MONDAY FOOD POST - A RESTAURANT WITH BOATS NEARBY

When I don't have a recipe on Monday, and whenever possible, I will share a restaurant we have visited.  This one is the Blue Water Grille and Row Bar in Manteo, when we were in North Carolina a few weeks ago.

My sister-in-law found this one.  

It was a very enjoyable experience...

and the food was delicious.

If you would like to take a look at their website, this is the link.

We ordered off the lunch special menu.  One of the appetizers they were offering was fried pickles, which we shared.  

Gregg and I ordered the Asian-style Crab and Broccoli Soup.  It also was very good.

We all ordered the Seared Scallops Salad.

Scallops are one of my favorite seafoods.

And for dessert?  The Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding.  It was decadent, one of the best I had ever tasted, and we shared so that we wouldn’t be too naughty after such a scrumptious meal. 

I also enjoyed looking at the art on the walls...

and the stained glass hanging in the windows.

Afterwards we took a walk outside and enjoyed the boats.  If you saw my other post you might remember this area from another photo I included. 

The sculpture of a Marlin, as if jumping out of the water.

We always enjoy trying another restaurant, especially when on vacation.

Thank you for looking and have a great week.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIFT...

A TRIP DOWN TO COROLLA AND SEASHELLS, LOTS OF SEASHELLS...

and one Horseshoe Crab.

 We have been in Corolla on the Outerbanks of North Carolina for a few days, spending time with Gregg's sister.  One of the things we have in common is that we both love to look at seashells, and she found many to show me on her early morning walks along the beach.  I was absolutely delighted with them.  Those I will share another time.

 This exhibit was found at a visitor center on one of our rides around the area.

 I have always found the Horseshoe Crab fascinating, and prehistoric looking.  Unfortunately I have never seen a live one, just the one in this exhibit and one or two on the beach over the years.

 The other thing I found fascinating and don't remember ever seeing them before, or maybe I have but thought it was seaweed or something, is the Whelk egg case.  In each section of those 'discs' there can be up to 99 tiny whelks.  This is also commonly known as a Mermaid Necklace.  You can read more at this link.

 If you enlarge each photo you can see them in better detail.

I found an interesting video on YouTube which I embedded below.  If you can't see the video you can find it at this link.

Added note: with thanks for Martha Ellen's comment, that the Horseshoe Crab is not actually a crab. Forever curious I found more information at the link here where it says that these fascinating creatures are closer related to spiders and scorpions than to the crab.  Thank you Martha Ellen!   

And thank you for looking. Have a great week!

THE FEATHERED COMPANIONS

We came across these two a few weeks back when we were in North Carolina.  He and his companion, a duck, were resting near a light pole in a quiet area away from the hub-hub of people not too far away.

They made a cute couple, were obviously friends and followed each other around as if they were tied together with an invisible rope.

At one point they decided to take a swim.

We observed and enjoyed.  

Duck and Goose seemed to be heading in different directions at one point.

And then I got 'the look'.

Mr. Goose stared at me, then started swimming back to shore.  As he waddled onto the bank a few yards from where I was standing, still with that laser-focused look, I said to myself  I think I am moving.

I am not sure if he was looking to me with the hopes of some food.

But I decided it prudent to head in the other direction.  

Very wise said Companion Duck who followed close behind.

A couple of beauties they may have been, but I had visions (memory told before) of a six year old girl with sandwich in hand, being chased down by a white goose many, many years ago, pecking at her legs, screaming (me) as I ran.  Yes, screaming all the way back to my aunty who calmly said, "You should have dropped the sandwich!".  Oh well, lesson learned! 

I had no food but I was taking no chances.  We left the two companions eyeing another couple sitting down at the picnic table nearby, and continued our walk.

GOOD FENCES FOR GOSIA

I spotted a butterfly but before I could take a closer photo it flew away.  I am at least happy to have the fence so that I can join in with Good Fences this week hosted by Gosia.

 If you would like to see others, or join in with your own, you can go here.  

Thank you for hosting Gosia!  And thank you all for visiting.  

I generally take the weekend off now so I will wish you all a great one.  See you Monday!

TWO PHOTOS FROM MY SISTER-IN-LAW

These are two more photos from Gregg's sister, who spent time recently with this little sweetie.  She was helping her with the latest puzzle.

"Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen."
~Orhan Pamuk~

BEES AND BUTTERFLIES

My first photo is from yesterday's post, without the quote.  The photo below shows the garden we found, next to the Wild Horse Museum-Store.  It isn't too far from the lighthouse in Corolla, just up the road.  

At first you think it might be very overgrown and uncared for.  It is at the end of the season.  However, if you look closer still, you realize it would be like coming across a meadow and perhaps this was their intention.  Look closer still and there were dozens of bees and butterflies very happy at its wild state.  

"With rake and seeds and sower,
And hoe and line and reed,
When the meadows shrill with "peeping"
And the old world wakes from sleeping,
Who wouldn't be a grower
That has any heart to feel?"

~Frederick Frye Rockwell~
"Invitation," Around the Year in the Garden, 1913"

Here are a few of those happy visitors.

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life.  And everyone deserves a little sunshine."

~Jeffrey Glassberg~

"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden."
~Elizabeth Lawrence~

"Butterflies, bees,
Our winged, happy friends.
Oh, to dance in the air
And float on the breeze."

~Terri Guillemets~

"What do you suppose?
A bee sat on my nose.
Then what do you think?
He gave me a wink
And said, "I beg your pardon,
I thought you were the garden."

~English Rhyme~

"The pedigree of honey does not concern the bee, a clover, anytime, to him, is aristocracy."

~Emily Dickinson~

"When I add a spoon of honey to my tea, I give thanks to a dozen bees for the work of their whole lives.  When my finger sweeps the final drop of sweetness from the jar, I know we've enjoyed the nectar from over a million flowers. This is what honey is: the souls of flowers, a food to please the gods.  Honeyeaters know that to have a joyful heart one must live life like the bees, sipping the sweet nectar from each moment as it blooms.  And Life, like the world of honey, has its enchantments and stings."

~Ingrid Goff-Maidoff~
 "The Honey Sutras"

"Every saint has a bee in his halo."
~Elbert Hubbard~

"I've watched you now a full half-hour;
Self-poised upon that yellow flower
And, little Butterfly!  
Indeed I know not if you sleep or feed,
How Motionless! - not frozen seas 
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!

This plot of orchard-ground is ours;
My trees they are, my Sister's flowers;
Here rest your wings when they are weary;
Here lodge as in a sanctuary!
Come often to us, fear no wrong;
Sit near us on the bough!
We'll talk of sunshine and of song,
And summer days, when we were young;
Sweet childish days, that were as long
As twenty days are now.”

~William Wordsworth~
"To A Butterfly"

"I don't like formal gardens.  I like wild nature.  It's just the wilderness instinct in me I guess."

~Walt Disney~