fearing. “We are pleased to offer people a more flexible ferry schedule to better meet their travelling needs.”

Beginning May 25 and lasting through Nov. 1, there will four departure times from both sides at the Swan Quarter-Ocracoke route daily.

Departure times will be:
· From Ocracoke at 6:30 a.m., 9:30, 12 noon and 4:30 p.m. and
· From Swan Quarter at 7 a.m., 9:30, 12:30 p.m. and 5.

The Cedar Island-Ocracoke route will begin offering a later evening departure on May 4, when there will be a 6 p.m. ferry leaving both Ocracoke and Cedar Island. Then on May 25 through Nov. 1, there will be six departure times from both sides daily.

Departure times will be:
· From Ocracoke at 7 a.m., 10, 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30; and
· From Cedar Island at 7 a.m., 9:30, 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30.

Those interested in obtaining the PDF of all the ferry route schedules, can go to www.ncferry.org and download the schedule for printing. The updated schedules can also be heard by calling 1-800-BY-FERRY (293-3779) and Press 1.

Want to go climbing?

Lighthouse climbing, that is. If you like to climb lighthouses, you're in luck. Here's some information I received a while ago from the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society about the fact that most of the Outer Banks lighthouses will be available for climbing starting next year. The only exception? Ocracoke, of course.

(Sorry that this blog post comes too late for you to comment on the proposed fee for climbing Cape Lookout lighthouse, but hopefully the other information will be of interest.)

First, here's the email from OBLHS.

It’s spring here in North Carolina and our lighthouses beckon you to come visit. Next year all of our towers will be open for climbing (except for Ocracoke).

Here is a press release from Cape Lookout National Seashore asking for public input about their proposed climbing fee. Fees collected will help maintenance for the tower and other areas. We are very excited that it will be open to the public for climbing 3 days per week. The Park allowed visitors to climb 4 days a year prior to this restoration. Reservations were on a first call basis and were swallowed up in just minutes. It’s wonderful that we will all have more opportunities to climb. The Park proposes a fee of $8 for adults and $4 for children less than 16 years of age and seniors older than 62. Most National Parks charge an entry fee of ~ $10 and a fee for bringing a vehicle into the Park. $8.00 seems minuscule in comparison!

I am copying the information in the attached press release below and how to submit your comment by April 14th if you wish.

OBLHS member Laddie Crisp from Kinston, NC has sent us a link to panoramic views he has taken from the lantern room in many of our lighthouses. This is a work in progress, he will make changes and add text for a while. We thought you may like to see the view from the top of many of our lighthouses and thank Laddie for sharing this. Check his site often as he will continue to update it. Scroll your mouse to the sides, up and down to view this….it’s marvelous!


And here's the text of the aforementioned press release.

Press Release from CALO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harkers Island, North Carolina. Superintendent Russel J. Wilson is pleased to announce that a contractor has been selected to perform the safety and historic preservation modifications to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse that are needed to allow for public climbing access to the tower. Completion of the work is anticipated sometime this summer.

The Seashore is proposing a fee for climbing the tower, similar to that charged for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, and will hold a public meeting to solicit comments on the new proposed fee. The meeting will be held at the Duke Marine Lab auditorium on March 26, 2010, from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A public comment period on the proposed fee will be open from March 15, 2010, until April 14, 2010.

Comments may be sent to the park address at Cape Lookout National Seashore, Lighthouse Fee Comments, 131 Charles Street, Harkers Island, North Carolina 28531, or they may be emailed to: Wouter_Ketel@nps.gov.

The climbing fee is necessary to recoup, in part, the expenses of managing visitor access to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, which include: ensuring visitor safety within the tower (including recommended visitor occupancy limits), providing quality interpretation and education about the lighthouse to visitors, and for providing custodial maintenance of the tower and nearby restrooms.

