Southport, NC

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

Click on the Pumpkin Pie and Enjoy!

PUMPKIN PIE

Thinking about being with Family and Friends..

Hope you have a Glorious Thanksgiving.

Take care,

Ginger Harper

October is already half gone and I don't want the rest of it to pass without offering some suggestions on how to get out and enjoy this final run-up to Halloween. It's a busy time of year when it seems like every group, establishment, and organization has something planned to ring in the Fall season.

The cooler temps, bright blue skies, and an ebbing pace are a much-anticipated and welcome change, bringing with them a much-needed attitude adjustment! My energy level is up, my running regime bolstered, my to-do list is getting shorter.....and the "soup is on!"

Walking outside this morning and I am thinking oysters...It is about time for the annual clean-up of "Camp Burton", our little hideout in the back yard, camouflaged by tall wax myrtle on one side, a wall of cat briar on the back, and tall stacks of firewood to finish out the enclosure. It's a rough-around-the-edges little oasis...nothing out of one of those "Backyard Hideaways" magazines I may be guilty of fawning over occasionally. There's a fire pit of course, dug out and lined with old bricks from our river beach, carried home long ago when we still had easy access to child labor. The sides are block and brick stacked up tall enough to hold a wire mesh grate and a half a bushel of oysters at a time. Stump seating and big colored Christmas lights complete the scene.

As usual...I digress... Now on to the "What's Happening Now" calendar...

Tomorrow head on down to Ocean Isle for their big annual Oyster Festival. There's an oyster shucking contest, a surfing contest, games, food vendors, entertainment, and an oyster stew cook-off. Oct 17 and 18. While you're down there, you might try and catch the Ingram Planetarium - Music Laser Show in Sunset Beach Saturday evening only.

Angela Eastering, a highly touted singer-songwriter makes a stop off on her current tour to the Amuzu Theatre in Downtown Southport on Saturday, the 17th at 7 pm. Tickets are $15 and part of the proceeds go to the renovation of the theater, a historic local landmark, home of Stage II Productions and featured musical artists brought in by Circle Entertainment throughout the year. Please get out and support your local arts scene. It takes numbers to make these creative endeavors viable.

Things start to get busy next weekend as Halloween approaches. On October 23rd starting at 6:30, Southport is hosting a Pumpkin Festival on the Garrison lawn. There's a pumpkin decorating contest, a costume contest, cake walk, games, and a "Creepy Hayride" along the river. If that doesn't get you in the Halloween spirit, on Saturday, the 24th, head out to Boiling Spring Lakes for their own Halloween Carnival to be held at the Community Center. Everyone is encouraged to bring two cans of food to benefit area food banks. A haunted hayride will start after dark. Admission free with food donations.

Don't miss the opportunity to see Brunswick Little Theatre's adaptation of Charlotte's Web. This will be BLT's first show in the newly completed Virginia Williamson Event Center at Odell Williamson Auditorium on the campus of Brunswick Community College. Opening night is Friday the 23rd at 7:30 with matinees on both Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. The same schedule follows for the next weekend. (Oct 30-Nov1) Anyone who has seen a show directed by Debbie Skillman, then you know what a fantastic job she does assembling a batch of local youth and funneling their energies and talents with positively engaging results. Admission $15 for adults, $10 for students, and $6 for kids under 12.

Oak Island's Parks and Recreation will hold it's own "Fall Community Spooktacular" on the 24th from 5 to 7 pm at Middleton Park. Children rides, family entertainment and hayrides are on the menu. Middleton Park Cinema will show "Ironman" beginning at 7pm, weather permitting. Bring chair or blanket.

For the grown-ups, on Halloween, the Stede Bonnet Halloween Regatta and after party at the Provision Co are long-standing traditions in Southport. Local and visiting sailors take this verrry seriously and bragging rights are good for a whole year. As for the pirate sailors, the Captain's meeting is at 9am and the course will be decided that morning depending on conditions. The race starts at 1pm at the old Yacht Basin and will commence all around the Cape Fear between Southport and Bald Head. The Block Party starts at 5pm at Provisions with awards, live band, and plenty of merriment, as this is the last hurrah before they close down for the winter.

