As promised, here are the details on all the festivities planned for Independence Day on Ocracoke. Happy Birthday America!
Tuesday July 3rd
Ben Cherry appearing as Blackbeard the Pirate - 3 PM - OPS Museum porch
Wednesday July 4th
Flag raising ceremony - 9 AM - School circle on School Road (Boy Scouts)
31st Annual Sand Sculpture Contest - 9:30 AM until noon - NPS Lifeguard Beach
Ocracoke Ponies - 10 AM until noon - behind OPS Museum
Classic Cars - 10 AM until 2 PM - lawn at Pony Island Motel pool area
Ocracoke Lighthouse (open for public viewing - you can go inside and look up the stairs, but not climb) - 10 AM - 2 PM
"The Herd" Skydiving Demonstration - 10:30 AM - Pony Island Motel lawn (time may vary due to weather conditions)
Ben "Blackbeard" Cherry - 1 PM - under the trees, Pony Island Motel lawn
Old Time Ocracoke Parade - 3 PM - from Capt. Ben's Restaurant down Hwy 12; left onto Lighthouse Road; right onto Creek Road; right onto Silver Lake Dr; follow road around Silver Lake Harbor to OPS Museum
Want to be in the parade? You must pre-register by July 3rd at 6 PM (forms are available at the PO or the OPS Museum.
At Parade's End - National Anthem, entertainment, awards - OPS Museum porch
FIREWORKS! - 9 PM - you'll be able to see them from anywhere near Silver Lake
Rain date is July 5. See you there!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Adding insult to injury
When you cut yourself deeply, or when you burn yourself, medical professionals want to give you a tetanus shot. I know this from personal experience, my last 3 tetanus shots having been received in association with, and as a direct result of, other injuries. The only good thing about this fact is that it helps me remember when my last shot was. I had one when I was 16 after burning my arms at my Burger King job. The next one was when I was 26, after I stabbed myself in the foot with a rusty clam rake. That one was during my honeymoon! And then I got one yesterday after assaulting my finger with my kitchen knife. (It hadn't been quite 10 years, but it was close enough.)
So now, in addition to my finger alternately hurting and tingling, while still being numb and generally useless, my left arm aches from the tetanus shot.
Yes, I'm done whining now. It could definitely have been worse. A friend told me today about the time he severed a tendon, and it made me VERY grateful to have missed mine.
Believe it or not, I managed to cut myself in the kitchen again this morning! This time it was just a small paper cut type incision, which I gave myself on the edge of some aluminum foil. Apparently I need to be kept away from all sharp objects!
So now, in addition to my finger alternately hurting and tingling, while still being numb and generally useless, my left arm aches from the tetanus shot.
Yes, I'm done whining now. It could definitely have been worse. A friend told me today about the time he severed a tendon, and it made me VERY grateful to have missed mine.
Believe it or not, I managed to cut myself in the kitchen again this morning! This time it was just a small paper cut type incision, which I gave myself on the edge of some aluminum foil. Apparently I need to be kept away from all sharp objects!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
OUCH!
Or "ow ow ow ow". That's what I said this morning after giving myself a deep gash in my finger. Shortly after that, in answer to the question "what's wrong?" I said "I cut myself. Deeply. I'm going to need stitches." And need stitches I did. I got 9.
Dr. Moore was gentle, kind, and very thorough. He took a good look at my ugly wound to make sure there wasn't anything in it, and to see if I had severed a tendon (I came very close, but thank goodness narrowly missed). (I did do a number on many nerves, and most of my finger is still numb.) Then he stitched me up, as neatly as possible considering the large hole I had created!
This incident reminded me of several things:
- always be careful with sharp knives :)
- how important one's index finger truly is - doing just about anything without moving it much is difficult, and typing is quite interesting (I usually type over 70 words a minute, but I'm well off that pace this evening, and the next several blogs will probably be short...)
- how grateful I am that, even on our small island, we have all the services we need, provided by our neighbors and our friends
Stay safe!
Dr. Moore was gentle, kind, and very thorough. He took a good look at my ugly wound to make sure there wasn't anything in it, and to see if I had severed a tendon (I came very close, but thank goodness narrowly missed). (I did do a number on many nerves, and most of my finger is still numb.) Then he stitched me up, as neatly as possible considering the large hole I had created!
This incident reminded me of several things:
- always be careful with sharp knives :)
- how important one's index finger truly is - doing just about anything without moving it much is difficult, and typing is quite interesting (I usually type over 70 words a minute, but I'm well off that pace this evening, and the next several blogs will probably be short...)
- how grateful I am that, even on our small island, we have all the services we need, provided by our neighbors and our friends
Stay safe!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Ocracoke magic...
...really works! One of my photos was selected for publication in a national magazine! Woo hoo! I'll put an update here once I know which month the article will appear, so you can look for my picture (if you want to).
