This past week on the island has been a quiet one. Having gotten all of the initial holiday celebrations out of the way, we took a quick break before starting the final ones. The Christmas Eve service at the church is probably the second-most attended event of the season (sorry, but nothing beats the Garage Party in terms of sheer numbers) and I am looking forward to it. The Madri-Gals will be singing again, to start the service. We rehearsed today while the kids were being fitted for costumes for the Christmas pageant. It should be a wonderful evening.
Last week, I was busy with work-related things, final preparations for the family Christmas visit and planning for the January trip, hence the dearth of blogs. I'll try to write more often, although all bets may be off in January. We will be traveling for most of the month, including some time in Key West. The idea was to go somewhere warm for part of our time off, but it has been so warm here we aren't really feeling the winter chill or the desire to escape it! I'm not complaining, though...I suspect there will be plenty of cold air during the first part of our trip, when we are in the Asheville area, in the mountains of NC!
Merry, Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
More Holiday Happenings!
It may be quiet on the island in terms of the number of visitors here, but there is certainly no shortage of activities! I had another weekend full of Christmas-related events, and loved every minute of it, as usual!
Things got started on Friday morning. Mary Ellen and I had planned a special activity for the first graders. They came to school dressed in pajamas (as did I), and we read the book The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Or, more accurately, William Hurt read it on tape, while I held up the book so the kids could see the pictures. John dressed in a suit and played the conductor. We gave the kids tickets, which they handed to him to punch as they returned from outside play time. Then they entered the classroom and took their seats on the "train" (we had lined the chairs up like seats on a train) to listen to the story. After the "reading", they drank hot chocolate and ate nougat candies (aka Milky Way bars), just like the kids in the book. We then played a game, and sent the kids home all sugared up for the afternoon! It was a really fun way to spend an hour.
On Friday evening, a group of people went caroling. We walked around the village (often in the middle of the street!), visiting community elders and shut-ins, and singing to them. We took requests, but most of them simply said they would like whatever we sang. It was a lovely evening, warm and clear, and I very much enjoyed walking under the stars and singing with my friends. Where else, I thought, can you do this and not worry about getting run over by a car?
On Saturday morning, my friend Nancy had a fabulous yard sale with items from the shop she has run for the past couple of years but will soon be closing. Yes, this was a Christmas-related event: I bought Christmas presents!
I went straight from Nancy's to my guitar lesson, and straight from there to a wonderful facial with Amy Borland-Hilton at Deep Blue Day Spa. It was a full day, and an excellent one!
On Sunday afternoon, John and I helped at the annual Children's Christmas Party at the Community Center. It was really well organized, and included several activities for the kids to do while they waited for Santa to arrive. John and I manned the "reindeer food" station, where we helped the kids make bags of food for the reindeer. In case you are wondering, reindeer food is oats with red and green sprinkles...you toss it on your lawn on Christmas Eve, and the sprinkles sparkle in the moonlight, so the reindeer can find your house and their snack! There were also stations to make hot chocolate packs (in cone shaped bags, with marshmallows on top), bead necklaces, and t-shirts. There were delicious snacks and drinks, too, of course...must keep the sugar quotient up during the Holidays! Finally, Santa arrived on the Ocracoke Fire Truck. The kids lined up to sit on his lap, and he very patiently listened to all of their requests and smiled for pictures with them. It was an excellent party, and much fun was had by all (yes, including me!)
Finally, on Sunday night, I watched the Ocracoke Assembly of God Christmas Pageant. I say I watched it, because John did not merely watch ~ he participated! He played a "wise guy", and he is quite the actor! I think he is a ham at heart, but just doesn't get to explore that part of his personality much. The show was great, and there were some seriously delicious treats available afterwards. Sundae was there with Caroline and Emmett, but Emmett wasn't feeling well and didn't want to stay for the treats (the line to get to them was long and moving slowly.) I volunteered to drive Caroline home after we ate treats, so she could stay and enjoy some goodies while Sundae took Emmett home. Caroline and I enjoyed the munchies, then walked to The Cove to get the car. I took Caroline home and stayed and visited with her family for a while, which led to a fun game of Yahtzee. I hadn't played in years, but caught on pretty quickly, although I didn't do very well overall! Sundae won both games we played, even rolling a Yahtzee on the second game! Even though I love Christmas, and had truly enjoyed all of the activities of the weekend, it was this quiet time with friends that I liked the most. This is one of my favorite things about the community of Ocracoke. Here, people really do drop in on their neighbors simply to catch up or pass on the latest news. Sometimes games or musical instruments are played. Every time, people enjoy one another's company.
Hope you will enjoy not only activities, but also the company of family or friends, during this busy season!
Things got started on Friday morning. Mary Ellen and I had planned a special activity for the first graders. They came to school dressed in pajamas (as did I), and we read the book The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Or, more accurately, William Hurt read it on tape, while I held up the book so the kids could see the pictures. John dressed in a suit and played the conductor. We gave the kids tickets, which they handed to him to punch as they returned from outside play time. Then they entered the classroom and took their seats on the "train" (we had lined the chairs up like seats on a train) to listen to the story. After the "reading", they drank hot chocolate and ate nougat candies (aka Milky Way bars), just like the kids in the book. We then played a game, and sent the kids home all sugared up for the afternoon! It was a really fun way to spend an hour.
On Friday evening, a group of people went caroling. We walked around the village (often in the middle of the street!), visiting community elders and shut-ins, and singing to them. We took requests, but most of them simply said they would like whatever we sang. It was a lovely evening, warm and clear, and I very much enjoyed walking under the stars and singing with my friends. Where else, I thought, can you do this and not worry about getting run over by a car?
On Saturday morning, my friend Nancy had a fabulous yard sale with items from the shop she has run for the past couple of years but will soon be closing. Yes, this was a Christmas-related event: I bought Christmas presents!
I went straight from Nancy's to my guitar lesson, and straight from there to a wonderful facial with Amy Borland-Hilton at Deep Blue Day Spa. It was a full day, and an excellent one!
On Sunday afternoon, John and I helped at the annual Children's Christmas Party at the Community Center. It was really well organized, and included several activities for the kids to do while they waited for Santa to arrive. John and I manned the "reindeer food" station, where we helped the kids make bags of food for the reindeer. In case you are wondering, reindeer food is oats with red and green sprinkles...you toss it on your lawn on Christmas Eve, and the sprinkles sparkle in the moonlight, so the reindeer can find your house and their snack! There were also stations to make hot chocolate packs (in cone shaped bags, with marshmallows on top), bead necklaces, and t-shirts. There were delicious snacks and drinks, too, of course...must keep the sugar quotient up during the Holidays! Finally, Santa arrived on the Ocracoke Fire Truck. The kids lined up to sit on his lap, and he very patiently listened to all of their requests and smiled for pictures with them. It was an excellent party, and much fun was had by all (yes, including me!)
