How people change

I recently "joined" Facebook, at the invitation of a friend. (Yes, I know that this makes me either significantly behind, or strange, depending on how old you are.) Anyway, I found several of my friends from High School through Facebook, and have been in contact with a few of them. I've learned some amazing things about how much people can change.

Here are just a few examples (all names have been changed).

My friend Bree, who was never one interested in exercise - has lost 70 pounds and is training for a marathon. (I need to follow her example!)
Frank, who was an unassuming, friendly, funny guy - was arrested for soliciting sex with a minor over the internet. (This one surprised me the most.)
Carl, on whom I had a huge crush, at least in part because of his gorgeous hair - is balding and was considering becoming a nudist (the last time I talked to him - I'm not sure whether he did).
Nate, whose senior picture shows him with short hair and a tie, the picture of conservative - followed his bliss and is now a long haired guitarist in his own rock band.
Sam, who was a popular jock, very attractive and very aware of it - his Facebook picture is of his twins (which just goes to show that almost everything we thought was important in high school turns out - in the long run - to be irrelevant).
George, who was what we called a "dork" back then, is now "hot and a lawyer" (according to Bree).
Susan, who starred in all the plays and musicals, and everyone thought would go on to Broadway - sells real estate instead.

And me? Well I've had a fairly unconventional life. I married a man 26 years my senior, moved to an island, and temporarily adopted my sister's son (we'll give him back when she finishes college). I haven't had kids of my own (at least not yet), and I didn't become a teacher (at least not long term); instead, I work in "Corporate America", a fact that might surprise several of my High School friends.

"Funny ol' world, isn't it?"

Somethin' fishy

I went to the Post Office today, and (of course) started chatting while there. I never just go and get mail (unless I'm the only one in the place!) Anyway, while I was talking to Joyce, her cell phone rang. It was the Fish House calling to let her know that they had blue fish available (her favorite). How's that for personal service? I thought it was terrific...I need to get on their call list for drum and mullet. And blue, and flounder, and ... okay, I like most fish!

Tonight, John and I went to Jason's for sushi with Jamie. So it was a fishy day all around!

Free music!

This week, the DeepWater Theater concerts are free to locals, so come out for an evening of talented performances! Wednesday night is the Ocrafolk Opry, with a variety of local musicians and storytellers. Thursday night is Molasses Creek. Both shows start at 8, but it's recommended that you get there around 7:30 as seating is first come, first serve. Enjoy!

A Jolly good time

We went to the Jolly Roger tonight, to eat but mostly to listen to Marcy, Lou, Gary and Dave play. This was their last Sunday performing at the Jolly, and the first one that we had been able to go to! (Yikes...almost missed every opportunity!)

It was a gorgeous evening, with a light breeze and an orange sunset which we watched dip behind the trees at Windmill Point. Shortly after that, the Lighthouse came on (always one of my favorite sights to see, when I can catch it as it happens), and the Windfall sailed into Silver Lake. And all of this with a background of music...it was a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.

Shopping tradition

I went into Village Craftsmen today and said "it's that time of year again". Dallie knew exactly what I meant: my wedding anniversary is coming up in a few days. I have bought a gift for John at Village Craftsmen every year for the last several (even before we moved here), mostly because it is usually easy to find something there that fits the category. I like to buy the traditional anniversary gift each year, and it's often described in terms of a raw material: wood, iron, copper, bronze, pottery, etc. Gifts made of all of those materials are available at Village Craftsmen, so it's the right place to shop this time of year (and most any other time of year, too!) for me. Over the years, I explained to Dallie what I was doing, and what I wanted to buy for that particular anniversary. She even printed out the list of traditional gifts, in case any other customers might need the information. That came in handy for me today, as I hadn't thought to look up the tenth anniversary gift before heading out to the store. So Dallie pulled out the list and we discovered together that it's tin. Then we set about finding a good gift. Village Craftsmen is a great place to do that.

Light pollution

Recently, I saw the night sky over Africa on TV. It was a time lapse film, which had been sped up to show the stars moving across the horizon. I was struck by how many more stars are visible over a relatively undeveloped area. Here on Ocracoke, the night sky is often breathtaking. The fact that I can see so many more stars here than I could when I lived on the mainland is one of the reasons I adore making my home here. Most nights, before going to bed, I step outside and look up - on clear nights, I am rewarded by a lovely view. But as gorgeous as the night sky is here, seeing the sky over Africa made me realize the impact of light pollution. Even here, where there isn't much light to affect the view, there is more than they have in Gabon. I don't think I'll move to Gabon, though!

