It feels so good to find shells again.  I, by no means think that it feels good outside.  I hate cold weather.  I hate winter.  The only exception to winter are the treasures that the winter storms bring.  Shelling can be the best this time of year, you just have to make sure you have the appropriate gear.  The only other thing I like about shelling this time of year, is the unexpected wind burn.  I love that feeling of bringing not only shells back, but a sign on my nose that I've enjoyed the outdoors.

I find that layering is the best for these cold temperatures.  I have on two down Patagonia jackets, and two scarves.

Layer!

Here are a few more of my favorites for keeping warm as you hunt and gather this winter.

An obvious Patagonia lover, this hat is my favorite and only $35.

Wool socks are essential as they continue to warm even if wet.  Smartwool makes the best!

Patagonia Pullover - I don't own this but I want to.

Hunter Boots - I have these in hunter green.  I'm sure the salt water isn't good for them, but mine still get the job done.

So, after bundling up and hitting the beach, I found some fantastic treasures.  Here are a handful of my favorites:

My first Ocean Drive (OD) Sand Dollar.  When I stumbled upon it I gasped.  It was such a fun find!

OD Channeled Whelk

OD Lightning Whelk

OD Sea Urchin.  I spoke to it when I found him.

Tiny treasures up at the high tide line.

I think this is a brown banded wentletrap.

It feels so good to find shells in January.  And, gives me the hope that I will make it through another winter.

Cheers,
Margaret

Summer Bites and Stings and Home Remedies

It's that time of year again - when everything I love is in full bloom and thriving.  And, although that can include Blue Crabs, Red Drum, and Tomatoes, it also means that the ocean is at is warmest, and everything in the yard is at it's peak - even the jellyfish, and the ants.

Jellyfish

Beautiful, but cruel.

Last weekend a friend of mine and I were swimming in the ocean, and some sort of jellyfish swiped him at his ankle.  We couldn't tell what kind of jellyfish, and as we got out of the ocean, you couldn't even see where the sting had happened.  But, it was obvious the next day.  You must treat the jellyfish sting area immediately.  Jellyfish sting you through nematocysts (really big word), which are released from their tentacles, (I know, gross, right?).  But, if you don't treat it, these nematocysts will stay in the skin and continue to release venom.

Here's what to do:

• Immediately rinse off the area (or assumed area if the skin isn't reacting yet) with salt water from wherever you were swimming.
• Vinegar - rinse the area in vinegar, and soak area in vinegar.  If that's not possible soak a paper towel or rag in the vinegar and tape it around the area.  
• You can also make a salt water and baking soda paste and rub that on the area.  
• Shave the paste off and clean, adding vinegar and more paste as needed.
• Hydrocortizone Cream can be added to avoid itching.
• Periodically add antibiotic ointment for the next few days.

Ants

Wish it had been a straw and not my foot.

Don't you love when you are in the yard, maybe your are gardening, or maybe you are staring off to space, when you realize that your left foot is sitting smack dab on top of a ant hill.  Mother....

That just happened to me today, and I am allergic to ants.  Thankfully, they weren't fire ants, BUT they felt like it.  All I wanted to do what cut my foot off from the sting and the itch.  I was about to jump out of my skin.  

There is an easier remedy.  LEMON!

Simply squeeze lemon on all the parts that sting if you can get to them before the sting whelp up.  If your lemons are stored in the refrigerator, even better.  The cold lemon made me feel like a super hero to those measly ant stings.  I did this for about 5 minutes, and now my foot feels almost like a million dollars.

BUT, as we all know who have ever had the pleasure of being stung by ants, the pain is bearable, the itch not so much.  I went online to see if there was something that could help here, and you wouldn't believe what I found, tried, and now practice daily.  It works.  Before I say anything though, I am not a doctor of anything, and I do not recommend you burning yourself or using a hairdryer in water.  So, I have no liability for what you do after you read this.

Heat directly to the stings takes the itch away.  I used a hair dryer, maybe for a couple a minutes, taking it off the skin when it hurt (lets be safe here), and none of the ant bites have itched all day.  Amazing!  I found this tip from this blog.  I am so looking forward to finally getting some sleep tonight!

I hope that you will not need to use any home remedies, and I hope the rest of the summer crawls by.  But, believe me, as a coastal outdoor hunter and gatherer, these have worked better than anything I've tried.

Good luck out there, be safe, and have fun!