Finally, on Sunday night, I watched the Ocracoke Assembly of God Christmas Pageant. I say I watched it, because John did not merely watch ~ he participated! He played a "wise guy", and he is quite the actor! I think he is a ham at heart, but just doesn't get to explore that part of his personality much. The show was great, and there were some seriously delicious treats available afterwards. Sundae was there with Caroline and Emmett, but Emmett wasn't feeling well and didn't want to stay for the treats (the line to get to them was long and moving slowly.) I volunteered to drive Caroline home after we ate treats, so she could stay and enjoy some goodies while Sundae took Emmett home. Caroline and I enjoyed the munchies, then walked to The Cove to get the car. I took Caroline home and stayed and visited with her family for a while, which led to a fun game of Yahtzee. I hadn't played in years, but caught on pretty quickly, although I didn't do very well overall! Sundae won both games we played, even rolling a Yahtzee on the second game! Even though I love Christmas, and had truly enjoyed all of the activities of the weekend, it was this quiet time with friends that I liked the most. This is one of my favorite things about the community of Ocracoke. Here, people really do drop in on their neighbors simply to catch up or pass on the latest news. Sometimes games or musical instruments are played. Every time, people enjoy one another's company.
Hope you will enjoy not only activities, but also the company of family or friends, during this busy season!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Twinkling lights
We have had some lovely warm weather here for the last few days, accompanied by very clear skies. I have walked outside late (after 10 or 11 PM) on the last few nights, and have enjoyed seeing thousands of stars. One night, while standing and looking out at the water and the stars, I noticed a lighted outdoor Christmas tree to my right. Then, as I walked back home, I saw a lighted angel down the street. (Tideland EMC, our electric company, puts stars and angels up on some of the poles around the village with the help of the Fire Department). Finally, I looked up and saw my favorite "nightlight", the Lighthouse. (Yes, I do think of the Ocracoke Lighthouse as my personal nightlight, although I'm happy to share with everyone else!)
By the way, the Lighthouse is looking truly excellent during the day as well, as it is in the process of being repainted. So far only the primer coats have been completed, but it already looks much whiter and cleaner than it has in a while.
I enjoyed all of these lights and hope to go see them on many more warm, clear evenings. Many of the seasonal celebrations this time of year, regardless of the culture or religion, have in common a celebration of light. Christmas celebrations traditionally included candles on trees, replaced by the modern (and safer) electric lights in the more recent past. Hannukkah, of course, is the Jewish "Festival of Lights" and includes lighting candles each evening. St. Lucia celebrations in Switzerland include lighted candles on headdresses worn by young girls. Kwanzaa involves lighting candles to remember the core values of the African American community. I'm sure there are more examples. Whatever your culture or religion, I hope that you enjoy your celebration and that there is plenty of light (literal and figurative) in your life.
By the way, the Lighthouse is looking truly excellent during the day as well, as it is in the process of being repainted. So far only the primer coats have been completed, but it already looks much whiter and cleaner than it has in a while.
I enjoyed all of these lights and hope to go see them on many more warm, clear evenings. Many of the seasonal celebrations this time of year, regardless of the culture or religion, have in common a celebration of light. Christmas celebrations traditionally included candles on trees, replaced by the modern (and safer) electric lights in the more recent past. Hannukkah, of course, is the Jewish "Festival of Lights" and includes lighting candles each evening. St. Lucia celebrations in Switzerland include lighted candles on headdresses worn by young girls. Kwanzaa involves lighting candles to remember the core values of the African American community. I'm sure there are more examples. Whatever your culture or religion, I hope that you enjoy your celebration and that there is plenty of light (literal and figurative) in your life.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Holiday celebrations and preparations
We are truly in the midst of the holiday season around here, with multiple events happening each week, and I am enjoying it! There were several holiday activities this weekend, which I (of course) attended. Some of these events were to celebrate the holidays, and some were to help prepare for the season.
The weekend started with the annual Ocrafolk Christmas concert on Friday night. I was blessed to be a part of it again this year, singing with my friends Sundae, Marcy, Jamie and DeAnna. We named our group the Madri-Gals, and we sang a couple of Christmas madrigal songs, one which I had never heard before we started rehearsing called "Masters in this Hall" and another more familiar one, "I Saw Three Ships. We also sang the traditional carol "We Three Kings". Our performance seemed to be well received by the audience, and was a lot of fun. I was wide awake after the show, and stayed up until midnight (which is quite late for me). The concert included many excellent performances by local musicians, including Noah Paley (who is from Hatteras Island). I enjoyed being in the audience as much as I enjoyed performing.
On Saturday morning, Ann Ehringhaus (a local photographer and B&B owner/innkeeper) had a yard sale. Ann has great, eclectic taste, so I knew I wanted to go. I was glad I did, picking up a Christmas gift and something for myself for a bargain. On Saturday afternoon, I helped the local Brownie troop create cute gifts for friends and family. The girls' enthusiasm was contagious, and my excitement about Christmas grew a bit more.
Saturday night (yes, Saturday was a full day!), we went to the annual Garage Party, which is the largest potluck of the year. I ate much too much, but thoroughly enjoyed it. At one point, we had a conversation about it being difficult to "weight watch" during the holiday season, to which my friend Charles quipped "well, you can watch...you just watch the weight piling on!" How true!
After the Garage party (Saturday still isn't over!), a small group of people went out to the beach to see the space shuttle as it went by the East coast after taking off from Florida. It was a beautiful clear night, perfect for gazing at all things (man made and natural) in the sky. The people gathered on the beach complained good-naturedly about the cold, but all the grumbling (in fact, most of the conversation) stopped when we saw the fast-moving light that was the space shuttle shooting across the horizon. It looked like a shooting star, only it didn't burn out quickly, but rather continued until it was out of sight. The whole thing was over within a few minutes, and we immediately headed back to the warmth of cars and homes.
Today, the shops on School Road had a holiday open house, including sale prices and sweet treats for shoppers. I went into each one and bought gifts in several of them. I spent a long time in Books to be Red, which is one of my favorite shops on any day of the year. But Philip Howard, owner of another of my favorite shops on the island (Village Craftsmen) was there even longer - he arrived before I got there, and was still shopping when I left. He was building a small pile in a corner of the shop, wandering back and forth into its different areas and adding items to his stack as he found them. We teased him for putting his items near the food, so each time he added a gift to his stash, he could get another treat too! Philip commented that he thought he would do all his shopping right there. It was a great example of the way island business support, rather than compete with, each other. Philip could easily get all his holiday shopping done in his own store, but he chose instead to shop at Leslie's place.
Thinking about that, I realize that all of the events I experienced this weekend have one thing in common: sharing. Musicians sharing our talents at the Christmas show, Ann sharing her extras with her neighbors, the Brownies sharing the gifts they made with friends/teachers/family members, the community sharing a meal at the Garage party, a hardy group sharing the experience of watching the space shuttle, and holiday shoppers "sharing the wealth" with store owners. This truly, is the spirit of the holiday season at work here in our community. No wonder I'm in a festive, joyful mood! I hope you have the opportunity to share some joy, peace and love with those around you, during the holiday season and every day.