Puddles

The storm brought bands of rain through last night, and this morning there are plenty of puddles as evidence. Well, puddles isn't quite the right word. When I first looked out the window this morning, the entire street was covered with water. It didn't rain that much, but the wind caused soundside flooding, and the area where I live is prone to that. The water receded quickly, leaving behind several large puddles. I almost want to put on my boots and go jump in one.

It's appropriate...

...that the weather be stormy today, as the premiere of Nights in Rodanthe is happening tonight in Kitty Hawk. It's appropriate, because there's a storm in the movie. As I recall, there was a decent Nor'Easter during the time the cast and crew was on the Outer Banks filming, too.

Several of my friends got to go to the premiere, but I alas am home blogging about it. :)

Windy

It has been very windy here all day. The wind is whistling around the corners of my house, and the awning over my living room windows has been flapping wildly. The Outer Banks area is caught between an area of very low pressure, and one of very high pressure, which is causing the wind. I heard at the Post Office tonight that some mainland ferry runs were cancelled today, but that the Hatteras ferry is (for the moment) still running. The worst of the weather is expected tomorrow.

I just received the following storm advisory in email, whic provides a little more detail for those of you who are curious.

_________________________________________________


Non-tropical coastal storm developing off the NC coast with gradually deteriorating weather conditions tonight through Wednesday night. Main impacts expected Wednesday and Wednesday night.

High wind warnings are now in effect for Carteret and outer Banks of Dare and Hyde counties from Tuesday night through Wednesday night. Winds will increase to 30 to 40 mph with higher gusts likely.

High surf will be a problem with a prolonged northeast fetch and waves in the offshore marine area building to 15 to 20 feet on Wednesday. A Gale Warning is in effect for all of the coastal waters including the sounds through Wednesday night.

Water level rises of 3 to 5 feet will be possible with long duration northeast winds across Pamlico County adjacent to Pamlico Sound, and the lower reaches of the Neuse River including southern Craven and down east Carteret counties. A coastal Flood Warning is now in effect for these areas from tonight through Wednesday night.

Ocean over wash expected from Cape Hatteras north mainly on Wednesday during the mid afternoon high tide with water levels of up to 5 to 6 feet above normal likely. A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect for the Outer Banks Dare County from late Tuesday night through Wednesday night. This will result in ocean over wash across portions of Outer Banks Dare County, especially Highway 12.

Localized flooding will be possible mainly across coastal flood prone and low lying areas. At this time significant widespread flooding is not anticipated to be a threat. One to three inches of storm total rainfall is possible through Thursday Morning.

Residents and Visitors of Ocracoke Island should pay close attention to weather updates during the next couple of days. This weather system could lead to Ferry Service interruptions and Highway 12 in Dare County being closed during Wednesday into Thursday evening.

___________________________________________

So if you're not here, it's probably a good idea not to try to come right now. And if you are here, you may be staying put for a while! (Which may not be a problem, depending on your perspective...)

Kittens

There are several adorable calico kittens at the Post Office. I think I would like to bring one home, but they are far too skittish to come anywhere near me, scattering instead at the first sound of feet or car tires. I wish I could explain to them that I want to help them, feed them and love them - not hurt them.

Sometimes people are like that too: we shy away from new people (or places, or sometimes ideas) - afraid that we don't understand them or their intentions and that we might get hurt; never realizing that we might be missing something which is for our ultimate best interest. I plan to take a lesson from the kittens and try not to be so skittish.

Pub music

I went to Howard's Pub this past Friday night with my friend Jamie, to see and hear Marcy and Lou (aka Coyote) and Gary and Dave (of Molasses Creek) play. It was a fun evening, and the show was very entertaining, both musically and otherwise. The music was terrific, of course, but I enjoyed the banter even more. Dave is great with a deadpan joke, and Gary involved us (Jamie and me) in the show by threatening to eat our french fries during the break. (We didn't take it as a threat though...we were happy to share them.)