Cheers,

Margaret

100 North Carolina Icons

The July issue of Our State has a great insert of North Carolina's Icons.  Check out their list to see if you agree - and see how many you have viewed:

North Carolina Top 100 Icons Checklist

This awesome list got me thinking about a Hunting and Gathering checklist.  Of course, I am partial to North Carolina's Southeastern coast, but would love to learn spots on ANY coast that I can vacation to for crabbing, clamming, shelling, surfing, swimming with dolphins...obviously the list can go on and on.  But, I thought I would jot down my favorite Hunting and Gathering Icons and keep adding to my checklist, to then aim to check off the items on my checklist, and keep exploring new places!  Please let me know what I am missing in my list.  (And, I am not even going to try to rate these - they are in no particular order)!

• Old Baldy, Bald Head Island

Old Baldy Lighthouse 1817

• East Beach, Bald Head Island (picture taken after Hurricane Irene, August 27, 2011)

• Masonboro Island

Masonboro Inlet (Wrightsville Beach is north of inlet, Masonboro south).

Masonboro Island - 9 miles long of untouched Barrier Island.

Loggerhead Eggs post hatch.  Nice nest!

Masonboro Bounty (nice whale bone!) - Credit: Todd Guerdat

Masonboro Storm - Credit: Christina McNeely

• Portsmouth Island (which, I hear is fantastic for shelling, but I haven't been yet - I hear you can find Scotch Bonnet's here!)

• Your secret or not so secret crabbing hole or clam bed

Clamming Dorks

Is this a secret?

Clams Casino here we go!

Good first catch - ready for more!

• Frying Pan Shoals

Frying Pan Shoals Tower

• Swimming Hole

Entering "The Swimming Hole"

View of Wrightsville Beach from "The Swimming Hole"

• Mason's Inlet

• Morris Island Lighthouse

This picture was just sent by my boyfriend - Morris Island Lighthouse - still there after water has taken it over!

• Liberty Ship (Video Credit: Alexander Ramsey via You Tube):

 

What are the icons that mean something to you?  Or, the ones you know will once you visit?  

Cheers!

Margaret

Bald Head Island on Dwellable

Whole Foods vs. Harris Teeter

    vs.

You would have to be living under a rock if you weren't aware of the Wholes Foods Grand Opening which was yesterday, May 23rd in Wilmington, NC.  I know I am not the only Wilmingtonian that is beyond thrilled to have a Whole Foods here.  It's almost hard to believe that my hometown has a Whole Foods.  Us Wilmingtonians are used to having to travel to get the 'cool stuff'.  When I was in high school I would skip class and ride up I-40 to go shopping at Banana Republic and J. Crew.  I still go to Anthropologie and lulu lemon athletica when I am there.  After college I lived in places that had the 'cool stuff':  New York City, Raleigh, Austin, and Houston.  While in Austin, I worked at Anthropologie, which is across the street from the mothership Whole Foods.  And, I am not embarrassed to admit that I spent more time at that Whole Foods than in my apartment.  I love Whole Foods, even if it is known as 'whole paycheck' by some.  And, now Wilmington has one, in my neighborhood.  Weird, wonderful, different, fantastic.  I decided to check it out.

I visited the Wilmington Whole Foods today, and I was impressed, of course, but found myself uncomfortable.  No one acts like this at Harris Teeter.  The atmosphere in and around the building was explosive.  When I encountered a group of friends who had obviously run into each other, I couldn't help eavesdropping.  They were talking about Whole Foods and the excitement in their voices made me feel slightly embarassed for them.  One girl in the group actually started singing and twirled on the sidewalk.  Her friend shot back, "I know, now we don't have to wonder where the meat came from or be grossed out by it."  First of all, is this how you communicate at Whole Foods (it's been a while)?  Does a song and a twirl convey something that has to do with meat selection? 

I kept walking trying to take in the 10 minutes I aimed to spend there.  I walked around towards the entrance and was pleasantly surprised that Whole Foods was selling herbs in miniture pots: basil, thyme (lemon leaf...hmm), oregano, cilantro, and more; it was a great selection.  I smiled thinking that Harris Teeter should do something like this.  Then, I glanced at the price, could this be right?  2 for $5, pick and choose?  Wow.  That's not my whole paycheck.  I grabbed them and placed them in my cart walking inside. 