Words fail me when I try to describe the absolute blessing my life here has been. I have been able to bloom here, as if all my life I was a fresh new seed, packed with potential, just waiting to be planted in the right soil. I have learned to trust my instincts, my spirit and my heart, all of which told me I belonged here within an hour of the first time I set foot on the island. My mind had no idea how enriched, nurtured and healed I would be here, but my intuition did.
Happenings on the island this weekend include
- free car wash at the Assembly of God Church tomorrow (Saturday)
- storytelling at Deepwater Theater on Saturday night (8 PM)
- a band called Sugar Daddy is playing at Howard's Pub tonight and tomorrow night (10 PM both nights)
I bet there's more, but that's all I know about! Have a good weekend, wherever you are. And bloom where you're planted!
Words fail me when I try to describe the absolute blessing my life here has been. I have been able to bloom here, as if all my life I was a fresh new seed, packed with potential, just waiting to be planted in the right soil. I have learned to trust my instincts, my spirit and my heart, all of which told me I belonged here within an hour of the first time I set foot on the island. My mind had no idea how enriched, nurtured and healed I would be here, but my intuition did.
Happenings on the island this weekend include
- free car wash at the Assembly of God Church tomorrow (Saturday)
- storytelling at Deepwater Theater on Saturday night (8 PM)
- a band called Sugar Daddy is playing at Howard's Pub tonight and tomorrow night (10 PM both nights)
I bet there's more, but that's all I know about! Have a good weekend, wherever you are. And bloom where you're planted!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Happy Solstice!
Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year (in terms of the number of hours of daylight). Out here near the eastern-most edge of North Carolina, sunset was at 8:21. To celebrate the solstice, a group of friends gathered on the beach for a bonfire. LouAnn had a ring of flowers in her hair, as did several of the other ladies. Sundae brought a whole bag of fairy attire, which she happily shared. A handful of us donned wings, sheer skirts, and other shimmery gossamer things. We took silly photos, dug a fire pit, and waited for dark.
As a lovely pink, orange, and yellow sunset disappeared behind the dunes, darkness fell and the stars began to come out. Unfortunately, so did the mosquitoes! Thank goodness someone had thought to bring bug spray and didn't mind sharing, or I would have had to run screaming from the gathering. Mosquitoes really love me. Suffice it to say, if I'm around, no one else needs repellent! After I had sprayed myself down, I settled on the sand to watch and enjoy. I also made s'mores setups for anyone who wanted to roast marshmallows in the fire. Caroline was sweet enough to roast some for me, so I got to have a s'more myself as well, which was a treat.
Donald brought out his high powered laser pointer with the green beam which reaches all the way to the sky, and gave tours of the constellations to anyone who wanted to listen.
We ate and drank, talked and listened, and generally enjoyed ourselves for several hours before heading home by moonlight. I had forgotten how indescribably lovely the beach is at night, and realized I definitely need to make a more frequent habit of going there after dark.
Earlier this afternoon, I had the opportunity to send some photographs of Ocracoke to a magazine for possible publication. I have no idea whether they will use them or not, but it was a blessing to have the chance to send them in just in case. I reflected on the fact that I have had many such opportunities as a result of living on Ocracoke, and was touched once again by the island's magic.
Tonight, as I watched sparks fly and flames dance in the fire, saw a shooting star over the ocean, and was enriched by the company of friends, I counted my blessings and thanked the Creator for this place which has been (and continues to be) such a healing balm for my soul and a nurturing cocoon for my emerging self, as I continue to be given opportunities to explore my abilities and learn who I can be. For me, today truly was a happy solstice.
As a lovely pink, orange, and yellow sunset disappeared behind the dunes, darkness fell and the stars began to come out. Unfortunately, so did the mosquitoes! Thank goodness someone had thought to bring bug spray and didn't mind sharing, or I would have had to run screaming from the gathering. Mosquitoes really love me. Suffice it to say, if I'm around, no one else needs repellent! After I had sprayed myself down, I settled on the sand to watch and enjoy. I also made s'mores setups for anyone who wanted to roast marshmallows in the fire. Caroline was sweet enough to roast some for me, so I got to have a s'more myself as well, which was a treat.
Donald brought out his high powered laser pointer with the green beam which reaches all the way to the sky, and gave tours of the constellations to anyone who wanted to listen.
We ate and drank, talked and listened, and generally enjoyed ourselves for several hours before heading home by moonlight. I had forgotten how indescribably lovely the beach is at night, and realized I definitely need to make a more frequent habit of going there after dark.
Earlier this afternoon, I had the opportunity to send some photographs of Ocracoke to a magazine for possible publication. I have no idea whether they will use them or not, but it was a blessing to have the chance to send them in just in case. I reflected on the fact that I have had many such opportunities as a result of living on Ocracoke, and was touched once again by the island's magic.
