Winterfeast

This was the third year that we have been able to attend Winterfeast, the annual fund-raiser for Tryon Palace held in New Bern.  It was cool and clear, and we arrived in New Bern a little early, spending some more time walking around this lovely city.

Antique malls, a fine old hardware store, and lots of places to eat - it looks as if New Bern is well on its way to recovery from Hurricane Florence.

This year, we again found ourselves arriving early at the History Center where the event was held.  Martha has bought her tickets early - they were number 11 and 12 - and we found ourselves spending a little time in the car, waiting for the event to begin at 5:30 p.m.  On the news we listened to our odious president, Potus Trumpus, making a speech in the Rose Garden finally ending his 35-day government shut-down.  The shut-down has affected many local people, including the Coast Guard station out near Fort Macon.  The Methodist Church we attend had announced a dinner for Coast Guard families, and our own little restaurant here at Sands Villas, the Beach Box Eatery, had a sign out front offering a 60% discount for Coast Guard.  So we were glad to sit in our car and listen, essentially, to Trump caving in to Nancy Pelosi.  As one commentator said, "He folded like a cheap lawn chair."

But this blog has tried to avoid our National Emergency - i.e., the person in the White House - and so I will get off that subject.  Martha and I often have to tell each other, "Okay, that's enough.  Let's not bring him with us today."  So we listened to the relatively good news and watched a long line of people gather at the door.  Finally, we were admitted, and we sampled some of the best shrimp and grits we have had out here, as well as Jambalaya, lobster bisque, and clam chowder.  The main attraction, however, was the big tent out back where roasted oysters were being eagerly consumed.

In the past, we have not sampled the oysters; I have watched videos demonstrating how to shuck them with sharp knife in one hand and heavy hand-towel or glove in the other.  This year, we stumbled upon a table in the tent where a friendly young man and woman were shucking them, and were happy to show how it was done.  "Just stick the knife in here," the young man said; "See?" 

He popped one open as a man appeared from out back where the roasting was occurring and dumped a fresh bucket of the delicacies on the table.  "Then what?" I asked.  "Just slurp it down!"  And we did, two or three apiece, enough for a pair of runners preparing for a long run in the morning.