Holiday Lights on Ocracoke Island

Holiday Lights

Well Ocracoke has wasted no time in dressing up for the holidays. I have a feeling per capita – there are more lights per resident than any town in America. They are lights, and decorations everywhere. The town has these really pretty light figures and shapes that hang throughout the village on various power poles. There are angles, snowflakes, candy canes lining the streets wherever you go. Businesses are lit up – even places that are closed get into the season and dress themselves up right. The Ocracoke Preservation Society Christmas tree at the museum is quite spectacular, But the best to me are the houses. Yes, like all holidays – Ocracokers take pride in dressing for the Occasion. There are sleighs, reindeer, and Santas aglow. Each street seems to try and out do the next. I took a scud about the other night and was quite happy to see the sights. I wouldn’t want to judge any contests – but I will say the boat pulled by snow geese in flight on Lighthouse Rd. is one of my favorites.

Of course the Castle is decked to the nines. I don’t know how they do it, but each year it just looks better and better. I don’t think there is a spot not decorated in my old home, I actually never lived there, but considered it my home anyway. I have never seen such a collection of Christmas cheer. There are five beautiful hand made wreaths that hang out front that are made by local island artists. These ladies have been doing these for years with greenery they collect here on Ocracoke. The whole town is sporting them and looking very festive.

The Castle is hosting the employee Christmas Party for OIR and Castle employees. Sherry from Gaffers is doing food and of course Ronnie has been baking up a storm so the food looks well covered. Jose is DJing and promises to get folks up dancing. Now for some of those ladies – it doesn’t take much. Course I’m hoping they will remember to do my favorite – the Hokey Pokey. I’ll let you know if they do – and if anyone gets a little too festive. You know how those staff parties can be! You should see the wish list the Castle folks pinned on Santa. I swear those folks are sometimes just too funny.

If you are wanting to come down and enjoy the island this winter – you can stay in one of the Villas. They are open all year and provide a homey warm spot to return after a day of Ocracoke adventure. The Castle is closed until Valentines Day when they open for a Valentines special - I’ll let you know more about that soon. The Castle reopens February 17th. So start making your plans. I’ll be happy to have more folks visiting – gets a little quiet even for an old spirit like myself in the off season.

I hope it is festive where you are. Here’s wishing you and yours a Happy Holiday.

Spirit of Sam Jones

It Just Can't Get Much Better

It just can’t get much better...

I know I always say how wonderful it is here on Ocracoke Island – but it really can’t get much better. It is mid November - sunny, warm (70ish), not windy, the fish are biting, the ocean is gorgeous, the beach isn’t crowded, town is quiet, still many resteraunts and stores open, good music a couple nights a week…. not sure one can rightfully ask for much more. The town has quieted down from the Halloween marathon. Someone called this the town that likes to dress up and I second that thought. For days and nights and even into the next week folks were strutting their stuff in various costumes. It was spectacular, ending in a great spook walk sponsored by the Beta Club at Ocracoke School to raise money for the PTA. It is an annual event that is always so creative, spooky, clever, and just darn good fun.

Thanksgiving is coming up and folks are preparing. Overheard someone at the Coffee Shop talking about cooking for 44 – now that is some turkey and dressing. Lots of folks come to the island for the holiday and it is really a good time. If it is as nice as this weather-wise – we will really be in for a treat. Nothing like a nice walk on the beach or bike ride around town after that T’day dinner has settled a bit. There is a great concert on Friday, November 25th, featuring Ocracoke’s own famous band, Molasses Creek. This fundraiser for the Ocrafolk Festival is at the Deepwater Theater on School House Rd. and starts at 7 pm. Although you won’t see me (due to me in the spirithood phase of my life) I’ll be there, taping my foot with a big smile on my face as it is always a mighty fine concert.

I am trying to get more of a grip on this internet thing and some of it is amazing. Try this link to see some great pictures of Ocracoke in 1930, 1940 and 1950. http://www.flickr.com/photos/obhc/4032890544/in/set-72157622634247818/

There are even a couple pictures of me. Yes the one of me and my horse Ikey D in the Castle parlor is there. I loved that horse and I did let him in the Castle – still would if he was around. He was well behaved and loved to hear the piano as much as I did. Sure glad they named a room in the Castle after us. Sam and Ikey D’s – a fine room it is and even has a great view of Silver Lake Harbor across the street.
Speaking of the Castle, they are having a Veterans Special for the whole month of November. Military Appreciation Month is offering a few specials to choose from and the chance to win a free stay for two at the Castle. All active duty and or Veterans are eligible to participate. Stay for three nights and the fourth night is free, 15% off two or three night stays (10% off one nighters), and all military guests who stay during November are entered into a drawing at the end of the month for a free three night stay at the Castle. I may even see someone I know! Of course that delicious breakfast they cook everyday is included. I hope anyone who has ever served our great country gives us a call and arranges a visit. I’ll be here, quiet as a mouse, enjoying the fun, good smells and all the laughs.

