NC Outerbanks, Lighthouses, and Horseback riding! Part 1

All the bags are packed and we're ready to go!! 

 This weekend the family sets out on our journey to see the Outerbanks for M.L.'s birthday adventure! 

M.L.

YUM!

Our Plan:  to drive up through Roanoke Island, stopping at the North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island, through the northern outerbanks area to see the Corolla Wild Horses and the Currituck Lighthouse, back down to Bodie and Hatteras Lighthouses, hop on the ferry to Ocracoke, spend the night at a quaint island Inn, wake up and tool around the island seeing the Ocracoke lighthouse and Ocracoke Island Horses before jumping on the Ocracoke/Cedar Island ferry and then to the Outer Banks Riding Stables for some horseback riding fun, lastly--home, Jeeves, home!   All this while seeing nothing but blue skies and wonderfully sunny weather and two well behaved children in the back of the van who never once utter "Are we there yet?" or "How much longer?"  Oh!! To!!! Dream!!!!

Here is the reality of what happened!

We started our trip off heading out through the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge area, where my keen eyesight brought us a glimpse of a "Monster Gator." We stopped (don't tell the park rangers) and took a picture.  Then continued on the road hearing M.L. shout "Choot 'em Choot 'em". (Can you tell what her favorite show is?)



Monster Gator

We stopped off at North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island and walked through 6 inches of water to get to the gate to get in!  So much for blue skies-luckily this is an indoor point of interest for us along the way.  The kids enjoyed the otter exhibit and loved watching the divers in the big tank and the shark feeding right after.   

 

We left there and headed over to the Nags Head area with plans to head up north to Corolla and the Currituck Lighthouse.

We followed Hwy 12 all the way to the end (just before it turns to beach sand) and parked in the visitor area for the Corolla Wild Horses boardwalk.  Off we trotted down the boardwalk whispering quitely, well almost, and listening for sounds of wildlife.  We rounded a corner to find a young white-tailed deer just off the path. 

We Stopped....she jumped on the boardwalk

then off as we inched our way forward to get a better look.



We were able to get quite close to her and snap a couple of pictures.



After "Bambi" scampered off into the woods we forged ahead to the end of the boardwalk and caught glimpses of the beautiful Corolla Horses.  M.L.'s favorite is this one...



becaue they "had a connection." she said.  "He just looked at me and I knew he liked me." 



Yum's favorite...all of them.  His big question was "Is it time to go get on the boat now?" (We heard that a lot during the day)

We set out back down Hwy 12 toward the Currituck Lighthouse.  I just love the lighthouse keepers house.  Absolutely beautiful!



ONWARD!! To Bodie!  or is it Body?  It's spelled Bodie but they say Body--Oh Well!!

 

By the time we got through with that and got down to Hatteras it was dark.  The kids did get to see the Hatteras Light even though we didn't get to see the Lighthouse.  They enjoyed hunting for the light on the horizon as we got closer.

We stopped for dinner at this cute little restaurant, Cafe 12.  We knew this was one of the last places to get anything to eat before we hopped on the ferry and so we pulled in not knowing what to expect.

Our waitress came over and explained some of the menu items and then headed off to get our drinks while we poured over the menus trying to decide what we wanted.

Snookums order the shrimp scampi wrap with garlic parm green beans





I ordered a signature dish of Cafe 12, a huge bacon spinach Flat.  They take a tortilla and throw it on the flatop and load it down with cheese and then sprinkle a ton more around the outside of the tortilla to create a ring of melted crusted yummy cheese!!  They served it with a side of raspberry vinegrette and a side of honey.  The bacon was super crispy and the spinach was delightful.  I used the honey on most of my pieces and as you can see it was huge!!



M.L. ordered the cheese quessadilla which got the same cheesey goodness treatment-by the time we took the picture of her food she had eaten half of it!





and of course because everyone else had pictures taken of their food, Yum had to have a picture taken of his

It WAS a hotdog!

Now to the Ferry and a short 40 minute ride to Ocracoke and SLEEP!!

Travel Tuesday!

