POST 551: 02/12/12: OUTER BANKS, NORTH CAROLINA

Mother Nature gave us a good ride last night.

0600 (am) woke up to 19 F outside.


Inside SPIA, with no heat on all night, 0600 temperature was 41 F.

That means my make-shift insulation is working...22 F higher inside.

Of course, the wind chill factor outside was well below 19 F, as the wind blew +/- 40 mph with higher gusts all night, giving SPIA a ride on the wild side.


As I stepped out of SPIA, I was greeted by stinging snow flurries.


...partially covering the frozen ground.


With a bit of ice forming.

Not exactly what I anticipated to find on the Outer Banks...then again, I have been told that last year - 2010 / 2011 - snow accumulated many inches deep around the first of the year.



SPIA is rather well protected by surrounding evergreen (pine) trees with over 1/2 of her parked under the deck of HAPPY CLAM.

Most homes in the Outer Banks are built quite high above the ground as it is often flooding. The sand spit making up the Outer Banks is only a couple feet above the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Pamlico Sound on the other side.


Sharing my regular morning routine, hot oatmeal prepared and eaten from the blue pan. I have a complete complement of dishes, pots and pans, but only ole' blue gets any use.

It has stayed quite cold all day. Now 6:40 pm with outside temperature at 30 F.

Looks to be another cold night.

Kept busy with the Food Pantry this morning and helping Tim all afternoon.

Tomorrow will be helping Tim all day.

Lots of activity on the Banks preparing for Valentine Day. I am keeping a low profile, but wish to send each of you a dozen red roses. I am, of course, a hopeless romantic...even when I have no actual hand to hold, my thoughts and feelings are running deep.

Happy Valentine Day.