Ghosts that bump in the Night...

Twice a week I lead a Ghost and History walk on the island. It has taken several summers of research for this project. I have read many books and listened to "the ole' folks talk" as they would say.



We gather at 7:30 with flashlights and cameras (and bug spray). I have a great pirate dress with shawl and a necklace of seashells. We begin our journey rather historically...island history, island geography. By the time we reach the water's edge and the darkness begins to descend upon us the stories become ghostly in nature. We then head back into the village for the cemetery stories as flashlights become necessary and folks hold on to each other because of the inky darkness and Ghosts, of course.



Last night a storm began to brew in the ocean...the thunder was rumbling across the water, but often the storm skirts around this tiny island and heads back out to sea. However, this night was different...I began to count the seconds between lightning and thunder, just as I had been taught in elementary school. I knew we didn't have long, yet several stories yet to tell. I walked and talked a little faster. The bolts were more jagged and closer...the wind picked up...the parents picked up their children...but still they wanted the stories. In the middle of my last ghostly tale the rain came in torrents, we all fled for cars and porches (those who had come on foot or bike) to wait out the storm.



Needless to say, last nights tour will not soon be forgotten!



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

Springer's Point

Ahhhh, today was a day off and it was splendid! I spent the early morning drinking coffee on the front pizer (front porch) and just watching the sun rise as it cast shadows over the sandy lane. It was the perfect morning for hanging out sheets after having company for several days...it seemed as if someone was always coming and going this week. I love hanging out the sheets for the salty smell.

The week was full of Fourth of July celebrations, our float, our pot luck, our guests...fireworks on the beach. (full acount in this week's Herald Republican!) and a special edition of the Opry on Saturday night by 12 incredibly beautiful and talented women on the island. (If you haven't received Sunday Passage yet, let me know!)

Spent the rest of the morning with Philip and Lachlan (he is three) at Springer's Point for swimming and shell collecting, back on the bikes for ice cream and then naps!

Ahhh, I love having the day off!!

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.

Under the old oak tree...

Yesterday afternoon I was strolling by my neighbors (well, actually I wasn't strolling, they were having a garage sale...and they are Philip's grown kids having the sale)....anyway, I walked on over and kept bringing lovely little items back to the house. Some I have hidden under the bed or on bookshelves or in the back wash house (for the time being!)

Anyway, on the late afternoon stroll with the slanting golden orb above, there was a gentleman in an orange and yellow striped hat with eyebrows that were reminiscent of Groucho Marx...black and bushy and almost down to his eyes. We got to talking as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and with one swish turned five one dollar bills into five one hundred dollar bills!

Oh, he did not stop there, he pulled out his deck of cards and shared tricks with us. A crowd began to gather and hover over this eccentric old man. He continued the show with a piece of rope...tying it...cutting it...knotting it..and always returned to a full rope.

I felt like I was part of a traveling magic show...his wife sat serenely on an old trunk at the sale while we all just ooohhhed and ahhhhed. His voice carried down the dusty lane as he used his carny voice gathering us all into the act.

He told us his parents were in vaudeville and traveling gypsies as they took their wooden cart up and down the coast sharing their magic tricks. He began doing magic at age three. It was the most delightful afternoon...I could not stay away..dinner was uncooked and I was late for a rehearsal...but under the gold orb of life we learned more than magic.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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