MONDAY FOOD POST - A RESTAURANT WITH BOATS NEARBY

When I don't have a recipe on Monday, and whenever possible, I will share a restaurant we have visited.  This one is the Blue Water Grille and Row Bar in Manteo, when we were in North Carolina a few weeks ago.

My sister-in-law found this one.  

It was a very enjoyable experience...

and the food was delicious.

If you would like to take a look at their website, this is the link.

We ordered off the lunch special menu.  One of the appetizers they were offering was fried pickles, which we shared.  

Gregg and I ordered the Asian-style Crab and Broccoli Soup.  It also was very good.

We all ordered the Seared Scallops Salad.

Scallops are one of my favorite seafoods.

And for dessert?  The Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding.  It was decadent, one of the best I had ever tasted, and we shared so that we wouldn’t be too naughty after such a scrumptious meal. 

I also enjoyed looking at the art on the walls...

and the stained glass hanging in the windows.

Afterwards we took a walk outside and enjoyed the boats.  If you saw my other post you might remember this area from another photo I included. 

The sculpture of a Marlin, as if jumping out of the water.

We always enjoy trying another restaurant, especially when on vacation.

Thank you for looking and have a great week.

TUNDRA SWANS IN NORTH CAROLINA

I was very happy to see the swans in such large numbers on our recent trip to North Carolina.  I couldn't get them all in one frame, there were dozens of them, along with several Canada Geese, and also a number of ducks.  

I couldn't get a photo of the ducks.  They swam away as soon as we appeared, but I did manage several shots of the swans and geese.  Not as close as I would have liked.  

 I noticed that these swans had black beaks and legs, at first thinking they were Trumpeter swans.  Later I found out they were Tundra, a first for me.

 There can be anywhere from 65,000 to 75,000 in North Carolina during the winter months.  They like the mild winter of the Inner Banks

There is also an abundant food source and resting waters for the swans.

Tundra Swans have a wing span of 7 feet and they stand almost 4 feet tall.  An adult bird will weigh up to 23 lbs.  

 Adults are solid white and the immature swan has more gray tones, particularly in their head and neck area.  

 Just like geese, they mate for life.

 Tundra Swans nest along the northern coast of the Canadian Arctic, all the way to western Alaska.  When they make the 3,000 mile plus journey from their arctic nesting grounds to North Carolina, it often takes them three months to reach their destination.   

They remain here until February or early March before making the long migration back to the arctic.

The American explorer Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) called them 'whistling swans' because of their unique calls.  (This man was also a soldier, politician and public administrator, but best known for being the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.)

 They are thought to be only two species of swans native to North America, the Trumpeter Swan and the Tundra Swan.

Tundra Swans should not be confused with the larger Trumpeter and Mute Swans.  Trumpeter Swans are found almost exclusively in the mid-west and western states.  Mute Swans are generally non-migratory, and can be found scattered throughout North Carolina.  They are a non-native species that can be quite aggressive if approached.   

I found the above diagram online showing the differences.

 Both parents tend to the young, leading them to feeding sites in water.  Adults may paddle with feet to bring submerged food to the surface to feed their young, and they fledge in two to three months but remain with their parents at least through the first winter.

 We often saw them dipping their heads underwater, and also upending themselves. 

 Their heads can reach three feet below the surface.

We had things to do but honestly?  I could have pulled up a chair and watched them for hours.  

Thank you for looking and 

have a great weekend.

  

BOATS IN A MARINA ON THE OUTER BANKS, NORTH CAROLINA

A poem for you today, but first this is a marina we visited in the Outer Banks.  We had just had lunch in one of the restaurants nearby. I thought the moored boats made a pretty photo, and I went looking for a poem.

Becalmed 

by 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Becalmed upon the sea of Thought

Still unattained the land is sought,

My mind with loosely hanging sails

Lies waiting the auspicious gales.

On either side, behind, before,

The ocean stretches like a floor,

A level floor of amethyst,

Crowned by a golden dome of mist.

Blow, breath of inspiration, blow.

Shake and uplift this golden glow,

And fill the canvas of the mind

With wafts of thy celestial wind.

Blow, breath of song, until I feel

The straining sail, the lifting keel,

The life of the awakening sea,

Its motion and its mystery.

Thanks for looking and 

have a great day.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIFT...

A TRIP DOWN TO COROLLA AND SEASHELLS, LOTS OF SEASHELLS...

and one Horseshoe Crab.

 We have been in Corolla on the Outerbanks of North Carolina for a few days, spending time with Gregg's sister.  One of the things we have in common is that we both love to look at seashells, and she found many to show me on her early morning walks along the beach.  I was absolutely delighted with them.  Those I will share another time.

 This exhibit was found at a visitor center on one of our rides around the area.

 I have always found the Horseshoe Crab fascinating, and prehistoric looking.  Unfortunately I have never seen a live one, just the one in this exhibit and one or two on the beach over the years.

 The other thing I found fascinating and don't remember ever seeing them before, or maybe I have but thought it was seaweed or something, is the Whelk egg case.  In each section of those 'discs' there can be up to 99 tiny whelks.  This is also commonly known as a Mermaid Necklace.  You can read more at this link.

 If you enlarge each photo you can see them in better detail.

I found an interesting video on YouTube which I embedded below.  If you can't see the video you can find it at this link.

Added note: with thanks for Martha Ellen's comment, that the Horseshoe Crab is not actually a crab. Forever curious I found more information at the link here where it says that these fascinating creatures are closer related to spiders and scorpions than to the crab.  Thank you Martha Ellen!   

And thank you for looking. Have a great week!