I’m afraid my outer banks vacation came to something of an abrupt end.  With forecasters threatening severe weather that had produced a historic number of tornadoes in Alabama, I decided to try to get out ahead of the storms.  I was already planning on leaving Thursday, but I decided not to dally at all on the way out. The wind was already too brisk for a beach walk in the morning so it was easy to pack up and head out by 9 am. I decided to brave the Chesapeake Bay Bridge rather than drive inland through Richmond, and Washington, and…

Vacations are perfect for listening… to the sound of the waves, to the sound of the wind, to the little voices inside your head. Today was a real vacation day… no running around, just listening and reading.  I slept a little late, walked on the beach, and sat under a grove of trees by Currituck Sound to read for a few hours. I brought along a picnic lunch and a great fantasy read.  I just love getting lost in a good book – especially when I can do it sitting by the sea. Sound of the morning waves on a windblown…

Today’s adventures took me back in time to the lost colony of Roanoke.  History tells us that English settlers landed here before Jamestown, but the colony mysteriously disappeared.  So I took a long drive over on Roanoke Island to see the sights there.  Among the attractions are a “settlement,” a replica of a sailing vessel, and a formal garden dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. I thought it might be a nice place to spend some time out-of-doors. The history was far more interesting than the displays at the park.  They showed both Indian dwellings and settler tents along with the ship that brought…

I spent the day out and about in Corolla seeing the sights. Over at Heritage Park, I admired the Currituck Beach Light Station and the Whalehead Club. Currituck Light is a pretty amazing structure… Over 1 million bricks, with walls over five and a half feet  thick at the base and three feet thick at the top.  It’s 162 feet high and 214 steps to the top if you’re not afraid of heights like me. It makes a pretty picture…  Currituck Beach Light Station I also checked out the Whalehead Club – a lovely estate house on Corolla Island.  Built in…

Retreat has many meanings… It can mean admitting defeat and decamping the scene to recharge and restrategize. It can mean taking a spiritual or intellectual journey by going someplace to be quiet, to think, and to pray. If you’re playing Balderdash, perhaps you would say it means to give yourself something special – again (re-treat). Whatever it means, I am on retreat. On the outer banks of north Carolina. On the beach. It’s spring, it’s gorgeous, and all is right with the world. Time to go exploring.  More to come…   The view from my balcony after sunrise. It’s a Hampton…