Anyway, I thought I would let you know about upcoming planned live music (at the pub and elsewhere), in case you are here or planning a trip soon. So here's a summary:
- Friday 9/26 - Frozen Head & the Squirrels - Howard's Pub
- Friday 9/26 and Saturday 9/27 - Willis Gupton - SmacNally's
- Sunday 9/28 and Tuesday 9/30 - Bob Gaynor - Creekside Cafe
- Sunday 9/28 - Marcy, Lou, Gary and Dave - Jolly Roger

Lazy days

I love weekend days with nothing on the agenda. Today, I slept an extra hour in the morning and took a nap in the afternoon. After my nap, I read a book for a while on my deck, sitting in the shade. This evening, I ate ice cream and watched a movie. That's my kind of Sunday!

Hope you get the chance to have lazy days too, wherever you are...

Lessons in sharing

I had a truly enjoyable Saturday. It started with a morning walk and breakfast at the Coffee Company. I was surprised as I walked around to see that the "no vacancy" signs were out at several island lodging establishments. The Coffee Company was quite busy, too. I guess the "secret" - that fall is a wonderful time to visit Ocracoke - is no longer a secret.

After my walk, I went to the Post Office and saw a sign advertising free stuff. Unlike the promises of spam email, this truly was free stuff, being given away to whoever wanted or could use it. All you had to do was stop by the person's house and pick out what you needed. Like a yard sale, without money. Sharing of this sort is good - the stuff gets used (instead of thrown out), the person giving it away gets rid of clutter, and the receivers of the goods get items they can use.

After the Post Office, I went to the Community Store. On my way in, I saw Philip Howard, who said "do you want to hear a funny story?" I said "of course", so we sat in the rockers on the Community Store porch and Philip shared a funny tale of an incident involving the giving away of free stuff. Sharing of this sort is good too - sitting together, talking and listening...and laughing.

After heading home, I stopped to chat with Marcy, who was outside working in her garden. She snipped a gorgeous peach rose off a bush and gave it to me. Sharing of this sort is lovely - the sharing of friendship, which brightens my day in much the same way the rose brightens my kitchen counter.

It's amazing how important the simple lessons we learned in kindergarten - like "it's good to share" - turn out to be in the long run.

Today is the first day...

...of the rest of your life! Okay, while that is technically true, it's unbearably corny and wasn't actually what I was going to blog about. (I just couldn't resist.)

Today is actually the first day in several months that I've turned off the air conditioning and opened the windows. I can't even describe how happy this makes me! Fresh air, cool temperatures, indoor breezes, and sweet smells from outside bring smiles to my face. I love fall! (Although, around here, it really should be called autumn, since we don't have trees with leaves that fall (not in autumn, anyway).

Hope the weather is lovely and you are smiling, wherever you are...

Blustery, and movies

The last few days have been perfect examples of the word blustery - gray skies, wind, and occasional brief showers. The sun breaks through every now and then, but essentially it has been looking like it is about to pour down rain, but then it doesn't.

So blustery days (and nights) are great times to watch movies, and I have seen a couple of good ones lately that you might not have heard of before:
- Les Choristes (The Chorus) - yes, this is a foreign flick (it's in French with subtitles), but it's a sweet story.
- The Invisible - slightly strange, but thought provoking and sometimes insanely funny (very much in a dark humor way, though...so I found it funny but if you don't like that type of movie - if you didn't laugh out loud at, say, Fargo or Heathers - you probably wouldn't agree).

Fair warning: if you're like my husband and you only like movies with really happy - not bittersweet - endings, you may not like either of these movies.

Speaking of movies, there has been a drastic reduction in the number of theatres less than two hours from Ocracoke: it went from one to zero when the location in Avon closed. It's unclear at this point whether it is permanently closed, or will reopen next year at the beginning of the visitor season.

I love movies of all sorts - from Disney and Pixar cartoons one can watch with small children to dark humor films many adults don't enjoy - but I'm not much bothered by the fact that the theater closed. I see on average one movie per year in the theater (and there have been years where I missed that one). Instead, I'm a fan of Netflix, which works great when you live on an island!

Win a quilt

My friend Sundae gave me several raffle tickets for my birthday (yes, back in August...I'm just now getting around to writing about this...)

Anyway, I'm hoping that one of them is the winner, and I will get the gorgeous quilt that the Ocracoke Needle and Thread Club created and donated to the OPS museum for this year's raffle. If you buy a ticket, and I don't win it, maybe you will!

Here's a picture so you'll know what it looks like.



You don't have to be here on the island to buy a ticket (or tickets) for the raffle - just call the museum if you want some, and they will mail them to you. I believe that the drawing will happen at the annual Fall membership meeting in November, but you don't need to be present to win. Good luck!