Inside was madness.  Excited madness.  If you've been to a Whole Foods before you can gage how the store is organized.  I wanted to pop in, but I was also in a rush, so I went directly to the prepared wraps, grabbed one, and a sparkling water (Poland Spring, only $1.19 for 33.8 FL OZ!).  I passed two ladies who were in the same excited boat as the rest of the store.  One of them grabbed a water and said, "this water is sooo cold", as she cradled it, then added, "maybe I should get more than one?"  Well, lady, it's hotter than Houston outside and I promise it won't stay that cold for long.  Cute.  I wonder if she ever said that about Harris Teeter water?  I moved to the check out. 

The check out was madness, but I found a line that was almost vacant.  The customers in front of me were chatting with the checkout lady; they were new best friends from the sound of it.  Oh, how I miss Harlene!  I did however make it out of there in less than 10 minutes.  But, I think I was one of the few who knew her intentions.  Besides the herbs, other highlights included free almost everything:  the blueberries were beautiful, some goey stuff not so much, but everyone loves something for free.  On the way out I couldn't help but notice the corn on the cob outside drenched in ice.  Wow, Harris Teeter would never go to that expense.  Or will they? 

So my brain started doing something that resembled thinking.  We have a Whole Foods, and it's great.   But, is it better than Harris Teeter?  Is it really more expensive to shop at Whole Foods than Harris Teeter?   How are they each viewed by Wilmingtonians?  Once the hype calms down, will people continue to shop there.   Will the hype ever calm down. And, what will happen to My Harris Teeter?  

My brain came up with a plan.  For the next 60 days, I will assess my experience with both Harris Teeter and Whole Foods.  Specifically, do I spend more at Whole Foods than at Harris Teeter.  Will I switch completely to Whole Foods (I'd miss Harlene!), or remain loyal to Whole Foods?  What will Wilmington do?  How will Whole Foods change this community?  Follow my progress, share your experiences, and, as Cher Horowitz would say...

Project!
xo
Margaret

Vienna Sausages, Almonds, Beer....obvious Road Trip!

Good times! 

xo
Margaret

Margaret Turner, MBA, Bald Head Island Hermit

Good Afternoon - you're about to call in sick.
So, as some of you may know I did graduate Rice University with a Masters in Business Administration.  YES IT IS a real university.  I know, I do love rice and gravy and you think I made it up because of that.  But, seriously, there is a Rice University and it's a really good school, and they let me go there.  I seriously think that the minute I stepped into orientation in August of 2008, the majority of the faculty, especially a certain dude in admissions and a certain dudette in the Student Services center IMMEDIATELY regretted that decision.  I had an incredible time learning loads and really bringing back my class clown status - even at 31.  Wow, see you are never to old to act like an obnoxious pie hole.  But, boy! It was fun!

So, with my MBA I have decided that I am going to become the Bald Head Island Hermit.  For those of you from the NC Coastal Area, you well know that Fort Fisher had an infamous hermit for years that lived in a cave or dune of some sort.  I never saw him, but my Daddio did AND, they have loads of books that you can read up on about it.  Maybe I'll have loads of books about me when I become the infamous Bald Head Island Hermit.

April 23, 2011: "Margaret Turner, MBA, Self-Appointed BALD HEAD ISLAND HERMIT."

I don't know what to say, "Thank you."  First of all, I like to thank in advance, The Bald Head Island Management for having homeowners put the "YES" sign up if they are at their house or the "NO" sign if they are not.  They say this is because they need to know whether to pick up the trash or not, but let's be honest:  they do it for me, Margaret Turner, MBA, The Bald Head Island Hermit.  This way, if "YES" is posted I know not to settle underneath the house in case of inclement weather.  If "NO" is posted, then I have shelter, and believe me, even in the biggest season of visitors, there are plenty of spots to plant.

Secondly, I would like to thank BHI Management for the new bins they have placed at the Ferry Landing.  We all know that when you go to BHI, guests either bring to much food and spirits, or they buy too much at Maritime Village.  I appreciate the bins and the visitors/landowners who leave what they don't eat or drink in the bins so that I do not go without food and especially wine.  "Get OUT of there Turners, we all know you drink all your drinks, but hey, a Hermit needs her booze."

Thirdly, I like to thank in advance my new pets:  the various alligators, foxes, deers, drum, clams, crabs...etc.  I love y'all, but please be advised, if the bin gets low I am going to have to hunt and gather you to survive.  After all, what will Bald Head Island do without their Infamous Hermit.

Fondly,
Margaret Turner, MBA, Bald Head Island Hermit