To know more/related links:
Books to Be Red/Deepwater Pottery: http://www.deepwaterpottery.com/index.html
Village Craftsmen: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com
The weekend started with the annual Ocrafolk Christmas concert on Friday night. I was blessed to be a part of it again this year, singing with my friends Sundae, Marcy, Jamie and DeAnna. We named our group the Madri-Gals, and we sang a couple of Christmas madrigal songs, one which I had never heard before we started rehearsing called "Masters in this Hall" and another more familiar one, "I Saw Three Ships. We also sang the traditional carol "We Three Kings". Our performance seemed to be well received by the audience, and was a lot of fun. I was wide awake after the show, and stayed up until midnight (which is quite late for me). The concert included many excellent performances by local musicians, including Noah Paley (who is from Hatteras Island). I enjoyed being in the audience as much as I enjoyed performing.
On Saturday morning, Ann Ehringhaus (a local photographer and B&B owner/innkeeper) had a yard sale. Ann has great, eclectic taste, so I knew I wanted to go. I was glad I did, picking up a Christmas gift and something for myself for a bargain. On Saturday afternoon, I helped the local Brownie troop create cute gifts for friends and family. The girls' enthusiasm was contagious, and my excitement about Christmas grew a bit more.
Saturday night (yes, Saturday was a full day!), we went to the annual Garage Party, which is the largest potluck of the year. I ate much too much, but thoroughly enjoyed it. At one point, we had a conversation about it being difficult to "weight watch" during the holiday season, to which my friend Charles quipped "well, you can watch...you just watch the weight piling on!" How true!
After the Garage party (Saturday still isn't over!), a small group of people went out to the beach to see the space shuttle as it went by the East coast after taking off from Florida. It was a beautiful clear night, perfect for gazing at all things (man made and natural) in the sky. The people gathered on the beach complained good-naturedly about the cold, but all the grumbling (in fact, most of the conversation) stopped when we saw the fast-moving light that was the space shuttle shooting across the horizon. It looked like a shooting star, only it didn't burn out quickly, but rather continued until it was out of sight. The whole thing was over within a few minutes, and we immediately headed back to the warmth of cars and homes.
Today, the shops on School Road had a holiday open house, including sale prices and sweet treats for shoppers. I went into each one and bought gifts in several of them. I spent a long time in Books to be Red, which is one of my favorite shops on any day of the year. But Philip Howard, owner of another of my favorite shops on the island (Village Craftsmen) was there even longer - he arrived before I got there, and was still shopping when I left. He was building a small pile in a corner of the shop, wandering back and forth into its different areas and adding items to his stack as he found them. We teased him for putting his items near the food, so each time he added a gift to his stash, he could get another treat too! Philip commented that he thought he would do all his shopping right there. It was a great example of the way island business support, rather than compete with, each other. Philip could easily get all his holiday shopping done in his own store, but he chose instead to shop at Leslie's place.
Thinking about that, I realize that all of the events I experienced this weekend have one thing in common: sharing. Musicians sharing our talents at the Christmas show, Ann sharing her extras with her neighbors, the Brownies sharing the gifts they made with friends/teachers/family members, the community sharing a meal at the Garage party, a hardy group sharing the experience of watching the space shuttle, and holiday shoppers "sharing the wealth" with store owners. This truly, is the spirit of the holiday season at work here in our community. No wonder I'm in a festive, joyful mood! I hope you have the opportunity to share some joy, peace and love with those around you, during the holiday season and every day.
To know more/related links:
Books to Be Red/Deepwater Pottery: http://www.deepwaterpottery.com/index.html
Village Craftsmen: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
New and old
On Tuesday, there was an event to show off the newest building in the community: the additional (and much needed) school building. For the ribbon cutting, they used a blue ribbon covered with individual yellow dolphin shapes (the school's mascot) which had been signed by most of the students. After the ribbon was cut, the community and parents gathered were invited to tour the new building. It is a great facility, with really LARGE classroom spaces and tiny toilets in the pre-K/Kindergarten restrooms. The closet and sink areas are colorful, with primary shades on the cabinet doors rather than plain white. But the building, at this point devoid of furniture or any decoration, still doesn't look like a school. I am looking forward to seeing it again, once the vibrant colors of bulletin boards and student's work fill the walls, and the lively voices of teachers and students fill the spaces.
Today (Wednesday), the Ocracoke Preservation Society held its annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting and Wassail Party. There was musical entertainment on the museum's front porch by island musicians (including kids), and delicious treats baked by residents were available inside. Linda Scarborough was in the kitchen serving traditional wassail as usual, and she told me that the recipe is from Kenny Ballance. I bet it's an old family recipe (the Ballance family has been on the island for many years), and I love that the tradition of sharing wassail with friends continues here. A new tradition was added to this celebration as well: island kids hung wooden ornaments on the cedar tree in the museum yard. The ornaments had been made several years ago, but needed some refurbishing, so the kids worked over the last few weeks to add some sparkle to them. I loved this combining of the old and new. I also loved the handmade ornaments. There's nothing wrong with lovely store-bought tree decorations, but there is something magical about the old-fashioned homemade variety.
On Ocracoke, the community is constantly finding ways to welcome the new while cherishing and embracing our history as well. It's important to have the balance of both, a fact that unfortunately seems to have been lost in our modern society. This Christmas, I plan to take some time to reflect on family traditions and also to start a new one (no details here, it's going to be a surprise for my family, and they read the blog). Whatever your traditions, old or new, I hope you enjoy them and cherish the time with your loved ones.
To know more/interesting links:
Ocracoke Preservation Society - http://www.ocracokemuseum.org/
Ocracoke School - http://www.education-world.com/a_issues/schools/schools021.shtml
(there is also an article about the school in the Sept. 2006 issue of Our State magazine)
Today (Wednesday), the Ocracoke Preservation Society held its annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting and Wassail Party. There was musical entertainment on the museum's front porch by island musicians (including kids), and delicious treats baked by residents were available inside. Linda Scarborough was in the kitchen serving traditional wassail as usual, and she told me that the recipe is from Kenny Ballance. I bet it's an old family recipe (the Ballance family has been on the island for many years), and I love that the tradition of sharing wassail with friends continues here. A new tradition was added to this celebration as well: island kids hung wooden ornaments on the cedar tree in the museum yard. The ornaments had been made several years ago, but needed some refurbishing, so the kids worked over the last few weeks to add some sparkle to them. I loved this combining of the old and new. I also loved the handmade ornaments. There's nothing wrong with lovely store-bought tree decorations, but there is something magical about the old-fashioned homemade variety.
On Ocracoke, the community is constantly finding ways to welcome the new while cherishing and embracing our history as well. It's important to have the balance of both, a fact that unfortunately seems to have been lost in our modern society. This Christmas, I plan to take some time to reflect on family traditions and also to start a new one (no details here, it's going to be a surprise for my family, and they read the blog). Whatever your traditions, old or new, I hope you enjoy them and cherish the time with your loved ones.
To know more/interesting links:
Ocracoke Preservation Society - http://www.ocracokemuseum.org/
Ocracoke School - http://www.education-world.com/a_issues/schools/schools021.shtml
(there is also an article about the school in the Sept. 2006 issue of Our State magazine)
Monday, December 4, 2006
Still on the planet...