Tonight, as I watched sparks fly and flames dance in the fire, saw a shooting star over the ocean, and was enriched by the company of friends, I counted my blessings and thanked the Creator for this place which has been (and continues to be) such a healing balm for my soul and a nurturing cocoon for my emerging self, as I continue to be given opportunities to explore my abilities and learn who I can be. For me, today truly was a happy solstice.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Stories on the pizer
"Pizer" is Ocracoke for porch, and the Community Store pizer is where a group gathered this morning, bright and early, to listen to stories. "Bright and early" was 7:30, so Donald and Merle brought an old fashioned coffee perker and plenty of cups to ensure everyone would be awake enough to enjoy the tales! They also provided a supply of chairs,so all the listeners could sit comfortably. I actually wanted a seat on the bench of the Community Store porch, but that filled up pretty quickly, so I sat on a folding beach chair instead.
Everyone gathered seemed to thoroughly enjoy the stories shared by Leslie Buie (not sure if I spelled that right, apologies to Leslie if I didn't!), LouAnn Homan, and Al Scarborough. The common theme for all the tales was remembrances of stores. Lesllie told the group about the "rolling store", a mercantile on wheels which visited his house when he was a young boy. Ater describing his memories of the marvelous traveling shop, and how its proprietor managed to meet all the needs of his family, including everything from lace to hinges, he told of a more recent (and somewhat frustrating) experience trying to buy the same things in a modern emporium. He concluded his tale with an account of the day he found himself on a back road, where he discovered the old rolling store, rusting and rotting away on blocks. But somehow it wasn't a sad ending to the story. It was just how it ended.
LouAnn told a story of visiting a large department store in downtown Ft. Wayne, Indiana for tea with her mother and grandmother. It was a totally different story, in that it was about a city store rather than a rural "shop on wheels" service. But it still brought the listeners back to a memory of their own, as all good stories do.
Finally, Al Scarborough shared his memories of stores on Ocracoke, which were actually memories of the characters who sat on the pizers of those stores, whittling and telling tales of their own. Al transported me back to Ocracoke in the 50s, and I very much enjoyed the trip!
As LouAnn said, listening to stories on the pizer was a lovely way to start Wednesday. Hope you enjoyed your Wednesday, and made some stories (aka memories) of your own!
Everyone gathered seemed to thoroughly enjoy the stories shared by Leslie Buie (not sure if I spelled that right, apologies to Leslie if I didn't!), LouAnn Homan, and Al Scarborough. The common theme for all the tales was remembrances of stores. Lesllie told the group about the "rolling store", a mercantile on wheels which visited his house when he was a young boy. Ater describing his memories of the marvelous traveling shop, and how its proprietor managed to meet all the needs of his family, including everything from lace to hinges, he told of a more recent (and somewhat frustrating) experience trying to buy the same things in a modern emporium. He concluded his tale with an account of the day he found himself on a back road, where he discovered the old rolling store, rusting and rotting away on blocks. But somehow it wasn't a sad ending to the story. It was just how it ended.
LouAnn told a story of visiting a large department store in downtown Ft. Wayne, Indiana for tea with her mother and grandmother. It was a totally different story, in that it was about a city store rather than a rural "shop on wheels" service. But it still brought the listeners back to a memory of their own, as all good stories do.
Finally, Al Scarborough shared his memories of stores on Ocracoke, which were actually memories of the characters who sat on the pizers of those stores, whittling and telling tales of their own. Al transported me back to Ocracoke in the 50s, and I very much enjoyed the trip!
As LouAnn said, listening to stories on the pizer was a lovely way to start Wednesday. Hope you enjoyed your Wednesday, and made some stories (aka memories) of your own!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Plans for the big day
That would be the 4th of July, of course. It's the busiest day on the island. This year, as in years past, Independence Day will be full of festivities, including:
- flag raising at the school
- skydiving demonstration by "The Herd"
- Blackbeard presentation by Ben Cherry
- sand sculpture contest
- old-time parade
- fireworks
I'll get better details (times, etc.) and post them here soon. For now, this is as good a time as any to remind everyone that, because of the risk of fire (which could easily spread in our small village), individual fireworks are ILLEGAL anywhere on Ocracoke (both the village and the beach). So if you are planning to be here celebrating America's birthday, please plan to enjoy the professional fireworks, but leave your own fireworks at home.
- flag raising at the school
- skydiving demonstration by "The Herd"
- Blackbeard presentation by Ben Cherry
- sand sculpture contest
- old-time parade
- fireworks
I'll get better details (times, etc.) and post them here soon. For now, this is as good a time as any to remind everyone that, because of the risk of fire (which could easily spread in our small village), individual fireworks are ILLEGAL anywhere on Ocracoke (both the village and the beach). So if you are planning to be here celebrating America's birthday, please plan to enjoy the professional fireworks, but leave your own fireworks at home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
