Tidewater Times December 2021 by Tidewater Times

Tidewater Times

December 2021

www.SaintMichaelsWaterfront.com

THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO SELL!

Call Tom or Debra if you are thinking about selling your home.

MT. PLEASANT - UNDER CONTRACT $2,500,000

SOLITUDE - UNDER CONTRACT $1,695,000

MISTY POINT - SOLD @ $1,400,000

HATTON FARM - SOLD @ $2,600,000

PIRATES COVE - SOLD @ $1,750,000

HOPKINS NECK - SOLD @ $3,200,000

QUAKER NECK - SOLD @ $1,060,000

PERRY CABIN - SOLD @ $720,000

Tom & Debra Crouch

Benson & Mangold Real Estate

116 N. Talbot St., St. Michaels · 410-745-0720 Tom Crouch: 410-310-8916 Debra Crouch: 410-924-0771

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Vol. 70, No. 7

Published Monthly

December 2021

Features: About the Cover Photographer: Rhonda Matterson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Publishers' Note. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Memories are Not Made of This: Helen Chappell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Supporting Your Volunteer Fire Department: Michael Valliant . . . . . . . . . 25 A Hidden Gem: Bonna L. Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 The Real Murder on Mustique: Richard Klepfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Tidewater Gardening - Holiday Herbs & Plants: K. Marc Teffeau . . . . . . . . . . 81 Frank Butler of Hambrooks Bay: A.M. Foley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Tidewater Kitchen - Holiday Feast: Pamela Meredith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Christmas on the Chesapeake - 1609-2013: James Dawson . . . . . . . . 125 Changes - Coming Again - Book II in Progress: Roger Vaughan . . . . . . 149

Departments: December Tide Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Easton Map and History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Caroline County ~ A Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Dorchester Map and History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 St. Michaels Map and History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Oxford Map and History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 December Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Anne B. Farwell & John D. Farwell, Co-Publishers Proofing: Jodie Littleton & Kippy Requardt Deliveries: Nancy Smith, April Jewel & Brandon Coleman P. O. Box 1141, Easton, Maryland 21601 3947 Harrison Circle, Trappe, Maryland 21673 410-714-9389 www.tidewatertimes.com info@tidewatertimes.com

Tidewater Times is published monthly by Bailey-Farwell, LLC. Advertising rates upon request. Subscription price is $30.00 per year. Individual copies are $4. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or whole without prior approval of the publisher. Printed by Delmarva Printing, Inc. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors and/or omissions.

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About the Cover Photographer Rhonda Matterson pictures of anything in nature, but birds are her passion. When she retired from nursing, she and her husband, Tim, decided to bring that passion to Easton by opening a Wild Birds Unlimited store and sharing the joy that birds can bring to residents of the Mid-Shore region and beyond. They are proud to provide the highest-quality bird feeding products available anywhere... backed with expert advice. The cover photo is of a Carolina Wren that stayed on the Christmas lights for a few seconds after a rain shower. Rhonda snapped this photo from her porch while watching for birds in her front yard. Visit her store at 8223 Elliott Road, Easton, in the Giant supermarket plaza, or online at www.wbu. com/easton. You can also reach the store at 410-690-3284.

And the winner is! ~ Rhonda Matterson started photography at the early age of 10 when she got her first camera, a Polaroid, for her birthday. The first birds she got a picture of were her chickens for her a 4-H project. She has always been a nature lover, exploring the woods she grew up around. She always has a camera in hand to get that one shot she’ll never be able to capture again. She loves the hobby of amateur photography because it is a form of expression for her. Rhonda worked the majority of her 30 years as a nurse in long-term and assisted living facilities. In her off time, she looked to gardening and her camera to relax. She loves to take

Publishers’ Note:

A Season of Giving We here at Tidewater Times would like to wish you and your families the very best during this holiday season. As we prepare to celebrate, please remember those in our community that have been less fortunate ~ especially those who have been affected by Covid-19 and the variant. We’ve lost loved ones, and some have lost jobs and businesses. In this season of giving, we are featuring several stories highlighting people and organizations that give to our communities throughout the year. We would encourage supporting these groups during this time of

thankfulness and hope. Let’s show, once again, that the Mid-Shore leads the way in generosity and heart. We also want to take this opportunity to thank all of our advertisers, readers, writers and support staff that make the Tidewater Times possible. As we head into our 70th year of publication, we are especially thankful to our Mid-Shore community. We couldn’t do what we do without all of you! With that said, we’d like to wish you a very blessed season! ~ Anne, John, Pop and the Tidewater Times family

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Memories Are Not Made of This! by Helen Chappell Dear Anne ~ I’m sorry this column is so late. I forgot I had a deadline. Then I had an idea, and I promptly forgot that. My memory is only as good as identifying all the films Claude Rains was in. Where that book is or whether or not I took my meds this morning, well, those memories are gone with the wind. (1939, Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, written by Margaret Mitchell and out of fashion for being dated and embarrassing.) I don’t know why I can recall the vaguest pieces of trivia, but even though I checked my balance a couple of hours ago, I couldn’t tell you for the life of me how much is in that account. Hold on, I’ll have to look it up again. Oops, wrong password. Thought I updated that. Oh, no, the company updated it and I forgot. Let me just keep putting in my old password over and over again and hope for a different result. Now, I do recall that was Einstein’s definition of insanity, but I had to think long and hard about what my new password is. By the time I get it changed back to my original password, I’ll

have forgotten both of them. But I can tell you that hamburger is on sale in two different groceries. I’ve always been a classic absentminded professor without the academic credits, but alas, with aging, it’s getting worse. 11

Memories Where did I put that? Why did I come into this room? Where’s my coat? Who are these people? What year is this? Oh, it’s funny now, but I dread waking up one morning in an episode of The Twilight Zone where those questions are real and Rod Serling is grinning at me from 50 years ago, like it’s all real. A friend of mine says absentmindedness is not a sign you’re going into senility, at least not yet. According to her, a licensed professional, intelligent people are likely to get wrapped up in intellectualtype thoughts and forget the mundane world. They even made a movie about it!

Come celebrate the season with us as we preview a collection of “Small Treasures of Art.” Happy Holidays! Betty Huang, an accomplished artist herself, represents such notable painters as Master Jove Wang, Hiu Lai Chong, Ken DeWaard, Qiang Huang, Bernard Dellario, Daniel Robbins and sculptor Rick Casali.

It has been suggested to me, unkindly, that my job is thinking beautiful thoughts. I write mysteries and stuff. Little do they know how dark my thoughts are. (Drowning victims rarely have water in their lungs. Bubonic plague wiped out twothirds of the population of Eurasia in the 13th century. Boy, I’d like to

Looking forward to seeing you! Look for the OPEN sign! 7B Goldsborough St., Easton 443-988-1818 www.studioBartgallery.com 12

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Memories punch that guy in the face with a banana cream pie. Yeah, beautiful thoughts.) If I had a nickel for every time I walked into a room and couldn’t remember what I’d come in there for, I’d own a sprawling waterfront estate. Of course, that happens to everyone, doesn’t it? Or open the refrigerator and stare blankly at the contents because you can’t remember what you were looking for? Put your glasses down and forget where they are? (Ten points if they’re on top of your head.) I realize these lapses happen to everyone, even people with so-

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Memories

ing someone. But sometimes, after promising to stay in touch and exchanging digits, I get the feeling the person I just spoke to doesn’t remember me, either...

called photographic memories, but that doesn’t make them any less annoying. Lists help. My mother, that most organized of women, taught me early and often to make lists. Of course, sometimes I forget to make lists, and worse, sometimes I lose my list between my kitchen counter and the store. Trying to shop from memory always means I forget one key item and pick up two expensive items as an impulse buy. Sadly, switching from brick and mortar to online does nothing to fix this problem. In fact, it can make it worse. One of the side effects of absentminded professor syndrome is my inability to recognize faces. If I don’t see you early and often, I may not recognize you eating at the next table. Your face may be familiar, but your name and the context in which I knew you remain just out of reach. So, I have to ask some questions, fishing for your identity without insulting you or you think I’m some kind of snob or weasel or something. “How are you? What are you doing now?” I fish desperately, looking for a clue, any clue. Please don’t take it personally. There’s actually a name for this disorder, so it’s not just me. Years of journalism have trained me to ask questions, so most of the time I can fish without offend-

I keep a wirebound calendar on my desk, illustrated with art I like. Every year I buy a new one, and I carefully list all my appointments and numbers and daily stuff in it. And I’ve still been known to show up on the wrong day or at the wrong time or both. The new art every year somehow makes it more bearable when I screw up an appointment. I’ve been known to keep lists of my lists and have them trailing out of my pocketbook like bread crumbs. You can’t win sometimes, but you forget about that as soon as the next glittery event crosses your 18

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Memories

you remind yourself to be grateful. The thing about aging and forgetfulness is you can’t remember what happened yesterday, but your memories of your past come rushing back at you like an oncoming semi on Route 50. And they’re not always golden memories, so you have that to roll around in your head. Between the pandemic and retiring from book writing, I’ve become a lot more absentminded. And easily distracted by anything f lashy or fun or just different. I think I’ll start making a list of things that are f lashy, fun and different. They’d make good column fodder. Anyway, that’s why this month’s column is nine days late. I’ll try to remember to be on deadline next month. Much love, Helen

path. Until, of course, you find a list from last year stuffed in your coat pocket. Of course, I have Eastern Shore Alzheimer’s, so I can forget anything but a grudge. A grudge I can take up, polish, add some more unresolved issues and put back into the same velvet-lined box where I store it. Same with a negative comment or a bad review. These will stick on me like Velcro, to be used to wound myself later. Forget all the kindnesses and the praise and the good reviews. It’s easy to forget the good stuff unless

P.S. I’d have called you, but I forgot where I put my cell phone.... Helen Chappell is the creator of the Sam and Hollis mystery series and the Oysterback stories, as well as The Chesapeake Book of the Dead. Under her pen names, Rebecca Baldwin and Caroline Brooks, she has published a number of historical novels.

Amazing Peace We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas. We beckon this good season to wait a while with us. Peace. Come and fill us and our world with your majesty. We implore you, to stay a while with us. So we may learn by your shimmering light How to look beyond complexion and see community. It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.