Formerly open just four days per year, the Cape Lookout Lighthouse will be open for climbing three days per week - Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. In a typical summer season, plans are to have the tower open from May until the end of September, but this year (2010), the tower will open later due to the construction work. Once the lighthouse opens for the season, the Seashore proposes to sell tickets for lighthouse climbing at the Harkers Island Visitor Center, Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This will allow visitors to purchase tickets in advance for the same week. The fee proposed for climbing the lighthouse is $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children (less than 16 years of age) and seniors (62 and over.)

“We are excited to be able to open the tower to the public this year,” noted Wilson. “Because this is our first year, our initial plans will be subject to review next winter once we have more experience with how popular the climbs will be.”

Information on the fee and lighthouse climbing can be found at www.nps.gov/calo.

O'Neals everywhere!

If you've been visiting Ocracoke for long (or if you live here), you've certainly noticed the names that you hear often: Garrish, Gaskill, Austin, Ballance, Gaskins, and others. But the one which stands out as having the most people who carry it, is O'Neal. (The reason, as I understand it, is that one O'Neal family had 11 children - all boys. That's a bunch of guys to carry on the name by having families of their own, who have families of their own, who...well, you get the idea.)

Tonight, I went to the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of Ed and Stella O'Neal, and found myself in a room full of many, many O'Neals (and several other names, too), most of whom were related to each other. When I commented to William Nathan, who was sitting just down from me at the table as we ate dinner, that I needed someone to explain to me how all these people were connected to each other (who was related to whom), he quipped, "Oh, I don't even know how all of them are related. Just assume everyone in here is related, and you'll be pretty close!"

Ocracats

I've blogged about Ocracats and the good work they do here on the island before, but I recently received the appeal below in email, so I thought now is as good a time as any to post another blog about the organization and how you can support them if you would like to do so.


Spay/Neuter Clinics Planned
Two clinics are possible if Ocracats can cover vet costs

Help us keep the island's feline population under control and disease free. Ocracats desperately needs donations now in order to schedule clinics. All donations are tax deductible.
A PLEA FOR HELP: OCRACOKE'S CAT POPULATION EXPLOSION

By Pat Garber
We need good homes, veterinary assistance, and donations to alleviate our current cat crisis!
Anyone who has visited Ocracoke Village knows that cats make up a significant part of the population here. And rightly so. The first cats may have come to Ocracoke with the early settlers and the pirates, as ratters on their ships, and they continue their duty as ratters today. Most cottages sport at least one tabby or calico kitty sitting contentedly on a windowsill or a fence rail, and you're likely to find another one curled up inside on the couch.

Along with the pets are a number of feral cats that roam the village. Cat lovers feed them regularly and try to have them neutered and spayed. A non-profit organization called Ocracats collects donations to pay for neutering and food, as well as occasional emergency vet bills.

Cats reproduce rapidly, however, and with few predators to keep them in check, their numbers can get out of hand. Such is the case now.

The veterinarian who operated a clinic here several days a week, providing reasonable prices for feral cat neutering, has retired and moved away. Getting cats up the beach to Nags Head or Manteo is an all day operation and an expensive one. There is a veterinarian on duty on certain days of the week in Avon, but even that is a three hour round trip, and there is no one available to shuttle feral cats back and forth. The decline in the economy has reduced donations, so that paying for food and neutering is a real challenge.

In the past, veterinarians from off the island have, on occasion, jumped in to help us out, bringing their instruments and medications and setting up in one of the community buildings. On these occasions cat lovers all over the village trap feral cats and bring them in for neutering. The cats are returned to the place where they were captured, and feeding resumes. Ocracokers provide a place to stay and some good home-cooked or restaurant meals for the volunteer veterinarians and their assistants, as well as free time to enjoy our gorgeous beaches.

Hyde County Animal Control has, in fact, set up such a clinic, and the veterinary school at North Carolina State University is scheduled to come neuter cats in June. We are excited and grateful and looking forward to their help. The problem is that the cats are breeding and kittens now, and if we do not have an interim clinic before then there will be hundreds more cats.

