A REAL Escape

It is very liberating to give up tanning - without it, every day becomes a perfect beach day. No longer do we wish for intense, 
ninety-degree days that sport flawless skies and demand SPF 50. Instead, we love it all. No fair-weather beach lovers, here. As a matter of fact, I need to fulfill a bucket-list wish to spend a few icy winter days, seaside. I vividly recall childhood visits to the Jones Beach boardwalk, on chilly October evenings. My parents would pack up a picnic-basket dinner and off we would go. Cherished memories. 
Of course, Spring and Summer have been well covered. But winter-time...

Yesterday, we chatted with an oceanside homeowner. His main residence is in Pittsburgh; he rents his OBX property for June, July and August - the insane tourist months. He enjoys the three other seasons and told us, 

"I especially love wintertime, when I just sit and stare at the sea, watching the whales and dolphins." 

Dunes In The Making

Almost Covered By Drifting Sand

Truth is, our new acquaintance also told us how difficult it is to live next to the ocean. Nor'easters are worse than fly-by hurricanes, we learned, because they hover for days, causing extreme devastation. There were four such storms, this past winter. I listened with half an ear, still yearning to find out for myself, but his words brought a clearer understanding of the endless work it takes to preserve protective dunes. Joe and I both thought dunes were formed naturally. Not always so. Those funky, chunky Carova dunes are helped along by lots of man-made fencing. Blowing sand drifts till fences are buried and a new dunes exist. Incredible. Now, back to an iffy, cloudy morning...

Huge Old Oaks Doing Their Job

Simple horse sense :-) tells us when to avoid sandy shores. When stormy weather arrives, Sand Way's wide, two-lane highway has the potential to become a single, dune-side lane and a hairy exit, for sure. We know from experience that this can happen in a heartbeat. 
We lingered in Currituck Heritage Park on the sound, learning about huge oaks that are groomed low and wide to help land preservation. 
It is a gorgeous, pristine place to wile away some time and wait out the weather. We've noticed that cleanliness prevails out here. 
Kudos to those in charge.

Currituck Lighthouse From The Park

We finally decided to risk the beach, though it remained chilly and cloudy. Once again, we took a leisurely drive to the Virginia border-in-the-sand. Didn't see Mr. Ed, till we got about three-quarters of the way back towards Corolla, when we decided to stop. No sooner did we pick our dune, when I spotted them - a gorgeous duo galloping to the water. They brought the sun along, as you can see. 
Maybe we should take up gambling? 

Guilty!

One spectator pulled over at the required distance, to enjoy the magnificent view. Suddenly, a tow truck came barreling along, and I swear, he tried to hit Blackie, who leapt out of the truck's way and began working his way towards us, his pal in tow. Some people suck; 
I hope the Corolla Wild Horse Rescue Team stops by my blog and recognizes the culprit.

The duo continued on past us and way, way down the beach, disappearing into the haze. We never saw them again, a fact dismissing our theory that herd members stick close to their own band's turf. 

Heading Our Way...

And Beyond

Another gorgeous day.
"We are tied to the ocean. 
And when we go back to the sea - whether it is to sail or to watch it - 
we are going back from whence we came." JFK

Wedding Decorations and a Driftwood Flagpole

OBX Pasta Primavera With A Twist

Had I known it would be so delicious, there would be a photo of the dish, instead of the vinegar. Where was this purchased?? No idea, but it's available on Amazon. It's tangy and delicious.

I nuked leftovers of last night's salad made with dark green romaine outer leaves and bite-sized cucumber half-slices///dressed with oil, *delicious* white balsamic and garlic powder/pepper/oregano. Then, tossed with penne pasta, also leftover, and nuked again... WOW! A first for cukes - didn't realize they'd stay crunchy.

It's a rather unorthodox way to approach primavera, but it works. The tang of this incredible vinegar brings it all home. A keeper, and I'm already thinking that it would be a great twist on pasta salad, too... just skip the second warming and add whatever.