From a Christmas poem by Maya Angelou Amazing Peace

May Peace fill your hearts and homes this holiday season. Wink Cowee WINK COWEE, ASSOCIATE BROKER Benson & Mangold Real Estate 211 N. Talbot St., St. Michaels, MD 21663

410-310-0208 (CELL) 410-745-0415 (OFFICE) www.BuyTheChesapeake.com winkcowee@gmail.com 21

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A Case for Supporting Your Volunteer Fire Department by Michael Valliant dwindling number of volunteers to keep fire departments running. In the state of Maryland, there are 365 volunteer fire departments. Roughly 25,000 volunteers respond to hundreds of thousands of calls for fire, rescue and emergency medical services each year. They are always on call. Narrowing those numbers down, in 2019, Easton Volunteer Fire Department responded to 1,099 calls. Each of those calls has a person, people or family in need at the other end of it.

It is not a stretch to say that community life on the Eastern Shore depends upon volunteer fire departments. They save lives, they show up in our darkest hours, they put their own lives at risk going into burning buildings and houses. Those are the end results that we can picture. But fire departments and the work they do for and in their towns actually help to create the sense of community that we know and love on the Shore. It takes time, effort, training, money and support on the part of a

Chuck Mangold Jr. - Associate Broker BENSON & MANGOLD R E A L E S TAT E C 410.924.8832

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chuck@chuckmangold.com · www.chuckmangold.com 31 Goldsborough Street, Easton, Maryland 21601

This is it! Private and ideally located between the historic towns of Easton and St Michaels, this waterfront estate checks every box. Huge southwest vista of the Miles River, brick construction, main-level owner’s suite, waterside concrete pool, pier, and detached two car garage. All this and more on an exceptional, and very private, lushly landscaped park-like point lot at end of the street. $2,295,000 www.26341ArcadiaShoresLane.com | EASTON 26

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Irish Tides - Gorgeous views of the Miles River from nearly every room. 4 bedroom 5.5 half bathroom main house. The main level is beau�fully appointed with crown moldings, hardwood floors, and built-ins. Formal living and dining rooms; kitchen with island, beau�ful quartz countertops and a waterside dining area for casual dining; family room with cathedral ceilings and gas fireplaces. The main-level primary suite has a cathedral ceiling, built-ins and private pa�o. The professionally landscaped grounds, well-equipped pool house with guestroom, kitchen, si�ng area and bath. In-ground pool with pa�o, outdoor shower and grill. Private pier with boat li� and approx. 4’+/- MLW and 300’+/-shoreline. 3-car detached garage features a bonus room perfect for an office or recrea�on room, bath and kitchene�e. Minutes to Easton’s shopping, entertainment and jet airport. Property co-listed with Cliff Meredith of Meredith Fine Real Estate. $4,650,000 | EASTON 27

The Annual Holiday tradition returns...

The Avalon presents

Come see your friends and neighbors perform Irving Berlin’s immortal “White Christmas” live onstage at the Avalon Theatre this December. Perfect for the whole family! Times and Dates available at

Avalonfoundation.org 28

FERRY NECK 6,000 sq ft home on 2 lots · 80 ac. $3,950,000

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By land or by sea we can show you the best of life on the Chesapeake. Kurt Petzold, Broker

Chesapeake Bay Properties

Brian Petzold

Established 1983 102 North Harrison Street • Easton, Maryland 21601 • 410-820-8008 www.chesapeakebayproperty.com | chesbay@goeaston.net 29

Support Your V.F.D. One of the calls they responded to this year was my parents’ house catching fire in Oxford. I drove to the house from Easton as soon as I heard, and the Oxford, Easton and Trappe volunteer firefighters were already on the scene and working to put out the fire. Our family stood across the street at my cousin’s house as dozens of firefighters brought the fire under control, using a ladder truck to cut holes in the roof so they could get water into the house from multiple points. Volunteers were in and out of the house, thick with smoke, wearing full turn-out gear in August. They compassionately brought out the wrapped bodies of two cats who didn’t survive. The fire auxiliary volunteers checked in on my parents throughout the day to see if they needed anything. And Oxford’s fire chief and other firefighters stayed long after the fire had been contained to answer questions and to be there for support. These were moments no one wants to go through. But because

of volunteer firefighters, a terrible event was more manageable. Fire departments work together, across companies. Three companies responding to my parents’ fire is the norm. At a recent house fire near the Knapps Narrows Bridge, Tilghman, St. Michaels, Easton and Trappe departments all responded. When someone is in need, firefighters and EMTs show up. In Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties, there are 43 volunteer fire departments. There are so many ways to support each department, from going to the community events they put on ~ pancake breakfasts to bingo, rummage sales to cookouts ~ to giving money to fund drives. Brett Whitehead found a differ-

Wishing You a Safe and Happy Holiday!

Oxford - Gracious custom Cape Cod on Oxford Road Corridor. Featuring 4 bedrooms with first fl oor primary suite, fabulous gourmet kitchen with Wolf and Subzero, and great room/sunroom combo with fireplace, beamed ceilings, wood fl oors. Open fl oor plan offers great space for entertaining. Formal living and dining room. Large rear deck and in-ground pool. $899,000. Easton Village Beautifully maintained and move in ready 3 bedroom Colonial in Easton Village. Inviting front porch, grand foyer, living room & family room each with gas fireplace, top of the line kitchen. Large master suite with balcony, two walk-in closets and luxurious bath. Fenced yard with private patio and screened porch. Experience life in Easton Village. With community pool, pier and walking trails! $810,000

Waterfront Estates, Farms and Hunting Properties also available.

Kathy Christensen

410-924-4814(C) · 410-822-1415(O ) Benson & Mangold Real Estate 27999 Oxford Road, Oxford, Maryland 21654 kccamb@gmail.com · www.kathychristensen.com

Support Your V.F.D.

sense for the level of commitment found at fire departments throughout the Shore. For an article I wrote about the Oxford Volunteer Fire Department a few years ago, longtime firefighter Mike Greenhawk pointed out that a couple decades ago in Oxford, 15 to 20 people would show up for every call, whereas now they see four or five people responding on a regular basis. It’s impossible to put a price tag on what volunteer fire departments are worth to communities. But the National Fire Protection Association issued a report showing that volunteer departments save municipalities and taxpayers roughly $140 billion per year in firefighting costs. Money isn’t what comes to mind when people see volunteers responding to their emergencies. As a new firefighter, Whitehead points out that he knows far less than so many volunteers at the various de-

ent way to support the Easton Volunteer Fire Department. With COVID-19 having such a big impact on the community, he thought about how he wanted to help. At 67 years old, he completed his Firefighter I class through the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute and is one of the newest members of EVFD. Firefighter I is a required class for anyone who wants to be a volunteer firefighter. It’s a four-month class that meets twice a week, as well as some weekends, for a total of 135 hours. It involves classroom training, homework and practical skills evolutions. In addition to completing Firefighter I, volunteers must pass CPR and a medical course. And, for EVFD, new members must respond to 36 calls per quarter. If you think about each volunteer putting in at least that much time just to get started, then additional training and school and the time spent in company drills, you begin to get a 32

partments. But why someone who is close to retirement age wants to begin to volunteer ~ why someone at 67 is taking a class in which the average participant is in their 20s ~ speaks to exactly why we need to shine a light on our fire companies. EVFD’s motto is “Service for Others.” That phrase captures the spirit of volunteer fire departments in general ~ serving others in their/ our times of greatest need. Across the Shore, our volunteer firefighters are there. If they are going to continue to be there, they need our support. In this issue of Tidewater Times, there are listings and contact information for fire departments across the Mid-Shore. As we get close to the end of the year,

consider supporting your local company ~ make a tax-deductible contribution. Or find out how you can volunteer your time ~ see how you can get involved. This article is the first in a series that will look at how volunteer fire departments make a difference in our communities. Without them, we wouldn’t be the same. Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “I can think of no more stirring symbol of

Support Your V.F.D.

man’s humanity to man than a fire engine.” When we think about what that means ~ neighbors helping neighbors, responding to emergencies, acting on behalf of the needs of others ~ we can do our part to help them respond.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW HOLIDAY CATALOG!

Michael Valliant is the Assistant for Adult Education and Newcomers Ministry at Christ Church Easton. He has worked for non-profit organizations throughout Talbot County, including the Oxford Community Center, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and Academy Art Museum.

410-822-7716

7 S. Washington St., Easton

CHECK OUT OUR NEW HOLIDAY CATALOG at CrackerjackToys.com

Connie Loveland Realtor®

CRS, GRI, ABR

Sending You a Heartfelt Thanks and Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays! Merry Christmas! ~ Connie

♦ REALTOR® certiﬁcation ♦ CRS – Certiﬁed Residential Specialist ♦ GRI® Graduate, REALTOR® Institute ♦ e-Pro ♦ ABR – Accredited Buyer Representative ♦ Senior Housing Specialist

Volunteer Fire Departments of the Mid-Shore Dorchester County: Rescue Fire Co.- P.O. Box 766, Cambridge, MD 21613 · 410.228.1670 Neck District Vol. Fire Co.- 954 Cook Point Rd., Cambridge, MD 21613 · 410.228.2434 Church Creek Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 16, Church Creek, MD 21622 · 410.228.4156 East New Market Vol. Fire Depart. - P.O. Box 280, East New Market, MD 21631· 410.943.3663 Hurlock Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 178, Hurlock, MD 21643 · 410.943.3110 Madison Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 23, Madison, MD 21648 · 410.228.8703 Eldorado Brookview Vol. Fire Dept. - 5752 Rhodesdale-Eldorado Rd., Rhodesdale, MD, 21659 · 410.943.4004 Secretary Volunteer Fire Dept. - 115 Myrtle St., Secretary, MD 21664 · 410.943.3545 Taylors Island Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 277, Taylors Island, MD 21669 · 410.397.3524 Vienna Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 5, Vienna, MD 21869 · 410.376.3319 Lakes and Straits Vol. Fire Co. - 2103 Farm Creek Rd., Wingate, MD 21675 · 410.397.8154 Talbot County: Oxford Fire Co. Inc. - 300 Oxford Rd., Oxford, MD 21654 · 410.226.5110 Trappe Vol. Fire Co. Inc. - P.O. Box 86 Trappe, MD 21673 · 410.476.3535 St. Michaels Fire Depart.,Inc. - 1001 South Talbot St., St. Michaels, MD 21663 · 410.745.9393 Cordova Vol. Firemens Assoc. - P.O. Box 102, Cordova, MD 21625 · 410.364.5400 Easton Vol. Fire Dept. - P.O. Box 851, Easton, MD 21601 · 410.822.4848 Tilghman Vol. Fire Co. Inc. - P.O. Box 297 Tilghman, MD 21671 · 410.886.2101 Queen Anne – Hillsboro Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 226, Queen Anne, MD 21657 · 410.364.5612 Caroline County: Federalsburg Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 99, Federalsburg, MD 21632 · 410.754.7400 Preston Vol. Fire Co.- P.O. Box 44, Preston, MD 21655 · 410.673.7874 Denton Vol. Fire Co. - 400 South Fifth Avenue, Denton, MD 21629 · 410.479.2121 Ridgely Vol. Fire Dept. - P.O. Box 425, Ridgely, MD 21660 · 410.634.2424 Greensboro Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 307, Greensboro, MD 21639 · 410.482.8420 Goldsboro Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 35, Goldsboro, MD 21636 · 410.482.6196 Queen Anne Hillsboro Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 226, Queen Anne, MD 21657· 410.364.5612 Queen Anne’s County: Kent Island Vol. Fire Dept. - 1610 Main St., Chester, MD 21619 · 410.643.5454 Grasonville Vol. Fire Dept. - 4128 Main St., Grasonville, MD 21619 · 410.827.8100 Queestown Vol. Fire Dept. - 7110 Main St., Queenstown, MD 21658 · 410.827.8377 36

