Monday 10 August 2009

The Chincoteague Report - Day 1

(Please note: These are NOT written on the day they happen....)

Saturday, August 8th

Greetings and welcome to my report from the merry land of Chincoteague!

For those who don't know....

Chincoteague is an island located off the coast of Virginia near the Maryland border. My family and I have been coming to the island since... well... since I was in sixth or seventh grade. Ever since I had read the book "Misty of Chincoteague" by Marguerite Henry, I had an overwhelming desire to see the place of "Pony Penning." In the fourth grade, when presented with a project to research and report on a place I would want to visit, Chincoteague was the place for me.

In meticulous detail I presented a week of fun in the sun complete with itinerary, travel arrangements, and budget. I drew pictures, wrote to the Chamber of Commerce, and got pamplets from any place that could provide them. In those days before the instant gratification of the internet, it was a project of love and patience and in the end I persevered.

Well, it turns out my teacher, Mrs. Killian, wasn't the only person impressed with my imaginary travel log. My mother was as well. A few years later, she packed her four kids and assorted belongings into my Uncle Harold's pickup truck with the cap on the back that converted into a bed or a table and we were off to visit my dream destination.

And we've never looked back.

Or anywhere else.

Now we're passing the love of the islands to the next generation and three generations of the Evans family are now sharing a house on good ole Chincoteague. Things have changed since that first summer so many years ago when the island didn't even have a McDonald's, but our love for it hasn't diminished.

So, after an almost five hour drive with my mother at the wheel (Some things don't change.) I once more smelled the pungent saltiness of the marshes on the heat of the summer breeze.

That evening to celebrate our arrival at the place where my childhood dreamed fanciful scenarios and my teenage heart first twittered softly at the sight of a boy's long, tanned legs and shoulders just beginning to show the first signs of muscled broadness, we went to The Island Creamery.

The Island Creamery (www.islandcreamery.net) is one of the newer things in the grand scheme of the family history but has quickly become one of the favourite. Hand made ice cream with a large and ever changing selection to choose from, the Creamery is THE place to go for an evening treat.

So, night one at the Creamery....

Kate the Great went the simple route. Chocolate in a cone. Which promptly became chocolate in a cone in a dish. And a chocolate covered child.

Jeff's choice of the evening was Mint Chocolate Chip. Devoured quickly and I was informed that he would be happy to help with mine if needed. The sacrifices he makes for me. How lucky can a girl get?

I went with variety. A scoop of Cherries Jubilee (cherries and liquor) and a scoop of cantaloupe ice cream. (It had chunks of actual cantaloupe!) Jeff requested that if he DID have to help me out with mine, he would appreciate it if I ate the Cherries Jubilee first. Unfortunately for him, I managed to choke it all down. Though I did vow that from this night on I would stick with one scoop.

Now, the Creamery has challenge. If you can eat a whole Round Up (five scoops of ice cream, three toppings, whipped cream and cherries (nuts optional)) by yourself, they will take your picture and put it on their photos page on their website. (It used to be on the wall inside the shop but technology and lack of space moved them to the infinite nature of the interweb.)

The eldest of Kate's Levan cousins, Shelby (age 12), decided that this was her year to shine. So, she ordered the Round Up. Ate and ate and ate.... and couldn't finish it all. Better luck next time, Shelbs!

After the Creamery, we set off to Assateague Island (home of the "wild ponies") to do a quick tour of the wild life. Ponies were seen! (I, of course, didn't have my camera with me and sulked in the car.) Kate was riding with her cousins in the other car and got out to see them. Hopefully, I'll be able to steal a few of her photos to post.

Back to the house. (Remind me to tell you about this... odd .... bit of architecture.) Off to bed.

End of Day 1.

Hopefully, I'll feel inclined to at least present ice cream updates on a regular basis!

16 comments:

Aunt Gretchen said...

Black raspberry and coconut. Yum!

Aunt Gretchen said...

Wait a minute, I lie. I had grapefruit sorbet this night and then black raspberry and coconut next, and then onto the pineapple and coconut...

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