Spirit of Sam Jones (SOSJ)

Spooks and Spirits

The season is upon us. Ocracoke celebrates Halloween like no where else – anywhere, ever. The pumpkins are starting to sprout about the village, a few yards are filling with decorations, and the events are being announced. Seems like Ocracoke has had a long time love affair with Halloween. It is probably one of the few communities that still host a school carnival and most folks come out for the fun and to support the school. This year will be no exception. Friday, October 28 the festivities begin with the costume parade around the school flag pool at 3:30. This is always a fun time as the students show off their costumes which are not the usual Halloween garb mostly seen across the country. Ocracoke doesn’t have any big box stores that sell “ready made outfits”. Instead folks make their costumes. Moms and Dads dress the small ones, with much pride. The costumes range from a sheet made into a cute little ghost, an elaborate creative affair, to a hand me down from an older sibling. Pets are often accessories – dogs become cows or ponies. Prizes that are donated by local businesses are awarded by age group. Ask any student, an ice cream cone never tasted as good as a one that is won.

After the parade the school opens the doors to step back in time. A school carnival that could be seen on an old Andy Griffith show becomes alive. The old gymnasium is full of booths that challenge your skills. A favorite is pitching the fish (pillows) into laundry baskets – just like the fisherman men still do (well maybe they don’t toss from 10 feet or so, but the same idea of fish in baskets). There is a spot to pound the nail in the hard hard wood, a quarter toss, a go fish booth, a basketball toss, and even tattoos and fortune telling. The games charge a ticket or two, equaling a quarter to fifty cents. And of course my all time favorite is the bake sale. These Ocracokers take their bake sales serious – so many mighty fine sweets are to be found here. Some years folks are recruited to raise money – as in a few years ago – folks were sat in a wheel chair and given a bed pan to wheel around begging for donations to “release them” from their capture. Of course the pie throw is always a favorite, and then to really sweeten the evening, a cake walk follows the carnival. I’m not talking Pillsbury out of the box (although nothing wrong with that…) but I’m talking homemade delicious gourmet delights. Mmmmmm good.
This year, Saturday night, October 29 the Pub and Gaffers are both hosting a Halloween Party. Now talk about some fun outrageous costumes. I think some folks start planning and working on their costumes in July. And as I said before – these are homemade creative fun statements. I can’t wait.

Amongst all this fun, the youngsters also trick or treat on Halloween evening around the lighthouse area of the village. The Castle is a highlight for treats – and tricks. The place is decorated to the hilt and some fine sweets are in abundance. The kids seem to enjoy this almost as much as the staff enjoys doing it. I’ve heard those fun ladies that work at the Castle discussing different plans – so can’t wait to see what all occurs.

Make sure you make your plans to come join us at the Castle. If you live near by, stop by for some fun or if you live off island – plan to come spend a night or two. A spirit like me won’t scare you – I promise. You won’t even know I’m around – but I’ll miss you if you aren’t here. Just watch out for the spooks!

Spirit of Sam Jones

Blown but Not Battered

Blown but Not Battered

Sorry it has been awhile since I wrote, but time has just slipped away. Hurricane Irene is old news now, but we are definitely still feeling the aftermath.

Ocracoke fared well with little damage (mainly trees down and some roofs damaged) but somehow we dodged the big bullet of flooding. The Castle held tight – just as I hoped when I built her. Of course there are always a couple of little leaks here and there – almost 60 yrs. old – what do you expect? The wind gusted at 100 mph and probably 70 – 90 mph for the rest of the 24 hour period. Gosh, this one seemed like it lasted forever. I do have to say that it was quiet as could be inside the Castle. Didn’t really hear the wind blowing until you tried opening the porch doors. I was very proud of the old homestead! Wondered if Irene was here to stay. Ready to book her a reservation! But luckily Sunday morning it quieted down – no rain, no wind, just quit! Ocracoke looked pretty good considering what she had been through.

