Hidden History

Several days ago I found myself standing (a bit reluctantly) on the peak of the roof of the Methodist Church. A spindly aluminum extension ladder led to the edge of the roof, and a second ladder was propped up on the first, leading all the way to the ridge and the belfry. Woody Billings had graciously offered (OK, he was cajoled by the preacher, Joyce Reynolds) to repair the mechanism that allows one to toll the bell by pulling on a rope in the vestibule.

After removing the louvers in the belfry to gain access to the bell Woody discovered that the rope is wound around a 3-foot hand-made wooden wheel attached to an axle that turns the bell. On the wheel is a metal plate engraved with the words, "Made by Lawton Howard, 1979." Woody wanted to be sure I saw this normally hidden example of my dad's craftsmanship.

And so it was that I was standing on the peak of the church roof on a sunny August morning. Had the upper ladder on which I was standing actually been secured to something more stable I might have been inclined to stay a while longer and enjoy the view. But I was happy to climb back down.

Woody took some photos of the bell and the wheel. Maybe he'll email one to me so I can publish it.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Tortillas, Enchiladas, & Burritos

The large canvas rain tent was set up at the Community Center yesterday evening. By the time David & I arrived (about 6:30) the road was choked with vehicles and the grounds were bustling with Ocracoke residents.

The island's sizeable Mexican community was hosting a fund raiser for the Ocracoke Day Care. Tables were set up and piled high with flour tortillas, refried beans, hot sauces, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. The mood was festive, the smiles contagious, and the food delicious.

I don't know how much money was raised, but it had to be a tidy sum. Everyone, it seemed, was there, and all were contributing to a wonderful local cause.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Oxford Scholar Returns to the Island

One of Ocracoke's brightest schoolteachers stopped by the house at lunchtime yesterday. Charles Temple had spent the summer at Oxford studying British poetry. Amy, David, and Lachlan were with me on the back porch enjoying a leisurely midday meal when Charles walked in. It was so good to see him again. He was full of excitement and enthusiasm, and entertained us with a few stories about the campus, the hordes of U.S. and Italian summer students in London, and why he hadn't acquired a British accent.

He graciously accepted a sloppy joe sandwich, cheese doodles, and a soft drink. I remarked that he showed no signs of being insufferable, but he assured me that I might want to reserve judgment. At any rate it's good to have Charles back on the island.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Island Fig Cake

Ocracoke figs have ripened and many an island kitchen is now stocked with mason jars filled with sweet fig preserves. One of Ocracoke's most popular local delicacies is the dark, moist, and tasty fig cake. If you are lucky enough to have of a jar of preserves you might want to try this traditional island recipe. (You can order Ocracoke fig preserves here.)

Ingredients: 1 cup salad oil; 1 1/2 cup sugar; 3 eggs; 1 tsp. soda, dissolved in a little hot water; 2 cups flour; 1 tsp. nutmeg; 1 tsp. allspice; 1 tsp. cinnamon; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1 cup preserved & chopped figs (or dates, if you can't locate figs); 1 cup chopped nuts.

Beat 3 eggs; add sugar and oil. After sifting dry ingredients, add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla and fold in figs and nuts. Pour into greased oblong pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or in a well greased tube pan at 350 degrees just a little longer.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Can Fall Be Far Behind?

Last evening and this morning have been simply gorgeous. Temperatures dropped a bit, and a light breeze has been caressing the island. Skies are clear and the opressive heat has lifted. We all know that summer temperatures are sure to return, but islanders are reveling in this end-of-summer taste of cooler weather, and looking forward to a glorious fall.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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A Mellow Morning

I awoke early this morning to the light patter of rain on the roof. Outside, in the half-light, freshly formed droplets were hanging for a moment on the leaves & branches before falling gracefully to the ground below. All was quiet and calm. Gradually, very gradually, the yaupons, cedars, and live oaks emerged from the darkness in verdant profusion.

It was the perfect morning to eat a leisurely breakfast while listening to gentle tunes by John Golden, especially "The Last Farewell" & "Roseanna."

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Clop, Clop, Clop

Imagine my surprise yesterday evening as I was sitting on my porch swing about 9 o'clock. A large white draft horse ambled by pulling a white carriage. I waved to the drivers and they stopped to chat for a few minutes. They are here on vacation (I guess they just decided to bring along their draft horse and carriage like other folks pack sun screen and beach umbrellas!).

They've decided to offer rides around the village this week. Sounds like they might return next season, too -- maybe for the entire summer.

(On this date in 1925 the four masted schooner, "Victoria S," loaded with lumber, wrecked on Ocracoke's beach.)

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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87 Degrees

That's the water temperature! According to Dale, who keeps track of such things, the water this summer is sometimes warmer than the air.

Amy, Lachlan, and I spent part of yesterday morning at the beach. The ocean floor dropped off close to shore and the water was up to my chest in just a few paces. The waves were a rich aqua green and medium sized (with little current) and fun to play in. Not the best for a one year old, to be sure, but Amy & I took turns playing with Lachlan in the small waves right on the edge of the beach. He had a grand time, laughing and splashing and licking salt from his lips. No one got chilly today!

