Outer Banks, NC
Email Us: theouterbanker@gmail.com
The lifestyle of an outerbanker
Gardening By the Sea
Riding ATV's on the Beach
Riding ATV's on the Beach
My mom is an avid gardener! A lot of people think just because you live near the ocean that you can't have a great garden but she always did. As far back as I can remember her and daddy grew their own vegetables, grapes, figs and other fruit. She always put up veggies and jams and jellies for the upcoming year! She always has a beautiful yard with flowers galore. This is my mom, my daughter and I in front of my mom's seaside garden.
Riding ATV's on the Beach
Riding ATV's on the Beach
Riding ATV's on the Beach
My son, my husband and I riding 4 wheelers on the beach! We also enjoy putting our old hummer into 4 wheel drive and spending the day at the inlet fishing, picnicking and then watching the return of our offshore fishing fleet at the end of the day! It's also really fun to go down to the point in Hatteras Village and fish for Drum in the fall after things slow down from our summer influx of visitors. The days are still warm!
Our Waterdog - Duchess
Riding ATV's on the Beach
It Takes A Village...Gardening to Share is a Southern Tradition
You're not a real Outerbanker until you have at least one waterdog. Labs seem to be the most popular. They are used for hunting - retrieving is in their blood! It's really common to see these dogs riding around in the back of their owners pic up trucks, happily lapping at the wind! Everyone takes them to work with them so don't be surprised to see a crab or fishing boat with a 4 legged helper on board!
It Takes A Village...Gardening to Share is a Southern Tradition
It Takes A Village...Gardening to Share is a Southern Tradition
It Takes A Village...Gardening to Share is a Southern Tradition
Southerners always grow lots of extra produce in their gardens. It's not to show off - but to share with neighbors and family! This act of kindness is not only for produce, jams and jellies but being near the sea a lot of shrimp and fish are shared, as well. This tradition goes back to the first days when the Colonist and the Indians shared crops, seafood and survival skills with each other. It is a social act of kindness between neighbors, family and friends - a way to say "Thank You" - "Welcome" or "We care"!
OuterBankers Say the Darndest Things.....What??????
It Takes A Village...Gardening to Share is a Southern Tradition
OuterBankers Say the Darndest Things.....What??????
What'd you say???? This is Kiwi our littler water doggy. Kiwi says she can't understand what we are saying most of the time! Ha, ha, ha
(Unless you say "TREAT")
OuterBankers have a language all their own. I used to call them Southernisms but I have recently renamed them OuterBankerisms! I love inventing my own words to describe my world...aka ...OuterBankerisms… The following are sayings that I did NOT invent but are very much a part of our everyday vocabulary. Our distinct draw... as some people say... comes from our Old English roots from the first settlers that arrived on our shores hundreds of years ago. Being so isolated over the years has helped preserve some of these sayings. Don't be surprised if you can't understand some of our local lingo. I frequently have to ask people to repeat themselves (especially the old timers and my husbands fishing buddies) and I've been here my whole life!
A FEW OF THOSE SAYINGS
- Darndest - Craziest
- Littler - little (No it wasn't a typo)
- Yep or Yeppers - Yes
- Doggoneit - Darn
- The Bar - (a sandbar) A long narrow sandbank beneath the ocean which runs parallel to our coastline. You can recognize the bar by the line of waves breaking above it. You may hear local Captains refer to "Crossing the Bar" in their conversations.
More OuterBankerisms
It Takes A Village...Gardening to Share is a Southern Tradition
OuterBankers Say the Darndest Things.....What??????
A FEW more OF THOSE SAYINGS
- Crossing the Bar - You must "Cross the Bar" or sail over the bar to get from the Inlet into the ocean. Likewise you must cross the bar to return from sea, as well. The bar can be quite treacherous at times and has caused many injuries and deaths throughout the years.
- Hoi Toid - High Tide
- Sound Soid - Sound Side
- Zinc - Sink
- A Blow - It's gonna blow tomorrow - it's going to be very windy - usually a northeaster
- Tin Foil - Aluminum Foil
- Cut the TV off - Turn the TV off
- Cut the light off - Turn the light off
- Bless Your Little Heart - Aren't you sweet OR you poor thing
- Ya'll - You all, You guys, You
- Hot Damn!!! - That's really great!
- Nanners - Bananas
- Maaters - Tomatoes
- Taaters - Potatoes
- Cut the Crap! - Knock it off OR Stop it now!
- The Crack - A short cut from the inlet into the ocean
- Maggie's Drawers - a local fishing hole
- Drawers - Underwear, bloomers
- Put My Face On - Do your makeup & hair, get presentable.
There are many other "Outerbankerisms". The above are just a few to get you started.