Cape Hatteras National Seashore

I just found this neat aerial picture of the place we go camping, Cape Hatteras. Unknown photographer, but it's a great photo showing how undeveloped and exposed to the weather the island is! The village area is Buxton, NC. The Pamlico Sound is the body of water on the left of the island, Atlantic Ocean on the right. The long spit of sandbar visible is Cape Point, world renown fishing as this is the point where the Labrador current from the north runs headlong into the Gulf Stream from the south, creating unique conditions big species love.

And he's gone again...

The past weekend involved more running away from my garden! Sailor/Farmer/Husband had to leave yesterday for another month of training in preparation for the big deployment this fall, so we decided to go camping prior to his leaving. This is the first time I have attempted a no-plan trip with kids in tow, so it was challenging, but the kids were that much more excited. I decided Thursday morning we would go to Cape Hatteras, NC which is about a 3 hour drive from us. By noon I had the grocery shopping done and was packing the car. When Charlie woke up that afternoon (he works night shift at the squadron) I told him "just get in the car", we're leaving! It was fun, but much different than our trips before kids! I know eventually they will become more self-sufficient and I won't have to micro manage them around the water, etc and will be able to actually relax! Here are some pics of the weekend:

A rare photo of the two of us! I gave my 6 year old the camera and he actually did it! No pictures of a foot, the ground, etc :)

Charlie fishing the Pamlico Sound at sunset

Clouds rolling in...we got 70 mph winds and sideways rain, no pics of the rain since we were in the tent busy bracing the poles! Some people who were absent actually returned to find their tents were completely gone!

Gotta love our Subarus! Gets us out onto the 4-wheel drive beach.

Kids fishing

Finn preparing a mess o'shrimp

Yum, fresh local shrimp!

Cape Hatteras Light

Lunch on Ocracoke Island

Marley & Sprocket love the dog-friendly Jolly Roger Pub in Ocracoke

Finnegan & Daddy

Of course when we returned, there was a harvest. We actually had a few heirlooms ready, although they look terrible! (You should see the ones that didn't make it into the picture, lol!) Finally a few french beans, and ugh...another 100 jalapenos. I really need to find a happy medium between not growing enough of something and holy crap, why do I need 1000 jalapenos?!!! Actually, I knew better when I planted them, but since I started them from seed and wasn't able to give all of them away, I planted them like a moron...it seems like I look at the seedlings as if they were pets...why couldn't I have just thrown a few seedlings into the compost pile? Anyone else have this problem? I didn't have a problem throwing the tobacco hornworms in the trash, that's for sure!