“USA 🇺🇸 North Carolina ~Monthly Blog Series of….It’s Never Dull!! ~JUNE 2024”

• July 1, 2024
• By Pen
• 0 Comment

JUMPING IN TO SUMMER!

Holden Beach, North Carolina

Chelsie and I wanted, very much, to get over to Holden Beach, before the full-on summer crowds. From where we live, it’s a couple hours drive, so with the kiddos in school, it took some planning, plus the right low tide time, so we didn’t have to leave before sun-up.

Today was that day!!!  People hunt for shark teeth on this public beach, too, so we wanted to try our luck. Low tide was as at 11:30-ish, so we got there about an hour before, after we dropped the kiddos off at school. Grandpapa was at the bus stop two times, in the afternoon, to collect all three kids, while Chels and I were on the way home (2.5 hour drive, with afternoon traffic). It worked out, great!

While we did not score any big teeth, or any serious numbers in the amount of teeth, found, Holden often has Sea Biscuits, (where Onslow has very few)….and in our case, on this day Holden had SO MANY Olive Shells! While the occasional Olive Shell is found on Onslow Beach, we have never seen such tiny ones, before, either.

Something else Holden tends to have wash in from the sea, are Crow Shark Teeth. I was on the lookout, since I don’t have one in my collection, yet, but Chelsie is the one who found that treasure; her first, as well. Yay!

I did score the most beautiful Sharks Eye Shell, though. It’s large, a bit bigger than a silver dollar, and completely whole! (most we’ve found are quite small, like dime-size).

My treasured Shark Eye Shell

Those are Sea Biscuits on top, which will require some bleaching to get them cleaned. They don’t bleach white like Sand Dollars, but they can get a little lighter, with some effort.

Interesting Facts: Sea Biscuits are Hardouinia mortonis -echinoid. They are fossilized Sea Urchins, and they are said to be 60-75 million years old!

In the center, is a pile, are loads of  Olive Shells. I got quite a haul, and have a glass jar to make a commemorative Holden Beach Day memory display.

Not too many Shark teeth collected, but my favorite is on the far left. It’s no bigger than a dime, but it has both cusps, and I’ve learned it’s from a Mackeral Shark, which originated from Morocco. Now that’s cool!

I am slowly getting to visit more and more North Carolina Beaches, and while this is a fun thing to do, the quaint beach towns are charming, too. Onslow Beach is still is my favorite, though, for shark teeth hunting! (Chelsie concurs).

This was my first beach day, walking any shore-line, in 19 years, where I was pain-free. Not just the chronic pain that ravaged my body, but the lower back pain I’ve dealt with all my life, from scoliosis; made worse from a debilitating vehicle accident that involved a semi truck and tractor, and a truck driver who was on his cell phone-who changed my life. His payload weighed 85,000 pounds, and left me with a lot of damage.

10 minutes into my beach combing, always puts me down in my back. I used a Empi-sim machine (like a tens unit) to help block the pain. I used a sciatica pressure belt, too. I rarely took pain meds for my condition, because it was chronic, so why bother, as I needed a fix, not a band-side. I care about my liver and kidneys more, so just sucked-it-up on that pain factor, for all those years.

Today, and every day, after this day, walking miles and miles, I do not need my Empi, nor my pressure belt. I was even walking on uneven sand (not anywhere close to normal walking) and because of breaking a toe, I was off on my gait, as well; and this still created no pain, in my lower back. I was pain-free on the beach, five months after starting on x39 and the Aeon patches, during the day. 

Thank you God. Thank you LifeWave!

In addition to our adventure to Holden, while on the 2+hour drive, I made some phone calls to line-up a very special birthday trip for Rylan, who turns 8 this month!

As I’ve mentioned, Ry is the kid who has really taken to the shark teeth hunting. He is a big reader, at a young age, and knows how to research. He announced one day, a few months back, he would like to go to Charleston, SC to find some big shark teeth. Well, he is spot on, because the Charleston area is a great location in the Carolinas, and is THE place, where there are many boat charters/guides to choose from; who will take people fossil hunting, with success!