And last but not least, on the 31st is the Brunswick County Fall Festival offering lots of Halloween fun starting at 8:30am. There will be tons of music, food and entertainment a 10am softball and kickball tournaments, a 1pm pie-eating contest, water balloons, and tug-of-war. At 5, there's a bon fire and marshmallow roast, at 6, hay rides, and at 6:45pm, and a Christian karate light show. And if that's not enough, Trunk or Treat starts at 7pm. All this will be held at the Bill Smith Park on Fish Factory Road off of Long Beach Road. Free Admission. Contact: Mike Hilliard - 910.547.0431

I'm sure I am missing some things here. Please feel free comment and add anything I haven't covered. So let's all get out there and enjoy the season; the cool weather, the sparkles on the water, the changing colors, the spectacular sunsets, the smell of a campfire, and the taste of that first Lockwood Folly oyster. Life is good.

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"When the dodlimbed tourists leave, the bluefish cannot be very far behind.... They like people who admire nor'easters and don't mind a little rain and a squall or two." says the Old Man. ©Robert Ruark's Old Man and the Boy

This is still on of my favorite books. Set back during the Depression and days of Prohibition, Ruark speaks right to the Southern heart of life spent outdoors; fishin', clammin', oysterin', duck huntin', all embellished with a crusty cast of characters, and warmed with southern coastal cooking traditions and forbidden corn "licker. The Old Man's home, now a Bed and Breakfast, is just down the block from my home of nearly 24 years now.

And it was over 25 years ago, when we were still caretakers over on Bald Head Island, that we had our first run-in with September bluefish. Skippy Stiller, a Southport original who came across the river to Bald Head every evening at 7 to relieve my husband of active security duties, was our able Captain. Now Skippy knew a thing or two about fishing and he'd been talking about the blues starting to run out on Jaybird Shoals. So our "trolling for bluefish" adventure came late one September afternoon in an old blue patched up 14' McKee Kraft. We had already caught a mess of mullet minnows in Bald Head Creek, so armed with live bait, and Hopkins lures and Clark Spoons, off we went. He had already warned, "Darlin' now if we get into ‘em, be careful," peppering his words with tales of digits lost to a blue's razor sharp teeth. I had caught bluefish out of the surf before and managed to keep all my fingers, but none the less, he had my full attention here with his talk about big schools of hungry blues and feeding frenzies.

So we made it out to Jaybird, the three of us with Skippy at the helm, in a small boat not quite fit to cross the shipping channel. But the wind was light and we trolled and fished hard ‘til dark, our arms weak from reeling in the ornery suckers. We didn't exactly slay ‘em but we caught about sixty and lost about that many. Some say nothing fights pound for pound harder than a bluefish. I believe it. Back on the Island, we quickly went to cleaning and filleting. The plan was for Skippy to take them back to Southport and smoke ‘em. I wish I had gotten his recipe for smoking. All I know is they started out in a brine in an old glass Lance cracker jar. But we held out a good mess and fried them up for dinner. They've never tasted better, before or since. You need to eat bluefish right out of the water cause the next day they're hardly fit to eat...

So I'll leave you with a final passage from "The Boy" ... "I feel sorry for people who never had a chance at grilled bluefish... The way the Old Man cooked them, they tasted better than any fish has a right to taste. He just laid them on the grill over hot coals and left them until you could see the skin blistering and cracking and turning gold and black, with the white showing through and the grease sizzling steadily on the coals. When he finally took them off, they were so tender they just fell apart. He bathed them in about half a pound of butter apiece, poured vinegar over them, and then dusted them with black pepper. I ate about four pounds of fish before I quit."