Another historical note: Today is the anniversary of one of two major hurricanes that struck in 1933. Water was knee deep between the village and the beach. Boats were sunk, fish houses washed out to sea, and porches of houses blown away. Captain Bill Gaskill's Pamlico Inn was badly damaged and the dance hall at the end of his dock was swept away (the Inn and docks were repaired, only to be damaged beyond repair in the September hurricane of 1944).

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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The Post Office

It's for more than just picking up your mail. You can get things done there -- if you just happen to run into the right person. Maybe you need to borrow a 3/4" drill. Who knows....Jason might be in the lobby and you can ask him. Or maybe a friend's daughter is hoping to move to the island next summer...and that neighbor with a spare room just walked in to check her mail.

It's a good idea to check the bulletin board while you're there. You can read about building permits that have been applied for, copy down an email address if you want to voice your concern about off-shore oil drilling, or check to see if anyone has found your lost bike. Need a ride to Norfolk? Want to share news about politicians in Swan Quarter? Have a boat for sale? Post it at the Post Office. Birth announcements, wedding invitations, addresses of folks in the hospital in Elizabeth City --- all this and more is to be found on the Post Office bulletin board.

And an historical note: On this date in 1840 the Outer Banks got it's first Post Office, on Ocracoke. The postmaster was William Hatton Howard.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Shipwrecks of Old

August 20, 1887 was a "fearful" stormy day. According to James Howard, keeper of the Life Saving Station at Hatteras Inlet the sea was "full" and running over the beach. He reported that he could barely see due to the driving rain. At 2 pm, after the tide had dropped off he patrolled the beach and discovered two schooners, both with their main masts gone, beached on the sound side.

The storm was so intense that Captain Jim's rescue boat was driven up on the shore and he lost both oars and his rudder. It wasn't until early morning of the next day that he was able to reach the "Cherubim" and the "A.J. Marine."

Both vessels were eventually refloated with no lives lost.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Stress Relief

"Looks like you need something to relieve your stress and tension," a neighbor hollered out facetiously as he passed by in front of my house last night.

I was lying on my porch swing, bare feet propped up on the chain, absorbed in an article in the New Yorker. The sun had set and the bright moonlight was casting surreal shadows across the drive. It took me a moment to respond.

"Maybe I should take a vacation to a remote island and get away from this rat race," was all I could manage to say before he disappeared down the lane.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Happy Birthday Roy!

Ocrafolk Opry star and outstanding island raconteur, Roy Parsons, celebrated his 84th birthday yesterday at the Wednesday night performance at Deepwater Theater. Roy played his guitar and mouth harp, and yodeled to a packed house. He also told tales of World War II & the Ghost Ship of the Outer Banks (did the cat really sail that schooner?).

After the show Rosemary Garrish treated Roy and the rest of the performers with a decorated sheet cake, butterscotch brownies, and everyone's favorite, Ocracoke Island fig cake.

We wish Roy a very Happy Birthday, and, of course, many more!

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Cigarettes & Baloney

Ocracokers love to pick on each other. It's good-natured, of course, but humorous stories about locals live on for years, even many years after folks are gone. Dale told me the following story just the other day.

It seems an old time O'cocker went down to one of the local stores. He walked up to the counter and told the clerk what he'd come in for. "I'd like a cartoon of cigarettes," he said, "and a pound of babalony."

One sign of a small community, and especially of a close-knit small community is residents' ability to laugh at themselves. This is just one of many pithy stories that O'cockers continue to tell. I suppose it's a good sign that our community is still intact.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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The Old August Storm

Hello folks this is Dale. Philip decided to let me write today's journal entry about the hurricane of 1899. I am the Cooperative Weather Observer for the National Weather Service here at Ocracoke, so he thought it would be appropriate for me to do the entry today.

One of the worst hurricanes ever to strike the island occurred on today's date (August 16), 1899. Known by most folks as the San Ciriaco hurricane, Ocracokers call it The Old August Storm. The 1899 weather observer at the Weather Bureau Office in Hatteras gives this account of the hurricane.

"The wind began blowing a gale on the morning of the 16th varying in velocity from 35 to 50 mph. On the early morning of the 17th the wind increased to a hurricane and at 4 am it was blowing at the rate of 70 mph. At 10 am it had increased to 84 mph and at 1 pm it was blowing a velocity of 93mph with occasional extreme velocities of 120 to 140 mph. The wind blew with even greater force from 3 pm to 7 pm. It is believed that between these hours the wind reached a regular velocity of at least 100 mph. At about 7:30 pm on the 17th there was a very decided lull in the force of the wind and at 8 pm it had fallen out until only a gentle breeze was blowing. The lull did not last more than a half hour, before the wind veered to the east and then south-east and began blowing at a velocity estimated to be 60 to 70 mph which continued until the morning of the 18th. During the morning of the 18th the wind veered to the south and continued to blow a gale, with heavy rain squalls all day, decreasing somewhat in the late evening and then going south-west. This day may be said to be the end of the hurricane, although the weather continued squally on the 19th, but without any winds of very high velocity".