Volunteer Fire Departments of the Mid-Shore Goodwill Vol. Fire Co., Inc. - 212 Broadway, Centreville, MD 21617 · 410.758.1422 Church Hill Vol. Fire Co., Inc. - 316 Main St., Church Hill, MD 21623 · 410.758.6552 Sudlersville Vol. Fire Co. - 203 N. Church St., Sudlersville, MD 21668 · 410.438.3155 Crumpton Vol. Fire Dept. - 300 3rd Street, Crumpton, MD 21628 · 410.778.6100 United Communities VFD - 9406 Romancoke Rd., Stevensville, MD 21666 · 410.643.1162 Kent County: Betterton Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 235, Betterton, MD 21610 · 410.348.5678 Chestertown Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 296, Chestertown, MD 21620 · 410.778.3434 Galena Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 189, Galena, MD 21635 · 410.648.5050 Community Vol. Fire Dept. - P.O. BOX 255, Millington, MD 21651 · 410.928.3171 Rock Hall Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 577, Rock Hall, MD 21661 · 410.639.7888 Donations made directly to Volunteer Fire Companies are always gratefully received and are a tremendous help. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible on your Federal Tax Return.

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A Hidden Gem The Heritage Museums and Gardens of Dorchester by Bonna L. Nelson

An organization that is committed to our mission, which is to inspire and support research, interpretation, preservation and appreciation of the history, folklore, traditions and heritage of this great region. In our busy lives, we often whiz by little roads when driving on the highway of life and might wonder, “Where does that road lead?” Or, “I wish I had the time to explore that little town.” Or, “The next time I am in this area, I want to see that special site.” I want to share one of these fascinating hidden gems with you. Dorchester County, Maryland, has many such roads, towns and sites that we speed by driving on Route 50 over the Choptank River Bridge, past Cambridge, the county seat, perhaps on our way to Ocean City. Wonderfully, Maryland Avenue ~ the first left turn after driving off the bridge ~ leads to the home of the Dorchester County Historical Society (DCHS) at 1003 Greenway Drive. The Heritage Museums and Gardens of Dorchester, home to the DCHS, are located in various historic and new structures on the LaGrange Plantation facing Shoal Creek off of the Choptank River.

Meredith House In each Dec ember issue, t he Tidewater Times owners and I like to direct your attention to a nonprofit organization with the hope that you will learn more about the organization and support its mission with a holiday donation. The DCHS 41

TIDE TABLE

OXFORD, MD 1. Wed. 2. Thurs. 3. Fri. 4. Sat. 5. Sun. 6. Mon. 7. Tues. 8. Wed. 9. Thurs. 10. Fri. 11. Sat. 12. Sun. 13. Mon. 14. Tues. 15. Wed. 16. Thurs. 17. Fri. 18. Sat. 19. Sun. 20. Mon. 21. Tues. 22. Wed. 23. Thurs. 24. Fri. 25. Sat. 26. Sun. 27. Mon. 28. Tues. 29. Wed. 30. Thurs. 31. Fri.

DECEMBER 2021

HIGH PM AM

12:05 12:56 1:48 2:41 3:35 4:30 5:27 6:25 7:26 8:31 9:37 10:44 11:48 12:25 1:08 1:52 2:35 3:18 4:00 4:42 5:25 6:08 6:55 7:46 8:42 9:40 10:40 11:40 12:27

1:02 1:54 2:46 3:38 4:30 5:24 6:19 7:16 8:13 9:09 10:03 10:53 11:40 12:46 1:37 2:21 3:00 3:36 4:10 4:44 5:20 5:57 6:37 7:20 8:05 8:52 9:42 10:35 11:30 12:38 1:35

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6:46 7:25 8:08 8:53 9:43 12:05 12:59 1:52 2:45 3:36 4:25 5:11 5:52 6:29 7:02 7:34 8:06 8:40 9:17 9:55 12:13 12:48 1:25 2:01 2:39 3:17 3:55 4:35 5:16 6:01 6:50

8:08 9:13 10:13 11:10 10:37am 11:35am 12:38 1:46 2:59 4:14 5:28 6:38 7:42 8:40 9:31 10:17 10:59 11:37 10:36am 11:18am 12:03 12:53 1:49 2:56 4:14 5:36 6:54 8:04 9:06

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A Hidden Gem

events, activities and programs that are open to the public. My introduction to the Heritage Museums was by way of a delightful “play date” with my friend Rita Connolly. Amateur artists ~ or, should I say, budding artists of a certain age ~ we attended a wood painting workshop hosted by the museum. All supplies and instruction were provided. We came home with treasures. Rita’s was a wooden sign painted with the word “Family” that she’ll hang photos on. Mine was a painted wooden buoy that decorates a corner in my favorite room. We did a bit of museum browsing during our visit and vowed to come back. I joined the museum after that positive experience and exposure to their attractions. My next Heritage Museum experience was a lecture I attended

museums also hope that you will visit, explore, enjoy, attend events and programs, volunteer and donate historic treasures for preservation. DCHS is a qualified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We all thank you. A day tr ip destination awaits you in this peaceful setting that also functions as a repository for Dorchester County, Eastern Shore and Chesapeake Bay regional history. The educational and entertaining exhibits, relics, artifacts, textiles, art, tools and dioramas depict a broad range of time periods and cultures, beginning as far back as the early Native American inhabitants in the area to a new, current exhibit of baseball memorabilia.

The DCHS not only resides at the site but is a cultural, nature, art and research center. It hosts numerous 44

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A Hidden Gem

The group shared that DCHS was founded in 1953 to promote an appreciation of the rich history and traditions of Dorchester County and the region. DCHS collects and exhibits artifacts, maintains and operates the museums, maintains archives, makes collections and documents available for research, provides interpretive and educational opportunities and advocates for the preservation of other historic resources in the county. The DCHS seeks to celebrate the area’s heritage, rich past and various cultures, including Native American, African American, Colonists, families, industries, sports and other interests. Dorchester County was formed way back in 1669 and was named for the Earl of Dorset, a family friend of the Calverts (the founding family of Maryland). It is the largest county by total area on the Eastern Shore. The

with my husband, John, about our garden friends, the bees. So popular was the offering that we were put on a waiting list for a second lecture by two Master Gardeners, as the first lecture quickly filled. We were given valuable information about the 430 bees found in the Mid-Atlantic region, handouts and bee houses for sheltering and nesting (see the Tidewater Times article “Bringing Back the Bees” in the September 2020 issue.) With the DCHS campus newly reopened after its closure during the peak of the pandemic, John and I were warmly welcomed for my third visit by DCHS Administrator Mitch Anderson and a group of volunteers and board members: Carol Towers, Charles Pax, Terry Cranell, Shirley S. Jackson, Jane Weeks and Donnie Davidson. Though pouring buckets of rain and chilly outside, it was warm and inv iting inside the Robbins Heritage Center/Neild Museum surrounded by exhibits and dioramas.

A Hidden Gem

as LaGrange originally housed all of the society’s collections.

mighty Chesapeake Bay cradles its eastern shoreline, and the Choptank River forms part of its northern border. These, along with numerous tributaries, provide the county with 1,700 miles of shoreline. As a result of its natural bounties, many Dorchester residents have been farmers and watermen. Mitch took us on a tour of the campus and shared details about the buildings, exhibits and gardens. In 1959, with the help of a donor, the DCHS purchased the Meredith House, a two-and-a-half-story Georgian style Flemish bond brick home. The crown jewel of the campus, the c. 1760 major house formerly known

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A Hidden Gem

with one of the young Smith boys, as well as signage, are displayed. Mitch shared that he met one of the Smith sons. The visitor fondly remembers the house and Ms. Cornish. Mitch plans to record a future interview with Mr. Smith. The Governors’ room displays the state flag and includes donated furnishings, portraits, documents and other memorabilia of the seven Maryland governors from Dorchester. Other rooms showcase attractive furnishings from the Federal and Victorian periods, handmade quilts, children’s toys, portraits of people who once lived in Dorchester County, textiles, china, glassware, silver, handmade miniature furniture, clocks and other collections and accessories. A modernized kitchen is used to prepare the afternoon teas that are sometimes scheduled. There is so much to see and understand that I feel the need to return on another day to spend more time in each room. I found that true of the other museums we visited on the campus as well. Structures on the campus between the Meredith House and the museum buildings include the brick Goldsborough Stable (c. 1790) with vehicles used through the early 1900s, including wagons, sleighs and a sulky. It also houses exhibits explaining the work of blacksmiths, saddlers and wheelw rights. The stable was moved to the campus in

The house now functions as a museum and is furnished to reflect local history. Each room contains furniture, portraits, paintings, textiles and documents that emulate the lives of Dorchester residents. I have two favorite rooms in the Meredith house. One features women’s fashions, clothing and accessories from various historical periods. Delicate silk, velvet and linen gowns draped on forms with parasols, hats, purses and shoes grace the room along with men’s and children’s garments. A spinning wheel and sewing items are also on display. My other favorite room recreates the bedroom occupied by the last African American servant, Annie Cornish. Ms. Cornish was hired by the Smith family in 1922. A bed, clothing, accessories and a photo of her