Slowing down

I love the fall season on Ocracoke. The weather is usually gorgeous, the water is still warm enough for swimming, and the village is quieter but not completely closed. Most restaurants and shops are still open although some switch to fall hours.

I took a short drive last night, to one of my "salt water" spots, and the streets were nearly empty. I did see another three or so cars, all with "local" stickers (Hatteras ferry priority passes). The moon was full and the village seemed extra peaceful in its glow, so I drove around for a while after touching salt water. I noticed when I got home that my car doors were still unlocked (the car automatically locks them once I reach 15 mph, which I obviously hadn't done on the entire drive). It is good to move slowly...I think I'll try to do it more often.

Hope life isn't too rushed, wherever you are...

Hold the ferry...

Generally, if you are not on the ferry when it is time for the ferry to leave, you are going to miss it. On both the mainland (Cedar Island and Swan Quarter) and the Hatteras runs, the crews make every effort to ensure that things stay on schedule.

That said, there are always exceptions. In church on Sunday, Pastor Joyce mentioned that she would have to run right out at the end (and would not be able to stay and greet folks) so that she could get the ferry: they were holding it for her, to allow her time to finish the service and still get where she needed to go, but they wouldn't hold it long.

Once, the ferry was held for me. It was the dead of winter, I was supposed to be on the early morning (6:30) ferry to Swan Quarter, but it was incredibly foggy that morning. I called at 5:45 or so to find out if the ferry was going to run, but the captain hadn't decided yet so I was asked to call back. After a handful of calls, they determined that the fog had lifted enough to make the trip, and I said "I'll be right there". I drove to the docks and onto the ferry, they closed the gate behind me, and we left. I was the only car on there! (I guess everyone else had decided to go north via Hatteras. There probably weren't many people planning to be on that run in the first place, as it was late December, not a time for many visitors.) I enjoyed being the only passenger on the ferry, mostly because I was able to sleep for almost the entire ride, and didn't have to think about whether anyone would giggle at me all bundled up in my comforter, stretched out across three seats in the passenger lounge! Not that I haven't done that other times, when there are other people on the ferry...sometimes the need to snooze and be warm overrides all other thoughts and concerns!

Don't forget...

The annual Ocracoke Art Walk, which is coming up on Saturday September 27th. More than 40 artists will open their galleries and studios for visitors to see, learn more about, and purchase their work. It's a fun event, and a great way to meander around the village (on foot, by bicycle, or you can ride the shuttle) for a few hours.

Learn more about the event here.

Silver moonlight

The moon is nearly full, and the night skies have been clear and cloudless. I stepped outside late tonight to bring the cat Jamie in for the evening, and didn't need to turn on a light to see him. The porch and driveway were bathed in a cool, silver glow. It was so quiet and peaceful, I stood out there for several minutes just breathing. Which was an excellent way to wind down for bed. I think I'll do it again tomorrow night.

Record numbers

People often ask how many students attend the single pre K-12 school on the island. The answer is usually "around 100", but this year it's a good bit higher. There are currently 132 students enrolled, which is a record for the school. My graduating class had around 5 times that many students! I have to say, though, that I think I would have liked it better if it was sized like the graduating classes around here, which have varied in the last few years between about 5 and about 8 seniors. In past years, there have been classes with as few as 1 graduate (and some years with none).

A high percentage of the graduates go on to college (no, I don't know exactly what it is, nor have I done a study on the subject, but based on my observation and the people I've asked about it, that seems to be the case). Many of them return to the island after earning their degrees, marrying and having kids of their own to become the future students and graduates. I love the continuity of this, at least partially because my life has not been an example of this type of thing at all - I graduated high school about half a world away from where my parents went!

So if you have ever wondered about the school here on the island, now you know just a little on the topic!

Hot dogs anyone?

If you're craving a hot dog, stop by the parking lot of the Variety Store. There's a stand setup there selling them, which just appeared a few days ago. I enjoy a hot dog every now and then, typically at some kind of fundraising event. I usually have to choose not to think about what is in hot dogs in order to enjoy them! But the stand at the Variety Store is selling Nathan's dogs, which are all beef...so there's no need for intentional ignorance when eating those. Okay, now I'm hungry...I think I'll go get one!

Petition

For anyone interested in the beach access issue, there's an online petition you can sign, requesting that management of Cape Hatteras National Seashore be returned back to the National Park Service (rather than being managed by the consent decree issued in late April). More details are available at the link below.

