Oh, what a beautiful weekend!

I just cannot believe what a gorgeous weekend it was! Usually in August, we are sweltering and drowning in pools of perspiration while at the river, but it has been unusually nice the last few weeks! And thank goodness for the rain this morning! Not that it was much, but every little bit helps these days! I've just totally given up on one of my flower beds that is now skeletal and my 4 tomato plants produced a total of 6 tiny tomatoes.

So back to the weekend...it was cool and breezy and fall-like, just perfect! Saturday morning, my mom and both daughters went yard-saling...big surprise! We found the most perfect yard-salingmobile...too bad my hubby can't build me one of these! And the couple that built it is selling it for an enormous price- we were told! Oh well, I didn't need "helmet hair" anyway... The first sale we went to was right down the road from us and belonged to a very nice family. The sweet man there had made planters (this small one was $10 and he had large ones that were really sweet for $25). The beach chairs were $5 each and the covers come off easily for washing...so comfortable for the river. The sheer aqua floral shower curtain was $1, the vintage set of 3 lingerie/jewelry bags were $5.And look...can you believe we found another cart? This one was $2, the hanging pot rack for The Porch was $10, the wastebaskets were $1 (we'll paint these), the set of 4 plates were $1, each of the 3 lamps were $2, the Time Out bench was $2, the old cheese box was .25.Mom bought the cutest sewing basket full of great stuff for $3!! The Fiskars are worth that alone!Our neighbors at the river gave us this gorgeous birdbath! These same neighbors have given us so many wonderful things since cleaning out their grandmother's old homeplace.While out and about, we found this wonderful Mint & Honey Tea by Sweet Leaf, you oughtta try it!So in the afternoon, my (firefighter) hubby and I took the girls to a parade in Callao. Again, I just love small-town parades! Here is a beautiful vintage firetruck with the cutest...ahem...dalmation. One day, my firefighter and I want to get an antique firetruck to carry to parades maybe in a few 20 years or so.Of course there were the civil war soldiers and the colonial dressed ladies (the little girl was so cute...she kept waving to us).My firefighter's volunteer company engine... and here is a grumpy looking Smokey Bear.After the parade, since we were just 15 minutes from the marina where my parents keep their boat that's now for sale (on the Potomac), we decided to ride there. It's so pretty there...look at this sailboat, would 'ya!My girls and I love to collect old beach glass and we found about 2 lbs of it in 30 minutes here at the marina beach! Ok, on Sunday, mom and I decided to go to the local auction again. This time we were there for 3 hours and because of the influction of antique dealers, only came away with this too cute vintage doll crib for $5. My hubby and oldest daughter were extremely patient during these three hours! Oh how I wish I had won the big pink wooden umbrella-like drying rack!

So it was quite a busy weekend and busy it was for the seagulls who were flocking to our pier and all of the piers nearby! You have never seen so much seagull poop in your life! Do they even do anything else? We actually woke up to the sound of seagulls in the mornings. Look closely and you can see the pelican that flew right into my picture! I've tried for two years to get a good picture of this pelican and I can not believe that it flew right into my picture without me knowing it!Here are a few miscellaneous pics from the weekend:

In trying to get over my arachnaphobia, I thought since these big fat spiders were all over the end of our pier, that I may as well photograph one...

There are so many apples on our tree and I never got a chance over the weekend to make anything with them! The weekends just roll by so fast!

I'll leave you with this beautiful sunset at the river Sunday:

Weekends at the River

I thought that I would share with you our weekend retreat. We are here most weekends from spring through fall. From my pillow I am able to look out at this view when I wake up! It's rough, I know! This house belongs to my husband's family (his grandfather designed it) and there is a house behind it that my parents own. I will take pics of my parents' cottage when they are done with the additions (they are adding on 2 bedrooms and making the porch into a sunroom).

See the hammocks at the end of the pier? Talk about relaxing!
This is another one of our favorite spots to relax. This tree is full of apples and I was able to make apple cobbler this past weekend.
The seagulls have landed! They are very loud too!
My parents' house is the cream house in the background. The kids love having their own beach!
This was such a beautiful sunset on Sunday...

Hope you've enjoyed seeing my "weekend getaway". Here, I have no internet and for the most part am able to just relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Sorry I've Been Away for so Long...

...but I had a much needed vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina! It was so relaxing, but the fastest week of my life! The weather was beautiful and it was nice being able to spend a week with my family without the everyday stresses of work, chores, and other daily activities.

Here is my cute hubby & me when we first got to the beach. Don't I look relaxed already?!

I did little shopping, but my mom and I did have to hit all of the thrift stores (of course). We didn't have as much luck as we've had in the past, but we did get a few things for "The Porch". Oh, and I found a couple of cute dresses...here is one of them. I thought it looked a lot like a Lilly Pulitzer and was my only expensive purchase for the week at $17.00! It actually was at an antique & quilt store that I love.

And the starfish necklace & earring set was $10.oo at a gift shop...still a great deal!

This flamingo dress was $5 and the Gap corduroy jacket for my daughter still had it's original tag on it...

but of course, I only paid $2 at Goodwill!!!

Anyway, if you're going to the OBX this summer, make sure to check these thrift stores out...you never know...you just may find a treasure on the Outer Banks:

Hotline Pink
4140 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC

Hotline
100 Uppowoc Ave, Manteo, NC

Hotline Too

2001 S Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC

Goodwill

5381 N Virginia Dare Trl, Kitty Hawk, NC

Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter Thrift Store

3838 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC

A Penny Saved Thrift & Consignment

3105 N Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC

and this is the antique & quilt store that I love:

Outer Banks Quilts and Antiques

108 Sir Walter Raleigh Street, Manteo

Happy Summer!