It’s been a while – too long – since I’ve shared some of Jordan’s art. We can all use a little Everyday Magic in our lives. 
Here’s an awesome picture Jordan snapped while he was out hunting Toys from God. This is Avon Pier with a gorgeous wave.
When Jordan sent this to me, all he had to say was, “How about this barrel?”
Gorgeous, Jordan. Thanks for sharing your art with us.
Jordan's Lens: Barreling at Avon Pier
Late last week I posted a slideshow of some wave “magic” captured by one of my favorite blog subjects, Jordan, and today Jordan is back with another awesome glimpse of the Toys from God.
Enjoy some Everyday Magic from the OBX. Jordan titles this one “Here Come the Horses” – seems fitting…that wave is charging hard!
Jordan's Lens - Here Come the Horses
A beautiful morning has shifted to a cloudy afternoon. Thick, dark clouds are threatening to drop some moisture on our OBX day.
The dreary afternoon is sending me in search of a bright spot, and I know just the cure. A double-dose really; some awesome art from Jordan, and my one of my favorite subjects, waves.
Enjoy Jordan’s view of the Toys from God…
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Cheers
Back to my favorite blog series; Outer Banks Everyday Magic. I love, love, love all of the fantastic stories about the magic that we all find on the OBX.
So, please keep them coming. I crave more magic…from you! You can use the form below to submit your stories to me. Please let me know what makes the Outer Banks so special to you!
Do you recall the show Cheers? One of my all-time fav 80′s shows. Such good writing, and I grew up just outside of Boston, so it also had a special Bostonian appeal to me. I think my favorite character was Coach. Classic comedy at it’s best.
I digress, but I’ll try to tie it all together.
I also love the theme song to Cheers. It has a great tune and a great message. Here’s a little Cheers trivia for you; the theme song for Cheers is “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” and it was written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo.
Hopefully that helps you in your next game of Trivial Pursuit (does anyone play that game anymore?), but beyond that, that song reminds me of the Outer Banks. The OBX is a small community, but it’s not just locals that experience this. Guests that return to the Outer Banks year after year get to enjoy this small town vibe “where everyone knows your name” too. And that’s a pretty special feeling that is lost on most of our culture these days.
So, today we get to celebrate this Cheers vibe with a fun story from our Maintenance Manager Gwen. Thanks for the great story Gwen…glad you received your Christmas gift!
I’ve lived on the Outer Banks for a while, so it is hard to remember the feelings of my first trip to the beach, but I have a good story about the everyday magic here.
When I moved here 11 years ago I gave my Father my new address to send me a Christmas present. Since the address was new to me I transposed some of the numbers.
About a week later my Father called me and asked if I had moved to Mayberry or something. I asked why, and he said that my mail carrier called information and made a long distance call to him to try to locate me. He told her a few details of some of the people I knew here and what I like to do and she said “Oh, I know her!”
Needless to say, I got my package on time.
Besides the beauty that Mother Nature provides, the people of this area are friendly and very dedicated.
How great is that?! Not only does the mail carrier call information to try to track down the contact info, but from a short conversation, they realize they know the same people! Awesome. The Outer Banks is an awesomely unique place with magic around every corner.
I’d love to hear your story of Outer Banks Everyday Magic too. Please use the form below to share your story with me.
Has it been a full week without the awesomeness that is Jordan’s art to brighten our day?! Whew, sorry about that. I’ll be sure to get a few out this week.
It’s awesome to see how much the OBX motivates Jordan. When Jordan isn’t chasing Toys from God, he’s perfecting his new found love for art…and we are lucky enough to get a glimpse at his creations. Today we’re going to get a peek at what Jordan’s brush can do.
This is an acrylic painting on canvas that Jordan titles “Tree of Life.” I love the constant ocean theme in all of Jordan’s art…definitely some OBX magic in every stroke.
Thanks for sharing Jordan!
Outer Banks Everyday Magic: Jordan's Brush - "Tree of Life"
Jordan's Lens: OBX Sunset
It’s been a few days without a dose of Jordan’s art to brighten our day. And here is the perfect remedy; a gorgeous shot of an Outer Banks sunset that Jordan captured the other day. The colors are amazing – deep orange through purple in one sky! Awesome.
In addition to snapping that fab pic, Jordan put together a fun video of some Toys from God; fun Outer Banks winter surf. Great song choice Jordan…and I love the description of the video/song choice:
song goes with the feeling of surfing “first time” ….every wave gives you the feeling of joy you got the first time you caught a wave – it never gets old…….me catching some waves.
Keep hunting those Toys from God and sending along your beautiful art. You are adding a great, big bright spot to our day. Thanks Jordan.
Outer Banks Everyday Magic: Sound-side Love - Sunset
Gorgeous, sunny, 60 degree OBX weather in January?! Yes, please. Seems like the perfect day for some Outer Banks Everyday Magic.
This week we have the pleasure of getting a sound-side perspective from Barb, who has enjoyed years of fun-filled family life on the OBX Sound. Thanks for sharing Barb, and yes, you may just be lucky enough.
What’s that saying? If you are lucky enough to live on the water.. you are lucky enough!
I may just be lucky enough.
The Outer Banks is famous for mile after mile of gorgeous beaches, and rightfully so. However, there’s a secret on the other side of the island that is pretty special but often goes unnoticed – the Sound.
When our kids were young we spent endless hours playing in the Sound – swimming, crabbing and fishing. Jet skiing, boating, and tubing have entertained us indefinitely.
As our children had their own families, the Sound became a haven for weekend fun and family get-togethers. Lots of laughter, squeals of joy and wonderful discoveries have been shared along the shallow waters of our Sound-side paradise. From the little ones chasing minnows with nets, to digging clams from the sand, to chasing or running from crabs, there is always continual motion…and unlimited fun and smiles. If we got bored on the shore, sailing, kayaking and windsurfing offered endless entertainment for all ages.
