I'm Stuffed!

Don't know what to do for dinner tonight? Looking to find a good use for the 17 inch zucchini growing in your garden? Well, have I got the blog entry for you!

Stuffed Zucchini with Sausage

I have made this twice (over the past 9 days) with amazing results. There is this nice farmer who sells oversized stuffing zucchinis down at the New Bern Farmers' Market. I love it because he only charges me $1 per zucchini. How is that for a bargain?!?

1 zucchini (at least 12 inches) or 6 medium ones
Pam or Mazola spray
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (fresh is better)
1/2 heaping cup of chopped mushrooms
14 - 16 oz vegetarian sausage (if you're a meat eater, turkey sausage would be OK)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 t pepper
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cayenne pepper (can be omitted if too spicy for your taste buds)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2-4 T Parmesan cheese

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides. You want to leave the shell about 1/4 inch thick. Take half of the zucchini innards and chop (rest can be discarded or used in another way). Place prepared shells into a baking pan.

Spray you skillet with Pam/Mazola and heat over medium-high heat. Saute onions for about 3-4 minutes. Just before the onions get soft, add your garlic and continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Next, add your mushrooms and zucchini innards and saute for another 2-3 minutes. This mixture should feel soft, but not mushy. You should be able to distinguish the various ingredients in this mixture.

In a separate skillet (coated with Pam/Mazola), add your sausage. Lightly brown and mince sausage until it looks like hamburger. Once cooked, stir in the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture from the first pan. Add your can of diced tomatoes and cook for an additional minute to reduce some of the liquid. You want a mixture that is moist, but not soupy. Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool.

Once cooled, add egg, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Fill zucchini shells with mixture and sprinkle each shell with 1-2 T Parmesan cheese. Place about 1/4 inch of water into the pan and bake at 375 for 50-55 minutes. This will ensure that the stuffing is hot and the entire zucchini shell cooked.

Remove from pan and serve while steaming! Enjoy!

Exploring Dr. Beach's #1 Beach in America for 2007

As some of y'all may know, there is a gentleman on the Travel Channel, Stephen Leatherman (aka "Dr. Beach"), who ranks the top US beaches every year. Well, believe it or not, last year he ranked Ocracoke Island as the Number 1 beach in America. Wow. Quite the accomplishment for a little island with 800 year round residents and only accessible via ferry.

So, we went to go check it out ourselves; and were pleasantly surprised. It is a quaint little fishing community with an art problem. Yes, there are a bunch of little art galleries and shops that have everything from fine art to kitchy t-shirts and salt water taffy.

For us, no visit is complete to a barrier island until we check out the local lighthouse. And, after viewing Cape Lookout's tall statuesque structure, Ocracoke Light Station seemed well, stumpy. What it lacks in stature, it more than makes up for in history. In fact, the Ocracoke Light Station is the second oldest operating lighthouse in the United States. Can you guess which one is the oldest operating lighthouse in the US? Somewhere else in NC perhaps? Nope. That distinction belongs to the lighthouse in Sandy Hook, NJ (of all places).

Ocracoke Inlet didn't even grace a map until English explores wrecked a sailing ship there in 1585. Unfortunately, it took a couple of more centuries until a permanent lighthouse was established. In 1822, Massachusetts builder, Noah Porter, started construction on the Ocracoke Light Station. Finished the following year, the final structure stood only 77 feet, 5 inches high with a beam range of 14 miles. What is amazing about this structure (besides the fact that it came in way, way under budget), is that the walls are five feet thick at the base and taper to approximately two feet thick at the top. It isn't until you go into the building that you notice the thickness on the side facing the water/inlet is thicker than the island facing side. Noah was known to be a bit peculiar.

With its higher elevation and proximity to Ocracoke Village, the lighthouse often served as a refuge for local residents during hurricanes, Nor'easter and any other storms that brought about flooding. Today, the lighthouse is fully automated and the keepers quarters are a private home.

Want to know more about our trip to Ocracoke? Well, you'll just have to wait until later this week. Then, I'll talk about skeeters and 4x4'ing on the beach.

The Last Lecture - A tribute

I was going to write a cheerful little entry on our trip to Ocracoke Island and visit to the Ocracoke Lighthouse. Then, I heard the news that Randy Pausch died of pancreatic cancer on Friday.

