Christmas on Harkers Island, NC Dec 2024
December 2024 Harkers Island, NC. December was a busier month for me as I am sure it is for many artists. Not only was there the 6 hour drive to Harkers Island, but the Artist Inventory Sale in Manassas, Etsy sales to ship, my bookclub Christmas party, get togethers with various friends and of course, my art group, the Prince William Art Society's Christmas party on Dec 20. Then a nice ride to Louisa, Virginia to spend time with family for the day itself - Jesus' Birthday. For this blog post, it covers some of the sights seen while in NC.
Harkers Island, NC
What a beautiful destination any time of year!
Good morning Sunshine! One of the wonders of Harkers Island that gets me is seeing the sunrise from my friends' deck facing the water, is seeing the sun come up on the left side of the deck, and the sun going down on the right side of the deck.
A great way to spend the evening with the sun going down, is the Christmas trees lit up, and the fire pit which was put on a little later. The hurricane shutters were down because of the wind, which also helps keep their outdoor seating cozy.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse is close to center of the picture. Click to enlarge the photograph. Shackleford Banks across the water more to the right. (Where the ponies are)
The wind was especially strong in early December for a couple of days, kicking up the waves. It seems that more often than not, the temperatures are about 10 degrees nicer in Harkers Island than back home in Woodbridge. But maybe not for a those particular days! Definitely a very COLD with those very high winds.
We took a drive to Morehead City and had lunch at Sanitary Fish Market and Restaurant one day, where of course, you absolutely must get a seat at the back so you can look out at the water. Great appetizers and delicious wine was consumed while admiring the view.
It's very nice to watch someone decorating their own place for Christmas...hey, a good way to get ideas! Here's a shot of the decorating in progress...
And every time I visit their house, I love watching her gallery wall in progress along with finding several pieces of mine.
While staying at her house in the past, I will occasionally do a bit of plein air watercolor painting - which she snagged a couple of them and was working on getting them framed.
Decoy Festival
The 37th Annual Core Sound Decoy Festival takes place at the Harkers Island Elementary School, 1163 Island Rd, Harkers Island, NC which is directly across the street from where some friends of mine have built their retirement home. The festival is always on the first Saturday and Sunday of December. Folks come from all over the country (and probably further) to attend this event.
Looking out from my friend's windows, you can see the crowds starting to line up first thing in the morning and the cars piling up in the parking lots, and spilling out to line the roads. Thus, the idea formed to put out a shingle and direct them to our side of the road for art and goodies!
Core Sound Museum Christmas Trees
The Core Sound Museum is on the opposite (far side) of Harkers Island. It is a very nice museum covering island history, the waterfowl, and the hurricanes that have affected life on the island.
When we went to see the Christmas trees last year, I have a blog post with pictures at this link:
Christmas at the Core Sound Museum - be sure and take a look at last year's display.
Here are some pictures from this year's Gallery of Trees. We were given a pamphlet describing each tree and the sponsor of each one.
There are several floors in the museum, featuring carvings of waterfowl flying and handmade local quilts and so much more. The view from the top floor is pretty fantastic too.
I hadn't seen this very cool display before. These were some of the local spots in miniature.
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