We have been asking for help from any veterinarians who might be able to assist us, and we have had favorable responses from several. A clinic in April is possible, but even with volunteer help, there are expenses that need to be met. Ocracats does not currently have enough money to fund a successful clinic unless they can get more donations.

To add to our cat crisis, there are presently a number of beautiful, tame, and loving cats who have been abandoned and desperately need good homes. There is not enough money or space to care for them, and if homes are not found soon, they may have to be euthanised. If you love cats and have always wanted a pirate kitty, please give a good home to one of the beautiful cats displayed here, or inquire about others. If you cannot adopt a cat (or cats) into your home but still want to help out, please consider making a donation to Ocracats.

Please make checks payable to Ocracats, P. O. Box 993 Ocracoke NC 27960, or call Pat Garber at (252)928-6765.

Birthday potluck

I'm a fan of birthdays. I just think the idea of celebrating the fact that a person is here is a wonderful thing. It's the exact opposite of taking people - and life - for granted. No matter how old or young a person is, it's just right to celebrate their being, and that's what birthdays do. They say, "the fact that you are here today is reason to be happy".

I'm also a fan of potlucks (yes, I know this is no surprise unless maybe you just started reading this blog). They are a way of celebrating friendship, sharing, and - I must admit this is a major reason I'm a fan - food. I love the way potlucks celebrate individuals (around here, we know people by what they bring, and their standard potluck item is part of their personality), while at the same time celebrating community (after all, a potluck is by nature a group event).

So one of my favorite things to do is go to a birthday potluck, and the one I went to this evening was an excellent example. It was for Al's 70th birthday, and it was everything that makes both potlucks and birthdays wonderful - crowded, full of great food, with fantastic cake and singing at the end. What's not to love?

Important meeting

If you would like to learn more about the NPS proposed plan for beach access (and of course you would...since this plan involves ALL beach access, including pedestrian, not merely off road vehicle access), the info. below which I received in email today will be of interest. (I will post the link to the video replay mentioned below if/when I receive it.)



This Wednesday, April 14th at 7 PM instead of the regular Ocracoke Civic and Business Association meeting, there will be a workshop on what is contained in the 650 page document from the National Park Service regarding the draft environmental impact statement. This is the beach access document. This document is open for public comment until May 11th and there will be a public hearing on Monday, April 26 at the Ocracoke Gym with the NPS to accept public comments. Since this document is so large, the workshop this Wednesday is designed to help everyone become familiar with what is contained in the environmental impact statement and how it will affect you, your lifestyle, your customers, and visitors so that you are informed and can make effective comments at the NPS public hearing.

David Scott Esham and Gene Ballance spent numerous hours and days during the past couple of years attending the Negotiated Rule Making meetings to have Ocracoke represented for this draft document. However, even with their and others input, there are areas in the draft that are still of some concern. David Scott has listed some of these areas in the email below. The plan that is adapted will be in place for the Seashore for the next 15 years. So even if you kayak, pick up shells, walk your dog, bird watch, surf, star gaze,or fish on or off the beach-this concerns you. Please plan on attending this meeting Wednesday to learn more and how you can make your voice heard.

For those who don't live near the Outer Banks and are unable to attend the workshops, A video replay will be available on-line later next week.

Ocrafolk School

Blogging about the Hatteras culture camp reminded me that I haven't recently posted anything about Ocrafolk school, which is another opportunity to learn something new. You can find out more here.

Get some culture!

I saw a flyer at the Post Office recently for the 2010 Cape Hatteras Culture Camp. I thought the easiest way to pass the info. on was just to take a picture of the poster, so here you go!



You can click on the picture to enlarge it, but the quality isn't the greatest. If you would like to learn more about the culture camp, click here.

QUIZO!

