From Scribbles to Skywriting: Crafting a Vision in a Busy Atlantic Season

Where to begin?….

Yes, it’s been a long time since I’ve published my blog, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been writing – on the contrary, it’s because I’ve been spending every spare moment I have had writing, that I haven’t had any time to blog (and of course it's our busy, busy summer season at the inn!).

But I have a good reason for my silence, and I'm excited to share it. You see, some months ago, I was trying to sort out all of my journals and notebooks into some semblance of order - I had no idea how much I had written over the past few years.

As I surveyed the piles of notebooks, I turned to John and said, "Good grief... I have enough notes here to write several books!" Without missing a beat, John replied, "Well, isn't it about time you did? You've had so many people suggesting you should write a book. Why don't you just do it?"

Before I knew it I was making excuses…..it would take up too much time, I was waiting until I had more time, I’ve got other projects that take priority, I’m not sure that others would find my book interesting enough to want to read, I probably don’t have anything new to add to the literary world, I wouldn’t even know where to start as far as publishing and marketing would be concerned etc. etc.

The truth was, that whilst I had already started writing my book several times before, I had never managed to totally commit to complete the project. It was like I had curated all of the elements that I needed to finish my book, but there was always a vital component missing -  the keystone that would bind all of my ideas, experiences and philosophies together…..so was writing and publishing a book going to be one of those things in my life that I always wanted to do, but just never got around to?

Would this dream always remain in the back of my mind, a great big, huge “what if”?

Well that just wasn’t going to work for me…so, it was time for a little mindfulness session in my Sanctuary, to clear my head of all my thoughts and distractions and just be present.

My Sanctuary

Listening to the trickling water in my tiny water feature, I began to focus my thoughts on a super basic question:

"Was there any constant word or theme that had been evident throughout my life and appeared consistently in my thoughts and writings?"

And suddenly...... everything just clicked into place!

The missing piece of the puzzle revealed itself, and I knew exactly what I needed to do - it was so obvious, like it had been illuminated across my brain in huge neon lights, or written across the sky in smoke by a plane🛩️ - it was just one word....and that’s where I’m going to stop for now, as I’m not quite ready to launch my idea just yet 😉

I will tell you though, what started as one word on my whiteboard, rapidly became a myriad of thoughts and ideas that have morphed into one gigantic plan, of which my first book will be the keystone of the entire beautiful project…..a project that I’ve dreamed about in a hundred dreams, and now I’m going to make it happen, I'm so excited!!!! – So stayed tuned, all will start to be revealed soon, and I can’t wait to share this with you.

In the meantime, I thought you might like a photo update on what’s been happening, apart from the dreaming, creating, writing and planning:

-We've been super busy with so many wonderful guests and friends visiting the inn

(just as well we extended the parking lot)

-So many breakfasts made!

-We managed another 100% on our Environmental Health Inspection....that's our 4th year in a row - every year since we opened!

-Hanging out with Mr Bailey, Bodie and Pumpkin

-Lots of early starts...

-A little mountain time with wonderful friends in Virginia

-Back home, Pumpkin trying to freak me out with his deck rail antics....he's not the most agile of cats and is a little on the chubby side, so my anxiety kicked in!

-We had a few storms...

-But the beautiful Hatteras sun always appears again

-I just love to escape for a couple of hours to paddleboard on the sound

-My ocean sanctuary...

Before I go, I wanted to share some sad news. John's father, Delon "Buck" Buchholz, passed away peacefully on July 15th in Hastings, Nebraska, at the age of 93. It's difficult to put into words the profound impact Buck had on our world and the immense loss our family is feeling.

I vividly remember my first meeting with John's dad. Looking at the face of this remarkable man, I saw exactly what John would look like in 30 years' time - the resemblance between father and son was uncanny. As I came to discover over the years, their likeness extended far beyond appearances. They shared the same high level of intelligence, strong work ethic, unwavering honesty, impeccable manners, solid moral values, and a wonderfully wicked sense of humor!

Buck's legacy lives on through the values he instilled in his family and the memories we cherish. We miss him dearly, but we're grateful for the time we had with him and the lasting influence he had on all our lives ❤️

For now, we’ve taken a few days off….a mini vacation - it has been a busy summer season with lots going on, and John and I need a little downtime before heading into the rest of August, September and October at the inn. This will give us the chance to sample some of the delights of a Hatteras summer that we normally miss….going to the beach together, visiting some of our awesome local restaurants, perhaps some paddleboarding or windsurfing (depending on the winds), getting together with friends, and best of all - not working……just spending some much needed time in each other’s company.

As we take this brief respite to recharge and reconnect, I'm filled with gratitude for the journey life has laid out before us, but also reminded that life is fragile and precious and not to be taken for granted. This past year has brought us a few unforeseen events - from the bittersweet memories of those we've lost, to the excitement of new projects on the horizon, every moment shapes our story. I'm looking forward to sharing more updates with you all soon, including the big reveal of my project.

Until then, I hope you're finding your own moments of joy, reflection, and adventure in these waning days of summer. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. Stay tuned for more stories from the inn and beyond!"

Love and Hugs,

Pam 🥰