Gloucester House

01/24/2026

Well..good morning from Gloucester House on the banks of Sleepy Creek..a very cold day..white caps on the Creek and presently 33 degrees..the big storm approaches but appears to just be skirting Carteret country. This part of the outer banks sticks out just enough to make it common to catch the hurricanes but surrounded by water that keeps it warmer. I had to make an early morning run to Dollar General for ginger ale and pediolyte as we have a grandchild staying over with an upset tummy. I'm a bit out of practice but the Grami gene kicked in. The chicken soup is simmering as I type on this very cold and 25 knot..according to Captain Terrell day. The roads are brined in preparation and we will see what happens overnight. January is a quiet time for us..we get the occasional traveler headed to Florida often with a dog in tow. The flowering quince branches have arrived from White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut my old home. They will bloom for several weeks and I order them each year along with amaryllis bulbs to brighten the house. Our 3 kitties are hunkered down and show no interest in going out. We will have a quiet soup and old movie day. My grandson departs about 3 and I will light some candles to pass the long winter nights. For chicken soup. Simmer whole chicken with carrot ,celery , handful of fresh parsley and onion..kosher salt to taste for about and hour..don't overcook the chicken. Remove chicken from broth. Pick off meat. Return carcass to pot . Simmer 2 more hours. Strain broth discard veggies. Return broth to pot. Add chopped carrots celery and onion ,simmer until vegetables are tender ,add chicken meat..heat through..cook noodles or rice or barley separate as they make the soup too thick. Place in bowl..top with soup and meat. I'm hoping for snow..its one of the things I miss back in Yankee land.

12/30/2025

Good morning from Gloucester House on the banks of Sleepy Creek. Just about sunrise the day before New Years Eve. We are busy planning a turkey deep fry for New Years Day about 1pm or so..just in time for the hangover to recede..helped out by a bloody Mary bar. Collards from the garden and black eyed peas round out the meal. I was thinking of getting a selection of cupcakes from Happy Cakes in Morehead..no one does a better cupcakes. We have guests coming in through the weekend and then look forward for a quieter January and 2026. We are filling up for June and July already..thank you to the early vacation planners. We typically get some northern guests traveling to Florida with pets to thaw out. All our rooms have water bowls and dog treats. Winter is a busy time here..windows needs washing and time for a general deep clean. Time to prune the peach tree back. Its still producing at 20 years of age. Last year we got 11 pounds of peaches that I turned into preserves. Pitted and sliced peaches with an equal amount of sugar and a bit of lemon juice are brought to a boil and cooled about 6 times. Cinnamon added at the end. Process in hot water bath. The chickens have started laying again and the coop needs cleaning. We could use some more and I'm looking through the McMurray hatchery catalog..my grandchildren are fascinated by chicks for Easter but they are so much work. I may just try and find some full grown hens..expensive but easier. Captain Terrell has sold the Carolina Princess. As I write she's on her way to New Rochelle , New York to be completely remodeled and spiffed up . She will carry fisherman and do harbor tours in her new life. As for us its a time of reflection on a long long maritime career and a chance for Captain Terrell to sleep past 3am for a change. May all our guests have a happy and prosperous New Year and thank you again for staying with us.

11/09/2025

The end of an era for us..all the 3am rising and late nights coming home tired smelling slightly of fish blood. Captain Terrell will get a chance to sleep in ..perhaps we will travel a little. Its time for retirement and to send the Princees on her way to her new owners and adventures.

10/31/2025

A cool 59 degrees at Gloucester House this morning on the banks of Sleepy Creek. Its Halloween morning 2025 and the camellias are blooming . I remember going to the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx in the winter 1983. I know it was that year because I was very pregnant with my son David. The main exhibition that year was a installation of camellias ..an amazing variety. I remember just sitting on one of the benches staring at their luminous beauty. Here I am 40 years later with camellias blooming in my back yard. The single pink blooms first followed by a hot pink double and mid winter by the most gorgeous large double white . . I float those in a glass bowl to brighten the dining room table. Out back we have the 1st brave oyster pickers in the creek. We are blessed to be on such a pristine body of water full of oysters,shrimp and crabs. The sunrise this morning was stunning even though its shifted over with the shortening days. In the summer it rises right in front of the kitchen sink. Fall is my favorite time of year North Carolina ,summers are very hot and humid so much so it can be unpleasant to be outside. This time of year it's wonderful to turn off the AC and throw open the windows.The winter garden of collards ,kale and bok choy is in..thank you Josh Potter. Our kitties love sitting on the windowsill watching the birds and acting silly. Last years Christmas paper whites are already pushing up. I love how they bloom here in the winter. We have been busy with lots of guests from all over. Fall is a wonderful time to visit with the humidity and mosquitoes gone. Beaufort is lovely this time of year with all the restaurants, shops and things to do. Cape Lookout and the Core Bank horses on Shackelford are a short drive and ferry ride away. The water is still warm enough to swim..at least for us Yankees. I remember turning blue in August while swimming at Robett Moses State park off of Long Island. No cold water here. Come on out and visit we look forward to hosting you.