Yes, I'm still here. It was a full weekend, so I didn't find time to blog. First, Jamie (the kitten) was really sick on Friday morning, so I had to take him to the vet. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but when you live on Ocracoke, a trip to the vet takes all day! (We do have on-island vet services, but they are only once a month which doesn't help much when you have a situation which needs immediate attention). Anyway, I spent all day taking Jamie to the vet in Manteo. Good thing I took him up there, too: he had a fever of 104! He spent a few nights there, but is home now and is fine (in case you were worried).
On Saturday morning, there was a cookie swap at the library. I bet it was fun, and I had intended to go, but after TWO failed batches of cookies, I decided to skip it. I went to the beach instead, and threw my pathetic attempt at Hershey kiss cookies into the ocean. They actually probably tasted okay, but were so stuck to the muffin pan I couldn't get them out in one piece. I briefly considered throwing the whole darn pan into the ocean, but decided against it. So I scraped them out of there and threw in the chunks. The ocean didn't seem to mind. :)
On Saturday evening, there was a semi-formal Flat Cat performance (island kids playing instruments and/or singing). It was preceded by a potluck, and I try to never miss a potluck, so I went to that! (I did manage to pull out of the kitchen failure streak which had started with the cookies, and make something presentable and tasty to take with me!)
On Sunday, I had a guitar lesson and somehow managed to sound somewhat musical, even though I hadn't practiced much. So it was a busy few days! Sorry if you were wondering where I was. I say that, assuming that someone is actually reading this blog. For all I know, nobody is! That gets me thinking about why I write it. It's partially in the hope that there will be an audience of readers, of course. But it's also something I enjoy doing. It's good to make time to do the things you enjoy. It's also the only way to get better at them. I'm hopeful that writing every day will make me a better writer, even if no one ever reads my blog.
The coming week on Ocracoke will be filled with activity, too. (I will try to blog more often, though!) Many Christmas events are planned, including the biggest potluck of the year, Jimmy's Garage Party, which is held each year in (you guessed it) Jimmy's Garage. Yes, the car repair/oil change/inspection place - they clean it up, add tables and a dance area, and put on quite a party, starting with a huge potluck meal and followed by dancing to the Ocracoke Rockers. It is great fun and I am looking forward to it.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...lights are going up all over the village, the Lighthouse will be decorated soon, and everyone seems to be getting into the Holiday spirit. My sister challenged me to be able to play a Christmas carol on the guitar by the time she arrives to visit, so I'm off to work on that. Happy holidays!
On Saturday morning, there was a cookie swap at the library. I bet it was fun, and I had intended to go, but after TWO failed batches of cookies, I decided to skip it. I went to the beach instead, and threw my pathetic attempt at Hershey kiss cookies into the ocean. They actually probably tasted okay, but were so stuck to the muffin pan I couldn't get them out in one piece. I briefly considered throwing the whole darn pan into the ocean, but decided against it. So I scraped them out of there and threw in the chunks. The ocean didn't seem to mind. :)
On Saturday evening, there was a semi-formal Flat Cat performance (island kids playing instruments and/or singing). It was preceded by a potluck, and I try to never miss a potluck, so I went to that! (I did manage to pull out of the kitchen failure streak which had started with the cookies, and make something presentable and tasty to take with me!)
On Sunday, I had a guitar lesson and somehow managed to sound somewhat musical, even though I hadn't practiced much. So it was a busy few days! Sorry if you were wondering where I was. I say that, assuming that someone is actually reading this blog. For all I know, nobody is! That gets me thinking about why I write it. It's partially in the hope that there will be an audience of readers, of course. But it's also something I enjoy doing. It's good to make time to do the things you enjoy. It's also the only way to get better at them. I'm hopeful that writing every day will make me a better writer, even if no one ever reads my blog.
The coming week on Ocracoke will be filled with activity, too. (I will try to blog more often, though!) Many Christmas events are planned, including the biggest potluck of the year, Jimmy's Garage Party, which is held each year in (you guessed it) Jimmy's Garage. Yes, the car repair/oil change/inspection place - they clean it up, add tables and a dance area, and put on quite a party, starting with a huge potluck meal and followed by dancing to the Ocracoke Rockers. It is great fun and I am looking forward to it.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...lights are going up all over the village, the Lighthouse will be decorated soon, and everyone seems to be getting into the Holiday spirit. My sister challenged me to be able to play a Christmas carol on the guitar by the time she arrives to visit, so I'm off to work on that. Happy holidays!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Warm weather slacker
I'm a slacker. I haven't practiced my guitar in several days (don't tell my instructor!) One thing I've learned in my adult life is that the things I do consistently (i.e. daily) are the ones which have the most effect on me. I would not have expected to become a highly organized, structured person, but the fact that I have been working in jobs which require and reward that type of behavior for years has affected who I am. (Younger readers: keep this in mind when choosing a career!) So the fact that I haven't practiced my guitar means that I'm not going to be very good at playing it any time soon. Incidentally, that's one of the reasons I blog: I like to write, I want to be better at it, and I know that in order to do that I need to do it as often as possible (hopefully daily). Blogging provides a structure for daily writing, and the fact that I choose to write about living on Ocracoke makes it motivating (if you know me, you know I love to communicate about Ocracoke, whatever the medium!)
I don't have a reason for not practicing my guitar for the last few days, but I have a good one for today: it was nearly 75 degrees! I'm wearing a t-shirt and capris, and during the time that I could have been practicing chords, I took a barefoot walk on the beach instead. So at least I have a good reason for being a slacker. Not that I'm encouraging slacker behavior, but when you have an opportunity to walk on the beach barefoot on the last day of November, you should take it! (Unless, of course, you live in Puerto Rico or somewhere else where you can walk on the beach barefoot any day of the year...in that case, you should do the other things that need doing.)
Now I'm going to go practice my guitar. Some days, there are enough hours in the day to both slack off for a while, and still be productive, too. :)
I don't have a reason for not practicing my guitar for the last few days, but I have a good one for today: it was nearly 75 degrees! I'm wearing a t-shirt and capris, and during the time that I could have been practicing chords, I took a barefoot walk on the beach instead. So at least I have a good reason for being a slacker. Not that I'm encouraging slacker behavior, but when you have an opportunity to walk on the beach barefoot on the last day of November, you should take it! (Unless, of course, you live in Puerto Rico or somewhere else where you can walk on the beach barefoot any day of the year...in that case, you should do the other things that need doing.)
Now I'm going to go practice my guitar. Some days, there are enough hours in the day to both slack off for a while, and still be productive, too. :)
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Good things about not being on Daylight Savings Time
Okay, I realize that those of you who know me are absolutely floored at the title of this post. It is difficult to imagine that I could come up with one good thing about not being on DST, let alone multiple! Strangely enough, and believe it or not, I thought of three today:
1. Evenings seem longer.
When you work from home, as I do, it is very easy to work too late. I often just keep working long after I should have stopped. Now, when it gets dark just before 5:00 PM, by 5:30 it has started feeling "late", so I log off and quit working at a more reasonable time. This then makes the evening hours (time for eating dinner, talking with John, hanging out with friends, or watching TV) seem to last longer. (Of course they are not longer, I'm just starting the non-work activities sooner. But perception is powerful!)