We got a trip, all lined-up, mid-month, Chelsie, Rylan, and I will be taking a road-trip to Charleston, spend the night and be ready to meet the 5:15AM chartered boat, to get us close to THE perfect spot at low tide, to hunt for treasures!

We chose “Seas The Day,” with Captain Damel, for our charter. It’s really just the boat to get us from the dock to the island. No perks, like a guide or anything. 

We are beyond excited and look very forward to this adventure. It was very fun telling Rylan about what we worked out for his birthday! He was pretty speechless! MeMa and Grandpapa also got him a Fanny Pack to wear, when shark teeth hunting. He wanted one to wear, like his mom’s, but with shark pics. It has a plastic liner, inside, just like his mom’s too, so it will hold up. We can’t wait to see him wearing it!

Operation Zodiac

It’s been fun watching all the pieces fall together for our new-to-us Zodiac. Daryl was able to score a trailer, recently, too, to haul the boat with; which will be a game-changer for where we can go, and not be limited to just one put-in place, nearby. This also means we can keep it inflated, our outboard on, seat/cooler in, and always be at the ready, to explore the intracoastal route, locally, to our hearts content!

The trailer needed some retro-fitting done, to take it from a jet-ski trailer, to a Zodiac inflatable trailer. The Zodiac is 8-man sized, so it needs to ride over the tires, in lieu of being between the trailer tires.

Daryl is quite handy in this case, and is worked on the modifications. He raised up the center and carpeted the wood. He did a great job.

Daryl got me a seat with a cooler, for inside the Zodiac…Or maybe it’s a cooler with a built-in-seat. Either way, I’m grateful for the comfy option, whilst on the water.

The other thing we want to do together, is get good at catching fresh shrimp, and of course get some clamming in, too. Not only will we get access to many sand bars at low tide around the area, for shark teeth hunting, I’m also going to get to go “fishing.” BUT, my fishing is for metal. It’s like metal detecting, but no detector machine needed. I have this awesome super-duper magnet. It’s on a long line. I simply drop it in the depths to the ground floor and see what sticks, when I pull it back up!!

In addition, we will have much fun taking the grandkiddos out on the water.

They will love it!

We arranged parking the zodiac, right next to us, where it will be most convenient. We thank our neighbor for sharing his parking space with us…. Sadly, not long after we made this arrangement, our frail, elderly neighbor ended up in the hospital. The neighbor behind him would do some grocery shopping for the old guy, and we were always taking him food over to him, we cooked. Everybody looks after “Jonny,” a little. It’s a nice community.

But, right after Jonny was taken to the hospital, the other neighbor (who grocery shopped for him) had a heart attack and also went to the hospital. Somebody else we know began having seizures, right after that, and also ended up in the hospital, too!!

What a rufffff week!

Anywayzzzz, I haven’t come up with a name for our boat, yet, but I will. For now, we await the coming week to get our Zodiac/trailer insured, then it will get properly plated/registered.

We look forward to putting the motor on, and will be taking her out to tootle around, to see what we have, and how we do. All I know for sure is, having a wide bottom floor on the boat, will keep us a stable, when in the land of Gators.

Wood Works

Daryl discover a really cool hardwood business in the area. We stopped by and got a tour of the faculty. Their wood collection comes from all around the world.

We were searching for a round slab of sorts, as we wanted to make a little side table, for between our two camping chairs, outside, but the selection and price for an oblong square slab was much better. For $30, we walked away with a gorgeous piece of hardwood, from Bolivia. We have enough wood to make two tables, but focusing on the one, for now.

We promptly took the Bolivian wood over the Chelsie’s house. She cut the slab in half and got to work. I left her the table stand I had come up with, and in no time at all, Chels had it all sanded, and coated, with an outdoor UV protectant, that made it just pop!

Thanks Chelsie! You did a beautiful job!

