Birthday Week-Party Number Three

Eamons's birthday is actually August 16, but we are celebrating it today. He will be twelve. 

His birthday cake is a cupcake from Happycakes Cupcakery in MHC but his grandmother baked some brownies for all to share. 

Six adults, three grandsons and two dogs on the boat, then back home for shrimp and fish tacos. 

Now the presents. 

These boys are really into Mario and Louigi video games. 

Busy day today!

Birthday Number Two for Birthday Week

Lindsay's birthday is actually today. We celebrated this morning with gifts and a single candle in a sticky roll. 

Lindsay is our youngest daughter with Levi who is the youngest grandson. 

Everyone gets to blow out a candle and make a wish. 

Levi helped to open the gifts. 

Tomorrow we will celebrate someone else's birthday. Check back later to see who it is. 

Birthday Week

Both of our girls were born in August. Our oldest grandson was also born in August. The middle grandson was born September the 3rd and Becky's birthday is September 8th. With so many birthdays falling within a 30 day period, we have started having a birthday week when we celebrate birthdays.

Our family usually gets together at the the beach in August where we have our birthday week. During this time each person celebrates their birthday. They choose the day that they will celebrate their birthday and they receive their gifts and usually a cake or a cookie with candles. This is their day and they get to choose what they would like to do. So basically, there is a party every day. 

This year all of our brood are here at the beach, two daughters, two sons in law, three grandsons, two grand dogs and Becky and me. 

The first Birthday was son in law Matt.  He was born on July 25. 

Matt blowing out the candles on his red velvet birthday cake. 

Opening the gifts. Matt's wife Lindsay's birthday will be on Sunday which is her actual Birthday. 

More Birthday postings will follow. 

This Ain't the Way We Did It

I spent many days stooped over in these fields on the family farm priming tobacco. It was hot, dirty, back breaking work. Now it is done by machine. One operator primes two rows at a time. He has a cover over his head to help keep him cool and best of all he doesn't have to stoop over and walk down the rows. Today there were four of these harvesters in the farm. 

Once the bin on the back is full, it is unloaded onto a truck and hauled to the bulk barns. No more stringing the leaves onto a stick and hanging them in a barn for flue curing. 

I certainly do not miss those old days. 

Birds

Things are getting pretty slow when you start blogging about birds. I was grilling some steaks when I noticed two birds feeding on my zinnias. I had never seen this breed before so I did a web search to see if I could identify them. 

Stock picture of a goldfinch. Rather pretty, don't you think. 

My zinnias have not been dead headed recently which is why the finches were feeding on the seed. A good reason not to dead head. There was also a humming bird feeding on the flowers. 

Shrimp and Grits

One of my favorite seafood dishes is shrimp and grits. It's not hard to prepare and I cook them several times a year when at the coast. The family likes them too, so I usually cook a double recipe when they are in town.  The secret is using fresh shrimp and making really creamy grits with butter and half and half.

Just starting to cook the shrimp. 

Grandson Eamon insists on lighting the candles for a little atmosphere. 

Cecil hits the Big One

July 12

This may be the number that many of us dread. We are all lucky to make it as far as we have but none luckier than our dear classmate Cecil. Have a Happy Birthday, Cecil, with many more to come. 

Looking good to be 70!

A Nice Day for the Cape

Monday was a nice day to make a run up to Cape Lookout with the kids and dog. The July 4th crowd had cleared out and there were only a few boats at the Cape. 

The water was warm and perfect for swimming. 

The return trip was on the inside by the lighthouse, through Barden Inlet, by Harkers Island and Beaufort. 

A Delayed Fourth of July

We had an unwanted visitor at the beach Friday morning by the name of Author. Fortunately his visit was short and he left minimal damage. None the less, many of the 4th activities were postponed to the 5th. 

We did manage to work in some of the traditional events despite Authur. 

When did you last enjoy some homemade ice cream?

Pineapple. Our neighbor's recipe. Delicious!

More neighbors with children and sparklers. 

Most towns at the beach postponed their fireworks to Saturday night. 

We can watch fireworks at Beaufort, Morehead city and Atlantic Beach from our balcony. 

The Grand Finale!  That's all folks. 

Fourth of July Weekend

It appears that we might get a visit from Hurricane Authur early Friday morning along the coast of North Carolina. We are not going to let that spoil our plans. As soon as the hurricane passes we will be on our way to join family and friends for the celebration in Morehead City. Most of the fireworks have been rescheduled for Saturday. Other plans include fishing with the grand sons, grilling something on the grill, maybe some golf, a little boating and afternoon socializing. If we don't have a power outage or extensive damage, the weekend is still a go. 

The weather is suppose to be good for the rest of the weekend with highs in the low 80's. Seas are forecasted to be 13 feet on Friday but Saturday and Sunday should be much better with winds of only 10 to 15 knots.