*ALESSI Aceto Balsamico Bianco di Modena White Balsamic Vinegar*

Quote Of The Day - Mouths Of Babes

"You know, Gav, it's great kids like you who make Mother's Day special. I think there should be a Kid's Day," said I.

"Every day is a kid's day, G'ma."

♡

Deserted Dunes

Mother's Day was interesting, here on the OBX. It was cloudy till about noon and cooler than yesterday. Seems as though most decided to take a break from sand and dunes, but we knew better. When Old Sol broke through the clouds, he gifted us one of the most spectacular beach days, wind free and perfectly warm. There is just nothing comparable to staring at the sea, according to Mambo.

Our nearest neighbor was about a mile downwind; we saw only one horse; birds were busy; Joe and Mambo bonded in their usual napping positions... and, I was able to receive my brother's phone call... middle of nowhere and cell service... go figure.

An exquisite day, majorly enhanced by later phone conversations with my GrandLoves, boys and their wives. Just Baby Girl Lyla was unable to extend phone wishes, but I'm giving her a few months to change that! We are so excited to see everyone, next Sunday in Minnewaska. Real hugs are gonna feel so good, so good, so good.

Giving Thanks

OBX Cuisine

We tire quickly of restaurant food. With the exception of very few places, everything is a step away from fast food, especially in beach towns. I know, I know - food snobbery at its worst best. We do the eating out thing once, twice or thrice, before dreaming about our own pasta or pancakes. 

iPhonePhotos of Fabulous Fare ncs'13

The kitchen here in our condo clearly belongs to a chef. It is exceptionally well appointed; we're wanting for absolutely nothing. Great pots and pans; pretty dishes; excellent utensils; top-of-the-line appliances; and a gourmet market 'round the corner.

A sampling of our fare lies in this photo: 

huge salads with a base of crispy romaine
**

buckwheat pancakes with ginormous blackberries, yogurt and mango
**

chicken cacciatore with penne and Pomì tomatoes, in honor of (link) Mom's après ski fixins, during our downhill years
**
Samoa cookie (we brought a box from home, Aubs♥) shooters, with Breyers vanilla

There's even a side-story here. We found our favorite tomatoes at the local HT store in a close-out sale - $1.69 per box. What a deal! Yep, you guessed it; our souvenir became a case of tomatoes. We're good for the at-home summer.

Buon Appetito!

MoMs Always In My ♥

My first Mother's Day without Mom and Gran.

But before leaving home for the OBX, I found this amazing picture amongst hundreds that Mom had in boxes.

It is so fantastic, I think. My two beauties, Mom and Gran.

There are so many times they are missed and so many ways they are remembered... clearly, they are always with me, in my heart... 

a constant caring presence.

It was strange when we were traveling, as I'd forgotten for a moment and wanted to check in with Mom, who would be excited to hear from us and learn that we were safe and happy. Only mothers can relate to the constant concern when their babes are not literally under wing... safe and sound.

Unconditional love.

MoMs.

OBX Photo Of The Day - Majestic

So, What's A Little Sand In Your Teeth?

Man and beast alike battled gale-force winds, today at the beach. But it was ninety-one degrees, when we hit the sand, so we sucked it up - literally. At the precise moment I thought of my title for today's blog, Joe called over from his sand chair to say, "Just listen," with a teeth-grinding demo to follow. Ah, the unpleasant sound of tasteless grit... charming, I know... but hey, we were on the same page... unlike an equine couple we met. Yes...

It seems that a favorite young colt had eyes for a mare at least twice his size. The stallion in charge of this band seemed to allow his behavior, as Junior stalked and eventually tried to mount the Mrs. It must have been the heat and/or winds that kept tempers at bay. 
She was not interested in his amorous advances, but was kind in not belting him in the teeth with a mighty hoof.