I do a lot of traveling and I plan a lot of travel for friends, family and clients to places all over the United States as well as cities throughout the world!  I love to help create long lasting memories for my family and for others.  People are always asking me for recommendations and travel tips...so the creation of Travel Tuesday!

On random Tuesdays I will be posting my travel recommendations and travel tips and will be answering questions from my followers.  So if you have any questions e-mail me or comment here and I will try to get the answers for you. 

Face it!  Most people are disasters when we try to pack.  So much unnecessary stuff shoved into the wrong bag and we lug it around from one spot to the other for the entire trip.  Here is some professional advice for you, from how to select the right bag to what to put in the bag and what to leave behind.

Packing & Preparation Tips:

• Check the expiration date on your passport.  Many countries require at least a six months' validity for travel.  If you do need to renew, make sure you leave enough time, especially during peak travel season.
• Pack for your bag to be lost.  Leave anything you can't bare to loose behind.  Pack a change of clothes, something that folds fairly small, and anything that you will need to get settled into your carry-on luggage.  Things such as hotel or car vouchers, travel documents, and  medicine should be kept in your carry-on as well.
• Some airlines restrict sizes and weights for carry-on luggage.  Check with your travel agent or your air line carrier to see what the restrictions are.  If you get to the airport and you have to check your bag into the cargo area there will be a fee to pay.  Most airlines are now charging for checked luggage and they are strict on the size and the weight of those bags.
• See if you can do online check-in for your airline.  Most airlines allow you to check-in online and when you "check" your bags online you pay less than if you wait to do it at the counter.

Come back next time for information on traveling with money and different money products!

Don't forget to leave your comments or questions and I will do my best to answer them for you.

Spring Cleaning!

It's the official start of spring, even though it feels more like summer outside, so i guess it is time to break down and start the spring cleaning around the house.

Because I stay so busy with work, family, blogging, and.....well....life in general, it normally takes me a week or more,usually more, to get the full house "SPRING CLEAN!!"

I've decided this year that tackling spring cleaning one room at a time may make more sense for my family then tearing apart the whole house. From top to bottom, left to right and inside out, my room of choice is destined for cleaning.  So, for the next couple of weeks I will be posting a cleaning segment, on Wednesday's, detailing the room I am focusing on and my strategy for making it the cleanest room it could be!!

The reason cleaning one room at a time is a better idea for our family is it should make living in the house a bit more sane as we clean.  What doesn’t work so well for us is disrupting every room in the house at the same time.

How about you?  Would you rather tackle one job at a time, say all the floors, or one room at a time?  I’d like to hear your thoughts on this.

There are three basic areas to spring cleaning:  deep cleaning, organization, and maintenance.  Deep cleaning is just like it sounds--wiping down walls, wiping out cupboards, cleaning under furniture.  Organization entails cleaning out drawers, closets and cabinets.  Throw away things that are broken, box up items that you or the kids have outgrown (toys included.)  You can hold a yard sale to make a little extra cash for something special or box them up and donate them to your local Salvation Army, GCF, or your local charitable organization.  The first two steps can be done at the same time, maintenance, however, takes a little bit of effort and time on the part of you and your family.

I’ve divided the house into five areas – bedrooms, dining room, living room, bathrooms, and kitchen -  for spring cleaning.

There are a few things to do before the cleaning begins.

1. Make sure that you have all the cleaning supplies you need for the room you are about to clean: rags, buckets, cleaners, broom, mop, etc.  You don't want to have to stop in the middle of cleaning to make a store run to get whatever it is you are lacking
2. Before you begin cleaning, take a good look at the room you are about to tackle.  Make a list of everything you can see with your eyes that needs to be cleaned and organized.  You now have your plan of attack.
3. Keep snack items, chocolate, and a delicious glass of sweet iced tea (or your drink of choice) close by for those hard earned breaks!
4. Gather your favorite CD's or load your IPOD with great cleaning music to keep you motivated.
5. Clean for an hour or two and then take a break with some of your sweet treats--then get back to it.

Now that you have a starting place---Let's get cleaning!!!

Check back for my segment on Spring Cleaning Bedrooms!

Time to plan the Garden!