Another Barn Wood Piece, Complete ⬇️

Chelsie, once again, did a great job putting together this faux water faucet and water display. The succulent plant is real, however, and it’s called  “Happy Mama.” ❤️

I don’t have an abundance of wall space in The Whale, but making do.

Military Appreciation Day in Swansboro

Each year, the town puts on this special weekend for military personnel and their families; active/retired. How very nice is that?

Chelsie took the kiddos and they had a blast. I wanted to go, but with my freshly broken toe, and having over done it at the beach, recenlty, I had to pass, sadly; staying at home elevating my foot.

Chelsie shared some pics. The foam machine was a huge hit!

We’ve been so busy, we missed a pig bbq and potluck at our campground, over the Memorial Day weekend. We had gone to the Aurora Fossil Festival, instead, which was on the same holiday weekend.

Next up, the campground put on an ice cream social, in celebration of kiddos being out of school for the summer. But, on this weekend, there was a family wedding in Tennessee, the Richardson’s went to; where Rylan was the ring bearer. This would be Joeys nephew getting hitched. The kiddos got all set-up with new shoes and clothes for the rehearsal dinner and wedding.

Here are a few pictures Chelsie shared with me, from the rehearsal dinner, wedding day, and with father-daughter dance, included ❤️

Here I Go!

I just embarked on a major weight-loss journey, since I’ve been struggling without a thyroid, when my medication decided to no absorb, fully, any longer; for whatever reason. I’ve been in continual hypothyroidism, ever since. It’s been a frustrating 2.5 years!

I began with a four-day fast, then on to a strict 600 calorie-a-day intake, after that. Thirty days later, I did a three-day fast. By the end of this month, I will be on my “mission to lose,” for about 8 weeks.

I’m actually getting results, finally! I have no cravings for sweets, or designer coffees, but because my protein intake is low, I do crave more protein, once in a while, but that’s it.  It took three weeks before I released even a pound, so that was NOT very motivating, but I stuck with it. Now my body is responding and I absolutely credit the x39 patches, for the peace and calm I maintain, through this life-style change.

I don’t use a scale, ever, so don’t know a number, but I have lost weight and continue to do so, each week. At 63 years old, it’s definitely a slower process to reach my goal, but I’m sticking with it, using good old-fashioned, raw will-power, which is safe and free.

Maiden Voyage

Today, Daryl and I launched the Zodiac for the first time, but it was a very short operation. Ha! There was something wrong with the motor. It shut off and would not start again. So, unfortunately, we had to load ‘er back up, wash her off and park her, till after the weekend.

Daryl was in contact with the business he bought the motor from, right away. He will return it and get another one. Of course that was a two-hour round-trip drive to accomplish. Oh well.

Hopefully, we can get back in the water again, soon, to try again. As it would end up, we got a better motor, over all. We will be much happier with a 25 hp and push-button start, over the 20 hp with a pull-start. This will also make it possible for me (and Chels) to take the boat out, if ever Daryl isn’t available. 

⬆️ Off to trade-in the first motor, for the new motor

⬆️ Old motor

 ⬆️ New Motor. SWEET!!

Beautiful Onslow Beach Time

The kiddos are officially on summer vacation! Yay!

Chelsie and Rylan picked me up and we headed for Onslow for an evening low tide. Ry is always up for shark teeth hunting. The other kiddos chose to stay at home, which was fine, too. We were graced with a gorgeous sunset, plus, since we were there, last, two turtles have laid eggs and their nests have been safely secured.

We did not score many shark teeth, but we had a fun time.

Chelsie happened to be at Onslow a few years ago (month of September) for a morning sunrise, when right next her, a nest of turtles hatched! Talk about perfect, random timing! She got to watch a hundred tiny turtles make their way out of the sand nest, and in to the surf. HOW COOL WAS THAT?

Daryl and I have also watched newly hatched baby turtles on the beach, too. In our case, we were on Turtle Island in Borneo, Malaysia 🇲🇾  but the process is the same all around the world and we are grateful for the programs in place that protect these endangered creatures, to help them survive! 