After a week or so of sawing down broken limbs, hauling debris to the dump, repairing roofs, and a good general clean-up the electricity was restored to the Island and guests were welcomed back. It is still a little slow, as folks can only arrive from the south and the west on as we say the “big ferries”. Unfortunately Hwy 12 took a big hit with four breaks north of us, so travel from that direction is suspended for a couple of more weeks. A temporary bridge is being built so traffic should start to flow again soon, we hope!

And what does this mean for you? Of course it means that it’s a great time of year to come for a visit. The temperatures are quite pleasant, quiet days, beautiful ocean, and business folks are extra happy to see you!!! Of course there is still the music to enjoy. In fact, I went over to an art opening of Ms Kitty who is a very talented lady. With both art and music. Down Creek Gallery always has this kind of thing going! As an extra treat her daughter Katy sang and played some music and was enjoyed by all. She sings a song called “Clam Bake” that always makes me smile. Ms Kitty’s art will be displayed for a while if you want to take a gander. Deep Water Theater also is holding shows that continue to the end of the month with locals getting in free. We call that fine hospitality!

So, we were blown but not broken. Our hearts go out to our northern neighbors in the Outer Banks – some who lost everything. As usual, Ocracokers, and others have been very generous in sending some needed supplies.

The Castle is spiffed up and I’ll be waiting for your visit, while I smell those cookies coming out of the oven. Hope to see you soon!

School is starting for Ocracoke! Wish I was going!

August 25 is the first day of classes for students on Ocracoke Island. Even though most of the students will tell you they love summer, I think many are also ready for school to start. As most things on this island, at least to me, Ocracoke School is an incredible place. Most of the students really like school. I know this is a surprise but Ocracoke has an amazing group of teachers, administrators, assistants, personnel and volunteers that work very hard to make school a fun learning experience. The school includes grades K – 12 and last year was the largest student population ever; with an enrollment of about 150. Yes, that’s only150 in K – 12! Last years graduation class had nine students, which you may think is small but the year before there were 4. Now percentage wise, that is over a 50% increase. (See I paid attention most of the time at school way back when.) The classes are still small – I think we have about 7 seniors this year. Most of these kids have gone to school together since pre-school, so they know each other very well. Many of the teachers are called by their first names, preceded by Mr. or Ms – such as Mr. Howard and Ms Rita.

Ocracoke School is one school, if not the only school in NC without a cafeteria. The students either pack a lunch or go home. A couple of microwaves were added in the last few years so grades alternate what days they can bring something to heat, as opposed to days they bring something to eat cold. The school doesn’t have school busses that transport students between school and home. They are either dropped off, or they ride bikes or walk. It is quite a site to watch the goings and comings when school starts, during lunch break, or at the end of the day. There is an activity bus that takes students “off island” for field trips and athletic events.

The island is a buzz about the new school gym – almost completed. This building was made possible by some special funding and was it ever needed! School basketball is really a big deal on Ocracoke. We have boys and girls varsity, and younger boys and girls teams. When there is one game, there are usually four, since it is a feat to get a team here: Or to transport our teams to a competitor. The closest team we play is from Hatteras which is a good hour and half away including the 40 minute ferry ride. The old gym was so small there was never enough room for all the spectators to sit and those who had a seat on the sideline were on constant watch – their toes almost touching the line. The Dolphins team mascot is always fun to watch at the games. If not always winners they are great sportsmen as the games are always exciting and entertaining.

There is also a new running club, this being the second year. And of course they are stars – taking quite a few trophies last year – in their first year of competition. Practice started a few days ago and while I was taking an early morning scud about the island at 6 am, the runners were meeting to start practice: Which is so important to do it early morning, especially with the heat we’ve been having. That shows dedication.

So when you are visiting, come check out a school sporting event or attend a school fund raiser. Talk about some fine eating! A BBQ was held just last weekend and other such fun events occur on a fairly regular basis. They also have great hats and shirts to buy and support the school events. I was a financial supporter of the school during my life and still support and enjoy them in my spirithood.

Since I have to rest once in a while, I’m headed back to the Castle! The cookies are due out of the oven and there is no better smell on the island. I wonder what will be cooking tomorrow for breakfast! Come see us and “Go Dolphins”!