2. I often get to see moonlight and stars reflected in water.
Frequently this time of year, my daily ritual of touching salt water happens after dark (before that, I'm stuck at home working, remember!) On nights with very little wind, when the water is flat (Ocracokers call that a "slick cam"), the reflection of the moon and stars in the water makes a lovely, peaceful picture.
3. I hear the church bells more often.
At 6:00 PM each evening, after chiming the hour, the bells at Ocracoke United Methodist Church play 2 or 3 hymns. I enjoy listening to them, but usually miss it. Since I am now quitting work around 5:30, and often heading out to touch salt water shortly after that, I find myself outside at 6:00 and therefore I get to hear the bells. Tonight I sat down on the steps into our home, looked at the stars, and listened to two songs (the first one was Handel's Messiah; I didn't recognize the second). It was a sweet, quiet way to end the day.
So there you have it: even I can come up with a positive way to look at early darkness. Not that I'm advocating ending the use of DST completely, though! I love long lazy summer days, too.
Remember, only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.
1. Evenings seem longer.
When you work from home, as I do, it is very easy to work too late. I often just keep working long after I should have stopped. Now, when it gets dark just before 5:00 PM, by 5:30 it has started feeling "late", so I log off and quit working at a more reasonable time. This then makes the evening hours (time for eating dinner, talking with John, hanging out with friends, or watching TV) seem to last longer. (Of course they are not longer, I'm just starting the non-work activities sooner. But perception is powerful!)
2. I often get to see moonlight and stars reflected in water.
Frequently this time of year, my daily ritual of touching salt water happens after dark (before that, I'm stuck at home working, remember!) On nights with very little wind, when the water is flat (Ocracokers call that a "slick cam"), the reflection of the moon and stars in the water makes a lovely, peaceful picture.
3. I hear the church bells more often.
At 6:00 PM each evening, after chiming the hour, the bells at Ocracoke United Methodist Church play 2 or 3 hymns. I enjoy listening to them, but usually miss it. Since I am now quitting work around 5:30, and often heading out to touch salt water shortly after that, I find myself outside at 6:00 and therefore I get to hear the bells. Tonight I sat down on the steps into our home, looked at the stars, and listened to two songs (the first one was Handel's Messiah; I didn't recognize the second). It was a sweet, quiet way to end the day.
So there you have it: even I can come up with a positive way to look at early darkness. Not that I'm advocating ending the use of DST completely, though! I love long lazy summer days, too.
Remember, only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.
Monday, November 27, 2006
A minor epiphany
I walked to a small sound-side beach area this evening to see the stars and touch salt water (something I like to do every day). While there, I had a realization about a reason I love Ocracoke (one of hundreds, or perhaps thousands, but one of which I had not been conscious before).
I have often reflected on the fact that I get a real sense of the peace of God when I look at wide expanses of water (it has to be oceans or wide sounds; lakes where I can see the other side don't work for me). I experience the ocean as a wonderful metaphor of God : so big that I cannot see or understand it all, yet something in which I can fully immerse myself. So my epiphany this evening was that the reason I feel so safe here, the reason I often feel "watched over" (in a good way: God and/or guardian angels watching me), is because I am completely surrounded by water. (Yes, Virginia, the water does go all the way around the island...) No wonder the peace of God is so prevalent for me here.
Be at peace, wherever you are!
I have often reflected on the fact that I get a real sense of the peace of God when I look at wide expanses of water (it has to be oceans or wide sounds; lakes where I can see the other side don't work for me). I experience the ocean as a wonderful metaphor of God : so big that I cannot see or understand it all, yet something in which I can fully immerse myself. So my epiphany this evening was that the reason I feel so safe here, the reason I often feel "watched over" (in a good way: God and/or guardian angels watching me), is because I am completely surrounded by water. (Yes, Virginia, the water does go all the way around the island...) No wonder the peace of God is so prevalent for me here.
Be at peace, wherever you are!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Old fashioned evenings
I have recently enjoyed several evenings which felt like they could have happened many years ago. First, I went to a "Flat Cat Cafe" which is a performance by local young (i.e. high school and below) musicians. Typically, they do an electrical, amplified concert, but this particular Flat Cat was an acoustic one. There were several excellent performances, on a variety of instruments including fiddle, piano, and guitar, and a couple of funny songs and dances. It was a showcase of talent, and a preview of the excellent shows to come, as these kids continue to grow their talents.
The next old-fashioned evening was one which most people would have found annoying. During the Nor'Easter storm we had at the beginning of this week, the power went out at about 6:15 PM. It was pitch dark by then, of course! I actually happened to be in a room without windows when the power went off - talk about dark! After finding my way out of there, I fumbled around a bit to find a flashlight. The power stayed off for several hours, so I used my book light to read a book aloud to John (we do that every now and then). The power came back on after a while, but I enjoyed sitting and reading in the dark until it did. I also went out and drove around for a while, and I LOVED seeing Ocracoke without electric lights. Each home had a warm glow in a single window, from the candles or oil lamps the family had lit. I imagined the entire family gathered in that one room, perhaps chatting, reading, competing at a board game, or maybe playing some acoustic musical instruments. That may sound idyllic to you, but I would bet that all four of those things were done somewhere in the village while folks were waiting for the power to be restored.
The third and final "old Ocracoke" evening was this past Friday (11/24). That was the night of the Ocrafolk Festival fundraising concert, which is traditionally held on the Friday after Thanksgiving. There were homemade baked goods available for sale, a raffle for prizes including fig cakes baked that day (using fig preserves made on the island with local figs, of course!), and two and a half hours of wonderful performances by musicians from the island (Coyote, Molasses Creek, Captain Rob and Sundae (and their daughter Caroline), Martin Garrish, and Katie Mitchell among others), as well as some from other parts of North Carolina (John Golden and Catesby Jones). There were also heartwarming and hilarious performances by Jef the Mime and storyteller Donald Davis. It was a wonderful evening of entertainment, and at one point Catesby Jones put my thoughts into words, when he said "if we didn't have the electric lights and this "make it louder" machine, this evening could be happening many - even 100 - years ago. That's the magic of Ocracoke."
I wish I could say that I maintained that sense of a slower paced, simpler life for the next several days, but I have to admit I got wrapped up in Christmas decorating. Specifically, in dealing with the lights on our tree, a decidedly modern challenge! But I'm hoping that, now that the tree is finally up (lit and decorated!), I'll find some quiet time to enjoy that Ocracoke magic again. And here's hoping that you, too, will experience that kind of magic wherever you are. Read a book, play a game with your kids, take a walk, light a candle...make time for life's simpler pleasures during this hectic holiday season. Blessings to you and yours!