Only 47 years old, Pausch touched the lives of many, many students before going onto pop culture success as the author of the book, The Last Lecture. I am always amazed at the myriad of ways the human personality can interpret/view a situation. In Pausch's case, obstacles served a purpose. They "give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

His whole view around obstacles was: "The brick walls are not there to keep us out, the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the OTHER people."

Like many, I am saddened by this loss, but I rejoice the fact that his words live on.

Meet some of our neighbors

Alright, I can't take credit for this picture. But, I was soooo excited to tell you about our 'neighbors'! So, I just did an internet search for a visual to accompany this entry.

The husband and I went for a kayak trip yesterday afternoon. Just a short trip to explore the marsh near the house. On Saturday, we had been told by neighbors that there was an osprey nest in the marsh near the intersection of our backyard canal and the Trent River. Well, we paddled and looked, paddled and looked and finally saw a big bird. Yes, it was an osprey and it was out hunting. We paddled in circles watching the bird hover and dive for fish.

Compared with the little bird that feed off our feeders, these osprey are HUGE! Although osprey only stand 20 to 24 inches high, they have an average wingspan of five to six feet. Yes, feet.

After awhile, we headed back to the house and that's when we saw it; the nest. There it was, perilously perched at the very top of a dead tree. Compiled of lots of twigs and branches, it looked like it could be knocked over with a strong wind (something we encountered on the way home).

Next time out, I'll take the camera and try to take a picture of our 'neighbors.'

Cape Lookout

After convincing the husband to play 'hookie' yesterday, we took a day trip to Cape Lookout. We drove over to Harkers Island (north of Beaufort) and took the 15 minute ferry ride over to Cape Lookout (CL, for short). Due to the proximity of many of the barrier islands, we had to ride by the north end of Shackleford Banks where the band of wild horses are located. With it being early morning and a bit overcast, we had numerous horse 'spottings' on our way to CL.

The day was great! Being overcast weather kept it a bit cooler (as cool as it can get for Coastal Carolina in mid-July); there was a constant breeze, which kept the ferocious biting bugs at bay (but did give lunch and drinks a gritty characteristic) and TS Bertha churned the ocean enough to provide us with some visual entertainment.

The first Cape Lookout lighthouse was built in 1812. It didn't take sailors and captains long to realize that the 107 foot structure was way to short to keep boats off the dangerous shoals surrounding the barrier islands. In fact, the beam of light from the lighthouse could only be seen 6 or 7 nautical miles. So, in 1859 they completed a 'new' lighthouse. Standing 163 feet tall, the 1000 watt bulb can be seen up to 25 nautical miles. Did you notice the paint job on the lighthouse? Kind of fancy, huh? Well, it is also practical. Painted with what is called a 'daymark' pattern,' the lighthouse can tell you direction like a compass. The black diamonds run North-South, while the white diamonds go East-West. Impressive! Those North Carolinians were just ahead of their time!

Fish Tales - Meet Mr. Ed

In our house, we seem to have a fondness for a few things . . . . . Each other, the Kitty, all of God's creatures (except the squirrels who have a tendency to scare away our birds) and fish. Now that we've moved to the water, our love for fishes has extended into our decorating scheme (or theme, depending on how you look at it). So, I thought I'd take a moment to introduce to you one of our new fishes.

Please meet Mr. Ed. Mr. Ed was a "I love him, I have to have him . . . NOW" purchase. He 'fits' our family in soooo many ways. He is welded from recycled parts, making him 'green'; he has a horseshoe mouth, paying homage to my days growing up as a horse rider; and he has a big mouth, just like me. It's OK. You can laugh . . . I did say it.

Mr. Ed has a smaller 'brother' that I'll introduce another day. For now, just know that Mr. Ed is residing in our bathroom, right beside my sink, with his mouth facing the mirror. That way, Mr. Ed can see just how big his mouth is every morning.

After DJ and the Kitty (sometimes not in that order), Mr. Ed is the third thing I see every morning. What a way to start the day!

This only looks like a garage

But, in real life, it is a marvelous, engineering masterpiece!

Looks like an ordinary two car garage with two vehicles, right? Look closer. Do you see an oblong turquoise shape? Look towards the top of the picture. Do you see part of an orange oblong thing behind it? Those would be our kayaks! On ceiling mounted pulleys! Yes, we now have two bikes, two cars, two storage shelving units, one refrigerator, other 'garage' related flotsam and jetsam and two kayaks housed in the garage!