10/09/2025

Gloucester House breakfast..

10/09/2025

10/08/2025

Good Morning from Gloucester House on the banks of Sleepy Creek. We have been busy with lots of guests coming in for the Seafood Festival in Morehead and are leaving next week for my home state of New York to see the fall leaves. We are staying at The American Hotel in Sharon Springs New York..giving us a chance to be guests for a change. We will tour the gardens of Beekman 1802..the homestead of the Fabulous Beekman Boys with a pit stop at their baby goat barn. Love me some baby goats. Unfortunately we had to get rid of the two young goats we got to replace Thelma and Paco our two older goats who passed. The new goats were beyond destructive and now have a happy life helping their owner clear several acres and my roses look much better. This spring we painted and spruced up the house. Its going on 25 years since it was built and my first husband mentioned he was running to get a ladder and would be right back to finish the laundry room...we were still waiting. Home ownership is always a trial...the tree service ran over a sprinkler pipe which now sprinkles an extra part of the lawn and bathroom 2 needed new counters..I went with a nice gray granite that looks beautiful. Our top porch ceilings are wainscotted and painted "haint," blue to keep out resident ghost Sally Geer away..she haunts the mouth of Sleepy Creek and was once spotted many years ago by my daughter walking across the creek shore. Hopefully she will continue to stay away but it is the spooky month of October. We have three kitties now that someone left a tabby kitten on the porch. She is very spicy and Captain Terrell and I will attempt for the second time to get her into the cat carrier and to Dr Sam at Austin Vet in Beaufort. The first attempt was not successful. We were bested by a two pound kitten and still have some PTSD from the experience. We have formulated a plan involving a cast net and very heavy gloves. Pray for us this Friday...

09/24/2025

Hospitality depends on observation and empathy .

08/06/2025

Good morning from Gloucester House on the banks of Sleepy Creek. I woke up today at 4am like someone shot me out a cannon. Made coffee and decided to make a cherry cobbler out of the most beautiful cherries Captain Terrell brought home yesterday from Food Lion in Beaufort. . I used the cuppa cuppa receipe substituting buttermilk for regular milk with a bit of almond extract which works well with cherries. The house is full of sleeping guests who will come down for breakfast from 7 to 11. Beautiful sunrise at 6.21 over the creek..no wind to speak of. I love the iconic sound of our rooster crowing as the sun comes up. To me it's a call to mindfulness and prayer.

07/20/2025

Hot . Hot. Hot....cucumbers and zucchini are done..tomato's still producing a bit. Fig trees producing well..the heat suits them. We water morning and evening because of very little rain. Chickens seem to be on strike..the coop needs cleaning again. Thank god for air conditioning..how did people survive here with out it. My husband who was born here says they were just used to it...a fan was a luxury. We have replaced the rugs in rooms 1 and 2. It was time. We are full up with guests each day. We had a lovely experience with a mom and dad and 3 children..13 months, 5 and 8. It was so nice to have the house full of children again.
I remembered when mine were little. It seems like a different life...how they years pass..it's like going down a super highway and before you know it there are grandchildren..who find you kind of boring..such is life. My basil is doing well..tommorow I will do pesto. I use the Silver Palate receipe..a cookbook popular in the 80s..when pesto was exotic. 2 cups basil leaves. 1 cup olive oil. 1 cup walnuts. 6 garlic cloves . 1/2 cup heavy cream. 1/2 cup parmasan cheese . Kosher salt to taste. Whirl in food processor as you are boiling the pasta..it's best fresh and green tossed with steaming pasta.

07/05/2025

Due to a family emergency we have a several week cancellation for Room 1 king sea view bathroom ensuite private balcony breakfast included 95.00 per night child and pet friendly. Check out my reviews..8x super host. Book through Airbnb or

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