To know more -
Ocrafolk Festival: http://www.ocrafolkfestival.org
The next old-fashioned evening was one which most people would have found annoying. During the Nor'Easter storm we had at the beginning of this week, the power went out at about 6:15 PM. It was pitch dark by then, of course! I actually happened to be in a room without windows when the power went off - talk about dark! After finding my way out of there, I fumbled around a bit to find a flashlight. The power stayed off for several hours, so I used my book light to read a book aloud to John (we do that every now and then). The power came back on after a while, but I enjoyed sitting and reading in the dark until it did. I also went out and drove around for a while, and I LOVED seeing Ocracoke without electric lights. Each home had a warm glow in a single window, from the candles or oil lamps the family had lit. I imagined the entire family gathered in that one room, perhaps chatting, reading, competing at a board game, or maybe playing some acoustic musical instruments. That may sound idyllic to you, but I would bet that all four of those things were done somewhere in the village while folks were waiting for the power to be restored.
The third and final "old Ocracoke" evening was this past Friday (11/24). That was the night of the Ocrafolk Festival fundraising concert, which is traditionally held on the Friday after Thanksgiving. There were homemade baked goods available for sale, a raffle for prizes including fig cakes baked that day (using fig preserves made on the island with local figs, of course!), and two and a half hours of wonderful performances by musicians from the island (Coyote, Molasses Creek, Captain Rob and Sundae (and their daughter Caroline), Martin Garrish, and Katie Mitchell among others), as well as some from other parts of North Carolina (John Golden and Catesby Jones). There were also heartwarming and hilarious performances by Jef the Mime and storyteller Donald Davis. It was a wonderful evening of entertainment, and at one point Catesby Jones put my thoughts into words, when he said "if we didn't have the electric lights and this "make it louder" machine, this evening could be happening many - even 100 - years ago. That's the magic of Ocracoke."
I wish I could say that I maintained that sense of a slower paced, simpler life for the next several days, but I have to admit I got wrapped up in Christmas decorating. Specifically, in dealing with the lights on our tree, a decidedly modern challenge! But I'm hoping that, now that the tree is finally up (lit and decorated!), I'll find some quiet time to enjoy that Ocracoke magic again. And here's hoping that you, too, will experience that kind of magic wherever you are. Read a book, play a game with your kids, take a walk, light a candle...make time for life's simpler pleasures during this hectic holiday season. Blessings to you and yours!
To know more -
Ocrafolk Festival: http://www.ocrafolkfestival.org
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Power from on high
If you haven't heard yet, Ocracoke is currently under a state of emergency. Now, don't get excited...that's not nearly as bad as it sounds. We did have a good bit of flooding in the village from the Nor'Easter storm which came through over the last couple of days. But the reason for the emergency is because of issues with the road "up the beach" as we call it (that means anywhere between Ocracoke village and, oh, Virginia). :) The road on Ocracoke is only partially open due to dune damage (i.e. sand and water on the road), and a 1/4 mile section of pavement is out on Hatteras Island, near Rodanthe. So the Emergency Management control group decided to limit access to the island to residents and essential personnel only. That - combined with the fact that we have had intermittent power on the island all day - created the emergency. There is a generator on the island, which has been run during the day, but the power is "shared" around (i.e. it is on here for a while, then off here while it is on in other parts of the village). All of this reminded me of a journal entry I wrote in May of 2005. Here it is:
During yesterday's sermon, I realized at least one of the reasons I like Joyce so well, as she talked about the truth she had learned from the power outage after Hurricane Isabel. I saw there a kindred spirit, another who observes things and thinks "life is like that."
Her sermon was great. She described the fact that electric power for the island comes from somewhere up the beach and called it "power from on high." Then she talked about how, after Isabel, that power was not available, so the village had to use generator power. Since it was only the locals (there had been a mandatory evacuation for tourists), the generator provided plenty of power for everyone. Then, the following year, Hurricane Alex swept in fast and caught even the meteorologists unawares. There were thousands of tourists stuck on the island, and the power went out again. This time, because of the greater load, the generator could not keep up, and power had to be rationed by rotating it around the island. Life is like that ~ we can handle the ordinary, but when there is a larger load, a bigger burden to bear, we need power from on high. We need the help and comfort that God can provide. One thing I would add to this observation: in life, God's power from on high will never go out: it is always available to us, no matter how severe the storm, as long as we seek Him.
Hope you are safe, warm and dry. Happy Thanksgiving!
During yesterday's sermon, I realized at least one of the reasons I like Joyce so well, as she talked about the truth she had learned from the power outage after Hurricane Isabel. I saw there a kindred spirit, another who observes things and thinks "life is like that."
Her sermon was great. She described the fact that electric power for the island comes from somewhere up the beach and called it "power from on high." Then she talked about how, after Isabel, that power was not available, so the village had to use generator power. Since it was only the locals (there had been a mandatory evacuation for tourists), the generator provided plenty of power for everyone. Then, the following year, Hurricane Alex swept in fast and caught even the meteorologists unawares. There were thousands of tourists stuck on the island, and the power went out again. This time, because of the greater load, the generator could not keep up, and power had to be rationed by rotating it around the island. Life is like that ~ we can handle the ordinary, but when there is a larger load, a bigger burden to bear, we need power from on high. We need the help and comfort that God can provide. One thing I would add to this observation: in life, God's power from on high will never go out: it is always available to us, no matter how severe the storm, as long as we seek Him.
Hope you are safe, warm and dry. Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Yard sales and blue glass bottle trees
It has been a month of yard sales in November. There were 2 yard sales on each of the first two Saturdays of the month. We went to all of them, and picked up some good stuff: several books, some holiday decorations, and even Christmas gifts! One of the yard sales on Nov. 4th was hosted by the Ocracoke United Methodist Church, and included lunch (soup and sandwiches). We got there late, so we missed the soup which sounded like it had been delicious. (The sandwiches were still good, though!)
Learning from our mistake, we went EARLY to the one yard sale on Nov. 11th at the other church on the island (Ocracoke Assembly of God) which also included food. They also had soups (including chili) and sandwiches, as well as fabulous home-made dessert items ("bake sale" style). Of course, I had to get several things (it was hard to choose!), and officially get the holiday weight gain process started, LOL.
I noticed at the Assembly yard sale, there were several items which I had seen the weekend before at the Methodist yard sale. It was then that I remembered overhearing a comment at the end of the sale at the Methodist church: as the ladies who had organized the yard sale were packing up what was left, they talked about taking the items to the other church. It was lovely example of the sharing that happens on Ocracoke ~ regardless of denomination or personal beliefs. Another example which comes to mind is the fact that the small Catholic congregation on the island meets in the Methodist Church Rec Hall, since they have no building of their own. We are all God's family, loving and appreciating one another and the beautiful island home with which He has blessed us.
We were late for the yard sale this weekend, because I didn't know about it until a couple of hours after it started. When you live on Ocracoke, you simply must go to the Post Office on a daily basis if you expect to keep up with all that is going on around the village. I had not been there in several days and so had missed the sign announcing this particular sale until Saturday morning at about 10:00 AM (the sale was from 8:00 - noon). Late or not, I wanted to go to this particular sale based on who was having it - Merle, a lovely lady with unique, eclectic taste. I knew I would find something there I would like! And I did, buying several things (a few of which will be given as Christmas gifts).