This marvelous, engineering masterpiece brought to you by my just as marvelous husband. Thanks, Babe.

What do you have in your garage?

Happy Feet

Sun, sand, ocean breezes and some shade on the beach. Who's feet wouldn't be happy?

Author's Note: This is about all the creativity I can muster today. We went to the New Bern ArtWalk last night (complete with art galleries that serve wine) and then to dinner (with tons of good food and, you guessed it, wine). My little brain synapses aren't firing on all cylinders.

Step 1: Drink Wine Step 2: Who cares!

Alright, alright, alright. I promised y'all more pictures of the house/the move/whatever. This one is one of my favorite. It was taken 48 hours after moving in and shows my husband and his Father hanging part of our vast ceramic collection over the fireplace in the den. Now, I guess this is where I should preface it with an explanation of events before this picture was snapped . . . . .

I had a houseful of parents, garage full of empty moving boxes and a 10 year marriage collection of stuff that had yet to be put in its place. About 5 PM, my Father said, "Are you sure you want to cook dinner for the six of us? You know, we can just go out and get a quick meal."

"Nope. I've got all the ingredients I need." People seem to forget that there are times when cooking has a soothing effect on my psyche.

All four parents look around the kitchen and dining area, taking in the plethora of crap still on the counters, dirty dishes still to be cleaned, blankly nod their heads and subconsciously lower their dining expectations. My husband, smirks, opens the first bottle of wine for the evening, pours everyone a plastic glass, and just says to me, "Let me know when you need a refill."

I channeled my MFS ("Martha Fucking Stewart") persona and go to town. "Refill, please."

With a ton of help from Paula (my step-Mother), my husband and a second bottle of wine ("Refill, please"), we get a near gourmet meal on the table. Grilled spicy garlic shrimp, sauteed fresh from the garden squash, black bean salad, mixed green salad and a decent store bought loaf of Italian bread. Oh, did I mention we ate it on paper plates with plenty of wine to drink? Dinner was full of story telling and enough laughs to go around the table two or three times. By the time it was all said, eaten and done ("Babe, can I get another refill?"), I was feeling pretty good.

So, after a quick team effort clean up, I was struck with the inspiration to hang some art. I mean, the house was already feeling like a home. I'd gotten a great meal on the table, now all we needed to complete the picture was some of our art on the walls. I grabbed some of my favorite ceramic art plates and, with wine in hand ("Can you just top it off a little?"), began to layout an arrangement on our floor. With some input from the women, I got it to how I wanted it (allowing me to take full visual advantage of some of my favorite pieces). Then, I went back to the dining room table, sat down and decreed, "OK. Put it up. Oh, and is there any more wine left?"

My husband and his Father went to work while the women sat at the table and 'supervised.' My father? He was in the kitchen, his back to the den, working on some pot and pan rack installation while yelling out, "You need to move that bottom plant an inch and a half to the left. That top one is crooked. Oh my! It looks all off kilter." Did I mention he had his back to the wall in question? Everyone's a critic. Ha, ha.

When it was all said and done, Jill, my mother-in-law, advised that I take a picture because I might not like it in the morning. Well, I had to take a picture of the arrangement with the men that made it possible. I asked husband and father-in-law to pose with their artful arrangement and this is what I got!

Lesson learned? Wine keeps one from over-thinking what should be a fun, decorating experience! By the way, I still LOVE the arrangement! Thanks guys!

(Sand) Dollars and Cents at Hammock's Beach

What do you call a Sand Dollar that has broken in half?

No. Really, I'm asking you. I thought it should be a Sand 50¢ piece. The husband didn't find the humor in that. Of course, he might have still been upset that he didn't find a whole (Sand) dollar. This one was found last week when we took a day trip to Hammock's Beach down near Swansboro, NC. Do you like the 'trendy' version of the photo?

Hammock's Beach consists of two pieces of land. A 33 acre park on the mainland and Bear Island, a 892 acre barrier island bordered by the Atlantic on the south and on the north by salt marshes and the Intracoastal Waterway. The island can only be accessed by boat and no motorized vehicles (other than the park ranger truck) are allowed. Because of it's off shore location, Bear Island has played a role in defending the NC Coast during the Civil War and WWII (when the Coast Guard used to monitor for German U-boat activity). It was bought by Dr. William Sharpe in the early twentieth century. Sharpe planned to use the island as a retirement home and, upon his death, intended to deed it to his hunting guide, John Hurst. However, Hurst convinced Dr. Sharpe to donate the island to the NC Teachers Association, an organization of African American teachers. In 1961, the Association donated the island to the state of NC with the intention of opening it as a park for minorities. Well, in 1964, the passing of the Civil Rights Act opened up the park for all to enjoy. And there are many, many visitors (including us) who are thankful for this.