The Girl Scouts hosted a Quizo event this evening, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Quizo - in case you don't know - is Bingo, and (as long time readers know), I love Bingo! (Yes, I know that might make me seem older than I am. So be it.) The funny thing about the fact that I like Bingo and Quizo is that I very rarely win. I didn't win a single game this evening (and was the only person at my table of about 8 people for whom this was the case), but I still had a great time. There's something - well, just good and fun - about spending time doing something simple with friends you love. So next time there's a Quizo or Bingo event, I'll be there with a big smile and low expectations. (That way, if I win, I'll just be pleasantly surprised!)

Navy visitors

This morning as I arrived at the beach, I saw four guys in uniforms standing on the sand, chatting. At first, I thought it was NPS employees (the uniforms were brown), but then I saw that they were walking to the airport...which made me wonder if it was a helicopter crew who had completed a practice landing as they sometimes do out here. I waited to see a helicopter take off, but didn't see anything.

As I left, I saw that there were a couple of extra airplanes on the landing strip, which were obviously how the guys had arrived (and how they were planning to leave). It's not every day you see small Navy planes like these (certainly not around here!) so I snapped a photo. (Hopefully doing so wasn't some form of national security breach!)

Censused

Recently, I had been hearing from friends (mostly via Facebook postings) about receiving their Census mailings, and I had started to wonder where ours was since we hadn't gotten one yet. Then, this morning, the doorbell rang. When you live on an island where many of the homeowners don't actually live in their houses (they are second/vacation homes or rentals), you get an actual live census taker at your door to ask you the questions. The process took just a few minutes, after which we chatted with the lady (who was from Hatteras Island) for a bit. I actually enjoyed it! Of course, I often enjoy the little things that are different as a result of living here - it's a reminder of just how special and unique Ocracoke is, and how lucky I am to get to live here.

Bird breakfast

This morning, as I sat in my car on the beach, a couple of birds came to play in the water, preen, and get some breakfast right next to me. It was a great chance to take some good photos, since they were so close and I didn't need to move toward them (possibly scaring them off).

Coming in for a landing...



...preening...



and eating!

Festival updates

Here's a press release I recently received about the Ocrafolk Festival.

Ocrafolk Festival Now Accepting Contributions to Ocrafolk 2010, and Program Advertisers
*****
2010 Ocrafolk Festival Program Advertising
You can help lower our costs of producing the Ocrafolk Festival Program with your advertising. 2.25 x 3.5 inch sized spaces are available at $70 per spot (Exact dimensions for ads can be flexible). 2000 copies of the program will be distributed during the festival week. Any remaining copies will be handed out at Deepwater Theater’s Ocrafolk Opry shows during the 2010 summer season. Ad spaces are limited. Please contact Village Print at Valerie Mason vilprint@embarqmail.com or 252-928-7008 to reserve your space and for layout details. Thanks for helping us out!
*****
2010 Ocrafolk Festival Accepting Donations
Dear Business Owners, Residents, and Friends,
Thank you for your past support of the Ocrafolk Festival! The Ocrafolk Festival is a free, non-profit event housed under the Ocracoke Preservation Society and made possible largely through fund-raisers, grants, cash contributions, and donations from businesses and individuals. In addition to the June celebration, the Ocrafolk Festival also supports cultural programming in the community all year long. We are inviting you to support the 2010 season.


This year’s Ocrafolk Festival Live Auction will be held on Friday evening, June 4, immediately after the Community/Artist pot-luck dinner at the Ocracoke School. The Silent Auction is on Saturday on the festival grounds. Hope to see you there!


Levels of tax-deductible contribution include:
Cash donations valued at $25.00 or more will receive: - Your name or business listed under “Sponsors” in the festival program
Cash donations valued at $50.00 or more will receive: - All of the above, plus
- Your name or business & a 40 word description listed on “Financial Sponsor” page on the festival web site for an entire year


Cash donations of $150.00 or more will receive: - All of the above, plus
- Your name or business announced from one of the festival stages - A web link to your business on the festival web site


Cash donations of $250.00 may be listed as a Performer/Event Sponsors. - All of the above, plus
- Sponsors will be publicly announced before the performance/event and listed next to the event in the program and on the website. Sponsorship slots are limited. Information about performers and events is posted at www.ocrafolkfestival.org.