The first thing I noticed as we arrived at the house (even before I looked at the yard sale tables and products) was a tree with blue glass bottles hanging in it. It made a lovely image, the blue of the bottles contrasting nicely with the green of the tree. The light sparkling on the bottles gave it a festive air, and the soft sounds of bottles tinkling together as the wind blew was as sweet as any wind chime. I commented on it to Merle, and she taught me something I had never heard before. She told me of a superstition which states that "bad spirits" like blue glass bottles, so if they find them they go into them, but then cannot determine how to get back out through the narrow neck. The belief goes on to state that if you hang the bottles outside your home, you will not be bothered by bad spirits. I don't know about that, but the display will certainly look and sound lovely anyway.
Learning from our mistake, we went EARLY to the one yard sale on Nov. 11th at the other church on the island (Ocracoke Assembly of God) which also included food. They also had soups (including chili) and sandwiches, as well as fabulous home-made dessert items ("bake sale" style). Of course, I had to get several things (it was hard to choose!), and officially get the holiday weight gain process started, LOL.
I noticed at the Assembly yard sale, there were several items which I had seen the weekend before at the Methodist yard sale. It was then that I remembered overhearing a comment at the end of the sale at the Methodist church: as the ladies who had organized the yard sale were packing up what was left, they talked about taking the items to the other church. It was lovely example of the sharing that happens on Ocracoke ~ regardless of denomination or personal beliefs. Another example which comes to mind is the fact that the small Catholic congregation on the island meets in the Methodist Church Rec Hall, since they have no building of their own. We are all God's family, loving and appreciating one another and the beautiful island home with which He has blessed us.
We were late for the yard sale this weekend, because I didn't know about it until a couple of hours after it started. When you live on Ocracoke, you simply must go to the Post Office on a daily basis if you expect to keep up with all that is going on around the village. I had not been there in several days and so had missed the sign announcing this particular sale until Saturday morning at about 10:00 AM (the sale was from 8:00 - noon). Late or not, I wanted to go to this particular sale based on who was having it - Merle, a lovely lady with unique, eclectic taste. I knew I would find something there I would like! And I did, buying several things (a few of which will be given as Christmas gifts).
The first thing I noticed as we arrived at the house (even before I looked at the yard sale tables and products) was a tree with blue glass bottles hanging in it. It made a lovely image, the blue of the bottles contrasting nicely with the green of the tree. The light sparkling on the bottles gave it a festive air, and the soft sounds of bottles tinkling together as the wind blew was as sweet as any wind chime. I commented on it to Merle, and she taught me something I had never heard before. She told me of a superstition which states that "bad spirits" like blue glass bottles, so if they find them they go into them, but then cannot determine how to get back out through the narrow neck. The belief goes on to state that if you hang the bottles outside your home, you will not be bothered by bad spirits. I don't know about that, but the display will certainly look and sound lovely anyway.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Cat in the classroom
I took our kitten Jamie to the first grade classroom yesterday (Friday) morning. The kids waited very patiently (although a bit agitatedly) while I read a story about a kitten, and then I let Jamie out of his carrier. He initially was a bit nervous around the kids, but quickly grew comfortable, letting them pet him and then wandering around the room sniffing everything.
One of the kids, however, was not a fan of Jamie. This young boy has a fear of animals, although he thinks they are cute and interesting. I had observed him last week when Mary Ellen (the teacher) had some family members bring a couple of dogs to visit (that visit was held outside on the basketball court, not in the classroom!), and it was interesting to see how he was torn between his fear and his desire to see the dogs up close.
During our visit, while I was reading a second story to the kids, Jamie jumped up to sit on Mary Ellen's lap. The child with the fear of animals happened to be sitting next to his teacher, but was looking at me and so did not immediately realize that the cat was so close to him. Then, when he did see Jamie, he was somewhat afraid, but did not immediately bolt and run. It was as if he realized, "hey, this cat has been there for a while and hasn't hurt me, so I guess he is okay." This is in line with many recommended methods for dealing with fear by facing instead of avoiding it. I don't know about you, but I have certainly regretted not choosing to do certain things in life because of fear. Sometimes I eventually got around to doing them, once my faith overcame my fear, and some things I have yet to do. I was inspired by my first grade friend, especially by his excitement about what he had accomplished. Hopefully I can turn my inspiration into action!
One of the kids, however, was not a fan of Jamie. This young boy has a fear of animals, although he thinks they are cute and interesting. I had observed him last week when Mary Ellen (the teacher) had some family members bring a couple of dogs to visit (that visit was held outside on the basketball court, not in the classroom!), and it was interesting to see how he was torn between his fear and his desire to see the dogs up close.
During our visit, while I was reading a second story to the kids, Jamie jumped up to sit on Mary Ellen's lap. The child with the fear of animals happened to be sitting next to his teacher, but was looking at me and so did not immediately realize that the cat was so close to him. Then, when he did see Jamie, he was somewhat afraid, but did not immediately bolt and run. It was as if he realized, "hey, this cat has been there for a while and hasn't hurt me, so I guess he is okay." This is in line with many recommended methods for dealing with fear by facing instead of avoiding it. I don't know about you, but I have certainly regretted not choosing to do certain things in life because of fear. Sometimes I eventually got around to doing them, once my faith overcame my fear, and some things I have yet to do. I was inspired by my first grade friend, especially by his excitement about what he had accomplished. Hopefully I can turn my inspiration into action!
Thursday, November 16, 2006
A dark and windy day in the neighborhood
The temperature all day today was wonderful - we still have the door open to let in the fresh air (at nearly 9 PM). Other than that, the weather was not great. It was very overcast and windy all day (there's still a slight breeze, and I am enjoying listening to the wind chimes in the screened porch). It was not, however, as windy as it was on Sunday. We've had a run of windy days recently! The first picture is a view of the sound as it looked on Sunday. The mainland ferries were not running for most of the day, due to the high winds.
Wind-wise, it wasn't that bad today (as far as I know, the ferries kept running), but it was seriously cloudy! Shortly after 2:00, it got pretty dark and I started hearing rumbling thunder. I headed out to enjoy being outside briefly before the expected deluge arrived. It was so dark that the lighthouse was already on, at 2:45 in the afternoon!
After taking a couple of pictures, I went to the library to pick up books to read to the first grade class tomorrow. I happened to actually have my library card with me (a rare occurrence), so I gave it to Jetta at the desk. She chuckled and said that it had been a long time since anyone actually used a card. That made me smile, and started me musing about one of the things I love about living here: the small town community. There aren't many towns left where you don't need a library card to check out a book, your registration card when you show up to vote, or ID to order a drink (well, some people might not need that no matter where they live, LOL). Around here, people know who you are, what you do, and whether you are old enough to drink. It is a wonderful feeling when your neighbors know and trust you.
