Tuesday, October 16, 2012

1952 Summer

It is getting cooler on Ocracoke as October ushers us into fall weather. I have been enjoying these brisker, less humid days, and I was recalling the hot, sometimes oppressive summer days. I was reminded of something Elizabeth Parsons told me about the summer of 1952.  It was so hot and humid, she remembered...and no one had air conditioning. Even with the windows open, and fans humming, it was almost impossible to sleep.

Finally, Elizabeth's entire family carried their sheets and pillows out to the beach where they lay down under the stars next to the surf, lulled to sleep by the sound of the breakers and a gentle breeze.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a gallery of photos of fences on Howard Street and Lawton Lane. To go directly to the this month's Newsletter click here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092112.htm.


8 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:23 AM

    Do the people eligible to cast a ballot, that live on OI, need to travel to the mainland to vote? Has a US president or NC governor ever visited OI?

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  2. My brother and I did that once in the 60's. Same thing; too hot in the house and we decided to sleep out on the beach. We were young and not the types to think through enough to check and see what the weatherman thought of our little plan... At some point in the middle of the night, lightning struck the beach so close to us that we didn't even need to pick anything up. Everything lept up with us. We caught everything mid sprint on the way back to the house! it was fantastic while it lasted, though, and once the storm passed the temperature dropped significantly to allow a great nights sleep.

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  3. debbie s.9:00 AM

    sounds like a good way to fall asleep to me (sans Rob's lightening, of course) lol

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  4. Anonymous5:59 PM

    Beware of giant eyeballs washing up on shore during the night.

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  5. Anonymous6:36 PM

    The NPS would probably run you off the beach, charge with trespassing, try to sell you a permit and charge you with endangering sea turtles and sand flees. As long as there were no mosquitoes out there, I would sure give it a try.

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  6. There is always a polling place on Ocracoke. In recent years this has been at the Community Center on NC 12.

    As far as I know, no US president has ever visited Ocracoke, but NC governors have certainly been here.

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  7. Anonymous5:11 PM

    1987, on our honeymoon, we spent one night sleeping on the beach. In the dunes actually, which may have been a mistake--I remember the day starting with a beautiful sunrise and many greenhead flies.

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  8. Anonymous2:00 PM

    Makes NC Mainlander sleepy just thinking about going to sleep on the beach with the waves crashing along the shore. Now this experience needs to be on my bucket list! Truly!!!!

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