It was just before daylight on the beach, in Borneo, so lighting for photos was a challenge, but what an experience to witness. I will never forget. We also got to watch a turtle come in from the Sea and lay her eggs that morning.

Road Trip to Charleston, South Carolina

Happy Birthday to Rylan!

The day finally arrived, so we; (Ry, Chels and MeMa) loaded up and drove five hours to Charleston! Rylan was super stoked, as this is what he wanted to do for his birthday, so he could hunt for Shark Teeth in South Carolina; a Mecca for finds!

Rylan got his new beach hat from MeMa n Grandpapa, to go along with his fancy Shark Tooth Fanny pack. He is loving it and ready to go! Love him so much! ❤️

We stayed the night in the beautiful Historic city, then the next morning, VERY early, we met at the charter boat for our fossil-hunting adventure.

4AM came very early and Rylan was a real trooper. We were all up and at ’em when we needed to be. The marina at Folly Beach, was about a half hour from the hotel, so that was doable.

The charter boat took us to an uninhabited island, that aside from Shark Teeth finds, has incredible history. It’s called Morris Island. It is an 840-acre island, not far from Charleston Harbor, and accessible, only by boat. The island is part of the city of Charleston and Folly Beach, and thus, was a strategic location during the American Civil War.

It was a beautiful morning on the water. Actual sunrise took place after we were offloaded, and were hustling down the beach to the treasure site. We startled two deer, who took off running down the beach in front of us. That was pretty cool. Too dark for good photos of them, though.

The Morris Island Lighthouse

1873 – The Third Morris Island Lighthouse

Beginning in 1873, post Civil War, Congress made the first of three appropriations to construct a new lighthouse off of Morris Island.  The first appropriation of $60,000 was granted on that date for “commencing the rebuilding of a first-order seacoast light on Morris Island, destroyed during the war.”  The other two appropriations totaled $90,000 and took place in 1874 and 1875, to complete work on the lighthouse.

When the tower was complete it measured 33 feet in diameter at the base and 16 ft. 8 in. at the top.  The tower extended a total of 161 feet into the sky, from the base to top of the lantern. This would make it the largest lighthouse in South Carolina, and still the 13th tallest in the USA.

By 1876, the new Morris Island Lighthouse was fully operational.  The base of the lighthouse featured a three-story dwelling where the keepers and assistants lived.

The lighthouse complex included 15 buildings on the grounds: three keepers residences, outbuildings, barns, chicken coops, and a one-room schoolhouse for the keepers’ children. The lighthouse and its grounds would be damaged by a cyclone in 1885, and the Charleston Earthquake of 1886.

1962 – The Lighthouse is Decommissioned 

In June 1962, the Morris Island lighthouse was extinguished, when the Sullivan Island lighthouse began operation.  The lighthouse was sold by the government as surplus property to a private citizen in 1965.  The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places, in 1982.

In 1989, Hurricane Hugo destroyed all of the remaining buildings at the base of the lighthouse.  Only the dock remained, until 2017, when it was destroyed by Hurricane Irma.

In 1999, the citizens’ group Save the Light, Inc. bought the lighthouse from its private owner, for $75,000. They are an organization made up of concerned citizens with a goal of preserving the lighthouse for future generations.

In 2000, the lighthouse was transferred from Save the Light to South Carolina, through the Department of Natural Resources, for $1.00.  The lighthouse has been leased to Save the Light, Inc. for 99 years “to coordinate the stabilization, erosion control and restoration of the lighthouse, and to raise the necessary funds for that work.”

In 2021, the Department of Natural Resources transferred the property to the State of South Carolina by and through the Department of Administration.  Preservation efforts continue to this date.

We would walk to more the center of the island, for about two plus miles, to reach the hot spot. Of course it would end up being the hottest day of the year, to date; in the 90’s and super high humidity. We had water, hats and I even brought an umbrella for shade, if needed.

