Lazy Day On Holden Beach

I was up at 8 am. and was greeted by fog and 45'.  All was peaceful as I sat in my meager cottage overlooking the ocean.  Stone and Abby Gail were still asleep.   The only sound was the waves crashing onto shore that had intensified with the threat of rain.  I sat there thinking, todays going to be the day.  I was hoping to have a light storm while here.  After some time I made my way to the refrigerator, grabbed a diet coke, my addiction, settled in a cushy chair with my novel by Mary Alice Monroe and spent the morning reading while occasionally glancing out the window to the ocean.
Abby Gail and Stone slowly woke up and we all lazily began the day.  For breakfast I regularly have oatmeal. Anyone who knows my family knows we LOVE us some sprinkles, except for Stone.  Anyway, as I was preparing my breakfast I had this revelation.  Why not put sprinkles on oatmeal.  It would add sweetness, crunch and some color to a rather bland looking concoction.  I quickly measured out my oats, adding the water, then 48 seconds in the microwave.  Give it a quick stir, sprinkle generously with your favorite sprinkles and walla.

A bowl of deliciousness!!!

My view of the ocean as I eat my breakfast on this cold, foggy morning.

Holden Beach has a very small commercial area on the island which has always been the draw for me.  There are eight miles of the clean sandy beach to stroll on.  The anticipated rain had not come, so at low tide, Stone and I set out for a five mile walk, our exercise for the day.  There weren't many people out. We passed just two in fact.

We basically had the beach to ourselves.

  

I'm always on the look out for sea shells.  Stone spotted this one that was the home of a live snail.  I photographed it then had Stone pitch it back into the ocean.

We continued our walk to the North end of the island were there was a mailbox.  It stood all alone, very patriotically decorated.  

We were both curious, so we took a peek.  As we opened the rusty door, we saw that inside was two spiral notebooks like those you used in school.  Also there were numerous ink pens.  Wow, a "Kindred Spirit Mailbox."  There were many entrees from visitors that had come to the island over time.  Each wrote a little something, so I to put the pen to the page.  I wonder what happens to these notebooks overtime.  Someone has to trade them out and put new notebooks in once the pages are full.  How many lives do these people touch just by what they write.  You know someone is surely reading these.  I too read a few prior to my own entree.  One man wrote of death of friends and his surgeries in this past year, hoping for a better year.  I'm sure there are many secrets in this box.

After arriving back to the cottage, Stone and I quickly changed into our swim suits as Abby Gail took off for a walk.  She was back in no time joining us in the hot tub as the precipitation began.  We lingered as the rain fell and the waves crashed on the shore.  Finally, our stomachs were telling us it was time to get out and prepare dinner. 

Recently Stone and I attended a dinner party at our friends, Jhumpa and Budhu.  Jhumpa had made a version of this salad that was soooooo tasty.  She had said that it was typical of the salad she would have while growing up in India.  I think I had three serving that night.  It's a good thing when I was in India I didn't have this. If I would have, I probably wouldn't have tried anything else.  I love this salad.  Since then, I have made it her way three times.  So I got to thinking. Wonder what this salad would taste like with some grated hot habanero cheese topped  off with some roasted shrimp.  OMG, could it get any better.  This stuff is amazing.  This was the perfect meal.  We couldn't get enough.  I served it with some crusty sourdough bread, drizzled with olive oil and toasted.  Yum

Spicy Cheese And Shrimp Bengali Salad

Serves: 8

Salad Ingredients:

 (14 ounce) bag classic coleslaw

 2 cucumbers, seeds removed and sliced 

2 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half, i use one container of yellow and one of red 

1 bunch chopped cilantro

1 bunch radishes, sliced thinly

8 ounces grated Hot Habanero Cheese, the amount is up to you.  Or any kind of spicy cheese

2 pound (31-40 count) shrimp, roasted

Dressing Ingredients:

2 lemons, juiced

2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

salt and pepper to taste

Salad Instructions:

In a large bowl add coleslaw mix, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, cilantro, radishes, and cheese.  With large spoons, mix.  Grate cheese and add to the salad fixings.

In a small bowl juice lemon, add salt, pepper and olive oil.  Pour over salad and coat with dressing.

On a cookie sheet coat shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake 400' for 8-10 until pink and firm. Top salad with shrimp, and serve with crusty bread.

This was the ending to a very good day.  Chocolate Cherry Chunk Ice-Cream and Mango Ice-Cream  served with Pie Crust Cookies from some of the pie crust dough that I had left over from last night.