Before Jack and I said our “So long’s”, we had one more adventure to embark upon. I had kind of twisted his arm into helping me with a refuge chore. (It didn’t take much twisting, by the way.) After dropping off my toad at the Ford dealer in Manteo for an oil change and general check-up, Jack met me at the dealer’s and I hopped into his truck with some supplies for our mission.
A couple of the information boxes at the entrances to Alligator River NWR needed to be replaced. Like this one, for instance. The brown sign was dangling, the front of the box had been ripped off, and the post was askew.
Can you guess what caused this destruction? Nope, it wasn’t wild teenagers, but one of the bears on the refuge. He had pretty well gnawed and scraped the post, and undoubtedly messed up the sign and box. The bears do the same thing with the wooden road sign posts on the refuge. They like to lean on them to scratch an itchy spot as well.
Jack had brought along a machete to hack away at the tall growth around the post. If he didn’t do that, we would be standing in the middle of it and it would be an open invitation for the blasted chiggers to have a hay day with us. 
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Jack flattened out the sign and reinstalled it. Mostly I supervised this operation, but he did allow me to remove one screw. Sheesh!
It looked pretty good when we finished. I just wonder how long the bears will leave it alone. The next box we replaced was in Stumpy Point, and the rain had begun again so we got pretty well soaked with that one. After checking a few more boxes, we headed in to Nags Head for some lunch at a stone oven pizza place I had picked out. I don’t like the red sauce that is on pizzas, and this place advertised white pizzas. There is a white garlic and pepper sauce instead of the usual. We had the spinach pizza, and it was very tasty.
By then, the Ford dealer had called, and we said our goodbyes until the next time in the parking lot. Since Jack will be spending the winter in Florida, he may make a trip up to Okefenokee sometime while I’m there. Who knows what adventures we’ll have then.
One of Jack’s hobbies is making long-leafed pine needle baskets. The little basket on the right is one he gave me in Mississippi. The one on the left is the basket he gave me this trip. It is gorgeous!
I love the incorporation of the black walnut slices into the bottom and handles, but the most special thing about this basket is that it is made entirely out of the needles that Jack and I collected together while I was volunteering at Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR.
You can see how he has progressed in his basket making skills. Jack doesn’t sell these baskets, but gives them away as gifts. I guess I’m just lucky to have two of them. 
Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later, Judy
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Jack does wonderful work. I love making pine needle baskets. I get my 15-17" needles in Augusta, GA, at Paul's brother's house. It is so relaxing to make a basket.
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful gift to treasure!.very nice workmanship that Jack does!!
ReplyDeleteJudy, excellent job of supervising the repair work.
ReplyDeleteJudy, you're still a cheap date. You could have had 2 lobsters.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed helping replace the boxes. And all the help you gave by keeping the mosquitoes off of me.
But did you have to use a 2 X 4???
You are so lucky to be the recipient of two of these beautiful baskets. If you could stick a pole into the ground near the signs, and not hang a sign or anything on it, wonder if the bears would use it instead.
ReplyDeleteThere must be something to keep mosquitoes away! Now, if we could only learn what it is. I love those baskets and the signs look so much better.
ReplyDeleteJack does good work!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lucky lady you are to have two of those gorgeous baskets of Jacks. Treasure them, they are priceless.
ReplyDeleteThose are WONDERFUL baskets. do you know where Jack learned to make them? Did he take a class? He really ought to sell them!
ReplyDeleteThe artistry in those baskets is amazing. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a special, beautiful basket to have, made by a friend!!!
ReplyDeleteCheap date, indeed! What an outstanding basket. Fair trade for keeping the skeeters off'n him? :)
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show, you really are a basket case! ;c)
ReplyDeleteYou looked deadly with that power drill in your hands. Did it go ahead and make your day?
The baskets are wonderful. I thought about Jack and his baskets when we camped at Ocklockonee River State Park in Florida because they had the long needled pines there.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love those baskets! So great! Looks like ya'll had a nice day there. Even with the rain, you didn't let it dampen your spirits! Good girl. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt is always great when you have someone who knows what he is doing to supervise:)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful baskets, those are real keepers.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful baskets! How thoughtful that the newest one is made from needles that you collected.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful job he does on those baskets! He should give "how to" lessons :)
ReplyDeleteThe baskets are beautiful... real keepsakes! As for the signs/brochure boxes.... I wonder if the bears thought they were bluebird or other nesting boxes? We had around 30 bluebird boxes destroyed by bears (they're after eggs or babies)... and when a bear mauled one of the game cameras (which look a lot like a bird box) that's what we thought happened here.
ReplyDeleteThat is a special gift indeed; anything made by someone is ... but for it to be made of the grasses you collected together adds to its unique quality.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear the destruction was not at the hands of humans; bears can do whatever they want with the things we put up in their environment :-)))
Those are beautiful baskets. I bet the edges of those signs give a good scratch behind the ears.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful baskets! Sure hope the chiggers didn't get you!
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say that hasn't been said? The baskets are indeed a wonderful gift. What will you keep in them?
ReplyDeleteOh my, those baskets are beautiful. Jack is a very talented man. I used to make split oak baskets particularly egg baskets. It's a wonderful soothing activity. I'd love to learn how to make those pine needle ones. The walnut slices really are a gorgeous touch. Lucky, lucky you to have such a friend who takes you out to dinner, helps you with your chores and gives you beautiful baskets. No wonder you are sad to see him leave.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great gift from a great guy. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful baskets. The walnuts make a wonderful design. glad you had such a great time together.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all - when bears stand up and scratch their backs on trees, etc., they are leaving their scent for other bears - marking their territory.
ReplyDeleteThose baskets are just fantastic! and the fact that the newest one is made from Mississippi needles that you helped find and gather makes it a very special gift. He does beautiful work !!
Geez, I really like the way he makes those baskets. The are art pieces for sure. I think I commented before that I had a friend years ago who made pine needle baskets, not as intricate as the one with the walnut slices, and she charged quite a bit for them. Jack could sure sell them if he wanted to. Very talented guy! :)
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