⬆️
Known as a Horseshoe Crab

More About Morris Island

The first permanent settlement in today’s Charleston was established in 1670, and the initial settlers arrived on what would become, Morris Island, in 1673. However, Morris Island was three separate islands, before it was one. Also, the first Morris Island Lighthouse was built in 1762, following the orders of King George III. The lighthouse reached a height of 42 feet. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the Revolutionary War, but later replaced in 1838 with a taller lighthouse, which stood, 102 feet.

After the Civil War ended, Morris Island became a popular summer destination for wealthy Charlestonians. The island soon became home to many summer homes and cottages.

Today, Morris Island is owned by the state of South Carolina and is managed by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission. The island is open to the public, year-around, and is a popular destination for fishing, bird watching, picnicking, and relaxing.

Revolutionary War

Morris island has a rich history and has been the site of many important events. The island was the site of Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.

The island was also home to a Union prisoner of war camp during the Civil War. In 1864, Morris Island was the site of one of the largest naval battles in history, known as The Battle Of Mobile Bay.

Shipwreck Sites

It is said that there are dozens 0f shipwrecks around Morris Island. The most famous shipwreck is The Hunley, which was a Confederate submarine, that sank in 1864. The Hunley was raised from the bottom of the ocean in 2000, and it is now on display at The Warren Lasch Conservation Center.

Myth, Ghosts, And Legends Of Morris Island

There are many myths and legends, surrounding Morris Island, and these stories add to the island’s mystique. Some of the most famous legends about Morris Island include:

Yokum, the Pirate’s Ghost, and Six Treasure Chests

According to legend, a Confederate soldier known as Yokum discovered six treasure chests on Morris Island, from an elderly black woman who lived on the island at the time. She claimed that no one stole the riches, because a pirate’s ghost protected them.

On the night before the historic assault on Morris Island began, Yokum and a friend went treasure hunting. They dug up the treasures, but a sudden storm hit them, as they began to dig. The pirate stood and watched over them from afar, as they dug in a fleeting flash of lightning. They soldiers took off as swiftly as they had appeared, and never returned. Until 50 years later, Yokum would not reveal his tale.

Missing Soldiers

After the assault on Morris Island, injured, sick, wounded, and dead soldiers were all transported to Folly Beach. Many of these soldiers who didn’t survive were buried in unmarked graves; however, no one knows how many there were. Because erosion and storms uncover these unmarked graves over time, they would be discovered between the end of the Civil War and 1987. 14 unknown troops were found; 12 of them had their skulls, and other body parts missing.

The Amelia

In 1832, a ship named The Amelia was sailing from New York to New Orleans, when it went aground on Folly Beach. Instead of being assisted, the 120 individuals on board were left to fend for themselves on the island, as a result of rumors that some had cholera. 20 people perished, and are supposed to haunt the island today, as a result of this circumstance.

I found a big, beautiful Channel Shell, but it housed a large live sea snail, so I put it back in the water.

My haul was minimal. Much of what’s there on the island is in shell beds. My vision doesn’t see well for this type of hunting. I do best walking the tide line on the shore. Here, the shore line is graced with clay. It’s very sticky!

Chelsie and Rylan do much better in the shell beds, so their hauls were much more impressive!

Chels and Rylan collected quite a few vertebra, as well. Quite possibly from Sharks.

As it turned out, we only ended up with an hours plus to actually hunt for teeth, before we would have to begin our hike back to the meeting site, to leave the island. We did not expect that we would have so little time to hunt, for all the time, energy and expense, but we made the best of it. The location does have great potential, but we really needed at least six hours to fully explore the sand dunes, as well as the inland part of the island, for arrowheads, and other artifacts.

…AND we were late getting back to the boat, which didn’t go over very well, but the other two guests on the boat did what we did. We all heard the same thing from the captain, and all left the hot spot at the same time. Given the heat, we probably weren’t moving as fast, for sure.