Unexpected Housewarming Gifts

So, I realized earlier today that we will be celebrating three weeks in our new house this Thursday (July 10th) and I have yet to post anything about the house or the move. Guess I haven't thought to post about the move because it was a bit on the traumatic side. For example, they got to our house in PA at 8:45 AM on June 17th to load our possessions into the moving truck and; because of bad directions (not our fault), miscommunication between dispatch and driver; they did not leave until 10:49 PM. Yeah. Pretty late. Long day.

However, we are settling in well (Ginger included). We have just one or two boxes left to unpack (waiting on our new office furniture to be delivered) and have taken time to explore the area.

Before I share details from recent exploration trips, I thought I'd share some of our housewarming gifts. Since our closing occurred on a Thursday, we drove down the day before. When we got to New Bern, we dropped off the cat at the B&B and drove over to the house to deposit the plants. While there, we walked down to the water and saw a turtle laying her eggs a few feet from our dock! Check back with me around mid-August and I'll tell you if we have babies (incubation period for turtle eggs is about 60 days).

So, on move-in Thursday, the husband started cleaning the master bathroom. He was still at it Friday morning. Now, this is good because #1 it shows he is thorough and #2 the cabinets were filthy; they needed a good strong cleaning. I honestly don't think the previous owners (although they weren't here long) ever cleaned any of the cabinets (bathroom, kitchen, anywhere). Imagine my surprise when my husband came into the kitchen (where I was continuing my cleaning of the kitchen cabinets) and asked, "Guess what I found in our bathroom cabinets?"

I thought, 'Wow. He still has a sense of humor after cleaning all morning.'

So, I played along. "Ummm. Rat shit?"

"No."

"Hmmmm. A turtle."

"No. A gun."

Yes folks. You read me correctly . . . . A gun. A loaded government-issued, Colt 45, to be exact. Turns out the previous owners (who now live four houses down on the opposite side of the street) are quite lackadaisical about keeping track of lethal weapons. I have to admit, "lackadaisical" is the New Bern cop's description of the gun owner. I voiced that I thought the guy must have been an irresponsible idiot. Yeah. I didn't have to be politically correct on this one.

Then, on Saturday (our third day in the house), we got another unexpected housewarming gift . . . . A beautiful floral arrangement. Totally unexpected and its delivery brought me to tears. Beautiful and colorful, it brought a warm, homey touch to our new residence. I left it on the mantle the first day and then moved it to the kitchen island where it could be enjoyed from every room. Two days after its delivery, one of the two Stargazer lilies in the arrangement bloomed (the second one bloomed about two days later), filling the kitchen and den with a wonderful perfumed scent. I have a confession to make . . . I couldn't help but smile every time I looked at it. Even while cleaning the kitchen, mopping the floors or cleaning the multitude of windows on the first floor, I would catch of glimpse of the flowers, smile and go back to my 'new home chores' with enhanced vigor.

Thank you for the flowers, BR. I can't tell you how much those flowers meant to me.

What is it?

I'm soooo behind on blogging. Must be all those 'new house' chores that are keeping me from the computer . . . . Well, that and all the beaches. The husband took last week off and we did a lot of exploring of the surrounding Eastern NC area. One trip was to Fort Macon State Park (north of Atlantic Beach) last Wednesday. No sunburns for us, but we did end up with cricks in our necks from shelling too much.

It was worth it though. Look at the husband's find! A helmut shell. I was soooo impressed with my Babe's shelling skills. Guess I've taught him well. We both saw a small portion of this showing thru the sand. I didn't have much hope for a 'find' so, I told him to 'go for it' while I continued on with my walk. All the sudden, I look back and he's still digging this sucker up. It was then that I realized that it must be big and it must be good for him to continue in his recovery efforts. It is a gorgeous shell. He was so proud of himself. Carried it up and down the beach the rest of the walk. I was proud of him too! BEAUTIFUL!