 Whether a band of mustangs is large or small, it's always incredible to witness the protective tendencies of the chivalrous boys, as they hover over (top pic) or herd (below) their ladies. 

Eventually, the call of the wild warned us to leave the beach... by four, temps had dropped a whopping twenty degrees and funnel clouds were forming over the sea. By the time we plodded down Sand Way, it was raining. As I write, though, the sun is again shining, just in time for a sunset over the bay.

OBX Photo Of The Day - "What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?"

'Twas A Move-Your-Sand-Chair-To-The-Water Kind Of A Day

It was hot, sunny and cloudless, today... 86 degrees, inland. Humans and horses alike were seeking cool ocean breezes.
We probably saw half of the herd's 119 horses, many by the shoreline! 

Yearlings were dropping down in the middle of the beach, rolling over and letting the sand scratch their hot, itchy backs. 
It was adorable to see. 

Up in the dune "housing developments", lazy horses grazed right next to front porches. Remember, just a few short years ago, there were no buildings here. The equines instinctively know to leave a couple inches on grasses, so as not to deplete their food source. 

It is getting way too built up, in the off-road areas of Swan Beach and Corova. When will there be a moratorium on beach building? 
We fear for the herd. Some want it further diminished - by half. Such a reduction would cause weakened, inbred mustangs and eventual extinction. What a horrid thought.

Why don't we like in-season OBX vacations? Right now, pre-season, one can count the people on the beach... the horses outnumber us. 
In season? How about 50,000 visitors, per week, just in the short, off-road area. That's not a typo. It would be tragic to lose this incredible experience to even more monster rentals that sit vacant for most of the year. 
We see an enormous difference from just a couple years ago. 

Event Of The Day

This is the best beach for hiking - flat and firm, with no ankle-breaking slopes. Mambo gets excited, when he knows it's time for mileage. See? We're not THAT lazy. :-) When I linger behind for photo ops, he comes to "fetch" me... so cute. 
Have I mentioned how much we love him?

Bye, Bob Dylan - We're Havin' A Heat Wave

My big, thick, fleecy Bob Dylan sweatshirt has been keeping me toasty, during the cooler beach days we recently experienced. But today? It was balmy and warm - an umbrella day. Even the horses became lazy, savoring the taste of summer. It was great.

An osprey flew just over our heads, but by the time I retrieved NIK from our just-parked SUV, he'd soared. Still, his beauty is evident, as is that of the sweet, scampering sandpiper.

OBX Photo Of The Day - Duo

Just Park Your Sand Chair Near A Dune

There is simply nothing like a day at the beach. It's always full of surprises, mostly desirable. Sure, an occasional buggy day might drive us a tad nuts. But for the most part? Sheer bliss. There is simply no response for those who question us. Blank stares are adequate replies to the question, "But what do you DO all day at the beach?" It's our secret... our strongest point of compatibility. We know how to pick our spot, park our sand chairs and pretty much let the day unfold. The OBX is especially grand, for this approach...

Take today. We rode the sand till we almost reached the Virginia border, making several stops along the way to commune with Spanish mustangs who traveled in bands of varying sizes - the largest included one stallion and five mares. Finally, we parked and just let it happen...

 Yep, we even "attended" a wedding. Gotta love a beach wedding, complete with a minister, guitar player, flower girl and attendants. 
The bride looked ecstatic, decked to the nines in white frill, but barefoot. Ah, a girl after my own heart. 

After a leisurely stroll, we packed up and headed back towards Corolla... slowly... you never know... and there they were. A small band with one boy and his two girls were grazing in the dunes. Suddenly, Ms. Black decided to gallop down to the water, the other two following suit. 

Wild horses galloping across sand... it just doesn't get any better.

A day at the beach with my honey...

Color Me Inspired

Pick Your Pleasure

Here are just a few of the thousands to choose from... rentals that remain empty for most of the year. It's impossible to choose a favorite and a challenge to find something small and cozy. They sit on what has to be some of the finest real estate in the country.