I would say, logistically, not being about drop guests off, closer to the hot spot, on the ocean side, will always be problematic in the hot months. The inlet side is where these boats can pull up to the sand, and not get stuck, but it’s quite a hike from there.

We are already planning a return trip to Morris Island one day, in the fall, and take the Zodiac; which we CAN use to get way easier access, from the ocean side, for a landing. It’s a public beach, and so VERY interesting. We could spend a whole day and a half on Morris Island, versus a few hours, AND on our own schedule.

I do much better sifting through the shell beds to find fossils, if thats all there is, but no sifters were allowed, by the boat charter. The boat captain made it sound like it was island rule, when I inquired. That was disappointing, but my bad for not researching, better.

You can bet, Chels, Daryl and I will return with the Zodiac, and have a ball!

I can’t really recommend the “Sleep Inn Charleston,” by the way, as we got a bit of a run-around with them.

I always book online, through Booking dot com. I picked the hotel, because of their noon check-out time, which worked for the early charter day, as we would need to be able to get back from the island, take showers and pack-up. But, when I checked us in, the desk person informed me there was an 11AM check out. I told him, we would be checking out at noon, as per my booking arrangements, I had, in writing. He said he would check with his boss. I said; you do that.

Later, I got a call that the boss said we could stay till 11:30AM. I told the guy, again, we would be checking out at noon, and not before. If the boss had an issue with that, he could take it up with Booking dot com.

I had even asked at check-in, before the check-out conversation, would we be able to get some fruit or snacks from the breakfast room, since we would not be around for their breakfast hours. I was told, yes. I was instructed to come down at 4:3oAM and the person at the desk would let us get some food.

The next morning, at 4:30AM the person at the desk said no to any fruit/snacks. Nice 🙄

After our island time, we got back to our room, with just enough time for all of us to get showers, pack, and for Chels to get a 15-minute Power Nap, for the 5-hour drive home. The room phone started ringing at 11:AM, so I unplugged it. We were out the door at 12 noon.

It’s not like they didn’t get paid or something.

Angel Oak 

On the way out of Charleston, we only made one stop, Ry was really missing his brother and sister, and wanted to go home. We did stop to see the “Oak Angel.”  This gigantic oak tree is quite a site, if you ever have a chance.

The rest of the trip was un-eventful. It was a long drive, but we are glad we did it and we are glad Rylan enjoyed it.

Pool Time and the Birthday Boy!

What better way to beat the heat, then hit the pool with the kiddos. We went to one of the pools on base, so Chels swung by and picked us up. It was also, Rylan’s actual birthday!

We had a great time.

This young lady passed the swim test, so she can now don a wrist band and be in the deep-end of the pool! Good job, Kenz!

Later, we cruised on over to the Richardson’s house for the birthday party. There was pizza, cake and party favors. It was a fun time!

Maiden Voyage 2.0

We took the Zodiac out again, and this time, we had success. I also gave her a name, too. I dubbed her “Zoe the Zodiac.” Did you know, when she was brand new, she was a water rescue boat out of Camp LeJeune?  We cruised around the waterways, until it was time to beat low tide, and had to turn around, so we could get back, without issue.

It was a beautiful outing!

Summer Soccer

Luke has a few more games to go, as his team started before school was out. Rylan will start with his summer practices, in July.

It’s so hot, the games are in the evening. On this night, Luke subbed-in with his old team. He was pretty hot and tired, after his own game, but he’s a true athlete and pushed on. So proud of him.

Deep Cleaning and More Pool Time

I’m so grateful Chelsie is willing to do the deep cleaning in The Whale. Today, she cleaned the carpet strip, which was so needing to be done. I’m not sure who the Einstein was that thought installing cream-colored carpet was a good idea, in a camper/motor home, but I have heard the new models have darker carpets.

While Chels toiled away, for five hours, cleaning; including wiping down all the wood work, again, with Orange Glow, we entertained the kiddos. Pool time was awesome, because what better thing to do during a heat wave, than that!

Then, it was off to pizza, and DQ after that!

