Project 365~July 30

What's Growing On Here?

Project 365~July 29

Before the Crowds

Shrimpfest at Camp Hatteras

Last month we had a Crabfest here, this month was a Shrimpfest.  Jack was the cook again and it was fabulous food again!

Project 365~July 25

Beach Buddies

Project 365~July 23

Pastel Pallette

Project 365~July 22

Fishing Pier

Oregon Inlet

While driving home from our trip, we enjoyed the scenery.  I started to get emotional as we got closer to OBX.  As soon as we hit the first bridge, I yelled out, "We're home". 

I got really excited when we hit the Oregon Inlet, because I knew we were really close to home.  I think the inlet is so beautiful.  Something about the contrast of the blue water with the green and tan grass is just peaceful to me.

It has an interesting history too.  From Wikipedia:

Oregon Inlet is an inlet along North Carolina's Outer Banks. It joins the Pamlico Sound with the Atlantic Ocean and separates Bodie Island from Pea Island, which are connected by a 2.5 mile bridge that spans the inlet. As one of the few access points to the ocean along this stretch of coast, Oregon Inlet is a major departure point for charter fishing trips, with a nearby harbor serving as the base for many large boats that travel miles out towards the Gulf Stream almost every day. The area is also home to a U.S. Coast Guard station.

Oregon Inlet was formed when a hurricane lashed the Outer Banks in 1846, separating Bodie Island from Pea Island. One ship that rode out that storm in Pamlico Sound was named the Oregon. After the storm the crew members of this ship were the first to tell those on the mainland about the inlet's formation. Hence, it has been known as Oregon Inlet ever since.
Akin to many other inlets along the Outer Banks, Oregon Inlet moves southward due to drifting sands during tides and storms. It has moved south over two miles since 1846, averaging around 66 feet per year.

 It's just beautiful, isn't it?

Living the life in North Carolina!

Random Things in Raleigh

After our wonderful trip to see our granddaughter, we flew back in to Raleigh.  Nathan had a meeting, so we had to spend the night there and stay in a hotel until he was done with his meeting.  We stopped at a few stores before heading home, so Nathan could buy some things he needed.  I was driving and noticed something odd at a stop light.  Really odd.

An abandoned lawnmower, just sitting in the middle of the intersection.

We laughed so hard.  You know there is a good story behind that!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Our little trip took us to one of the most beautiful sites we've ever laid eyes on: our granddaughter.  My mom will probably tell you that the picture above looks like my baby pictures.  That's not why I think she is beautiful though. She just is!

Makes you want to sniff her newborn baby head, doesn't it?  How is it that even baby slobber is cute?

I'm a little smitten with her.  Ah, who am I kidding...I'm completely head over heels in love with her!!!!!

She is so smart and funny already.  She makes a different face every ten seconds which cracks us up. 

Papa thinks she is the greatest thing too!

My best birthday ever was when I had Aric (happy Birthday number one son) but this ranked right up there.  She's a keeper to be sure!

Living the life as Mimi!

We're Leaving on a Jet Plane

For my birthday, Nathan planned a little trip for us.  Since it is definitely high season here at the park, I didn't plan to go any place until the end of the season.  Thank to him, the manager and the girls who covered my shifts-we were able to go now.

Normally when we fly, we both read books.  This time we both had smartphones to entertain us.  Which means Nathan did this:

While I did this:

A Special Announcement

Our oldest daughter, Ashleigh, had a baby girl on June 30th.  She is too far away from us for me to be there in person, but I got to join in through the power of text messages and it was neat to be included in that way.  We are completely smitten with little Aseanti Olivia, who we nicknamed the Princess or Sweet Cheeks.  We think she is just perfect, but we might be a bit biased. 

Happy Fourth of July

 One thing I love about being here is that there are so many fun things going on all the time.  It is almost like it's a holiday every single weekend.  Of course, this weekend there was a huge crowd as in every single campsite was taken.  And people were in the patriotic mood and here for family fun.  So it did seem even more special than normal. 

 I managed to get zero pictures this weekend.  Luckily my friend Judy Lilly took a bunch and graciously let me use them.   Thank you, Judy!

Beach Houses

When I was a girl, the one and only vacation I remember our family going on was to Galveston Island.  One of the things we kids loved there were the houses on stilts.  I still love them.  It is one of the things that makes island living seem so quaint to me.

Beach houses tend to have three things in common as far as I can tell.  They are on "stilts".  They have great porches.  They are built to have views of the ocean. I think they are beautiful.

  I have had some kind of creedy crud, or my allergies are really in high gear and it's been that way for over a week now.  I feel pretty miserable.  It was kind of nice today though because it gave me an excuse to sit and catch up on editing pictures and blogging some!