Check this out , other interesting parts of NC

http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/north-carolina/awesomely-weird-things-nc/

Some of these are on Our Outer Banks....they left a couple out ..like the space ship house in Hatteras , and the mini houses in Hatteras.

Sometimes Free Time is just for the Birds...

 I miss the birds , I have not had time to investigate around here in Northern Virginia much in the last year , but I know where an Eagle nest is and hope this week being warm?  whatever that is I can go do some walking in the local parks.  So until then look over the pics from last year on the banks.

One of the things that I love and many people love about the Outer Banks is that in the fall and the winter time we have such an amazing array of migratory birds that visit.  Pea Island and Mattamuskeet have been the subject of thousands of photos and records of the special birds that come to share their time with us.  This year Hatteras Island and Ocracoke have been home to a very special bird and I have not been blessed with actually seeing them in the flesh ...er...feathers myself yet, but I still hope it will happen.  Snowy Owls (well at least one or two) have been seen at Cape Point in Hatteras and on Ocracoke Island.    This time of year we have so many species fly through our area , you never know what you will see.  We have White Ibises, Snow Geese , Pintail Ducks, Northern Shovelers, a few Harlequins have been sighted and more.  You just have to take some free time and talk a walk on the wild side of Pea Island or Lake Mattamuskeet.

Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker

Northern Shovelers

Tundra Swans

Pintails, Mallards and Tundra Swans

7 swans a swimming....

Great Egrets

 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Waiting for the Fishermen

Sea Glass, Beach Glass... Trash to Treasure

Sea Glass, Beach Glass or Mermaid Tears ...It is given so many names once it gets past its lowly start.

All of those come from what is basically trash that ended up in the ocean by many means, broken bottles falling off fishing piers, trash tossed into the ocean by homeowners, broken glass from houses that fell into the ocean and most commonly until about 15 years ago glass would be in the ballast waters of the large ships that would be released before reaching their Virginia port.  But about 15 years ago the habit of dumping Ballast water became non-existent due to regulations that were concerned other things were being transported.   Then there is the ecologic impact of less glass bottles and more plastic bottles going into the ocean ...so glass has gotten harder to find here on the Outer Banks .  Except after a bad storm such as Irene or Sandy that would destroy houses and end up sending glass shards into the sea to be turned...or in one such case I know of a lady in Kitty Hawk her entire sea glass collection ended up in the bottom of the ocean when her house collapsed into the ocean....and yes people did find it bits and pieces here and there.

I am not really sure why or who chose to  present sea glass as jewelry, but thank them because it is truly beautiful.

There are places that people go to where they hunt what is called second day glass or shards of amazing glass for special glass pieces that you just do not find commonly.  they are usually very different colors where everyday glass is usually white, green or brown ....sometimes you find Lavender but you have to really look at it too see its true color lay it on a sheet of white paper.

I have been collecting Sea Glass or Beach Glass as some call it , but to me the first is the right terminology as it takes the sea to make it....the process of the ocean hydrating and dehydrating  where the lime and soda is removed from the glass creating the pitting and softening the sheen of the glass to a beautiful sought after matte finish.   If you find pieces of Sea Glass that are half shiny , we call those pieces half cooked...and pieces that the edges might be smooth but the glass is still shiny get tossed back for more cooking.   I love Sea Glass and am a purist when it comes to making my jewelry which  is not very often anymore...I refuse to drill holes in it ...some pieces of glass took a hundred years to get smooth.  I find Sea Glass very attuned to life...it had to go through all the rough and tumble of its life in the ocean till one day it washed up on a beach smooth and pretty and was found by someone who appreciated it for the journey...and maybe put it in a jar or special place with others of its kind...or had it made or made it into a beautiful piece of jewelry to be appreciated in the sunlight of life.

I have posted pics of uncooked pieces and half cooked  and then some beautiful pieces fully cooked and ready to be made into a treasure one day.

So next time you go walking on the beach ...look a little closer you may be blessed with a sea treasure although it is getting harder and harder to find, since the invention of the plastic bottles , and the diminished dumping of ship ballast from over seas.   But look you never know especially after a storm ...you may just find a sea jewel .

Outer Banks Sea Glass collected over the last 75 years

some nice pieces here waiting for the day to be made into jewelry

Some sorta cooked....these would be tossed back for further cooking

needs more cooking time ...see how they are still shiny....maybe another 5 to 25 years to be pretty

Pottery Shard found in Hatteras , even these make beautiful jewelry

a picture of some of the variety of the colors

http://www.bytheseajewelry.com/about/artist.php    Linda Jereb...the first as far as I am concerned NC Sea Glass Artist....and very talented , devoted to the real glass and the treasure they are to us who love it.

 http://www.glassbeachjewelry.com/history.htm
 great info about Sea Glass History

http://www.seaglassjournal.com/articles/pureseaglass/lamotte.htm

Houses, Piers , Outer Banks Structures..

 An Oldie but a goodie....so thought I would update it...enjoy


I love the architecture of the houses , homes , fish houses, marsh houses that were used as hunting lodges and are still lived in accessible only by boat , unless you can walk on water. These are just a few pictures I have taken recently of the way we live and work here.

Chicamacomico Life Saving Station

Old Ships Rudder in front of Chicamacomico

The most recent famous house from the movie "Nights in Rodanthe"  it was on the ocean when the movie was shot but since moved to this lot , as it was about to be destroyed by Nature's fury.

One of the many Marsh houses that are used as Hunting camps and also lived in by people who love living off the grid

Just loved the colors in this door and the reflection of the tackle shop in the windows

Always ready to go fishing.

Marshes Light house on a foggy morning

One of the local bed and breakfast in Manteo

Island Farm Roanoke Island North end

Hatteras Lighthouse Keepers Quarters

Avon Pier ....sunrise ...sunset...in the rain and shine ... the sea always beckon you there to dream .