Sizzling On the East Coast…but usually a breeze on Ocracoke

Well it seems to be one of the hottest summers on record – and yes even on Ocracoke, it has been a bit warm. But, one of the many wonderful things about living on a true island surrounded by water is the temperatures are usually about 5-10 degrees cooler in the summer and 5-10 degrees warmer in the winter. And when the nation is having extreme record breaking temperatures, that 5-10 degrees is quite significant. Plus since we are this tiny “spit of sand out in the ocean” as some call it, we usually have a breeze and the last few days have felt really good. Of course there is that big old beautiful ocean to jump into that is a perfect temperature to cool off: And if you are staying at the Castle or Villas, there is a beautiful swimming pool that is quite pleasant.

The island has been busy and I guess will be, though most of August. Then things start to slow down some, as the youngsters start back to school. This week things seem to be hopping, but I understand a few nights are still available at the Castle or in the Villas, so you might want to make your plans for a visit soon. I know I keep talking about the music here and that is because it just doesn’t get any better. You can hear good foot tapping tunes every night in about three different spots. One fellow named Lou plays in almost every group and plays about every instrument. I have seen him play at one place early in the evening only to find him in another group later that same night. As far as I am concerned that is a wonderful love of making music. I keep hoping he will do the Hokey Pokey (my personal favorite) for me one night – but no luck so far. He has played about everything else though!

Another fun thing I did this week was join a group that went for a sunset sail on a sweet boat called the Windfall II. Captain Rob sure knows his stuff on the water and is quite a storyteller. He is full of pirate tales and just plain interesting. I’ve always respected a man who knows his way about the water and can tell a good tale. The folks on the trip raved about how much fun they had and were sporting some nice looking Windfall II tee shirts at breakfast the next morning. We all had a fine time and then I was really happy to get back to the Castle and listen to some of the guests visiting and having a glass of wine up on the widows walk. This is one of the best views on the island – a fine fine place to watch the harbor settle into the night. During the day you can not only see the best view of Silver Lake, but also the ocean, the sound, the lighthouse, the village…. It is incredible. So come on by for visit. Make sure you bring you appetite if you stay at the Castle. Breakfast is still quite the buzz.

SOSJ (Spirit of Sam Jones)

Figs and Fun

Well the island is buzzing with figs and fun. Ocracoke has fig trees everywhere and many are just starting to get ripe. I’ve heard there are five different varieties on the island – the brown fig being the most abundant. It seems like these are the ones that are starting to ripen now with the others soon to follow. Now I am no fig expert – but I used to be a fig jam and fig cake aficionado and still would be if I wasn’t in the spirit time of my life. Ocracoke is one of the best places to be if you like figs. Some of the residents have been making fig delights for years – some for over half a century and they know their way around a fig tree – so to speak.

Check out some of the smaller stores owned by some of the older folks and you will find some fine homemade fig treats. The Fish house has some good looking fig cake that gets great reviews. As more come to season, the restaurants will be featuring fig desserts. I’ve even noticed some fig trees for sale at the OPS museum and other shops – so if you live in a southern climate you can take a tree home and start your own fig traditions.

You just can’t find much more fun that there is on this island. It is fun for me just to listen to the folks talk about what a great time they are having on vacation. Kayaking, parasailing, surfing, bike riding, strolling around the village, shelling after a rain storm, going to Portsmouth Island (a close by deserted island – more on that another time), paddle boarding, swimming, boating, or just relaxing and reading a good book. There are wonderful shops – locally owned with all kind of treasures. When I lived here, there were only a couple restaurants so we mainly ate at home – but now Ocracoke has some of the finest restaurants in NC. They always serve fresh fish – and I mean caught that day by local fishermen. We are talking some fine, fine eating.

And music everywhere. My hardest decision some days is which place am I gonna go by to hear a few tunes. The ladies that work the desk at the Castle keep a list of whose playing where so they can always help you if you have questions. I’ve enjoyed The Fish House Five this week and looking forward to a young lady named Katy Mitchell also from here. Ocracoke even has a small theater with music a few nights a week and yoga classes in the mornings. There are horse carriage rides, ghost walks, story telling, and porch talks. Well, I’ve about wore myself out just thinking of all the possibilities for today – so I’m going to start with checking out the beach, taking a scud around town (for those who aren’t familiar with Ocracokese …. that means cruising round seeing what is happening) and back to smell the fresh baked cookies at the Castle in the afternoon. At least a spirit can smell and remember ….

So hope you are planning your visit. It is always a fun time at the Castle with lots of great folks. Lots of new friendships are formed, many laughs are had, and some great breakfasts are enjoyed. Come visit and join the fun and the figs.

SOSJ (Spirit of Sam Jones)