September is just the start of the "good months" in Southport. October is nearly here and as the tourists leave us, it'll be time for the fall fisherman to come out of the woodwork. The US Open King Mackerel Tournament kicks off early this year, the 1st-3rd, and the Captain Charlie kids fishing Tournament on the 3rd at the City Pier. More to come!

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Who is "We"?

It was said in Turkey : "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set
of values."


I found this very interesting.
Do you know the Preamble for your state?

Be sure to read the message at the bottom!

Alabama 1901, Preamble
We the people of the State of Alabama , invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution..

Alaska 1956, Preamble We, the people of Alaska , grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.

Arizona 1911, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arizona , grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

Arkansas 1874, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arkansas , grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...

California 1879, Preamble We, the People of the State of California , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom...

Colorado 1876, Preamble We, the people of Colorado , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe...

Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy.

Delaware 1897, Preamble Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences...

Florida 1885, Preamble We, the people of the State of Florida , grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution...

Georgia 1777, Preamble We, the people of Georgia , relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution...

Hawaii 1959, Preamble We , the people of Hawaii , Grateful for Divine Guidance ..... Establish this Constitution.

Idaho 1889, Preamble We, the people of the State of Idaho , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings..

Illinois 1870, Preamble We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil , political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

Indiana 1851, Preamble We, the People of the State of Indiana , grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.

Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the St ate of Iowa , grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution.

Kansas 1859, Preamble We, the people of Kansas , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.

Kentucky 1891, Preamble.... We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties..

Louisiana 1921, Preamble We, the people of the State of Louisiana , grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.

Maine 1820, Preamble We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity .. And imploring His aid and direction.

Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the state of Maryland , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...

Massachusetts 1780, Preamble We....the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction

Michigan 1908, Preamble.. We, the people of the State of Michigan , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, establish this Constitution.

Minnesota, 1857, Preamble We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:

Mississippi 1890, Preamble We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.

Missouri 1845, Preamble We, the people of Missouri , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness . Establish this Constitution...

Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution .

Nebraska 1875, Preamble We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom . Establish this Constitution.

Nevada 1864, Preamble We the people of the State of Nevada , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution...

New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.

New Jersey 1844, Preamble We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

New Mexico 1911, Preamble We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty..

New York 1846, Preamble We, the people of the State of New York , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.

North Carolina 1868, Preamble We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those...

North Dakota 1889, Preamble We , the people of North Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain..

Ohio 1852, Preamble We the people of the state of Ohio , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common.
Oklahoma 1907

, Preamble Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, establish this

Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences

Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance......

Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing...

South Carolina , 1778, Preamble We, the people of the State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

South Dakota 1889, Preamble We, the people of South Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties ....

Tennessee 1796, Art. XI..III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...

Texas 1845, Preamble We the People of the Republic of Texas , acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.

Utah 1896, Preamble Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.

Vermont 1777, Preamble Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man ....

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other

Washington 1889, Preamble We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution

West Virginia 1872, Preamble Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ..

Wisconsin 1848, Preamble We, the people of Wisconsin , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility...

Wyoming 1890, Preamble We, the people of the State of Wyoming , grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties, establish this Constitution..



After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong! If you found this to be 'Food for thought' send to as many as you think will be enlightened as I hope you were.

(Please note that at no time is anyone told that they MUST worship God.)

GOD BLESS AMERICA !

Treva

Memory Face Test

This test will determine if you're getting enough sleep or if your mind has really lost it! The test consists of three parts:
You'll be shown 12 photos in the first part,
You'll be shown another 12 photos in the second part,
You'll be shown 48 photos in the third part and asked if you saw them in the first part, the second part - or never saw them at all.
When you have finished the third part, your results will be given to you.

Click here <http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/tmt/instructions_1.shtml> to begin.

Sometimes I can't remember faces...or names either

Have fun,

Ginger Harper