In Philip's next newsletter he will give a more detailed accounting of the hurricane and the experiences of the Ocracoke people.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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An Hour & a Half

That's how long it takes me to get to work. Well, the commute itself isn't so bad, just a short walk around the corner. About a minute, maybe a little longer if my neighbors are sitting on their porch and I stop to say good morning.

I nornally rise between 6:30 & 7:30. Breakfast is first on my agenda. Oatmeal (with real maple syrup & cinnamon), a smoothie, and English muffins are standard fare. Occasionally I enjoy eggs, bacon, & grits or hash brown potatoes. My son-in-law, Fiddler Dave, made me a table-top book stand for Christmas two years ago. I prop up my latest book and read as I eat. (Even better, when Lou Ann is here we share thoughts, tell funny stories, plan our day together.)

By the time I wash the breakfast dishes, make my bed, water the plants, and take my shower it's time to stroll over to Village Craftsmen. No hurry, no mad rush, no half-eaten breakfast roll. Island life suits me just fine.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Bath Water

That's exactly what the ocean feels like. The water is so warm that it is almost not refreshing. Almost....

It really is refreshing, of course.

I waited until late in the afternoon today to take my walk on the beach. After a half hour I jumped into the waves and found a chest-deep hole to swim and relax in.

Curiously, after about ten minutes my foot stumbled on a patch of cool sand on the ocean floor. I dove under and felt around with my hands, but found nothing unusual. I wondered -- could it be seepage from the underground aquifer that supplies the village with our drinking water? I've heard that the Castle Hane Aquifer empties into the Atlantic somewhere near the campground, but I really don't know. Maybe one of our readers has more information.

Regardless, my afternoon swim was so wonderful I hardly wanted to get out of the water.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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A Beautiful Day

Sunny, clear, and temperatures in the 80's. It's just almost perfect weather today. I didn't make it to the beach this morning, but I've heard the waves are big again. I'm guessing this might be the effect of tropical depression Irene. The latest reports continue to predict a significant turn to the northeast, so we're looking towards continued great weather with virtually no additional impact from this storm.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Ocean Waves

The surf yesterday was big...with lots of white water and some current. It was great for body surfing and boogie boarding. The water today was not so rough. I even found a chest deep pool between the beach and the breakers that was just perfect for swimming. Even better -- no one was anywhere nearby. I had the beach to myself.

After my swim I walked a couple of miles down the beach, then lay in the sun and read a while. Not long enough to risk a sunburn, but enough to thoroughly relax. After one more quick dip in the ocean it was back home for lunch and to work this afternoon.

A glance at the weather web site indicates more great beach days ahead. It looks like "Irene" will be staying well out to sea. We're all happy about that!

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Graveyard of the Atlantic

Several weeks ago Lou Ann and I made an excursion to Hatteras. We stopped at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum which is still under construction but open to the public. Just inside the main entrance is the Cape Hatteras lighthouse's original 1st order Fresnel lens. It is quite impressive.

In the late 1800's my great-grandfather, James Howard, was keeper of the Hatteras Inlet Life Saving Station. (Although it washed away in the mid 1950's, you can still see the pilings out in the ocean on the north end of Ocracoke.) Thanks to Bill Marsh of Suffolk, Virginia I have Captain Jim's original shipwreck reports which I carried with me to show to the museum's director, Joe Schwarzer.

Together we perused the reports and toured the museum, including sections not yet completed. We had an opportunity to see a number of artifacts, including the large metal capstan from the Carroll A. Deering, the Ghost Ship of the Outer Banks, which wrecked in 1921.

I had always heard that more than 500 ships met their end off the coast of North Carolina. I was surprised to learn that the number is more than three times that figure. It is sobering to remember the tragedies, the lives lost, and the bravery and heroism of the surfmen and keepers of the Outer Banks Life Saving Stations.

If you have an opportunity to visit the museum, walk in and take a look around. The building is still under construction, but admission is free. At completion this will be a state of the art museum, a must-stop for anyone curious about shipwrecks and the many dramatic rescues along the Outer Banks.

[Our current monthly Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Old Toothbrush Man, published August 01, 2005. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080105.htm.]

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Mad Mag Photos

Weeks ago I promised phtotos of our winning July 4th float. These were recently sent to me by long-time friend Janet Sigler.

Dave Frum is driving the truck. David Tweedie is providing fiddle music on the tailgate. Jim Fineman from Manteo (in the yellow slicker in the second photo) was passing out information about Mad Mag Howard. Mag is played by Lou Ann in the purple dress. She, Mad Mag that is, is locally famous for a number of odd behaviors, not the least of which was cooking one of the island cats for her husband's dinner! I am portraying Mag's husband, John Sime Howard, pulling the cat out of the pot.

We had a great time, and you may remember that we won 2nd place. Some day I'll publish the entire story of Mag. Til then, enjoy the photos.