http://www.workingwaterfront.com/articles/The-Will-of-Wanchese/14824/ A little bit of history of the fishing village, Wanchese, NC, from The Working Waterfront, by Susan West, published by The Island Institute.

New findings of The Lost Colony: Evidence Found At Lost Colony Site by Ran Northam at Chapelboro.com  http://www.chapelboro.com/Evidence-Found-At-Lost-Colony-Site/13145894.

You’ll never guess what I saw on my OBX vacation At HamptonRoads.com.

Sillyness from Pinterest:

ha ha, get it?

In addition to fresh produce and soaps, there were baked goods, honey, jams and jellies, pottery, weavings, art and jewelry.

These beautiful scarves were made by Beth Burns of Waterside Weavers using a process known as Nuno Felting.

Beth also makes the lavender soap that I purchased. Her soaps also come in a variety of other scents and are created from quality ingredients (organic unrefined hemp seed oil, organic extra virgin olive oil, cocoa nut oil, palm oil).

I was enamored by the funky fish and crabs by Michael Tames, a local artist. This Seahorse is my favorite, the body is made of rope – really cool looking, unfortunately my photo does not do it justice.

There’s so much to do on the Outer Banks as the weather warms.

The fish are biting, the beach is
welcoming, kites are flying, local businesses are reopening for the season, and two of my favorite events are back: FIRST FRIDAYS and SATURDAY FARM MARKETS in downtown Manteo.

First Fridays

Held on the first Friday of every month on the Manteo Waterfront. 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Historic Inn Tour from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. (tour maps at Dare County Arts Council), Live music from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Blue grass to Jazz to Classic Rock ‘n Roll), Boutiques and Restaurants open late, Enjoy family friendly activities, Famous rock climbing wall, historical interpreters in period costumes and more. Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo, NC 27954 Phone: 252-473-2133.

View from our condo

Surf’s up

There are howler monkeys here, they come out at dusk.

According to this video, only the male monkeys howl, and they do so to let other monkeys know that they are here as they are very territorial.

We’ve eaten fresh fish, lobster (small rock lobsters), chayote and tostones (fried plantains) which we prepared ourselves. Tona is the “official” beer of Nicaragua and I found a crisp Chardonnay – Lazo from Chile, which paired very well with the tostones last night.

A couple of two hour flights brought us into Managua from Raleigh via Miami. From there, it was another two hour drive to the coast, the last 30 minutes of which were on a dusty gravel road, which is in the process of being paved.

My inner time clock is still on Outer Banks time. There’s a two hour difference, if 7 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, it’s 5 a.m. here. But I pretty much get up at dawn and go to sleep at dark.

Two new homes have sprouted up at Marshes Light. Traditional Manteo styled, one with a pop of bright blue.

Home site #13 reduced: $150,000.

April is a happening month along the Outer Banks! Check out these great events and click here for more information:

• 10^th Annual OBX Bike Week
• Flying Pirate Half Marathon
• Storm the Beach – Obstacle Course
• Film, Music, Theater
• Couture by The Shores – Fashion, Fun & Food to benefit Outer Banks Relief Foundation.

Softshell Season Soon!

Killdeer

This little fella is a Killdeer, a type of plover or shore bird. They make their nests in the darndest places, like in the middle of a field or on a gravel rooftop, but wherever it is, the nest blends well into the background.

I have been watching him/her all week. I had originally assumed he was a she, but just a short while ago, another Killdeer showed up and this one followed her, jumped on top and mated. It happened so fast, I didn’t have time to tell them to get a room! He hopped off and came back to the nest. The males and females look a lot alike and take turns sitting on the nest.

I startled him and he jumped up and scurried away from the nest. There are four eggs and they are gray with black specks, blending in with mud and gravel. I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby chicks hatch and will try to get a photo to share.  It takes 24 to 28 days of incubating for the chicks to hatch.

According to www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/killdeer/id, the Killdeer is one of the least water-associated of all shorebirds.

You can hear the Killdeer whistle here: http://www.birdjam.com/birdsong.php?id=18.

Metro Rentals

There are lots of places to get married on the Outer Banks; here are just a few:

• The Sanderling  in Duck, new for 2012, the  Soundside Pavilion will offer lovely water views of the Currituck Sound
• The Currituck Club, Corolla
• The Whalehead Club, 39 acres of spacious lawn with beautiful waterfront views of the Currituck Sound, sunsets and the nearby Currituck Lighthouse
• 108 Budleigh, located in the heart of historic downtown Manteo on Roanoke Island
• Elizabethan Gardens, Roanoke Island
• The Beach

The Wedding Show was sponsored by OBXBrides.com and featured over 60 vendors. From cakes and flowers, to music and photography, everything to make a special day perfect was on display.

A few of my favorite people were there too:

• Reverend Jay Bowman
• Dorothy Heath-Morris of Bells & Whistles
  

  Bells & Whistles backdrop

• Courtney Hathaway, photography
• Julie Dreelin Beach Productions
• Wes Stepp of Red Sky Café.