A Hidden Gem

countr y store, a barn interior, a 1920s kitchen, an interior church setting, a schoolroom and a screened front porch. There is even an exhibit about one of Dorchester’s notables, world-renowned markswoman Annie Oakley. The museum also includes a gift shop with old and new objects, books, crafts, jewelry, china and artifacts, with all proceeds going to the DCHS. The adjoining Robbins Heritage Center was added in 2007, when additional space was needed for the burgeoning collection. The center includes a timeline of county and also features a Native American history exhibit with arrowheads, projectile points, stone tools, beadwork and pottery, as well as a wooden dugout canoe as a centerpiece. I spoke to a volunteer who curates the exhibit. He has a passion for collecting arrowheads and attends other Native A merican heritage events in the region. The exhibits reflect early county life and industries from the 1600s to the present Additional exhibits in the Robbins

the mid-1980s from Shoal Creek Manor, the last remaining building from the estate of Governor Charles Goldsborough. The oldest building on the campus is said to be the Stronghouse, where food was stored and where Mitch found evidence that it may have been a smokehouse, too. The Stronghouse anchors the colonial herb garden and stands of mature trees maintained by DCHS volunteers. Brick walkways crisscross the campus, and a waterfront walkway leads to a lovely waterside garden overlooking peaceful Shoal Creek. After outgrowing the Meredith Hou se, t he Nei ld Mu seu m wa s added in 1981 to house artifacts and dioramas depicting various periods of history in Dorchester. Mitch said the museum highlights the connection between work and family. Exhibits include agricultural implements displayed inside and outside for planting and harvesting tobacco, corn, tomatoes and other crops and waterman’s equipment for oystering, crabbing and fishing. Charming dioramas present a

A Hidden Gem

in the museum’s newest exhibit, Baseball in Dorchester County. The exhibit features various baseball teams, including a tribute to baseball’s Negro Leagues. On display are trophies, uniforms, photos, plaques, posters, ticket stubs, gloves, autographed balls and more. It is a funfilled exhibit about one of America’s favorite pastimes. Mitch also showed us the Todd Research Center in the Robbins Heritage Center, which contains the DCHS Research and Family History Department. The research center houses an extensive library that features a large selection of reference materials, including books (some out of print), atlases, compilations and transcriptions, photographs, ledgers, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, land transfers and more. John asked to look at a volume on a shelf and was impressed to find a document transferring acreage on James Island, in the Chesapeake Bay. The research center is helpful to those searching for family or regional history. It also includes donated collections, family genealogies and histories and is an important

Heritage Center include interpretations of life for early colonists and for indentured and slave cultures, including Harriet Tubman, escaped slave and hero of the Underground Railroad. There’s also a headstone marking the slaves’ final resting place, which Mitch says is unusual for the times.

Displays also represent the canning and timbering industries as well as hunting, trapping and carving. One highlight is the recreated, original workshop of fRonald Rue, a famed local master decoy carver, in which John was par ticularly interested. Both of us enjoyed talking to volunteer curator Donnie Davidson 54

A Hidden Gem

to visit post-pandemic shutdown, comprised “forty bright minds” who came to learn about their heritage and community history. “…it was our greatest pleasure to spend time with them,” he said. The children experience hands-on activities such as churning butter, doing laundry with a washboard and grinding corn by hand. Other educational opportunities include traditional and heritage craft workshops for adults: jewelry making, furniture restoration and paper making, among others. My painting class was one such workshop. The recent decoy carving class with carver Zeke Willey is another example. Lectures are also held periodically, such as the one on bees. Fundraising events include Recycle Dorchester in spring and fall (yard sale), with quality treasures of furniture, linens, quilts, glassware, china, plants, books, etc. for all to discover. Workshops and lectures also bring in income, as does the decoy raffle drawing currently underway. During the summer, DCHS offered its second annual Bay Country Region Antique Car Show. More events w ill be planned w it h pandemic restrictions are lifted. I am looking forward to attending the afternoon teas at the Meredith House when they resume! To help DCHS continue its good work and fulfill its mission, please visit dorchesterhistory.com to learn how you can donate, volunteer and/

genealogy research hub that attracts researchers from all over the United States. Researchers are welcome to search in person during regular hours. Volunteer staff are available to assist. Requests for information and assistance can be made to the DCHS. Their website, which is noted at the end of this story, includes more information on available research material, such as a book list, newspaper collections and genealogies. Mitch also took me to an upstairs climate - cont rolled room where precious documents such as family bibles are stored. Shivering a bit, we looked through a few sacred books bound in leather and embellished with gold.

Mitch talked about his delight in sharing the museum exhibits with visiting schoolchildren every year. DCHS works closely with the school board to offer tours and expose students to history in a fun way. He said that the first school group 56

The Heritage Museums are currently open Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1003 Greenway Drive, Cambridge, MD, 21613. Onsite parking is available. Be sure to check the website for opening times before your visit and for special events and possibly an upcoming holiday event. Admission is $5 but is free for members. You may contact DCHS by telephone at 410-228-7953, via email at dchs@ verizon.net.

or become a member. The organization receives very little funding from local, state or federal sources to fi nance operations. The general expenses of utilities, payroll, campus maintenance and insurance are covered through membership dues, donations, admissions, event income and sponsorships.

Bonna L. Nelson is a Bay-area writer, columnist, photographer and world traveler. She resides in Easton with her husband, John.

Easton Map and History The County Seat of Talbot Count y. Established around early religious settlements and a court of law, Histor ic Dow ntow n Easton is today a centerpiece of fine specialt y shops, business and cultural activ ities, unique restaurants, and architectural fascination. Treel i ne d s t r e e t s a r e graced with various per iod str uctures and remarkable home s , c a r e f u l l y preser ved or re stored. Because of its histor ic a l significance, historic Easton has earned distinction as the “C olon ia l C apitol of the Eastern Shore” and was honored as number eight in the book “The 100 Best Small Towns in America.” With a population of over 16,500, Easton offers the best of many worlds including access to large metropolitan areas like Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, and Wilmington. For a walking tour and more history visit https:// tidewatertimes.com/travel-tourism/easton-maryland/. © John Norton

The Real Murder on Mustique by Rick Klepfer

Anne Glenconner recently published a novel titled “Murder on Mustique,” in which a fictitious socialite is murdered on the tiny Caribbean island of Mustique. While the murder in Glenconner’s book is a made-up tale, the island is an actual place and is indeed occupied by rich and/or famous folks. A brutal murder did take place there in the late 1990s but it has never been solved. Having lived on Mustique at that time, I had a front-row seat to those curious events. Mustique prides itself on the creation of an exclusive closed society where people with a lot of money can go with little chance of being bothered by paparazzi or having to maintain their publicfacing image. Many of these people have been regular features in the magazines that you might page

through while waiting in grocery store checkout lines, but there are many more denizens of Mustique that are the behind-the-scenes type of rich people ~ the “quietly wealthy.” Luminaries such as Mick Jagger, Princess Margaret and David Bowie have all maintained villas on the island and enjoyed relative anonymity there. Tommy Hilfiger has built a massive residence there, and other people, less known to Americans, such as David Linley, Lord Litchfield and my friend the late Sir Rodney Touche, have been regular inhabitants of the place. It’s not particularly easy to get to Mustique. While a few yachtsmen show up there each season to spend a few days in the rolling and unprotected anchorage at Britannia Bay, most visitors come by air. Many

The diminutive island of Mustique from the air. 61

Murder on Mustique

gles of tropical undergrowth at the end of the runway to discover the wrecks of numerous planes hidden in the trees there.

of the wealthy come to the island in their own private planes, but everybody else must rely on Mustique Air, which operates small, twin-engine planes throughout the Lesser Antilles and Barbados. It is at the Mustique airport where visitors are subjected to rigorous scrutiny as they come through the customs office, which is housed in the bamboo edifice that serves as the airport terminal. The runway itself is a thrill ride of an introduction to the island ~ it is short and has a steeply inclined surface at one end and a mountain at the other. I once had the unsettling experience of bushwhacking through the tan-

At the customs desk, the incoming visitor is asked at what house they are staying. If they haven’t rented one of the extremely expensive villas, been invited as the guest of a villa owner or booked into one of the two guest facilities, they will need to secure reservations on the last f light out on that same day. To rent a villa on Mustique, it would be possible to spend over 50,000 US dollars for a week ~ plus tips. Even the budget-priced Cotton House costs around $1,000 a night. It would be difficult to even make it to the island by air as a casual visitor because the Mustique Air boarding gate at Barbados does such a thorough job of weeding out any undesirables. It was at the airport where my wife and I first met Suzie Mostberger. She stepped off the plane and was met by one of the local young men, the sort of fellows for

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Murder on Mustique

Suzie came to Mustique every winter to escape the dismal climate of Europe in winter and to spend some quiet time at a sprawling villa, Fort Shandy, that sat on a high bluff overlooking the incredible azure waters of the southern Caribbean Sea. We would see her around the island roads or at the beach, and oftentimes we would chat with her at the weekly Wednesday night beach bashes that were sponsored by the Cotton House, the Mustique Company-owned hotel. We were guests at a birthday celebration for one of the wealthiest women in the world one evening. The house, which was named Rosa Dei Venti, was situated on a

whom she seemed to have a predilection. She introduced herself to us, looked at my wife and pointed to her boyfriend. “Zees is my man,” she sternly told her, “and you don’t touch him.” My wife, ever quick with a retort, told Suzie, “and zees is my man, and you don’t touch him,” while pointing in my direction. This immediately broke the ice, and thus we became acquainted with Suzie, a woman in her mid-fi fties whose skin clearly demonstrated her love of sunbathing and who spoke with a thick French accent. She was heiress to a fortune made in the dental equipment industry in France.

Fort Shandy

freely throughout the evening. It was early the following morning when we made our way back to our home and collapsed into our bed for a sleep that we hoped would forestall the inevitable morning hangover. Later, as we were eating our breakfast, our maid informed us that there had been a murder on the island during the night. This news shocked us into awareness. Somewhat later, one of our friends came up to tell us that there had indeed been a murder, and that the victim was none other than Suzie Mostberger. Mustique is a tiny island, not much more than three miles long and barely a half-mile wide ~ news travels quickly. We couldn’t help

dramatic site, high on a cliff with expansive views of the islands north of Mustique. Night quickly came, as it does at locations near the equator, and we could see the lights of Bequia, St. Vincent and, in the distance, Martinique. We were greeted at the entry by a gauntlet of liveried butlers and maids, each holding out a colorful mixed drink by balancing it on their upturned fist ~ a Mustique tradition. The party itself was packed with people from all over the world ~ the most wealthy and notable from the highest social circles. We spoke brief ly with Suzie before indulging in the quirky party games that are popular in England and partaking of the drinks that f lowed

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Murder on Mustique

linger and should find another way to get where we were going in the immediate future. Since Suzie was French, the gendarmes from Martinique soon arrived from their island. We were surprised a few days later when these French policemen showed up at our door. They were working from a guest list from the party ~ the last place that Suzie had been seen alive. We were questioned and, as a result, had the unnerving thought that we might not be able to prove our innocence. To further bolster these fears, we were shocked to be asked to provide our DNA. This was a dilemma ~ if we refused, wouldn’t it indicate guilt? And if we agreed, what was our assurance that they wouldn’t concoct a case against us wrongly? In our haste to put this behind us, we agreed to let the gendarmes swab out our mouths. The samples we provided were slipped into a plastic envelope, and the men bowed slightly and left us. As the days progressed, we learned

but think back to the previous night to see if we remembered anything that would have seemed odd. We could think of nothing. We drove down the dirt road that ran by her house and, indeed, the road and the grounds of Fort Shandy were clogged with policemen and police vehicles. We were waved on, with the implication that we shouldn’t

Suzie Mostberger, a fixture on Mustique, was wealthier and friendlier than most, an energetic socialite. She was found in her mansion with a slit throat and several stab wounds, clutching a penknife that she had used to try to ward oﬀ her attacker.