Around this time of the year, with Easter only a few weeks away, I start to think about all the good foods that we can grow in our garden.  I love to utilize our garden for fresh vegetables throughout the summer and, of course, for canning for the winter months to come.  As my garden grows I will be placing recipes on here for some of my favorite summertime fresh foods as well as some of the canning recieps I use for preserving these lovely gifts from God for the winter.

I always start out by making a list of all the vegetables I would like to see in my garden, which always tends to more than my garden will actually hold, but to dream ..........anyway!  To have the land available to fulfill my wish list of a garden would be wonderful!! That being said I will make do with the land I have.

Some must have veggies for my garden include:

• Tomatoes-who doesn't love a bacon and tomato sandwich?
• Cucumbers-for my Mari Lyn who can eat you out of house and home if it were made of these delectable veggies
• Peppers and Onions
• Garlic-I love garlic in almost everything
• Peas and Beans
• WATERMELON-for July 4th of course
• Corn
• Lettuce and Spinach
• Collards-only to be eaten after the first frost if you listen to my grandmother
• Potatoes-the best potato salad in the world is on my mind!!

The list could go on and on and on and on....you get the idea!  My current list has several more items on it but these are my core!  No garden is complete without them!!

Then comes the planning stages of how to plant it all in my garden and how much to plant.  This is where I tend to run into problems.  I want so much and how to fit it into that little place I have to work with.  This year I am attacking it a little bit differently.  I am taking the items that can be grown in containers (like cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes) out of the garden plan and utilizing the extra space for those things that I have always had to cut out before.

All potting soil, however, are not created equal.  Container plantings need soil that holds some mositure but drains wiell and offers plants a rich supply of nutrients.  Make you own special blend using this receipe for use in your containers.  Remember, container plantings require watering more often than garden plants -- daily in hot, dry weather.

Mix Your Own Soil

1 part soil
1 part peat moss
1 part perlite or vermiculite
1 part composte (optional)
I can tell this year is going to be great for the garden!!

I am also going to plant fresh herbs in containers and keep them right out on the deck so when I am ready to cook I can step right out and get the amount I need to cook with.  Some of the herbs I like to plant or keep on the deck are:

• Rosemary
• Mint
• Cilantro
• Thyme
• Basil
• Chives



I tend to plant my rosemary in a container by itself.  It has a tendency to overtake the other herbs.  You can plant some of the others together in a big pot if you are limited on space.

One thing I love to do is dry the herbs and then use them to make things like this recipe for herbal soap balls--they make great gifts.  These soap balls are so simple to make; even the kids can help! They have a definite “rustic” look, which makes it easy to hide mistakes.

Supplies needed:
1 Tablespoon dried lavender
1/3 cup water
2 large bars natural soap, grated
Lavender essential oil, 5 drops
Large bowl
Small saucepan

Method:

Place lavender flowers in saucepan. Boil 1/3 cup of water and pour over lavender flowers. Let steep for 15 minutes.

Grate soap into large bowl.

After 15 minutes, re-heat lavender/water mix and add 5 drops of lavender essential oil. Pour over the grated soap.

Knead the soap mixture until the lavender is evenly dispersed.

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on waxed papers and air dry for 2 to 5 days.

Makes approximately 16 balls.

Happy Gardening!!



St. Paddy's Ireland: Fun Facts, Fanciful Finds, and Fabulous Food

Dia Duit!! (dee a gwit)  or Hi!! in Gaelic

Few places have a tourist image so inundated with clich`es as Ireland.  From the shamrocks, shellaleighs and leprechauns to all the legends and lore that surround the lovely Emerlad Isle-most of us go to Ireland with preconceived notions about what to expect.

Ireland is well worth looking beyond the tourist stuff and seeing the gem that it is.  It is a place of scenic pagentry with its lakes, mountains, sea and sky that will make your jaw drop.  From the wind-whipped Donegal to the picture perfect villages of County Cork, the cultural pleasures of Dublin to the mile high Cliff's of Moher, there are plenty of places to get out and explore the outdoors by surfing, cycling, hiking, or biking.

Dublin, Cork and Belfast will delight you with the varying experiences of culture, food, and fun.  Everything is available from top-notch restaurants, foot-stomping pubs with local traditional music, boundless historic areas through out the country, countless medieval castles and powerful political murals.

