Just Joined Pinterest

Veronica has been participating in what I would call a "sharing network" called Pinterest.
She talked me into joining. So what is Pinterest??? Pinterest is a web site that you can create "bulletin boards" that can comprise of almost anything that you want...likes, dislikes, travel, photography , favorite places and spaces, art, crafts...just to name a few.
Pictures/photographs are used to share your theme or ideas with others.
These pictures/photos are pinned onto your "board" and others can view them and re-pin them onto their board(s).
The whole idea is basically to be able to share  thoughts, ideas, likes and dislikes with others using the pictures/photographs.
If people like what you are putting on your bulletin board, they can "follow you" and you can do the same if you like what someone else has pinned onto their board.
I created 2 boards on Pinterest....Travel, Photography and Favorite Spaces and Places. I am using many of the photographs that I have taken over the years and have decided on which board I want them to be on.
If you have a moment please stop by and take a look at my boards. Just click on the following link to get there....

Our Brief Visit To Manteo

On Thursday Veronica and I had a bunch of errands to run culminating in Veronica getting a body massage at a local business in Manteo... Better Body Massage. Veronica had nothing but great things to say about her massage. She would like to go back there again.
While we were in the Manteo area, Veronica and I decided to pay a visit to the Manteo waterfront area.
The area is on the sound side of Manteo and consists of several streets that have various stores including arts, crafts and other handmade items. There are several specialty retails shops along with various restaurants in the area.
Unfortunately most of the shops were closed for the off season. We were able to go into a couple of shops that were open and enjoyed browsing in them.
We also had a chance to walk the waterfront area.
I took a few photos of the area.
In order to get the most out of a visit there, we will most likely stop be the area again as their season begins in order to find more businesses open.
Just walking around and enjoying each others company and the sunny weather was fun.

Above is a weather tower where they collect weather data and raise the appropriate flag based on weather conditions and wind speed. Below is a posted chart that explains what each color flag means. The center sign also shows how high the water rose at the location where the tower is, during Hurricane Irene. 

Rule number one of photography....never get your photo taken when you are directly facing the sun , especially when you have blue skies and no clouds. Doing so makes your face look all gnarled and squinty...hmmmm...is squinty a word...it is now!

Our drive ended up taking us over a bridge and into Mann's Harbor where we found this boat called the Baby Bug.

The Answer As To Why The Costa Concordia Was So Off Course And Close To Giglio

Below is a copied portion of an article that was written by By Eric J. Lyman and Carolyn Pesce, USA TODAY and shown on USA Today online.
Here is the portion of that article that I copied and tells why the Costa Concordia was off course and so close to the Giglio:

The cruise line operator has said Schettino strayed from the ship's authorized course into waters too close to the perilous reef. The navigational version of a "fly by" was apparently a favor to the chief waiter who is from Giglio and whose parents live on the island, local media reported.

Half an hour before disaster struck, the waiter's sister posted an entry on her Facebook page saying she had been told the ship was "going to pass really close" and sending "a big hello to my brother."

Antonello Tievoli, 46, the head waiter of the Costa Concordia, is "tormented by a sense of guilt" over the tragedy, his family said, even though he did not ask the captain to perform the sail-by.

His father, Giuseppe Tievoli, 82, said "Antonello called me to say the ship would be passing by the island at around 9:30 and they would come and give us a whistle to say hello. It was something they often did," he said.

"The ship obviously came too close," he said. "I don't know if Antonello asked the captain to come near, but the responsibility is always and only the captain's."

At 9.08 p.m., the waiter's sister Patrizia Tievoli, a teacher who also lives on Giglio, wrote on her Facebook page: "In just a little while the Concordia is going to pass really close. A big hello to my brother who will finally disembark at Savona to enjoy a bit of rest."

Hours later, after the ship capsized, she wrote: "A tragedy, a deadful tragedy. I can't believe it's true. I just hope I will wake up and realize that it was a nightmare. The longest night of my life."

She later posted a black and white photograph of the Titanic, dated 1912, next to one of the Concordia on its side, dated 2012.

She also passed judgment on the captain's claim that the rocks were not marked on his nautical charts. "Not very convincing at all!" she wrote.

The Milan-based daily Corriere della Sera reported that Schettino called Antonello to the deck to say "Come to see it, Antonello, we're right on top of Giglio!" That was moments before the crash.

To view the complete USA Today article, please click here...  USA Today Article