Bryan Bowers, storyteller?

I knew that Bryan Bowers was an excellent autoharp player, but I wasn't aware (until the concert last night) that he is also a fantastic storyteller. He didn't merely introduce each song with a short vignette, or a sentence or two about who wrote it; no, he told full fledged stories with great detail, so that I could easily see his Aunt Bess in the chicken coop, the spotless apartment of the college sophomore, and the beauty of Alaska. Talk about multitalented!

I tried to get a photograph of Bryan while he didn't have an autoharp strapped to his chest, so you could see his shirt. I enjoyed the sentiment on it greatly, but unfortunately did not get a picture which shows it clearly enough for you to be able to read it, so I'll just have to tell you: it said "Transcend the bullshit".

And another...

I'm in potluck heaven, having been to three in the past week. I love winter on Ocracoke!

The potluck last night was particularly terrific, for two reasons:

1. The kitchen table at Sundae's house was loaded with steamed oysters. John stayed in that spot the entire evening, shucking and munching. (And he shucked several for other people as well, including me.) Yum!



2. There was terrific music after the meal. Folks often play music at potlucks, and it is usually the highlight of the evening, but last night was particularly great, as Bryan Bowers (whom you can see in concert tonight at Deep Water Theater if you are here on the island) shared several songs.



Bryan encouraged the young 'uns to play as well, so Molly and Caroline played a few on their violins, with support from their instructor Dave.

Girls night

I went to Amy's house last night, for a glass of wine with the girls. It was a really fun evening - the wines (and the snacks) were delicious, and the conversation was terrific. It ranged from bawdy jokes to serious topics like racism, politics, and pro-life vs. pro-choice. Even though I'm sure we weren't necessarily all in 100% agreement on every topic, there was no stress or divisive feeling at all. We just talked and enjoyed one another's company.

It reminded me of a great quote:
Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.
~ Ann Morrow Lindbergh

Scavengers

I suspect that no matter where you live, there are animals which scavenge and forage in trash cans for food. In the mountains, it might be bears. Near wooded areas, it's probably deer. In many towns, it could be raccoons.

Apparently on Ocracoke, it might be a chicken.

Soundfront Inn

I spent the afternoon wandering around, learning about, and then writing about one of the oldest (possibly the oldest) buildings on the island: Soundfront Inn (also known as the Chase-Bragg-Boos house, and formerly known as Cedar Grove Inn). Here are a few pictures of this lovely old building.

The view of Pamlico Sound from the long upstairs porch is terrific!

The old cistern in the back.

Yes, that's a bathtub in a screened porch! No, neither is original to the house.

I love the way Soundfront is still old fashioned - there's no TV or air conditioning, but there are plenty of books and games, and this piano in the parlor.

Guests are still welcome at Soundfront. It's no longer operating as an Inn, but the house can be rented through Ocracoke Island Realty.

Potluck and a movie

I went to Bill and Lida's house tonight, for another potluck. That's two in five days...lucky me! There was plenty of delicious food, as always. My favorite this time was the parmesan fish that Karen made using the Cafe Atlantic recipe. Merle brought a terrific dessert: chocolate volcano cakes in individual ramekins, enough for everyone to have one. There was heavy whipping cream to pour over them, making it even more indulgent. Mmmmm. I haven't had breakfast yet this morning as I type this, and now I am officially starving from thinking about all that food!

After the meal, most of the guests stayed to watch a documentary called "Home of the Brave", about civil rights activist Viola Liuzzo. Most of us had never heard of her, and I suspect you may not have either, but she certainly had an impact on the civil rights movement. Examples like that - of people who are obscure, unknown, certainly not famous, who still make a difference and yet are unremembered - fascinate me. Unfortunately, as in many of those cases, the reason Viola's life made a difference was because it ended - she was murdered while helping drive marchers home after the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. If you are interested in the civil rights movement, you will probably enjoy the film.

Spotted on Ocracoke

There's a recurring column in each monthly issue of the Observer about things seen on Ocracoke, and it usually covers plants and animals spotted on and around the island. Today, I heard a report of a particular person seen here. I had previously been told that this person used to come to Ocracoke somewhat regularly, but that he hadn't been here in several years. He was here again last night, though, and spotted at the Back Porch Restaurant. So he has good taste places to visit, and in food, too. No wonder I'm a fan of Jimmy Buffett.

No, I didn't see him myself (darnit), but yes I do have this information from a reliable source. And unfortunately Jimmy has left the island. Darnit again.