Islanders also often go beyond mere knowing, to looking out for each other. I experienced this recently when I lost one of the library books I had checked out to read with the first graders. After looking everywhere at home and calling Mary Ellen to confirm I hadn't left it at school (she said she would check the next day), I had resigned myself to paying for the book. Then Mary Ellen called to say she had not found the book in the classroom, but that she had checked with the library and someone had turned it in (and, coincidentally enough, one of the first graders had then checked it out ~ I guess he really enjoyed that story!)
I have no idea where I left the book or who found it, but I am grateful to that person for taking care of it for me. It was a simple but tangible example of the way neighbors treat one another here. I think of everyone who lives on the island as my "neighbor", even those who live all the way on the other side of the village (2 miles away, quite a distance, LOL!)
All this musing reminded me of an editorial my friend Sundae wrote several years ago. In it she talked about the reasons she moved to Ocracoke, and what she loved about the island. It moved me so much that I cut it out and put it where I would see it often. After reading it every now and then for a few months, I had memorized part of it. Sundae wrote that she moved here because she "wanted to be known, to be of use, to be home". I know exactly what she meant. So much of the sense of home I have here is related to being known, to being a part of the community. The world would be a better place if everyone could live in a town where they feel at home, at peace, and accepted. I recommend doing just that, if you can!
Wind-wise, it wasn't that bad today (as far as I know, the ferries kept running), but it was seriously cloudy! Shortly after 2:00, it got pretty dark and I started hearing rumbling thunder. I headed out to enjoy being outside briefly before the expected deluge arrived. It was so dark that the lighthouse was already on, at 2:45 in the afternoon!
After taking a couple of pictures, I went to the library to pick up books to read to the first grade class tomorrow. I happened to actually have my library card with me (a rare occurrence), so I gave it to Jetta at the desk. She chuckled and said that it had been a long time since anyone actually used a card. That made me smile, and started me musing about one of the things I love about living here: the small town community. There aren't many towns left where you don't need a library card to check out a book, your registration card when you show up to vote, or ID to order a drink (well, some people might not need that no matter where they live, LOL). Around here, people know who you are, what you do, and whether you are old enough to drink. It is a wonderful feeling when your neighbors know and trust you.
Islanders also often go beyond mere knowing, to looking out for each other. I experienced this recently when I lost one of the library books I had checked out to read with the first graders. After looking everywhere at home and calling Mary Ellen to confirm I hadn't left it at school (she said she would check the next day), I had resigned myself to paying for the book. Then Mary Ellen called to say she had not found the book in the classroom, but that she had checked with the library and someone had turned it in (and, coincidentally enough, one of the first graders had then checked it out ~ I guess he really enjoyed that story!)
I have no idea where I left the book or who found it, but I am grateful to that person for taking care of it for me. It was a simple but tangible example of the way neighbors treat one another here. I think of everyone who lives on the island as my "neighbor", even those who live all the way on the other side of the village (2 miles away, quite a distance, LOL!)
All this musing reminded me of an editorial my friend Sundae wrote several years ago. In it she talked about the reasons she moved to Ocracoke, and what she loved about the island. It moved me so much that I cut it out and put it where I would see it often. After reading it every now and then for a few months, I had memorized part of it. Sundae wrote that she moved here because she "wanted to be known, to be of use, to be home". I know exactly what she meant. So much of the sense of home I have here is related to being known, to being a part of the community. The world would be a better place if everyone could live in a town where they feel at home, at peace, and accepted. I recommend doing just that, if you can!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Pickin' Fish at Stone Rock
I took a walk through Springer's Point Nature Preserve today, and while I was sitting on a bench looking out at the water and chatting with my friend Mary, we both got a very pleasant surprise. A boat came by, very quickly and (I thought) dangerously close to the rocks at the point. At first, we were concerned, but then we realized the waterman was expertly dropping a net into the water. We walked down for a closer look and discovered Jesse Spencer setting what he explained was a gill net, in order to catch as much mullet as possible. He said he didn't mind if we watched and took pictures, and he seemed happy to explain what he was doing. First, he made sure that the net was in place (it created a roughly circular enclosure). Then, using an oar, he "encouraged" the mullet to swim from the center toward the net. How? He slapped the water, the rocks, and the bottom with the oar. I certainly would've swum for cover if I were a mullet!
Jesse then started pulling the net out of the water, removing the fish caught in it, and tossing them into baskets in his boat. In the middle of this process, his cell phone rang, so he jumped into the boat to answer it. The caller obviously asked him what he was doing, to which he replied, "pickin' fish at Stone Rock". I had not previously known the name for this particular area, so it was a treat to learn it. Ocracokers have names for many areas of the island ~ part of their unique vocabulary. I love and savor the slow process of coming to understand the language. As a relatively recent transplant to the island (I have been living here full time for just under 2 years), I still have a great deal to learn.
It was near sunset, and the images of an Ocracoker working on the water as the light changed were lovely and moving. I could also see another fishing boat, and the Schooner Windfall out for a sunset sail on the calm waters of Pamlico Sound ~ other watermen, earning their livings from the bounty and the beauty with which we are all blessed in this area.
One of the remarkable things I noticed while Jesse was working was that some of the mullet jumped OVER the top of the net (out of the water) in order to escape. One also struggled free of the net before Jesse could grab him. Of that one, he said "it weren't his day to meet his maker". I loved the simplicity of that philosophy (and the example of Ocracoke brogue). Some other day, Jesse might get that one. I'm sure he will be back to work the water again, probably tomorrow.
Links of interest/To know more:
Gill net fishing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gill_net
Ocracoke brogue - get info here: OPS brogue page, or visit the Ocracoke Preservation Society museum the next time you are on the island to watch the video about the unique dialect used by Ocracokers
Jesse then started pulling the net out of the water, removing the fish caught in it, and tossing them into baskets in his boat. In the middle of this process, his cell phone rang, so he jumped into the boat to answer it. The caller obviously asked him what he was doing, to which he replied, "pickin' fish at Stone Rock". I had not previously known the name for this particular area, so it was a treat to learn it. Ocracokers have names for many areas of the island ~ part of their unique vocabulary. I love and savor the slow process of coming to understand the language. As a relatively recent transplant to the island (I have been living here full time for just under 2 years), I still have a great deal to learn.
It was near sunset, and the images of an Ocracoker working on the water as the light changed were lovely and moving. I could also see another fishing boat, and the Schooner Windfall out for a sunset sail on the calm waters of Pamlico Sound ~ other watermen, earning their livings from the bounty and the beauty with which we are all blessed in this area.
One of the remarkable things I noticed while Jesse was working was that some of the mullet jumped OVER the top of the net (out of the water) in order to escape. One also struggled free of the net before Jesse could grab him. Of that one, he said "it weren't his day to meet his maker". I loved the simplicity of that philosophy (and the example of Ocracoke brogue). Some other day, Jesse might get that one. I'm sure he will be back to work the water again, probably tomorrow.
Links of interest/To know more:
Gill net fishing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gill_net
Ocracoke brogue - get info here: OPS brogue page, or visit the Ocracoke Preservation Society museum the next time you are on the island to watch the video about the unique dialect used by Ocracokers
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