Here’s hoping that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving even though it was most likely not quite as you may have envisioned! Our family thoughtfully decided not to come together, so Bill and I enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast for two with a side of Zoom and FaceTime!
Like many of you I’m sure, Friday morning we spent time at the gym, hoping to eradicate a few of the holiday calories. Later in the afternoon we decided to search for nature rather than Black Friday bargains, so we headed to Fort Macon to hike the Elliott Coues Nature Trail.
Named after a prominent physician and ornithologist stationed at Fort Macon from 1869-70, the 3.3 mile trail meanders through forest, thickets, dunes and marsh and includes many changes in elevation. Of particular interest in the forested area was a spot marking the Fort Macon Post Cemetery where deceased soldiers and family members were buried between 1867 and 1873. Most of the noted graves held young people in their 20’s and 30’s who perished from everything from typhoid, dropsy, drowning, lightning and and exposure.
It was after 2p.m. so the temperature was ideal and the trail was sparsely inhabited – all in all, a great hike – as Nietzsche said, “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.”
This morning we visited the Core Sound Christmas Market in Morehead City, which was a craft fair of sorts sharing local creations, food, and music, sponsored by the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum that we visited last week. We exhausted the market in record time, and then discovered a breakfast spot to which we will certainly return – The Banks Grill – just too delicious to go unshared!
One of my fondest memories of New Orleans has always been the beignets at Cafe Du Monde. Many try to imitate them but very few succeed. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that The Banks Grill has succeeded! Light and fluffy bites of dough, warm and tossed in powdered sugar – nothing better! Following that appetizer, Bill and I shared “The Banks Omelet – a local favorite” which may be the best omelet I have ever tasted. Imagine this – 3 eggs, sauteed shrimp, mushrooms, bacon, green onions and pimento cheese. The flavors came together perfectly with each and every bite!
So, thus far, our Thanksgiving weekend has been filled with delicious food, exercise, a little history, and of course, football…and it’s not over yet!
Stay Calm and Travel On…
thervdreamlife 