Rich and famous face DNA tests in hunt for killer. 66

trator still on the island? What was the motive for the attack? None of the answers to these questions was forthcoming. We resumed our daily lives, but without the carefree attitude that we enjoyed prior to the incident. We wondered if we would be called in for questioning, or if we might be arrested on suspicion of murder.

that Suzie had returned home from the party at a late hour that night and that someone had broken into her home a short time thereafter. Perhaps they were waiting for her when she got home. Apparently, Suzie did not give up easily. She had a small collection of knives in a drawer, and she used one of these, a small penknife, to valiantly fight back. Her efforts were to no avail, and she succumbed to the attack. Reports were that the place was a bloody mess at the end of it. Things slowly returned to near normal on the island. Being such a small place however, the crime made many residents feel vulnerable for the first time. Who had done this heinous deed? Was the perpe-

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Murder on Mustique

nothing was missing from the house. Perhaps it was perpetrated by someone she had offended. Or was it a jealous romantic interest that felt jilted? We even heard a theory that she had lent the government a lot of money and they had killed her because they didn’t want to pay her back. There were reports that the millions of dollars she had in a Swiss bank account had disappeared directly after her death ~ how was that possible? A weapon was never found, there were no fingerprints left, and there was no evidence of a sexual attack. It was supposed that the murderer had come by boat in the night and left the same way after he had committed his crime. Whatever it was, no one was ever charged, and the island of Mustique did its best to sweep the matter out of sight in an attempt to restore the island’s image as a bit of paradise that is not subject to the unsavory realities of the rest of the world. The Mostberger family has never received any closure to what happened to Suzie, and I suspect they never will.

The gendarmes did return to our house one morning. They were shown in by the cook and led to where we were breakfasting by the swimming pool. Our attention was immediately riveted on these smartly uniformed men as they stood before us ~ fearing the possibility of an unhappy experience. The lead officer pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket and held it up before us. “Zees,” he said, “are your DNA samples. We no longer have use for zem, and you are not suspects in ze incident.” Then, to our surprise, he threw the samples onto the stone patio and lit a match to them. We watched as the papers burned down to a few crispy, charred remnants, whereupon the maid came to sweep them up. The men apologized for the intrusion but would not divulge any information whatsoever. They departed our house, as well as the island, never to return. There were many theories about the motive for Suzie’s murder. It didn’t seem to be a robbery, for

Rick Klepfer is an avid sailor, oarsman and traveler and has written about his sailing adventures, including such places as the Norwegian Arctic, the Southern Caribbean, the South China Sea and the Coast of Maine. He now resides in Cambridge. 68

HOLI DA Y

Denton’s Holiday Parade & Lighting of the Green Thursday, December 2nd Ridgely’s Winterfest of Lights at Railroad Memorial Park Nightly through January 3rd Greensboro’s Whoville Village Holiday Park Fridays & Saturdays, December 3rd - 18th Denton’s Christkindlmarkt Market Friday, December 3rd Ridgely’s Christmas Parade Saturday, December 4th Santa Chase (Martinak State Park) Friday, December 10th Preston’s Christmas Parade Saturday, December 11th Christmas at Linchester Mill Saturday, December 11th Federalsburg’s Christmas Parade Monday, December 13th Hillsboro’s Luminaries Night Saturday, December 18th Christmas at Chambers Park Sunday, December 19th

Find out more at V I S I T C A R O L I N E . O R G 72

Caroline County – A Perspective Caroline County is the very definition of a rural community. For more than 300 years, the county’s economy has been based on “market” agriculture. Caroline County was created in 1773 from Dorchester and Queen Anne’s counties. The county was named for Lady Caroline Eden, the wife of Maryland’s last colonial governor, Robert Eden (1741-1784). Denton, the county seat, was situated on a point between two ferry boat landings. Much of the business district in Denton was wiped out by the fire of 1863. Following the Civil War, Denton’s location about fifty miles up the Choptank River from the Chesapeake Bay enabled it to become an important shipping point for agricultural products. Denton became a regular port-ofcall for Baltimore-based steamer lines in the latter half of the 19th century. Preston was the site of three Underground Railroad stations during the 1840s and 1850s. One of those stations was operated by Harriet Tubman’s parents, Benjamin and Harriet Ross. When Tubman’s parents were exposed by a traitor, she smuggled them to safety in Wilmington, Delaware. Linchester Mill, just east of Preston, can be traced back to 1681, and possibly as early as 1670. The mill is the last of 26 water-powered mills to operate in Caroline County and is currently being restored. The long-term goals include rebuilding the millpond, rehabilitating the mill equipment, restoring the miller’s dwelling, and opening the historic mill on a scheduled basis. Federalsburg is located on Marshyhope Creek in the southern-most part of Caroline County. Agriculture is still a major portion of the industry in the area; however, Federalsburg is rapidly being discovered and there is a noticeable influx of people, expansion and development. Ridgely has found a niche as the “Strawberry Capital of the World.” The present streetscape, lined with stately Victorian homes, reflects the transient prosperity during the countywide canning boom (1895-1919). Hanover Foods, formerly an enterprise of Saulsbury Bros. Inc., for more than 100 years, is the last of more than 250 food processors that once operated in the Caroline County region. Points of interest in Caroline County include the Museum of Rural Life in Denton, Adkins Arboretum near Ridgely, and the Mason-Dixon Crown Stone in Marydel. To contact the Caroline County Office of Tourism, call 410-479-0655 or visit their website at www.tourcaroline.com. 73

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Dorchester Map and History

Dorchester County is known as the Heart of the Chesapeake. It is rich in Chesapeake Bay history, folklore and tradition. With 1,700 miles of shoreline (more than any other Maryland county), marshlands, working boats, quaint waterfront towns and villages among fertile farm fields – much still exists of what is the authentic Eastern Shore landscape and traditional way of life along the Chesapeake. For more information about Dorchester County visit https://tidewatertimes.com/travel-tourism/dorchester/. 79

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TIDEWATER GARDENING

by K. Marc Teffeau, Ph.D.

Holiday Herbs and Plants With the majority of our outdoor gardening activities completed for the year, our interests turn to being inside and the plant “opportunities” that the gardener might have indoors. Have you considered an indoor herb garden? Several herbs that were in your outside herb gar-

den can be kept indoors for use in the kitchen this winter. For example, if you grew lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) in the f lower garden this past summer you may be enjoying the sweet scents of dried bouquets now. Fragrance is not the only nice feature

Tidewater Gardening

best in winter window gardens. They perform well in pots placed near sunny windows. Use a welldrained potting media, such as peat moss and perlite in equal amounts, with one tablespoon of lime added per 6-inch pot. Lavender cannot tolerate acidity below pH 6.5 or above pH 8.5. Allow the soil to dry between waterings so the roots of the lavender will not rot. During the winter, fertilize monthly with a weak solution of a liquid houseplant fertilizer. Overcrowded roots can cause potted herbs to turn brown on the leaf tips. If you see these signs, replant in a pot one or two sizes larger. Rosemary is another herb that can be grown indoors during the

of this f lower, however, as it is also used for color in potpourri. Some people occasionally use it sparingly to f lavor teas and meats. Lavender is a perennial that traditionally will not bloom the first year from seed. There is one variety, however, Lady English Lavender, that can be grown from seed and will consistently f lower the first year. Tender lavender varieties do

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or topiary in place. For a standard form with single, bare stems, you occasionally will have to loosen the ties that hold the stem to its support. The stem will not change in height but will increase in diameter. Both the head of the standard and the body of the wreath need to be shaped periodically, so clip new growth for cooking or drying. Clipping will enhance branching, and you’ll have a fuller topiary.

winter. This herb has a long holiday tradition in Europe, where it is used as a Christmas evergreen. Topiary rosemary in the form of a wreath or a tree is an excellent holiday plant to give or receive. The topiaries a little extra care to maintain their shape and health. Leave the supporting wires for the wreath

Rosemary does best in a sunny southern window. Allow this plant to dry between waterings, almost to the point of wilting. It is extremely sensitive to excess watering. If leaf tips or whole leaves turn brown and fall off, the plant has too much water. Rosemary does not require high humidity, either. A discussion about holiday plants is missing a major player if we don’t talk about poinsettias. Today, the poinsettia is our most popular Christmas f lower. Plant 84

breeders have developed a number of assorted colors to add to the traditional red. White, pinks, white/pink combination, salmon and even a yellow poinsettia are being grown and sold. The success and popularity of the poinsettia as

a holiday f lower wasn’t always the case, however. The poinsettia isn’t, as some believe, a native of the Holy Land, but grows wild as a shrub in Central America up through Florida. Poinsettias were introduced into the United States in 1825 by Joel Robert Poinsett, our first ambassador to Mexico. The name “poinsettia” is in his honor. Poinsett sent plant home to his own conservatory in South Carolina, and he sent some to his daughter in Philadelphia. The poinsettia was first propagated and sold in this country by Robert Buist, one of Philadelphia’s early nurserymen. By the late 1800s, the plants were being grown by f lorists for Christmas,

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their leaves, and their f lowers last long after Christmas. The f lower of the poinsettia is an example of the great versatility of nature. The red “petals” are really leaves or bracts. They are green at first and then turn red as the real f lowers develop. The true f lowers are inside the knob-like bumps in the center. Each of these bumps ~ called a cyathium ~ contains a

but they were still a rarity at the turn of the century. The early poinsettias were “contrary” plants and difficult to grow, dropping their leaves at any change in the environment. In fact, f lorists used to plant ferns with them so that when the leaves fell off the poinsettias their stems wouldn’t look so bare. The first improvement in the f lorist’s poinsettia was the variety called “Oakleaf,” reported to have been developed in New Jersey in 1923. Development of this exotic plant has continued, and today’s poinsettias are a vast improvement over those of only a few years ago. They are vigorous growers, produce multiple blooms and hold

