The Blessing of The Fleet. Pictures of Loveliness.

There are many experiences that are unique to living near the sea, one of those experiences being The Blessing of the Fleet.

The Blessing of the Fleet is a tradition that began centuries ago in Mediterranean fishing communities. The practice was predominantly Catholic and a blessing from a local priest was usually said to ensure a safe and bountiful fishing season. (Note: Now ministers from all religious faiths participate.)

A few days ago, Steve was invited to the downtown harbor area in Manteo to pray the ceremonial blessing.

I was tied up doing some other things and so I sent my capable assistant, Sarah, with Steve to cover the event.

At the end of the ceremony, my aforementioned capable assistant discovered some handcrafted displays that had been set up nearby and so she seamlessly (and happily) transitioned from official photographer to official handcrafted item browser. It’s all in a day’s work when you live in a lovely place like Manteo!

And speaking of lovely places, last week we attended a graduation party for a young lady in our church which was held at the home of another church family. (You may recall that I posted pictures several weeks ago of a gorgeous local hair salon; the salon’s owner was also the hostess of this party.)

Since ladies usually like to see how other people decorate (well, at least I do), I thought I’d include a few pictures of this gathering’s loveliness.

(These pictures were taken by another guest at the party.)

If you look out the far window, you can see the beautiful bay beyond.

So now you’ve had your dose of seaside culture and decorative loveliness for today. Thanks for stopping by!