Everywhere you go you find the wonderful Irish people who thrill you with the lilt of their language and the kindness in their smile. 

Here are a few of the places and things I loved about visiting Ireland:

Dublin:  I started my journey here and fell in love with the people and the city immediately.  After spending a few days in the city I decided, "I could live here!"  Of course, my family probably wouldn't have liked that idea very much.  There were so many sights to see in the area that even with the 3 days I was in the city I barely touched the surface of what it had to offer me.  I did get to eat some great food and listen to some wonderful traditional music in the Temple Bar area and walked the ground of Trinity College.

The Ring of Kerry:  Also a must see!!  I wasn't brave enough to drive my rental car around the ring myself, but I did take a guided tour.  I have to say the tour was well worth it.  My tour operator was absolutely fabulous, funny and very informative.  It also left me with the ability to see the sights and not worry about wether I was going to run off the road, down the cliffside and into the waiting waves below.

There were several other areas that I visited that were exciting and interesting and full of all the great things I came to expect from the lovely Ireland.  These were just the two I wanted to highlight today.

While in Ireland I found plenty of wonderful things to bring back home that you just can't get here in the states. One of my favorite things were the wool products from the Aran Islands. You can find them here at the Aran Sweater Market.

Naturally Irish prodcuts are a collection of perfumes and soaps that are handmade in Ireland with the wonderful scents of Heather and Lavender and Rose among other delightful scents.

The food throughout Ireland was to die for, but probably the most loved with Irish stew with Irish Soda Bread.

Every Irish household has their own version of this famous dish-so here's mine. I like to add chunky pieces of parsnip for a little sweetness, and fresh rosemary gives it a distinct flavour and aroma. If you use a tougher cut of meat, you can leave it to simmer longer before adding the potatoes. Fantastic on a cold, blustery day!

Irish Stew Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into large chunks (optional)
• 4 cups water, or as needed
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped leeks
• chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add lamb pieces and cook, stirring gently, until evenly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and parsnips and cook gently alongside the meat for a few minutes. Stir in the water. Cover and bring to a boil before turning the heat down to low. Simmer for 1 hour or longer, depending on the cut of meat you used and if it is tender yet.
3. Stir in potatoes, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, before adding leeks and rosemary. Continue to simmer uncovered, until potatoes are tender but still whole. Serve piping hot in bowls garnished with fresh parsley.               

Some Fun Facts that you might not know about Ireland:

Ireland is the only country where windmills turn clockwise.  (Have you ever thought about which way the windmills turn?  Until now that is!)
Ireland is a snake-free zone--there are no indigenous snakes in Ireland. Thanks to St. Patrick-St. Patrick’s Day is a day to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. Although St. Patrick was known to have been either a Welsh or Scottish man, he came to Ireland as a young man. Legend has it that St. Patrick drove all snakes from Ireland. (The perfect place for me!)

Dublin dyes it's river Green in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

O m'anam (oh muh anim) From My Heart!!

Heather B

Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Using your (clean) fingers (or two knives or a pastry cutter), work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then add in the raisins.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir.

Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Do not over-knead!

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf. Note that the dough will be a little sticky, and quite shaggy (a little like a shortcake biscuit dough). You want to work it just enough so that the flour is just moistened and the dough just barely comes together. Shaggy is good. If you over-knead, the bread will end up tough.

Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet (it will flatten out a bit in the pan or on the baking sheet). Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an "X" shape. The purpose of the scoring is to help heat get into the center of the dough while it cooks.

Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. (If you use a cast iron pan, it may take a little longer as it takes longer for the pan to heat up than a baking sheet.) Check for doneness also by inserting a long, thin skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, it's done.

Hint 1: If the top is getting too dark while baking, tent the bread with some aluminum foil.
Hint 2: If you use a cast iron skillet to cook the bread in the oven, be very careful when you take the pan out. It's easy to forget that the handle is extremely hot. Cool the handle with an ice cube, or put a pot holder over it.

Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly. Serve bread warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted. Best when eaten warm and just baked.