Back Home Again in Indiana

Dear Friends,

I first came to Ocracoke seven years ago on an invitation by Donald Davis. He thought I would enjoy his storytelling workshop as well as the Island. I decided to take him up on his offer and signed up for the workshop.

The first thing I had to do was to find Ocracoke on the map. Most of us mid-westerners travel and vacation to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota...other cold places! One of my friends suggested I look on a map of Australia. Australia?

The time came to pack up and drive out with a friend of mine. I brought items that I never did unpack: mascara, sweatshirts, a hairbrush, arm weights (what was I thinking on that one?)

When we began our journey down the Outer Banks, I had to open the car windows and let the salt and sea spray cover me. I loved seeing the Cape Hatteras lighthouse from a distance! I found the ferry ride great fun and was greatly tempted to throw the rest of my lunch to the
seagulls.

I am a traveler and a wanderer by nature, but I was not prepared for this pristine beauty of Ocracoke. For three weeks I explored every cove, went to every show by Molasses Creek and let my heart fill with story under Donald's direction.

When I returned home to Indiana I carried music and stories of ships and ghosts and lighthouse keepers in my heart. I did not know if I would ever return so I decided to take part of Ocracoke with me back to the heartland.

These things I learned!

Have pot lucks with your own family, community as often as possible.

Go barefoot.

Have parties to celebrate everything: Robert Burns, the Solstice.

Listen to nature while you fall asleep.

Spend time with the older folks in your own community.

And more.

This too I learned:

Visit Ocracoke as often as you can, but remember,

there is beauty wherever you live, take the time to find it.

So, meeting Philip is a whole other story, I'll just save that one for later. I love spending my summers on the Island. I feel honored to be part of the community, to tell stories at the lighthouse, spend early mornings on the beach on turtle patrol, and look for haints and ghosts during the evening ghost walks. For now, though, school and storytelling bring me back to the Midwest with farm stands of fresh corn and tomatoes and the early hint of Autumn in the cool night air. You can be well-assured though that my Indiana community is enriched by the Ocracoke community.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and get well notes for the broken arm.

Until next summer,

Lou Ann