Home from Emerald Isle

Another family adventure comes to an end, and everyone eases back into their September routines, some off to school, others back to work, still others back to finish projects and partially read books, one returning to practice her walking and one just smiling at everyone he sees.

The Salt Marshes

From Nancy's Camera

With the Great Grandchildren

From Nancy's Camera

Fun and Games

From Nancy's Camera

Ted and Aldon

From Nancy's Camera

Ted and Stella Looking for Shells

From Nancy's Camera

The Hot Tub Gang

From Nancy's Camera

Everett and Grampa Play in the Waves

From Nancy's Camera

Emery on a Boogie Board

From Nancy's Camera

Aldon Hikes with Grampa

From Nancy's Camera

Saturday Sunrise

Stella, Ted and I were the first to leave at about 6:20.  We grabbed breakfast an hour later once we had reach Route 70.  Meisha, Nancy and the boys left an hour or so after us.  Tish, Jay and the girls left later and took a different route home.  Kris and Joe headed for Raleigh and Donna and Dan did some exploring, staying the night in Fredericksburg.  We stopped at Bighman's for some goodies and Meisha dropped Nancy off in Binghamton at about 9:30.

The Puzzle

This beach vacation's puzzle was a Thomas Kinkaid and very difficult.  By the time everyone hit the sack Friday night, everything was none except the mountains and the sky.  Nancy wrapped it up in newspaper so Donna could take it home to finish.  She's the big Kinkaid fan.

The Whole Gang

He Loves His Gramma

Josh gives Gramma Donna a big hug.

The Birthday Cake

Gift Inspectors

The Gifts

The Birthday Girl

Though her birthday was actually on Saturday, the day the rest of us were returning home, we celebrated Taylor's tenth birthday Friday night with tacos and ice cream cake.  Her family was going to spend a few days visiting Raleigh friends before they returned.

Lunch

The two older generations went out for lunch to a place I had noticed when Ted and I were out earlier.  It was a unique sub shop where you took a bag and marked off all the ingredients you wanted in your sub.  It was very good.  I wish they had them up in New York. 

Colorful Thistle

I'm not sure what kind of thistle this is but it had colorful foliage.

Unknown Flowers

Lichen

This was an interesting lichen we found along the trail.

Long Leaf Pine

Later that morning Ted and I went out looking for the nature trail the naturalist, whom we had met the day before, told us about.  He told us we could find Venus flytraps, pitcher plants and sun dews.  He did not tell us that it was not marked. It was on the east side of the Croatan National Forest.  But we did not find any of the carnivorous plants.  We did find other interesting plants.  Young long leaf pines have very long needles.

Kendal

Tish, Jay and Sydney

Tish and Jay had also taken Sydney out for a walk, returning from the opposite direction at the same time we did.

Gulls and Sand Pipers

Patterns and Footprints in the Sand

It is always amazing the interesting patterns that nature offers.  The footprints are Donna and Nancy's.

Walking on the Beach

Nancy, Donna and I took a walk on the beach after breakfast. 

Friday's Pancake Breaskfast

Donna made the kids blueberry pancakes for breakfast.

Miniature Golf

Nancy and I took Kendal and Emery to play miniature golf after supper Thursday night.  Kris and Joe had taken their kids out the night before.  Tish and Jay took Sydney out with them to Rucker John's.  When we got back, I went out by myself for some wave dodging before it got dark.  We watched Captain Phillips after that.

Mr. Smiles

Aldon has more smiles than any baby I've ever seen.

ice Cream Lunch at DQ

Okay, we were on vacation, so what's wrong with an ice cream lunch?  Dairy Queen isn't judgmental.

Little Fish and Fishy Fingers

Some men catching some bait fish offered to let Everett touch one of the fish and, of course, he couldn't refuse the offer.

Crepe Myrtle

I know you were just waiting with bated breath for the picture of crepe myrtle, so here it is.  I was waiting for a good specimen.

The Crabbers

They has the best luck right at the edge of the sea grass.

Docks on the Bay

Looking east along the edge of the bay you can see rows and rows of private docks.

The Crab

We didn't catch many crabs because the net was too short to reach the surface of the water.  The crabs usually dropped off once they breached the surface.

Tish and the Girls

Josh and Kris

Happy Crabbing

While Dan, Ted, Jay and Joe got up very early Thursday morning to go deep sea fishing, I went out and bought the equipment we need to take the five oldest kids crabbing.  Everett was delighted--until he saw the boats off shore.  Then all he could focus on was getting on one of those boats.

Wednesday Night

That night the six old timers went to dinner at Rucker Johns'.  The food was good.

The Burn

  

Every three years they do a controlled burn.  This tree was probably already dead beforehand.

Patsy Pond

Sassafras

There were a lot of small sassafras trees.

Long Leaf Pines

Just about all the large trees in the forest are long leaf pines that apparently require a burning in order to germinate.