So go learn more about it...and then sign the petition if you agree with it.

http://www.gopetition.com/online/18790.html

FYI, for those of you who have kidded me about "what the heck happened to DAILY?", I have a bunch of blogs in draft from the last week or so...so watch for a slew of new posts coming soon to a monitor near you!

Outages and rain

We have been experiencing intermittent outages to power and DSL for the past couple of days. I am not sure of the reason, but I suppose it may be related to up the beach impacts of Tropical Storm Hanna.

It has been rainy here recently, too. I actually like rainy weather sometimes. I especially enjoy the sound of raindrops hitting the windows and the sunroof: it is great sleeping "music".

Hope you are staying connected, enjoying the weather, and sleeping well, wherever you are...

I missed...

I love traveling, but it is good to be home!

While we were gone, I missed:

- Salt water.

- Humidity - yes, really! My skin feels better already. I love Colorado, but my skin does not like the dry air.

- A book signing for a new novel (The Lady and the Moon) by local writer Mary-Chandler Newell.

- The community meeting to get more information, and provide feedback, about the Negotiated Rulemaking process for off road vehicle management in the national seashore.

- The brief re-opening - followed very quickly by the re-closing - of South Point.

- A potluck for Caroline's birthday - I was really disappointed about missing that!

I really do enjoy traveling and seeing new places. But sometimes I wish I could be in two places at once!

A movie premiere!

On Friday September 12th, there will be a movie premiere here on the island. Yes, really. The short film Dead Girl Walking, about Marcy Brenner's experience with cancer, and what it taught her, will be shown at Deep Water Theater at 7:30 PM. This will be the first public screening of the movie, and that makes it a premiere in my book! The documentary was made by Ray Schmitt of Real Earth Productions and runs 36 minutes. Refreshments will be served at the screening, so come and enjoy.

You can learn more about Marcy and the movie on the Real Earth Productions website and in this Island Free Press article.

Friends for stormy weather

We are still in Colorado, and therefore can't prepare our house for tropical storm Hanna. Neither John nor I is particularly concerned about the storm, but we have been keeping an eye on forecasts. From here, though, that's all we can do: watch.

I had essentially resigned myself to that condition, and decided to try not to worry about anything, when I got a voicemail. It was from Marcy, my across the street neighbor. She and my friend Mary Ellen have been looking in on our cats during this trip, to make sure they have food and water and are their usual happy selves. Marcy was calling to say that they had hoped to find Jamie (our outdoor cat) in order to put him in the house so he doesn't get drenched in the storm, but neither of them had seen him.

Mary Ellen called a bit later and asked if there was anything she could do for us in advance of the storm. John asked her if she would please move some items in our garage off the floor and onto shelves instead, which she said she and her husband Jim would gladly take care of for us that evening.

It was lovely to be reminded, from so far away, of one of the things I love about my friends and the Ocracoke community: they will be there to support or help, in good weather and bad. Hope you have friends like that too, wherever you are...

Home sweet cliff

This afternoon we visited the Manitou Cliff Dwellings and learned about the people who had made their homes there. The site is amazingly well preserved, and I found it absolutely fascinating.

This is a view of the entire length of the dwellings. You can walk through the whole structure, going inside the rooms and through the hallways.


Flat stones for grinding grain.


A storage box of sorts.


I went up onto this balcony and through the windows into the upstairs rooms.


The residents certainly had a beautiful view!

How many falls?

My Mom, John, Connor and I went to Seven Falls today. It was quite lovely, and I for one was definitely pleased with the fact that they have installed an elevator inside the mountain that you can use to get to the viewing platform. The other alternative was to climb 185 steps, and I just wasn't feeling quite that motivated!

It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies, which made the views even better. We ate lunch outside, at the base of the canyon, with a view of a very steep wall.



Then we rode the mountain elevator to see the falls. To get to it, you walk through a tunnel in the mountain. (Or, if you're Connor, you ride in your stroller through the tunnel!





From the viewing platform at the top, you can see all seven falls at the same time.



Having trouble seeing all seven of them? You're not alone. This handy sign at the top shows the 7 different sections and provides some info. about each. Before this, I did not know that there are multiple types of waterfalls.

Garden of the Gods

There's a lovely place here in Colorado Springs called Garden of the Gods. You can drive through and see most of it, or walk one of the many trails to see more. Either way, you'll be treated to views of some spectacular, huge rocks. Here are a few examples.