Friday, June 29, 2007

A ghostly evening...

It is growing dark with thickening clouds and the distant roll of thunder off into the Pamlico Sound. I love these nights for ghost stories and haints that stroll in the night. This kind of weather keeps tourists inside and the locals out with umbrellas and flashlights to enjoy the swaying of the trees and a bit of a floating island.



I think I'll just head out myself for a lonely, quiet stroll and see what ghostly beings I can find in the 82 cemeteries that sleep in this little village.



Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana and spends her summers on the wind swept island of Ocracoke. You can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Early morning stroll...

This morning was the lovliest of mornings. We woke up early and decided to head to the beach before the heat and the crowds. (OK, there really aren't too many crowds here!) We hurriedly grabbed our swimsuits and were out the door. Oh, it was so magestic. The sun was just peaking out of low rosy clouds as our feet hit the sand. The beach was entirely empty as far as the eye could see....it was as if we were in another world.



We walked and talked about life and the universe and physics and the beauty of life. It was one of those early morning deep conversations. We passed roped off areas of sea turtles and dunes full of sea grass and the remains of washed away sand castles.



We both went into the gray blue water for an early swim and then headed home full of salt and wind.



We completed the morning with showers and hot coffee and blueberry pancakes with Indian
maple syrup before the day had even started. Sigh.



Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana and spends her summers on the wind swept island of Ocracoke. You can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

An afternoon fairie party..

The invitation was delivered by hand. "Dear Lou Ann, Come to my fairie party on Sunday
Caroline."



Caroline is 8 or 9 years old and lives on the island in an old historic home/cottage with her parents, Rob and Sundae, her brother, Emmett, and her one year old sister, Mariah Daisy.

She is full of spunk and energy and bursting with ideas. (No TV for those children!!)



I wore my best fairie dress with my crown (of course) and carried a small hand-blown vase as a gift to Caroline for a fairie bouquet. She was still adorning the table as I rapped on the door and I needed to wait patiently for a moment or two.



The house had been transformed into a fairy wonderland with fairy wings and notes and pictures in all the corners of the house. The kitchen table was adorned with pink netting attached to the lamp and circling the table. (After the day's events it was to make it's way to Caroline's bed!) Her fairy collection was gathered about on the table as well as plates and napkins. Sundae was busy finishing up the blueberry tortes, holding on the Mariah and carrying on a conversation with me as well. Sundae is a gifted Mama as well as a gifted writer...so much to talk about! Although on this day, the top was fairies. Where do they live? What do they eat?



Our luncheon was perfect....fresh strawberries, grapes, fairie tea sandwiches, Jordan almonds, fairie tea, and the blueberry tortes. Following lunch we went out into the garden to build a fairie house. The rules are simple...all natural materials found in the garden or the woods although you cannot pick anything! Sundae became the hunter/gatherer while Caroline and I built the fairie house. It was a lovely house...full of sticks, hydrangeas, day lily seed pods, seashells, gardenias, pinecones...the inside had small tables of shells and beds with moss. If I were a fairie, I would definitely live in the small, tastefully decorated home.



By mid-afternoon it was time to meander on down the pathway on my bike. Saying my good byes, I tucked my long fairie dress under me and took to the dusty lane. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.



I just wonder....who visited last night by the light of the moon? Will we ever know?

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana and spends her summers on the wind swept island of Ocracoke. You can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

The Solstice..

Today is the Solstice, my favorite day of the year...from now on we head towards the darkness. On this day, however, we join in the ancient celebrations of proclaiming the sun and making every effort to ask her to stay as long as possible. Stores close, folks dance...bonfires burn in tribute to this wonderful pagan custome.

My boys and I have celebrated the Solstice for as long as I can remember. We set candles floating out on the pond with fairy wishes for a good crop. We chose a king or queen of the Solstice and let that person lead the procession complete with rose petals. Ahhh, those were wonderful days.

This day is wonderful, as well. Philip and I spent the late afternoon at a local wine tasting with friends. I wore my white sundress and flowers in my hair, of course! Tonight we join our friends on the beach with a bonfire for storytelling and singing...and who knows what might happen after dark!

Happy Solstice to all of you.

Lou Ann

Monday, June 18, 2007

"Zest won't kill me..."

Each morning on the island I am privy to an outside shower with a lovely bar of homemade soap. The shower is adorned with stain glass windows and a copper shower head. It is canopied with the yaupon and cedar trees and with the celestial song of island birds.

It doesn't matter what the weather, I use the outdoor shower religiously each morning. Today when Philip arrived back from the shower, it wasn't the traditional scent of clove and cedar, but a man made scent of what? He was quick to tell me that he found an old bar of Zest soap and was going to use it up. I was a bit surprised, but I also know that he doesn't waste anything.

As long as HE is the one to use the old Zest, then I guess I'll not complain. After all, zest won't kill him, but I will be glad when that old bar is gone.

I am spoiled, that I know.

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

15 Days of Sand....

Dear Folks,

Hearing from several of you that the blog site has not been updated has definitely renewed my interest in keeping up.

Ahhh...the lovely Blue Moon night..I waited so long and patiently for the baby to be born...but she had other plans and waited until late on that Sunday night to join this lovely colorful world.

I was here on the Island by then and sharing in the music and storytelling of the festival as Kristin and Abe spent the day in the hospital waiting for her birth.

I believe the moment of her birth we were singing 'Let the Circle Be Unbroken,' which will always make me think of her. So Miss Holly Erika Homan is here to share our lives. We all welcome her with open arms and hearts.

Since the first of June it has been a whirlwind of getting settled once again here with Philip...unpacking, reconnecting, visting, working...

The schedule is wonderful for the summmer...I work three days a week in the shop and those same evenings we have ghost and history walks as well as the Opry. Philip and I are taking turns sharing stories this year. We have beach walks and late night strolls...I have had bread baking class, weddings, and just simply peacefulness.

I'll try to keep you all well informed...dont' forget about Sunday passage...soon to be posted on the web site as well!

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.


Spring break in St. Pete...

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