squishy feet

Hooray for Pamlico Sound! Last weekend I went clamming one day and for a sail the next. Jumping off boats into the sound is excellent summer recreation. Watching my nephews giggle and leap is even better. The water's just this amazing green and perfectly comfortable--you can languidly drift and swim all afternoon without getting chilled. (Plan for a nice long nap after)

My mother adores clamming, but I've always been squeamish about digging my feet into the fine sand and grassy seabed. Until I caught a few clams. Now I, too, have got the fever. Bryan steamed the smallest ones, made casino clams with the slightly larger ones, and there are chowder clams in the freezer. Jenny Scarborough, clam killer.

Blue Heron has Ocracoke Island rental homes with docking, and anyone can rent a kayak or boat to explore Ocracoke's waters. Labor Day is only a few weeks away. Get it while it's hot!