Weaverly

Back On the Mainland

The ferry ride from Okracoke to Cedar Island lasts barely three hours, but it really has made a huge difference to me psychologically. I feel as if this trip is nearly over. In going over my Okracoke pictures, I've picked two that may become weavings. The first is reflections in the water at a marina, and the second is a photo of dune vegetation that I've indexed to four colors. My head is getting back into weaving mode.

 

Rodanthe, Hatteras, and Okracoke

There were indeed some good weaving shops in Manteo, but I am now in Okracoke with a very fragile Internet connection, so will make this a brief posting.

We explored an old fishing shack in Rodanthe and found ropes, nets, and a nice stand of wildflowers in the dunes.

 

 

At Hatteras Lighthouse (in its new location—it was moved ten years ago because of beach erosion), I took this picture looking up into the tower:

 

And at Okracoke, just at sunset, the harbor beckoned:

 

There was almost nothing on the Outer Banks this trip that remotely resembled the Outer Banks I visited 48 years ago. Rampant development has rendered this once pristine and magical area nearly unrecognizable. 

Outer Banks

The weather is still wretched, but no matter. The ride down the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is still awe-inspiring. It's a 14-mile span across the Chesapeake Bay, with two underwater tunnel sections so that the shipping traffic can go through uninterrupted. 

Here's a fishing pier at the southern end of the bridge.

 

This fellow has a "what, me worry?" attitude, and doesn't mind the weather (or having a camera poked in his face) at all. Click to enlarge this one; he's worth it.

 

The breakers rolling in at Kitty Hawk (br-r-r):

 

At Kill Devil Hills we stopped at the Wright Brothers National Memorial…

 

…where Bruce got into the spirit of the place…

 

For tomorrow: I hear there's a good yarn shop in Manteo.

Chincoteague

Sunbreak! After a three-hour drive from St. Michaels to Chincoteague, Virginia, the sun came out and we had glorious weather for the rest of the day. At Chincoteague we saw a few of the legendary wild ponies from a distance, but never got close enough to photograph them. However, I did get lucky with a sighting of a very cooperative Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel, who posed nicely for me. This is an endangered species, much larger than the common gray squirrel, with a light gray color and a very long bushy tail. 

 

Rain, Rain, Rain

Rain doesn't deter enthusiastic photographers. Colors are more saturated, for one thing. And harsh shadows are eliminated.

This morning we began shooting in the rain at Tilghman, Bar Neck, and Black Walnut Point. Here are some rose bushes at Black Walnut Point.

 

Another good thing to do on a rainy day is visit a winery. Here we are at St. Michaels Winery.

 

Ellen and I did some window shopping in St. Michaels while Alan and Bruce photographed the winery grounds. This town takes Halloween very seriously.

 

There were a few breaks in the rain, but mostly we adapted to the weather and went for atmospheric photos. 

I guess you could call this the obligatory fiber picture.

Beaver Dams

A final stroll in Chesapeake City…

 

…and a visit to Vulcan's Rest Fibers, a really outstanding yarn store…

 

…and then on the road again. In the afternoon we stopped at Millstream Park in Centreville, walked along the millstream to a beaver dam, and enjoyed the peak autumn foliage.

 

 

Two Brocades

I thought you would enjoy seeing two brocades from yesterday's trip to Winterthur. These were on the upholstered seats of side chairs, and the camera was hand held in low light conditions, but you can get a glimpse of their magnificence. Click to enlarge.

 

Winterthur

After a frog-strangling rain, today dawned sunny and brisk, a perfect fall day, and a good day to visit Winterthur, the DuPont museum and gardens in Wilmington, Delaware.

 

 

Here is some ingrain carpeting, a type of double weave:

 

The gardens were in full fall splendor.

 

 

 

 

And in the late afternoon, four tired photographers made their way to Chesapeake City, Maryland, at the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, just in time for the last rays of sunset over the canal.

Fell's Point, Baltimore

Four images from my lunchtime visit to Baltimore's Fell's Point neighborhood. The fiber content in these pictures is intentional. I'll let you draw your own conclusions. By the way—very interesting neighborhood, great food.

 

 

 

On the Road

At the start of our journey, we found ourselves at dusk in Petersburg, Virginia. It was warm enough to eat dinner outdoors.

 

I love intentionally moving the camera during long exposures. Occasionally the results are interesting.