Day 21 & 22, April 23, 24 2016, Last days at Matamuskeet Lake.

As I stated last post, there would be less birding and we would do some personal things these last two days.  Today is a Sunday so attending the Fairfield UMC was on priority. Saturday was laundry and that took the better part  the morning. Ruth says “No more ‘two weeks’ of laundry”. Nuf Sed!  We did find a very neat place with great washers (Maytag) in the nearby town of Engelhard (near where the fire is) and met a “gospel”  singer from one of the local Baptist churches  while in the laundry. Their choir does services in different churches often. She was in charge of the “colors” for the choir to wear. I told her that was a lot power, and she agreed. I believe this woman could sing!

The laudromat in Engelhard NC

Double rows of corn plantings. We had never seen this.
Green beans , winter wheat, potatoes, and corn are the main crops.

The  hummers are still there, all five of them

The rest of the day was mostly catching up on mail, internet activities, and doing some photo sorting.  Bought some stamps at the local post office (Jim still mails letters and cards). Just at supper time we could see a storm coming across the Coastal Plain, and we hustled to get the awning down before the frontal winds hit. It as a struggle as the winds had come. With the help of a neighbor, we just made it in time as the 35 mph winds bounced it around quite severely.(See picture)

Sunday as I stated, was church service  at the Farfield UMC.  Our campground owners were there as well. They have been members of this very historical , but small congregation. The program was simple,  perhaps 30 in attendance and they have no choir and use a piano for music. As Pat, the pianist stated ,”It’s been a while since we had a choir…things change…and it still is a service without the choir”. I would call it a “no fringe” service and very spiritual. The folks were warm and friendly and kept us after with sharing much about them selves and the community. Ruth and I determined that the pastor followed some of the nuances that the “circuit riders” did so many years ago.  He announced that in May there will be a gathering for new members and Baptism (immersion)  at a river site of one of the members with a picnic to follow. At the end of the service we laid hands on one of the members (our campground owner) and prayed for a procedure that he has been going through the past few years.  That is much like the days of yore, I believe. A small community has its advantages  as well.

The garden in Grand Rapids today!

That beautiful Trumpet Pitcher flower (Pitcher Plant )

 A Nutria in the Wildife Reserve with the Canadian Geese.

An abandoned house near the campground.

One of those thunderheads building up into
 a storm. It hit a few hours later.

A not so pretty photo through the window of the approaching storm.

We took some time  to travel a short distance to take some more photos of those lovely Trumpet Pitcher flowers, and then to consume a “down home” dinner buffet at the local Restaurant. The chicken might be the best we have had on the road, and with any choices it was a filling meal.

Proceeded  back to the trailer and finishing the photo arranging and posting, putting notes on the postcards, and noting a few birds that came into the campground. We added an Eastern Phoebe, a Downy and Red headed Woodpecker. Ruth heard a “Bob White” and challenged me to find it, HA! They are impossible to locate even when you know where they are in a bush. Did you ever see a photo of one except in a bird ID book? That is the reason why!

Some of the outside paraphernalia has been taken down . (I will leave the hummer feeder up until AM) amor tomorrow we take a Ferry ride across the headwaters of the North Landing River, on Curritick Sound, to Knott’s Island where we will be for three nights. See you then.