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an irresistible attractant for insect pollinators in nature. They are often included in lists of dangerous houseplants, but toxicity research done at Ohio State University a number of years ago determined that this is not the case. Christmas poinsettia, make sure that it doesn’t dry out. But, at the same time, don’t keep it sitting in water. Each day, test the soil for proper moisture content by inserting your finger in the soil an inch or two along the side of the pot. While the poinsettia is in f lower, it requires a considerable amount of water. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. Poinsettias, like people, don’t like drafts. Keep them away from

single female f lower surrounded by a cluster of male f lowers. Each cyathium also has a prominent yellow gland that produces nectar. This combination of nectar and the surrounding brilliant red bracts is

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an outside door where they will receive a blast of chilly air each time the door is open. Also keep the plant away from hot air vents. Since the poinsettia is a warmweather plant, it is important that the room temperature be kept at 70 to 75 degrees. Keep the plant in bright, indirect sunlight, but don’t place it in a sunny window for more than a few hours a day. Have you ever thought of poinsettias as cut f lowers? They can be used in cut f lower arrangement if they have been treated properly. As soon as one-half of the small yellow f lowers in the center of the colorful bracts have opened, cut the stems to a desired length. After cutting the stem, you will notice

white latex oozing from the latex tubes and quickly covering the end of the stems. To present further loss of the latter and to prolong the vase life of the f lower, dip the cut ends of the stems into boiling water two inches deep. The boiling water coagulates the latex in the tubes and forces out any that may have been pulled into the base of the water-conducting cells. When this treatment is not given, the latex plugs the water conducting tissues, causing the f lowers to wilt soon after cutting. In addition to coagulating the latex, searing permits water to be absorbed through the sides of the stem, increasing its efficiency. One final note on poinsettias:

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Tidewater Gardening they are not poisonous. They are often included in lists of dangerous houseplants, but toxicity research done at Ohio State University a number of years ago determined that this is not the case. Numerous other plants join poinsettias in the role of “holiday plants,” and many are available at f lorist shops, garden centers, supermarkets and greenhouses for the Christmas season. For example, consider the amaryllis. This f lower can be bought in any stage of growth, from a single bulb all the way to the semi-opened or “puffy bud” stage. If you purchase one, be sure that one-third of the bulb is above the soil line in the pot. Place this bulb in a sunny, warm location and watch the leaves unfold and the f lower stem stretch. Keep the growing medium that the bulb is in on the dry side ~ don’t overwater it. Since the amaryllis is a tropical plant, keep the room temperatures above 60 degrees and in high intensity light. If the plant does not

receive enough light, its leaves and f lower stem will stretch or elongate too much and fall over. It takes an average of four weeks from the time the bulb is planted until it f lowers. When you see the first f lower bud begin to swell and turn color, it will only be another day or two until it opens completely. The larger the circumference of the bulb, the more f lowers you will get. Larger bulb sizes (10 inches or more in circumference) will give you at least four f lowers. Amaryllis f lower colors range from white and pink to orange.

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African violets are always popular as a holiday gift plant. Have you considered purchasing a close relative ~ the Gloxinia? They are large, low-growing and spreading plants with small, trumpet-shaped f lowers. You can treat gloxinias like African violets. Avoid intense direct sunlight, and water them from the bottom of the pot with warm water. Never water African violets or gloxinias from the top of the pot, as this will encourage stem rot in the plant. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, and avoid cold and hot drafts Look for plants that have at least three to five open f lowers and at least that many more buds growing in the center of the plant. A six-inch gloxinia will have a dozen or more buds and will continue to f lower for three to four weeks if properly cared for. If you allow the plant to dry out or keep it in a room that is too dark, the f lower buds will fall off. Gloxinias come

The kalanchoe is another holiday plant that is tough and can endure in our homes for a couple of months during the winter. If you compare the leaves of the kalanchoe to the common jade plant, you will notice a resemblance. They both have thick, firm, fleshy leaves. However, the kalanchoe’s are more flattened and tightly packed than the jade plant’s. The kalanchoe likes it hot and dry. If you need a plant that can take being in a hot room (like where the wood stove is located) or drafts from the nearby radiator or heat vent, this plant will do well. You can even forget to water it sometimes, though f lowering will be reduced if you do. When choosing your kalanchoe, look for a minimum of two to three f lower clusters on a four-inch plant and four or five on a six-inch plant. Make sure that the plant has lots of color and few or no dead f lowers. If you or someone you know likes begonias, consider getting a Rieger begonia. They look remarkably like the garden tuberous begonias. Riegers are relatively tolerant of sun exposure and temperature. They do prefer a slightly moist, but not sopping wet media to grow in. Single and double f lowers can be found on the same plant. The measure of a high-quality plant will be one that is at least half covered with f lowers. 92

tremes in temperature and light when locating them in the house. If, when taking the plant home, the outside temperature is less than 45 degrees, have the plant sleeved to protect it. If possible, buy these plants last on your shopping trip. Do not leave them in a cold car while you continue to shop. Only an hour or so of exposure to cold temperatures can result in leaf and blossom drop. Happy Gardening and Happy Holidays!

in a wide range of f lower colors, including whites, purples, pinks and bicolor. Colorful fruiting plants are also popular holiday plants. Ornamental cherries and peppers display vivid yellows, reds and oranges as fruit colors. These plants prefer a sunny location and even soil moisture. They will f lower and retain their fruit longer than many other holiday plants. Depending on the species, they can be potentially poisonous, so don’t garnish your Christmas or New Year’s salad with the fruit from these plants. Whether you buy a f lowering plant, a fruiting plant or an herb for a holiday present, buy the freshest plant possible. Avoid ex-

Marc Teffeau retired as Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs at the American Nursery and Landscape Association in Washington, D.C. He now lives in Georgia with his wife, Linda.

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Frank Butler of Hambrooks Bay by A.M. Foley

In 1913, a genial couple took up residence in Cambridge, Maryland: the sharpshooter renowned as Annie Oakley and her Irish-American husband, Frank Butler. Francis Edward Butler was born in County Longford in 1852, the final year of Ireland’s Potato Famine. His parents survived the Great Hunger, which killed an estimated one million men, women and children. They joined another million who escaped starvation by emigrating, leaving Frank with his aunt. At age

thirteen, he followed. On his own in a new land, he began his American career of mucking out stables, before entering show business with a dog act. Frank had an Irishman’s lilting way with words. He kept companions amused ever after, telling of his act’s ruination. One of his troupe came from a line of fire-brigade mascots. During one performance, a nearby fire brigade was called out. When the bell rang, the faithful dog left for the station. The whole cast

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St. Michaels Map and History

On the broad Miles River, with its picturesque tree-lined streets and beautiful harbor, St. Michaels has been a haven for boats plying the Chesapeake and its inlets since the earliest days. Here, some of the handsomest models of the Bay craft, such as canoes, bugeyes, pungys and some famous Baltimore Clippers, were designed and built. The Church, named “St. Michael’s,” was the first building erected (about 1677) and around it clustered the town that took its name. For a walking tour and more history of the St. Michaels area visit https://tidewatertimes.com/travel-tourism/st-michaels-maryland/. 97

Frank Butler tore after him, leaving Frank alone with the audience. Still stagestruck, Frank honed his marksmanship, aiming to cash in on the popularity of post-Civil War shooting acts. The Wild West was being tamed, but men were still judged by how well they handled a gun. Frank and a partner went on tour as Graham & Butler’s Rifle Team. Traveling sharpshooters often challenged locals to a match. Frank seldom lost these head-tohead contests. He proclaimed he could beat “anything living, save Carver and Bogardus,” two acknowledged champions. Frank met his Waterloo trap-shooting outside

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Cincinnati, Ohio, when a local businessman brought forward a slight girl with long chestnut hair and arresting blue-gray eyes. At fi fteen, she was barely as tall as her fi rearm. Frank later said, “I was a beaten man the minute she appeared.” Realizing she was his challenger, he was initially bemused but was glad for an introduction. He’d noticed her arriving in a wagon with somber-garbed Quaker relations. Frank won the toss to go fi rst in an alternating 25-shot round. Both made their fi rst 24 before Frank missed his 25th shot. The girl stepped up, said “Pull” and nailed her target, taking a prize legend says was $100. Afterward, Frank escorted Annie to her family’s wagon

Frank Butler and gave them tickets to his show while her brother collected the family’s side bets. This scene has been immortalized in movies and a Broadway musical, “Annie Get Your Gun.” In life, Phoebe Anne Mozee (Mosey/Moses) was a shy backwoods girl, not the brash competitor depicted by Barbara Stanwyck, Ethel Merman or Betty Hutton. Nor is there any record of Frank Butler being abashed by defeat. He was intrigued from the start and wooed Annie longdistance for months. Frank was years older than Annie and had previously been married, but he was free of vices usually associated with showmen. He neither drank, smoked nor cursed, which

impressed Annie’s mother. If he gambled, it was only in a shooter’s line of duty. With her mother’s permission, he and Annie married the following year and began their 50year journey together. There came a day John Graham was too sick to perform, so Annie went on stage to fill in, tossing objects or holding them for Frank. One day when his aim failed him, hecklers called, “Let the little lady shoot.” Smooth-talking male sharpshooters were no rarity, but Annie and her shooting ability charmed and astounded audiences. Frank had the good grace, as well as the good sense, to relinquish the spotlight to his remarkable wife, re-dubbed Annie Oakley. With his years of experience and savvy, Frank lovingly tutored Annie, who had little formal schooling, into a polished, confident performer. He developed tricks to showcase her natural ability and athleticism. To ensure accuracy, he loaded every shot she fired. He tossed targets or held them for her. At barely five feet tall, Annie gained confidence and came to perform with aplomb. She and Frank traveled with Sells Brothers Circus but were ready for a more congenial showcase, preferably one with extended engagements. On their last stops in the 1884 season, Sells Brothers Circus and Cody’s Wild West were both in New Orleans. The prior year, Bill Cody had

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Frank Butler

Andersonville Prison), who had the organizational skill and business acumen he lacked. Cody pledged to avoid alcohol, once he’d had one or two to steady himself. In New Orleans, Frank approached Cody to extol Annie’s talents, hoping to join Wild West’s second year, but Cody thought he had no opening for another shooter. In addition to himself, he had the famed Adam Bogardus, the man probably more responsible than any other for the extinction of passenger pigeons. With prairie pigeons teetering on the brink, Bogardus patented a trap to throw glass balls or clay pigeons instead of live birds. For verisimilitude, the glass balls were filled with feathers.

