Hibernation Temptation

It was dark and cold at 6 PM this evening when I made a quick grocery run, and I was grateful for my fleecy flannel shirt. On the way, every light seemed twinkly and welcoming, and at the store all the hearty holiday provisions were tempting, but the promise of a warm home and woodfire at the hearth sustained me as I shopped.

It might be a long winter.

Prickly Paradise

Blue Skies
Offshore Thunder Storms
Fog
Warm and Humid
Cool and Breezy
Rain
Mist
Blazing Sunset
All the Stars in the Sky
Beach Combing
Pelicans
Crabs
Striped Burr Fish
Half a Sea Turtle
Lighthouse
Hunting Mansion
Enchanted Forest
Boardwalks
Lost Colony
Rocking Chairs
Crackling Fire
Hot Tubbing
Pool
Corn Hole
Tennis
Basketball
Ink Blots
Quiplash
Biscuits
Apple Sauce
French Toast
Shrimp Every Day
Homemade Pizza
Poundcake
Amazing Friends
Wonderful Family
Five Dogs
Wow!

Go Dog Go!

It's been a productive week:

Monday I facilitated an online discussion, graded essays, entered assignments to prepare for report cards, went out to lunch, and watched river otters frolicking as the sun set over Currituck Sound.

Tuesday I graded essays, checked the Monday work my students did, entered report card comments, got a pedicure, played corn hole, and walked five miles on the beach.

Wednesday I finished grading essays, answered several emails, posted my grades, hiked through an enchanted forest in search of wild ponies,

Thursday I checked the Wednesday work my students did, answered emails, shot some pool, visited the Lost Colony, and welcomed six guests and 2 more dogs to our beach house.

Today I exchanged emails with the teacher subbing for my class, planned for next week and the week after, reminded my team about the weekly newsletter, wrote my own newsletter information, sent the newsletter, baked biscuits, picked a dozen crabs and made crab soup, and visited a wild life museum.

If only I could always do my job from the beach!

How I Spent My Vacation

The day dawned blustery but not too cold, and so Lucy and Rosie and I took out customary early morning walk on the beach. Atlantic Flyway took on a new meaning as flock after flock of birds vee-ed their way south over our heads, sometimes pausing to just float in the offshore wind.

After that, it was a classic rainy vacation day: we cooked, and read magazines, and watched TV, and then headed south ourselves to Manteo for an afternoon at the Roanoke Island Museum.

Nature, relaxation, and education-- now that's a plan I can get behind!

Foraging

The vegetation here at the beach is wild and scrubby. Live oak and laurel cling to sandy hills; browning sea grass and burrs blanket the dunes. Prickly Pears are also abundant, most with plump purple pears on top.

Which brings me to our project for today: prickly pear lemon squares. The pear juice offers a refreshing melony cucumber-like note and a lovely a magenta color. The dish is a success! Now the grilled nopales, or cactus leaf? That’s a different story.

Growth Mindset

It was misty on the beach at 6:45 this morning, but that didn't stop me and Lucy. "Even a foggy day at the beach is a good one!" I told her and off we headed. Not five minutes later, the sun rose above the marine layer, a squadron of pelicans skimmed over the bronze waves, a nice little piece of sea glass lay right at my feet, and a fine day turned even better.

The Simple Things

Yesterday was one of those vacation days to dreams about, the kind I know I'll remember years from now.

The day was perfect: warm but crisp, blue skies, and that impossible golden light that autumn so generously provides. The company was also exceptionally pleasant: Heidi and Lucy and I were joined by our friend Mary for a long weekend at the beach, and we did some really fun stuff: walking the beach, shopping, a delicious lunch, and a visit to a really great historical site.

It was actually there that I got the biggest thrill of the day. When we checked in at the tiny gift shop for our tour of Whalehead, there was a sign displaying the prices. Kids under 5? Were free. Everyone else was seven dollars, EXCEPT active duty military and...

anyone over 55! We fine folks only had to pay five bucks for the tour!

Mary and I did a little happy dance. "That's my first senior discount!" I told her.

"Mine, too!" she replied.

"Not mine," said the cashier. "I'm 72. That'll be 17 dollars."