Operation, Outdoor Sleeping

When night time temps are above 70 degrees, it gets a tad uncomfortable in The Whale. Running our A/C’s hard, during the day is one thing, but not a good plan to run them 24/7. So, we got the auto blow-up mattress with a pop-up mosquito net. We are Glamping, after all.

It was at this time, after getting set-up with the outside gear, we began getting pop-up thunderstorms, with torrential rains. So no sleeping outside at this time. Ha!

Incidentally, when it is dry, I have never lived anywhere I had to water plants, up to three times a day! I don’t know how my flowers are tolerating this heat. When I lived in Texas, I had way larger pots, which was easier for managing them, drying out, but now I have small pots, in a small space.

⬆️ I just love this “volunteer” sunflower that sprouted from the seed(s) we feed the birds.

Chelsie Helping Out, Again

As I’ve mentioned, it’s extremely hot here, this summer. We have a skylight in our shower, which is usually great, but its not so great, now, as its white-ish and lets a lot of heat in. So, I got some double-sided tape, and reflective insulator material that can be cut to size. I don’t like Daryl up on the roof of  The Whale, and I’m not going up there, either.

Chelsie for the Win! ❤️

After that project was done, we dined on local shrimp. I make an awesome seafood sauce from boiling the shells of the shrimp, and it yummy over rice, and of course homemade bread, with homemade strawberry jam, was served, too.

There is never a single piece of shrimp left, either, after I fix it and serve it up. I increased the amount of shrimp, by a half pound, (up to 2 pounds) with large instead of medium shrimp this time, because the kiddos are HUGE fans! I’m gonna go up to four pounds, next. There is never enough! 😁

Joey was working his paramedic shift again, so we missed him, but he got a plate taken to him, for later.

Luke found a dead bird on our lot, and was sad, so he wanted to take care of it. The kids buried it in my herb garden and gave it a funeral. They each said kind words for Mrs Fluff, then they sang the Star Spangled Banner.

It was a lovely send-off. 😉

We ate, the kids enjoyed the massage chairs (in The Whale), then they all went out to the swings, and Chelsie took a nap.

The most perfect Sunday, ever!

Still Food Prepping

I’m still food prepping, big time, and line myself-out with three meals and one snack, per day. Portion control is everything, so I have no restrictions on carbs, sugars, protein. I mean how much trouble can one get into, on a 600 calorie a day, limit?

So, if I pick to have a small cookie (very small) for my snack, the cookie baking happens at Chelsie’s house. Heating up our oven in The Whale makes it too uncomfortable. Besides, I have lots of helping hands to get cookies baked (and eaten) 😜 Luke calls them “diet cookies,” even though they are not. All the kids have noticed I’ve lost weight, as they’ve commented, and they know I’ve said, I’m dieting, so I think they think everything I eat is diet food. It’s pretty funny.

Jonah Gets Pampered 

It was also high time, Jonah got a good detail. She always need her rag top treated, and now her paint was looking quite dull, and needed a wax. She needs an entirely new paint job, actually, but that won’t happen till next year. She took quite a few hits as our tow vehicle, and over 15,000 miles to date, so we look forward to one day, getting the windshield replaced, too.

In the meantime, Chelsie rolled up her sleeves again, and went to work!

Thank you Chelsie!!!

It ended up storming the entire time Chels was detailing. Good thing Jonah is tiny, so we could pull her into her garage, for the waxing and the rag top treatment. (It was too dark and pics didn’t come out).

“EVERY BUNNY WELCOME”

Well this project could not have turned out, better! How cute is this?

Daryl saw a similar sign, when out looking for a shed to buy, last month, and took a picture of it. He knew I would love it. Chels and I put our heads together and duplicated the idea; Chels doing the major work, on actual creating.

Since we have bunny rabbits on the grounds, it seemed quite appropriate, Yes, they like our garden a little too much,….but hey, they gotta eat, too. I’ve named the little young one, “Briar.” It doesn’t run from us at all and is quite brave when I’m outside watering and it just watches me. The kiddos recently got to see Briar, for the first time, and they were amazed at how he didn’t take off.