gone on the road in a doomed show, partnered with national champion W. F. Carver. Cody and Carver competed as tipplers as well as marksmen. Carver got so ornery that one day when he missed a shot, he smashed his rifle down on his horse’s head, then took a poke at his assistant. He and Cody endured that one season together, flipped a coin to divide show equipment and parted. To regroup as Cody’s Wild West for 1884, the middleaged buffalo hunter approached Nate Salisbury, an entrepreneur and Civil War veteran (graduate of 102

Oxford Map and History

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Oxford is one of the oldest towns in Maryland. Although already settled for perhaps 20 years, Oxford Oxford Bellevue Ferry marks the year 1683 177 166 as its official founding, 155 nd a tr . S St 144 for in that year Oxford The 133 was first named by n a 188 199 hm Tilg the Maryland General k e e Assembly as a seaport Cr 122 St. n and was laid out as a son Wil 11 East town. In 1694, OxSt. lair St. t nc 10 e Si rk St. Ma ford and a new town Oxford 9 t. Park hS called Anne Arundel son Hig 8 Richard . St (now Annapolis) were n Divisio St. selected the only ports of entry for the entire Town ni . o Rd n eek Cr Be ve. A Maryland province. n 3 isio t. Until the American S Div W. 2 Revolution, Oxford 1 . t S ne enjoyed prominence roli 7 Ca 333 Oxford Road To Easton as an international Pleasant Oxford St. Community shipping center surCenter Hbr. es ob R 4 Ct. rounded by wealthy E. Pier St. Pier St. tobacco plantations. Oxford Today, Oxford is a © John Norton 6 5 charming tree-lined and waterbound village with a population of just over 700 and is still important in boat building and yachting. It has a protected harbor for watermen who harvest oysters, crabs, clams and fish, and for sailors from all over the Bay. For a walking tour and more history visit https://tidewatertimes. com/travel-tourism/oxford-maryland/.

Frank Butler Cody didn’t know it when Frank first approached him, but his situation would soon change. En route to New Orleans, the Wild West’s steamboat had collided with another. Their boat took an hour settling, time enough to save the cast and horses, but not equipment and many props. Cody telegraphed Salisbury, “Outfit at bottom of river. What do you advise?” Salisbury replied, “Go to New Orleans, reorganize, and open on your date.” Within eight days, Cody replaced assorted animals, wagons and accessories and opened on time. Despite losing many belongings, an unnerved Bogardus completed the

engagement, but by spring of 1885 he decided not to return. Hearing of this, Frank contacted Cody again, proposing three free Annie Oakley trial performances. Her appearances would stretch from three days to spanning 17 triumphant years. With Salisbury’s oversight, Wild West’s operations improved. When they embarked for Europe in 1887, a vast crowd gathered to watch as, in some respects, they outdid Noah’s Ark. Along with performers of various ethnicities, Cody boarded 180 horses, 18 buffalo, 10 elk, 10 mules, five Texas longhorns, four donkeys and two deer. When the tour reached Germany, the Kaiser’s army sent 40 Prussian officers to tag along, taking meticulous notes

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on logistics as the show was set up and broken down, and the field kitchen fed 750 performers and roustabouts. Through these years, Frank and Annie carefully avoided proclaiming her a “champion,” lest she be targeted by publicity-seekers. Nevertheless, Frank had to fend off many who sought to cash in on her growing fame by trading on her name with false comparisons or challenges. Frank exposed impostors and deplored fakers using trickery in their shooting acts. When Annie challenged newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in a series of libel suits, Frank reverted from business manager to family breadwinner, supporting her

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Frank Butler successful legal struggles for nearly a decade. While Annie repaired her good name, Frank traveled as a representative of Union Metallic Cartridge Company. Along the way, he shot in exhibitions and matches, his record not up to Annie’s but adding to family coffers. Nothing indicates Frank ever resented yielding the spotlight to his “little girl.” His good nature even encompassed slights in English country houses, where aristocrats invited Annie to shoot their private game preserves. He laughed about an incident when household staff gave every deference to m’Lord’s famous guest, but no courtesy to the

Irishman, assuming Butler was his occupation rather than their surname. Entering her fifties, Annie appeared to tire of life in a tent. Frank was charmed while visiting Cambridge, Maryland, which struck him as a “sportsman’s paradise,” with plentiful game in nearby fields and rivers. Annie still loved to hunt and seemed ready to build a house, find a good dog and settle into shooting for pure pleasure. They designed a modest house just beyond town on Hambrooks Bay, overlooking the Choptank River. From the porch’s upper deck, they could shoot waterfowl. Frank found a remarkably intelligent English setter he named Dave to accompany Annie afield.

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Frank Butler Dave was easily trained, but retraining Annie to a stationary life proved difficult. Admittedly, she was no housekeeper. In a tent or hotel room, needlework had been her favorite occupation, but she no longer needed to craft and embroider costumes. Frank might have been content to pass future retirement watching river traffic from the front porch, hanging with other sportsmen in the hardware store, performing local benefits and then wintering farther south. Annie was ten years younger and grew restless, so they sold their house after nine years and never had their own home again.

They traveled seasonally, mostly to North Carolina and to Florida, where Annie was severely injured in an automobile accident, temporarily partially paralyzed. When her health declined, they went to her family in Ohio, where she passed away November 3, 1926. Frank died 18 days later. Forty-some years ago, A.M. Foley swapped the Washington, D.C., business scene for a writing life on Elliott Island, Maryland. Tidewater Times has kindly published portions of one upcoming work, Chesapeake Bay Island Hopping, along with other regional musings. Foley’s published works are described at www.HollandIslandBook.com.

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Holiday Feast The most difficult thing about organizing a Christmas celebration isn’t the decorating or wrapping of gifts. It’s planning and sorting through your family’s favorite recipes to organize your dinner menu. It needs to include tasty and hearty sides, appetizers and Christmas desserts. I hope you

find this pleasing meal worth the celebration. So pick out your favorite ideas, write out your menu and enjoy the rest of the season stress free and ready to feast! The sign of a successful dinner party isn’t necessarily a scraped-clean plate, but rather the unapologetic lingering that follows a satisfying meal…

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Tidewater Kitchen the warm-fuzzy that makes your guests want to stay a little longer to enjoy the conversation and a crackling fire! LAYERED HUMMUS DIP Yield: 6 cups This is a colorful dish for the holidays and a nice change from the Mexican layer dip. 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened 1 T. fresh lemon juice 1 t. fresh lemon zest 1 T. Italian seasoning 1 (10 oz.) container of your favorite hummus (I love the roasted garlic)

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1 cup chopped tomato 1/2 cup bottled pepperoncini peppers, drained and chopped 1/2 cup pitted and halved kalamata olives 1 (4 oz.) container crumbled feta cheese 1/4 cup unpeeled cucumber, finely chopped 1/4 cup chopped green onion Beat the cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and Italian seasoning together in a bowl until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture in your favorite, dish or pie pan. Then spread the hummus. Sprinkle the tomato, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, feta cheese, cucumber and green onion on top.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with large corn, tortilla chips, vegetables or your favorite crackers EASY SWEET POTATO SOUP This recipe makes 8 cups This soup can be made up to two days ahead. 3 T. butter 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 6 cups chicken stock 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced 1 cup apple cider 1 t. minced canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce 1 t. kosher salt

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Tidewater Kitchen 2 T. fresh lime juice 1/2 cup sour cream

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2 t. fresh lime zest Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; add onion and sauté about 6 minutes, until tender and golden brown. Add the garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in the broth, sweet potatoes, apple cider, chipotle pepper and kosher salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat for 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, and process the mixture with a handheld blender or in a food processor or blender until smooth. Then refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, warm the soup over low heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until heated all the way through. Whisk together the lime juice, zest and sour cream, and drizzle each serving with the mixture. PEAR and ARUGULA SALAD with BLUE CHEESE Serves 8 1/4 cup pear preserves, homemade is best 1/2 cup champagne vinegar 1 shallot, minced 1 t. kosher salt 2 t. Dijon mustard 1/2 t. pepper 1/2 cup olive oil 8 cups arugula, loosely packed 2 Bartlett pears, cut into 6 wedges each 114

While the food processor or blender is running, pour the oil through the food chute in a slow stream. I love to store it in a mason jar and use when I’M ready. This will keep in the refrigerator for a month.

5 oz. crumbled blue cheese

ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES with FRESH CRANBERRIES Serves 8 For an easy make-ahead dish, roast the day before or two and just reheat when you put the roast in the oven.

In a blender or food processor, add the preserves, vinegar, shallot, salt, pepper and mustard. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.

4 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut in about 1-inch chunks 3 large turnips , peeled and cut into

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Remove the vegetables from the oven and cool. Place in the refrigerate until ready to reheat. Optional: you can drizzle with 2 tablespoons local honey or molasses. PORK ROAST with SWEET ONION-PUMPKIN SEED RELISH Serves 8 Be sure to ask your butcher to cut out the chine bone and to french the rib rack for easy carving and an elegant presentation.

1-inch pieces 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved and quartered 1 T. minced rosemary 4 T. olive oil 1 t. kosher salt 1 t. cracked pepper 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries Optional: 2 T. local honey or molasses

2 t. kosher salt 1 t. pepper 1 (5 lbs.) 8-rib bone-in pork loin roast, chine bone removed 1 T. minced fresh rosemary 4 t. minced fresh thyme, divided 3 large sweet onions, cut into halfinch-thick rings 2 T. olive oil 1 t. white wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a large jellyroll pan. Mix the carrots, turnips, Brussels sprouts, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on the pan and roast for 30 minutes. Once the vegetables are golden brown and tender, add the cranberries and roast for another 5 minutes. 116

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Tidewater Kitchen 1 t. light brown sugar 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, then rub all over with rosemary and thyme. Place in a lightly greased roasting pan. Toss the onions in the olive oil and then arrange around the pork. Bake for 30 minutes; reduce the oven to 375 degrees. Bake another 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thick-

est portion registers 145 degrees. While baking, stir onions once. Transfer pork to a cutting board; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let stand 10 minutes before slicing. In the meantime, coarsely chop the onions, and stir in the vinegar, brown sugar and pumpkin seeds. Mix together and serve with the pork as a relish. WILD RICE with BACON Serves 8 For the best texture, use wild rice, not a blend. 1-1/3 cups uncooked wild rice 4 bacon slices 2 T. olive oil 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced 1 large onion, cut into thin wedges 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth 1/2 t. kosher salt 1/2 t. freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 T. white wine vinegar 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or

