Island Woods

A cold front passed over the island last night. Yesterday was so mild that I worked outside much of the day in blue jeans and a t-shirt. This morning it's a mere 45 degrees. Although I still have outdoor jobs to finish (trimming bushes, clearing a patch of overgrown weeds, and storing clam rakes & baskets) I think I'll spend the morning inside.

Yesterday afternoon I took a hike "down below" at "old hammock." I was trying to walk from where I parked my car alongside Highway 12 to the ocean, but I was thwarted by standing water. As it was, I ended up slogging through wet areas up to my ankles after forcing my way past vines, briars, fallen trees, and low hanging limbs. Eventually I came to a large expanse of standing water that I decided not to cross. I turned back, but often found my way blocked by thick underbrush. Eventually I made my way across several wooded ancestral dunes and down to the highway. I was happy to discover that I was only a short distance from my car.

If you don't know what I mean by "down below" and "old hammock" look for our next Ocracoke Newsletter. It will discuss many of the traditional place names on Ocracoke Island. I'll be working on that later today.

Don't forget take a look at our on-line catalog for great ideas for holiday shopping.



(Click on photo of the "Birchbark" design serving set to view our entire line of nature themed Table Art.)

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a transcript of a letter written in 1949 by a visitor to the island. You can read the letter (which provides a glimpse into Ocracoke life sixty years ago) here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102509.htm.