This is “Briar,” in the pictures.

Making Pies!

I told Kenzie, I could teach her to make homemade pie crust and pies this summer, if she was interested. She was definitely interested. My grandmother taught me how to make the same, so I wanted to carry on the tradition!

We had a great time, and I just love being able to spend this kind of time with my granddaughter.

⬆️ As is also tradition, any left-over pie dough gets made into cinnamon roll pinwheels 

McKenzie did a fantastic  job! Of course I knew she would. I was super proud of her. Her Blackberry and fresh Peach Pies turned out perfect!

Looking for Shark Tooth Island 

Not far from where we live, is an island we’ve heard about, that at low tide has some shark teeth to find. On this day, we launched out of Cedar Point.

We actually over-shot the island, based on the map we were using, but we had a fun adventure and went over to Emerald Island, after hitting up another island, with no name.

We had a weather front come in, so we didn’t have time to stop at Shark Tooth Island, on our way back to the launch. In this case it was better to be safe, than sorry. Now that we know where the island is, we will go again and take the kiddos.

⬆️ Emerald Island Bridge

bad map 🤣 but it was a nice island, too, with lots of shell beds.

We got out of  “Zoe the Zodiac” and wandered around. It was very hot, and the water was warm. We did not get to stay very long, and I only found one tiny shark tooth, but I did find a matrix with a broken tooth. I love finding these!

Time Again, to Hit up Onslow

It’s been awhile, since just Chels and I went to Onslow. Summer is not proving to be the best time for teeth to be found, since there is a lack of swells from winter storms, to dredge up the ocean floor, but we both love to be on the beach, just the same, with the tide water lapping at our feet, the salty wind in our faces, and having time, together. If we find any good teeth, it’s just icing on the cake! On this day, it was low tide in the evening.

It was just the best time!

A woman on the beach that evening, asked me if I was hunting for shark teeth. I said, yes. She then showed me what she had in her hand, and asked me if it was a real shark tooth…which it was! I congratulated her. It was her first ever shark tooth find. That was a fun moment. You never forget your first shark tooth find!

Potluck Party at the Campground

Since the Fourth of July is mid-week, we are celebrating on the the last (Saturday) weekend in June, around the campground.

Chels and the kiddos came on over and we all had a blast! It was potluck, so there was lots of food for all, good music with a DJ, and Kareoke. McKenzie got up and sang two songs. It was her first time with Kareoke. She did great!

Joey was working his two shifts in a row; 12 hours each: 7-7, so he was missed, but we would hear the ambulance flying by, out on the highway, every time he was nearby.

I made “Cowboy Beans N Bacon,” and the campground provided the BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs.

⬆️ This is Luke, wearing a turban 🤣 This is Chelsies’ mini-me, hands down, if ya wanna know what she looked like at this age. 

I did eat some of my beans and a burger patty. That was quite a treat for me; only my actual second cheat meal, after month two of my eating program, I’m used to things being this way by now. I don’t alway like it, but…..as long as I get results, I stay motivated!

Feeling Blessed

I was just thinking the other day….You know what is VERY cool? EVERYBODY needs a least one; Ride or Die Buddy, right?” Well, I happen to have two; in my life, on the regular: I gave birth to one, and I married the other. I am just sayin, I’m a “lucky Bunny, indeed!”

We sure have fun!

This is Kinda Kool

Looks like the first 5th wheel
Built in 1917.

This piece of history was considered a luxury RV back in the day. People with money to spare, used this mobile home to enjoy nature. It provided plenty of shade and interior space, to make the vacation pleasant, and memorable.

People back then must have had a lovely time in this classic RV

⬆️ Another classic RV type

Next month is July! Do you know who has a birthday in July? CHELSIE!!  You know I am planning something, and it will be just the two of us for a couple of nights, doing fun stuff!

LIFEWAVE

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beachcitystudio@gmail.com

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