For years our family has enjoyed Indian summer fishing off the Sound front pier. When the summer temperatures begin to drop a bit in the evenings, it’s the perfect time to enjoyed a late summer evening on the water. A northeast wind blows the water out to make for some great croaker, flounder and drum fishing. We have always been pretty competitive about who would catch the first fish, the biggest fish and of course, the most fish.
But the highlight of the evening is always the unique sunset with it’s amazing display of color. To witness the beauty of a huge sun rapidly sinking into the water always takes my breath away.
Some people find their everyday magic along the oceanfront of the Outer Banks. And I don’t blame them, the OBX oceanfront is just as breathtaking, but If you’ve never explored the Sound-side of the island, you’re missing out!
This is where I continue to find my everyday magic, regardless of the time of year.
And yes, I am lucky enough!
Sound-side Love: Crabbing
Sound-side Love
Check out those awesome retro pictures! Actual prints, not just a quick digital snapshot. Who knew prints still survived these days?! Thanks for sharing Barb!
I’d love to hear your story of Outer Banks Everyday Magic too. Please use the form below to share your story with me.
Jordan's Favorite Discovered Wave
It is a lot of fun to be able to share Jordan’s awesome art with y’all. Thanks to Jordan for sharing, and thanks to y’all for caring.
In the Toys from God post, Jordan discussed how he moved from Ohio to the Outer Banks without ever setting foot on the OBX before before he arrived! Pretty daring. But I guess that’s Jordan – someone willing to take risks to follow their passion.
In today’s installment of Jordan’s art, we have the fortunate opportunity to get a glimpse inside Jordan’s mind before he knew where he was going or what he was looking for – still on the hunt for those Toys from God.
Below are four poems that Jordan wrote while he was still in Ohio. He was still on the hunt for his direction, but it’s clear that the ocean (or more precisely, the Outer Banks) was calling.
From Jordan:
These poems are important because anything in these and those about the ocean, I wrote long before I moved to the Outer Banks; which shows that it was meant to be that I was to end up here.
Enjoy Jordan’s words…
“Still Looking for My Rainbow”
Where am I going?
What do I need?
Where am I headed?
Where am I going to plant my seed?
What’s this life of mine coming to?
Why am I here?
What storm do I have to get through,
To overcome this fear?
My heart pounds but no one can see
Because my heart is covered by layers.
But those layers aren’t even me.
So I constantly recite these endless prayers,
Hoping these empty prayers will set me free!
But I’m forever held by these chains.
Chains that are tested by fire,
Holding me where it constantly rains.
Where all I wanna do is fly higher!
All I seem to find is the color of gray.
I’m looking and searching but where do I go?
All I want is to find where the palm trees sway
All I want is to find my rainbow….
“Mother Ocean”
Everyone is looking for treasure.
Some find it, some never do.
You can look and see who is still looking.
They go by colors – the ones still looking are blue.
But there isn’t just blue, all colors of the spectrum fly.
Some change color when they see their treasure.
Tell them goodbye.
See me, it took awhile to figure out what I was looking for.
I never realized I was just knocking on the wrong door.
But behind that door I found the rainbow.
Beyond measure.
And at the end of it there you were, my love, my treasure.
“I’m a Dreamer”
I am a dreamer.
On a cloudy day I see the stars.
I am a dreamer.
I wear my heart on my sleeve.
So I easily pick up scars.
I am a dreamer.
I always hear the waves of the sea.
I am a dreamer.
My mind is a love story that lives inside of me.
I am a dreamer.
The moon and stars keep me company at night.
I am a dreamer.
A dark room I fill with bright light.
I am a dreamer.
You can see my soul through the window in my light brown eyes.
I am a dreamer.
They say my dreams aren’t real
But I won’t believe those lies.
I am a dreamer.
And no one can kill my dreams.
No matter how hard they try.
Because since I’m a dreamer
I’ll never stop dreaming about my home in the sky….
“Gravity”
Baby, baby
Can you hear those waves?
Darling, darling
Can you feel the current?
Pulling through the tides of the sea.
Causing the attraction of the moon’s gravity.
The moon constantly missing its ocean.
But the love between them causes them to forever be set in poetic motion.
Well honey
I’m the moon and you are the sea.
Because all I ever want is to pull you closer to me.
Or you could be the moon and me the tides.
Because you loving me would set me in constant motion for a beautiful ride.
And it’d last forever because it’d be just me and you.
It’d be forever like the waves caused by the gravity of the moon….
Here’s your daily dose of some amazing Outer Banks art from one of my favorite blog subjects, Jordan.
In addition to hunting “Toys from God,” Jordan is into all sorts of art these days, and here is one of his recent snapshots – the famed “Lighthouse.”
Awesome.
Jordan's Lens: The Lighthouse
Outer Banks: Blue Minded
Last week I posted one of my all time favorite blog posts: Outer Banks Everyday Magic: Toys from God. Goose bumps are an understatement.
Thanks for all of the awesome feedback we received from y’all. It’s great to know Jordan’s story touched you in the same way it touched me.
To keep the great vibes rolling, over the next few weeks, I’m going to be sharing some of Jordan’s art work – poems, paintings, pictures, drawings, etc.
Let’s kick it off with a poem Jordan was inspired to write after reading his story on the blog.
Blue Minded
Like being in love with her
Mother ocean
She’s by your side as you go fishing for your memories of laughter
Mother ocean holds you like a baby while you surf for your soul
You’re lost in the air
Mother ocean
You’re lost with her in a romance bonded so strong as to withstand all but the hand of God…..