Cash donations of $500.00 or more will receive: - All of the above, plus
- One photo on the festival web site -Your name or business highlighted as a “Silver Scallop Sponsor” on ledger boards at the festival, and featured on the Home Page of the festival website.


Cash donations of $1000.00 or more will receive: - All of the above, plus
- Up to 100 words listed on the festival web site - Your name or business highlighted as a “Golden Oyster Sponsor” on ledger boards at the festival, and featured on the Home Page of the festival website.


With your interest and support the Ocrafolk Festival will be able to continue to promote our region as a creative and vibrant all-season destination. Although we accept contributions at any time, the program print deadline is May 1, 2010. Please make checks out to “Ocrafolk Festival.” Text and web logos (72dpi) may be emailed to info@ocrafolkfestival.org.
Please contact us c/o David Tweedie, Ocrafolk Festival Donations, PO Box 604, Ocracoke, NC 27960, or info@ocrafolkfestival.org & 252-928-3411 to let us know how you would like to support the festival. Thanks!

Spring busy-ness

Spring Break usually brings a brief period of busy-ness to the island, and this year is no exception. Almost all of the restaurants and other businesses have now reopened, and most have been crowded with vacationers this week. It's a chance for everyone to have a little practice run at what things will be like once the season officially begins. Then, after this two week period around Easter ends, things will be quiet again for a while, so all can take a deep breath and get ready for the summer. That time - between the spring rush and the summer insanity - is one of my favorites, and I'm looking forward to it.

Music and stories

I enjoyed a wonderful evening of music and stories last night, at the annual spring Ocrafolk Festival fundraising concert.

Jef the Mime started the evening off right.



Then Molasses Creek played some tunes...



...which were excellent for dancing!



Captain Rob performed a new poem, complete with terrific facial expressions.



Jamie sang with members of the Ocracoke Jazz Society.



Then Rollin demonstrated how to play the piano "by the book". Yes, he used a book to play it!



Lachlan, the littlest (and cutest) member of the Opry performed, along with his daddy.



I love the fact that Marcy is usually barefoot when performing.



Then two members of Vermont Tropic performed a couple of fun steel drum songs. They have to be the whitest steel drum band ever! (And certainly the one from the furthest north!)



Jennifer Hamlin sang a jazzy number.



All together now for the finale!

Hey, that photo looks familiar...

When I arrived at the spring fundraising concert for the Ocrafolk Festival, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this banner.



Why was I pleased to see it? Because I took that photo!



Cool, huh?

I wasn't ready

...for either mosquitoes or crowds. But both have arrived nonetheless. Ah well, at least the crowds will dissipate after the next couple of weeks of spring break (only to return shortly before Memorial Day, of course). The mosquitoes, I suspect, will not.

Egg hunt

The second annual first-grade-Easter-egg-hunt-in-Kati's-yard was held today and enjoyed by all, especially me! There's just something fun and life affirming about having a bunch of kids run around in your yard, even when it's overgrown and messy. (Actually, overgrown and messy is reasonably helpful for Easter egg hunts - we hid some of the eggs by simply dropping them on the ground, where they disappeared in deep patches of clover!)

Hiding eggs to get ready...



Are these cupcakes adorable or what? (They were delicious, too!)



First, the kids played a few games, including a relay race carrying eggs on spoons.



Then, we had them pose for a picture with their cute personalized Easter buckets. They were a bit impatient to get started, so this picture had to be snapped quickly!



The actual egg hunt was over in about 3 minutes flat!



We enjoyed a short visit from the daycare kids, including Connor (top left), as they came by on their walk.



And then we enjoyed the snacks!





It was a lovely way to start April.