She's Off Her Rocker

Aurora, NC

We had an amazing time over the holiday weekend visiting family and the weather was perfect... Mid 80's...sunny, and breezy! We were all in it, all weekend long! There was a houseful but noone was much in the house...it was fantastic swimming, fishing, netting, biking, and boating. Also being drug behind very fast boat while riding in small raft...priceless.

Ellie and I...

Self portrait at the end of a LOOONG day in the sun, could barely hold my eyes open at this point. ....don't think I made it much past dinner!!

Which was Blue Crab...Jim stuffed them inside Zucchini with red pepper, garlic, parmasan, and only he knows what else into a mouth watering concoction...That's his main talent, cooking... better known at our house as "Wife Insurance"...just kidding, Jim!

Here are some pics I took plundering up and down the river on foot and bike...

I love the colors of water and sky contrasting with the bleached out white of dead tree and driftwood formations...

the sky was blue and little puffy clouds pranced about...


Its so fun to walk out on these old trees and navigate the tricky shoreline!

I love finding all the little miniature beaches which are nestled amongst long stretches of spiky grass and reeds...


They had the net strung out for bait and we caught some interesting fish. This one is a fish called a Permit, according to the fish book. But hey were unusual, although several were caught, Jim's Dad had not seen them in his nets there before! He had brilliant yellow and turqouise color which is not showing well here...

Cassie and Danny take a closer look...

And here they are tearing up the "Big Pile" as we call it, where all the kids play and search for shark's teeth and fossils, not to mention dig to their heart's content and slide down the pile like some kind of dirt surfers!

Uncle Blake brought things for making sharks tooth necklaces with our finds! You just wrap the teeth in silver wire and string with beads.

Cassie showing one of her shark's teeth...waiting her turn to make a necklace..

Which must have been during her one, BRIEF break from doing THIS...

Again, she fished harder than anyone...unfortuntaely we didn't get much luck fishing from the dock this time..

I think at the wise young age of seven, she knows the fun is in the trying!!

So we head out on the boat one afternoon for Indian Isle, where there are bigger fish to be found!!

Isn't it gorgeous? This was my favorite part of the whole trip...I could stay on a boat for days..

And these views are from the tip...its really bigger than it looks..this point is where we had lots of luck going after the Puupy Drum, which are channel bass at about the 16-21 inch age range!

And I think there is an Osprey's nest down on the left, but I can't figure out why it was built so low...I wanted to swim for it and investigate but by then the fish were biting.

But before that I DID brave the jellyfish and waded/swam for the shore because I HAD to get some of that beautiful driftwood...Ellie got some shots of me from the boat as I was looking.. lets hope I'm one color by now...


And here is just PART of what I managed to bring back! I told Bruce he could have just dropped me off in the morning and picked me up in the evening, but he said he didn't have a boat big enough...haha! A big score for me and my aquariums and Karla if you're reading this, I got some for your next huge tank, too!

Ellie as we sat on the front of the boat, it was so much fun. I treasure this picture because she is at the age where she doesn't always let me TAKE a picture of her!!

Here is my father in law kissing one of the two big Puppy Drum he caught! It was so much fun!!

I LOVE these fish. I'm sure they taste great and all, but look at that wisened old face, look at those eyes! What this fish must have seen and where all he must have been before this moment. They are intelligent, beautiful creatures. By the time they get to be called Channel Bass, the breeding age, they are fifty years old or more...

Fishing at sunset, Danny and his Dad...

Sweet...

And the river got lit up on the night of the fourth! Everyone made Smore's, too. But I like blackened, plain marshmallows the best!

A Good Time was had by ALL!!!

I made a sun ornament and a couple other moons and cats while I was on the way there and back, pics to follow, AND have some paintings planned ....so check back later for more art!