These folks know how to throw a wedding! For more information visit obxbrides.com.

Facing east onto Shallowbag Bay

The Marshes Light boardwalk is one of very few waterfront boardwalks on the Outer Banks. This wooden walkway is roughly 2 miles in length and stretches from the marina at Marshes Light through to downtown Manteo. I love this little corner of heaven:

Facing southeast towards the marina

Along the boardwalk in Manteo is one of my favorite eateries, Poor Richard’s. Great sandwiches, soups and specials in a cozy and casual atmosphere. Eat inside or out on the porch overlooking the marina and Festival Park.

Poor Richard's

Top floor, top right

The Area:

Historic downtown Manteo on Roanoke Island is beloved for its small town friendly atmosphere and waterfront location. Discover maritime history, live theater, art and cultural attractions, quaint shops, restaurants, First Friday Festivals and Saturday Farm Markets in Manteo, and, best of all, it’s located just minutes from the beautiful beaches of Nags Head along North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

The Property:

A one-of-a-kind, truly spectacular home in the new Marshes Light community is now available. This 3 bedroom, 3 bath home is located on the top floor of the Azalea condominiums and sits on the most eastern point of the community with panoramic views of Shallowbag Bay to the south, Roanoke Sound and Nags Head to the east, and the Marshes Lighthouse, Manteo waterfront and Roanoke Island Festival Park to the northeast. This home was enjoyed as a weekend get-away by its owners and has been lovingly cared for.

Features:

• 1,673 square feet
• Wrap-around covered decks
• Tiled kitchen and baths
• Stainless appliances
• Marble countertops
• Garden tub with separate walk-in shower
• Heated master bathroom floor
• Large walk-in closet
• 9 1/2 ‘ ceilings with transom light windows above interior doors
• Scrumptious upscale furniture and décor.
• Exquisite window treatments and remote-controlled shades.
• Parking garage with storage
• Elevator.

Sunrise views

For more information, contact Lee Whitley at lee@marsheslight.com or call 252-475-9863.

FIRST FLIGHT CRUISERS 5TH ANNUAL SHAMROCK CAR SHOW AND POKER RUN
March 15 – 18
All events are ‘rain or shine’! Start the show off right with a Welcome Reception, Thursday, March 15th at Mako Mikes. The following day enjoy the Poker Run, Friday, March 16th. The Shamrock Car, Truck and Bike Show is Saturday, March 17th at First Flight High School.  Visit http://firstflightcruisers.com for more information.

SOUTHERN CIRCUIT FILM TOUR PRESENTS A GIFT FOR THE VILLAGE
March 24
Dare County Arts Council is pleased to bring the Southern Circuit Film Tour to the residents of Dare County! Six independent films will travel to Dare County, and local residents and visitors are invited to screen the films and meet the director.  The film, A Gift For The Village, will be screened at Roanoke Island Festival Park Indoor Film Theater on March 24th at 7:00pm. Doors open at 6:30pm. The filmmaker, Tom Landon will be on hand for a question and answer session after the film is screened.

TASTE OF THE BEACH
March 15-18
Presented by the Dare County Restaurant Association, this grand food festival will feature wine tastings, cooking classes, special menu presentations, celebrity guest chef appearances, brewery tours, tapas crawls and many more events with an exciting array of creative combinations and culinary delights. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.obxtasteofthebeach.com/home.htm.

KELLY’S 4TH ANNUAL RUNNING OF THE LEPRECHAUNS 8K
Saturday, March 17, 2012 | 2316 S. Croatan Hwy Nags Head, NC 27959
8K ADULT or under 18 age categories. Register at http://fsseries.com/index.php?action=event&event_id=104

KELLY’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
Sunday, March 18 – 1 p.m. on the Beach Road, Nags Head
This year’s parade celebrates The Outer Banks Hospital’s 10th Anniversary & a Decade of Care, and the theme is “Health is Happiness!”  Following a traditional Irish Blessing, each petal on the Shamrock represents a wish for good health, good luck & much happiness. Awards include Best Overall, Best Float, Best Band/Music Theme, Best Unity & Best Parade Route Theme.  The parade hosts 100+ entries annually & is viewed by 8-10 thousand bystanders.

OUTER BANKS BOOTCAMPS “EXPRESS” MARATHON TRAINING CAMP

March 27 – 4 weeks

The camp will culminate at the 3rd annual running of the Flying Pirate Half Maratho. Curriculum includes but is not limited to:

• Short and long distance running
• Speed and Tempo workouts
• Strength & Conditioning Weight Training
• Plyometric Drills
• General and Sports Nutrition
• How to compete and successfully participate in an endurance foot race

For more information on how to join and train with the leader in Race Training on the Outer Banks call 252-489-8239 or email us at outerbanksbootcamps@yahoo.com.