Jockey's Ridge State Park

We sure had a ball at this really fantastic state park that's closeby. It is basically a huge sand dune which fluctuates between 80-100' high, depending on which way the wind is blowing. Its been here for a super long time and now that its a state park, you can just climb all over it. We took Maverick, who thought it was the coolest thing ever to pull us up (and down!) the cliffs of sand. Check out the clip below to see what it was like from the tippy-top (complete with narration from yours truly). I will strive to improve my skills!

We saw some crazy people hang gliding, which is basically tying oneself into a set of fixed wings and flying off the side of the dune- you have to see it to believe it! They are giving lessons in this clip. Click on the video below for a glimpse of the madness. Yes, Ben totally wants to try it out!

PS- they issue permits for "sand boarding" (like snowboarding, but on sand) from October thru January... we'll have to go back to check that out!

Family Foto

Not much to report from the Corolla Crew, just enjoying the beach! Big banquet weekend for us, so we are having a little R&R tonight.

Let us know if you are able to visit this summer because we want to get you on the calendar... its fun to live in a place where you actually have a calendar posted with family and friends' vacations on them! Come one, come all :)

A Taste of the Storms

We enjoyed visiting the Wright Brother's Memorial today, but it was so windy we thought we were going to blow off the big hill that they used to fly the first plane, back in 1903. See the big monument on top of Kill Devil Hill- we hiked up and took this picture of us at the top. It was really cool to see the plane that they used and see the old pictures of the area before there was any development. Ben has this sweet National Park Service pass that gets us in for free to any park since he volunteered over 10,000 hours when he was in South Florida. We plan to go back when the weather is a little more favorable and do some more exploring.

On our way home, the weather continued to grow more fierce. Before we knew it there were reports of tornadoes touching down in the northern Outer Banks so we headed for the bedroom with Maverick and Otis. The dog was quivering on the floor while Otis was camped out in Ben's sweatshirt pocket. After the thunder, lightning, and hail blew through, and the tv said it was safe to emerge, we relocated to the couch where we continued to cuddle with the animals. Watching Forrest Gump and having a nice retreat from the storm anxiety, I felt a rush of cold liquid on my lap as Otis peed on me!

Everything is back to normal now (and my clothes are in the washer!) so no worries. Happy Mother's Day :)

A Typical Day in the Life of Maverick

The big brown dog steals hearts everywhere with his big smiling face and goofy persona. This morning he enjoyed a game of "shells" on the beach while Ben and I sported our new beach chairs. Not only do they strap on as a backpack, but also have a cup holder- we're ready for it to get warm finally! No trip to the beach is complete without Maverick's new favorite thing- digging in the sand. Its so funny because he will only do it on command, but then we can't get him to stop! After a lot of running around and splashing in the water, he loves to lay on the front porch and bake his brain in the sunshine. He's not the only one who loves the UV rays- Otis is on his way out to join the illustrious Mad-Mav.

We know that Maverick misses his furry friends, Falkor, Patch, and Ellis, and of course Grandma & Pop (and sister Ness), but he really is loving life his this palace that he calls home.

The Lighthouse

Today Ben and I explored the Currituck Beach Lighthouse right across the street from us. We can see it at night as it is still in operation; it flashes every 20 seconds. It was built in 1875 and never painted- the original 1,000,000 bricks (that's no exaggeration)remain natural, unlike the other lighthouses of North Carolina. We climbed the 214 stairs to the top to see the great view! It took me about 10 times longer than a normal person because I'm such a goof when it comes to heights of any kind. Just ask Ben about my anxiety while mountain climbing, haha! Somehow I made it to the top, 162 feet, where he had to take over camera duty because I was gripping the bricks with white knuckles! The spiral staircase photo is at the bottom looking up- see why I was so nervous!

Enjoy Ben's narrative tour of Corolla by clicking on the video below!

This was a good recovery exercise for our legs and feet after our ten-and-a-half hour day at the Resort last night! We sure are tired today, but are excited to be rolling in the dough... and bringing home tons of yummy wedding left-overs :)

A Day of Sunshine!

Maverick and I enjoyed basking in the sunshine today- only our porch is so small we were pretty crammed together, haha. I potted some herbs and veggies to grow for the veggie monsters of the house (that would be Otis and myself) and had a nice day relaxing. Ben & I took Maverick over to see the sunset across the street over Currituck Sound (same park as the Wildlife Education Center) and it was gorgeous! There were people flying kites and Mavs even went for a dip in the estuary. He's passed out and Ben is finishing up getting ready for his big adventure in search of the ellusive red-cockaded woodpecker at Palmetto Peartree Preserve with the Hatteras Birding Assocation. Then its movie time- Netflix sent us Into the Wild. We both really enjoyed the book and I know that Ben will love the flick. I'll be in my glory with all of the Eddie Vedder music on the soundtrack :) To the kitchen for some homemade popcorn!