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pine nuts Cook the wild rice according to package directions, then drain. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 7 minutes until crispy. Drain bacon on a paper towel and then chop. Sauté the fennel bulb and onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic, and sauté for another minute. Add the broth and next 3 ingredients, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Stir in bacon and cook for another 3 minutes. Place in a large serving bowl. Stir in the chopped parsley, wal-

nuts and vinegar right before serving. Enjoy. GINGERBREAD SOUFFLES Serves 10 This impressive dessert isn’t as difficult as you think ~ just make sure you plan ahead. Preheat the oven and pop the souff les in right before sitting down for dinner. When they are done, serve them all puffed up and beautiful. 1/4 cup all-purpose f lour 1/4 t. salt 1/3 cup molasses 2 T. butter, softened 2 t. pumpkin pie spice 1 t. ginger 2 t. vanilla extract

Thank you for making this year so great.... May you and your family have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Tidewater Kitchen 6 large eggs, separated 1/8 t. cream of tartar Freshly whipped cream crushed gingersnap cookies

and

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together first four ingredients in a medium saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and whisk in molasses and next 4 ingredients. Cool for 15 minutes and whisk in egg yolks. Butter ten (7 oz.) ramekins or ovenproof dishes. Sprinkle with sugar and shake out any excess. Beat the egg whites with cream of tar-

tar at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of egg white mixture into milk mixture until they are well

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blended. Repeat two times with remaining egg white mixture. Spoon batter into prepared dishes, leaving 1/4 inch space at top of each. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until puffy and doesn’t jiggle. Serve immediately with whipped cream and crushed gingersnap cookies. WHIPPED CREAM 2 cups very cold heavy cream

1 t. vanilla 2 T. powdered sugar Pour the cold cream into a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until peaks form. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and whip to mix in. Place in refrigerate until ready to serve. Any leftovers keep for a day in the refrigerator. A longtime resident of Oxford, Pamela Meredith, formerly Denver’s NBC Channel 9 Children’s Chef, has taught both adult and children’s cooking classes on the south shore of Massachusetts. For more of Pam’s recipes, visit the Story Archive tab at tidewatertimes.com.

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Christmas on the Chesapeake 1609-2013 by James Dawson The Chesapeake has seen many Christmases over the years. In fact, it saw one of the first Christmases in the New World when Capt. John Smith spent Christmas 1609 with a Native American tribe, where Capt. Smith had “plenty of victualls” with the “Salvages.” WHAT follows are highlights of some Christmases through the centuries on the Chesapeake.

Circa January 6, 1609 ~ In his Generall Historie of Virginia published in 1624, Capt. John Smith describes a very early Christmas in THE Native American village OF Old Point Comfort in Virginia. However, I might add that this one was not celebrated on December 25, nor had his Native American hosts ever heard of Christmas, nor were they even Christians! But, those

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Chesapeake Christmas minor quibbles aside, the affair was certainly held in the best traditions of Christmas friendship, feasting and good cheer for all. Smith wrote, “…the next night being lodged at Kecoughtan; six or seaven dayes the extreame winde, rayne, frost and snow caused us to keep Christmas among the Salvages, where we were never more merry, nor fed on more plentie of good Oysters, Fish, Flesh, Wild-foule, and good bread; nor never had better fires in England, than in the dry smoak y houses of Kecoughtan.” [Smith, Generall Historie of Virginia, London, 1624]

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The Julian calendar used then was different than ours, so what is called “Old Christmas” then was celebrated on January 6, and New Year’s on March 25. In 1752, when Great Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar that we STILL USE today, Christmas was moved to the familiar December 25 that we know. 1770s? ~ Gabriel Sailes, who lived near Oxford, Maryland, owned slaves, and it was said that once when they asked Mars’ Gabriel for a day’s holiday, he exclaimed, “Holiday, ye black rascals. Yes, ye shall have holiday,” and then ordered them to sit a-straddle on the ridge of his barn roof for the entire day. The anonymous author who recorded this story in 1898 added that it had been told to him 25 years earlier by a 75-year-old man who said that his father had seen the slaves perched on the roof of the barn when he was a boy, so it must be true. This was said to have been the last time his slaves ever asked Mars’ Gabriel for a holiday, but they did get their revenge. At Christmas time, it was his custom to give his slaves a holiday for as long as the yule log would burn in the fireplace.

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Chesapeake Christmas The slaves got to pick the log, so naturally they wanted the biggest and slowest-burning chunk of wood that they could find. They had cut an enormous oak months before and let it soak in the marsh until Christmas, so it burned for a full week and Gabriel’s slaves finally got their holiday. 1790 ~ In 1790, my great-greatgreat grandfather, William Caulk of Lostock Farm in Bozman, Maryland, then 13 years old, wrote a Christmas poem that was sold in Baltimore. Probably the only copy is in the Caulk family papers. ON CHRISTMAS DAY

border printed with seven engravings titled waters turned into blood, plague of locusts, the first Passover, the Tabernacle, Moses receiving the two tablets, and the glory of God appears. Called a broadside, this 15” x 18” sheet of paper was blank in the center, which is where William’s Christmas poem was written in longhand. No doubt my ancestor was proud of his literary effort, and I hope he sold some copies, although now, some 231 years later, it occurs to me that I’m pretty sure Moses never celebrated Christmas. 1832 ~ William J. Walker from Windy Hill, near Trappe, was born on Christmas Day in 1832, and was

What words what Voices can we bring Which way our accents raise To welcome the Mysterious king And sing a Saviors Praise If tis too little all we can For this unbounded Love All that was ever wrote by man Or sung in hymns above William Caulk’s Piece Dec. 24, 1790 Sold by William Proust No. 4 Market Street near the market Baltimore.” William’s “piece” was handwritten on a sheet of paper titled The Seven Works of Moses &c., with the 129

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Chesapeake Christmas

Still an impressive run.

not only born on Christmas, but almost made two Christmases one hundred years apart. Alas, he died on Jan. 8, 1932, 11 months short of that goal, so he “only” saw 99 Christmases.

1890s ~ Family lore has it that little “Bessie” Caulk of “Isle of Rays Farm, near Trappe, Maryland, my great-aunt, found only a lump of coal in her stocking one Christmas morning when she was a girl. I never could fi nd out whatever it was she did, but it must have been something spectacular to have ticked off Santa Claus that much. Meanwhile, another Trappe family adored Christmas, as some of the entries in the diaries of Charles F. Willis of Clora Dorsey Farm show: December 24, 1904 ~ “I went to the woods and got a Christmas

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Chesapeake Christmas tree for Catherine...Tonight we have dressed the tree for Catherine, put her numerous presents beneath it and filled her little stocking which she helped to hang on the mantel on going to bed at 5 p.m. The tree is very pretty - and the presents valuable.” December 25 1913 ~ “Christmas!!! We, adults, got the little ones

sound asleep in their beds as early as we could last night, as we proceeded to arrange their presents ~ dress their tree ~ one for their dolls and lastly to hang their stockings for Santa Claus to complete as he deemed best. At 5.30 a.m. to day a sound of a musical horn came from the girls’ room: the boy was soon awake looking, or rather feeling for his horn, which he soon found and then all was life & stir. We all assembled in the sitting room and the next hour was spent in pleasure to one & all. The children rec’d many useful & valued presents, as we older ones did.” December 25, 1920 ~ “Christmas. Lula & I dressed the tree & arranged the stockings. Just before the clock struck 6 a.m., Chas Jr. awoke, secured his “cow’s horn” and gave a “long-loud blast” which awoke Mar. & Cath. & they added to the din. Soon we all were dressed & came to the living room & rec’d our presents & good wishes…” Willis’ daughter Catherine was

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Chesapeake Christmas born in 1904 and remembered more about the family’s wonderful Christmases in her memoir, Growing Up At Clora Dorsey: “Christmas was at home. Pop removed a piece of molding from the mantel piece support and made it into a kind of hidden box. There we put letters to Santa Claus telling what each one craved. The door to this box was never lifted at any other time. Maybe that hidden box is still there. We put up the tree Christmas eve. But Santa Claus would decorate it during the night while we were asleep. The tree had some candles but they were never lit because of the fire hazard. We hung our stockings and in the morning there was an orange, a bunch of raisins and a gift, a game or a puzzle. I usu-

ally got a book. Often there were dolls. I always had a doll with black hair, called Dorothy. Margaret’s doll had blond hair. She called it Rosebud. The dolls had china heads that usually got broken before the next Christmas, so a new doll was needed…” [Willis excerpts from 100 Years of Change on the Eastern Shore - The Willis Family Journals 1847-1951; edited by James Dawson, published by Charles “Nick” Willis] By the way, unlike William Walker (Dec. 25, 1832-Jan. 8, 1932), Catherine (July 1, 1904-Oct. 14, 2005, did see 100 Christmases.

Next we will leave the Willises for some Christmas cheer. Eric Steinlein remembered hearing that in the early 1900s, Ruth Tucker Smith, who ran a seafood restaurant in Gailesville, in Anne Arundel County, was always careful to use an eyedropper when adding the alcohol to her eggnog because adding it any faster than one drop at a time would cause the eggnog to curdle. 134

1957-1970s ~ Christmas at Talbottown Helen Cardiff has vivid memories of Christmas at Talbottown Shopping Center in Easton when she was young. “Talbottown was alive and vibrant back then ~ plenty of colored lights on the buildings with the big ceramic lights! Since this was before the little white lights that came in the late ‘70s to early ‘80s! “It was a big deal back then that nothing happened before Thanksgiving. All the windows of all the stores were covered in brown paper to keep the anticipation as to what the Christmas displays were to look like, not to be exposed until the Friday after Thanksgiving! Oh, my ~ the excitement that was held in all

those exciting displays ~ going to see them was an outing in itself! Now, the cherry on the top was Rudolph. You can only imagine the excitement for us kids!” Ta lbot tow n Shoppi ng C enter opened on March, 14, 1957, the 1.5 million dollar brainchild of Easton native and developer James W. Rouse. The fi rst shopping center on the Eastern Shore, it got a special guest at Christmastime. “Talking Reindeer At Talbottown. Rudolph the Talking Reindeer arr ives at Talbot tow n today for a pre-Christmas visit. ‘Rudolph’ was still under construction when this picture was made. This creator, Howard Alder, is at left in the photograph. Joseph Neal, shop foreman

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Chesapeake Christmas

on the corner of the roof of Eagle’s five and dime store, holding a giant phone during Christmas seasons for many years. It took a crew of four men f rom Easton Utilities with a crane to hoist the severalhundred-pound reindeer up to the rooftop perch. Phoning Rudolph was a special treat, and children waited in long lines to talk to him. They could see him sitting up on the roof. When a child picked up the receiver of an old-fashioned phone in the Fairy Tale Phone Booth below, this triggered a recorded message f rom

is in the center, and Basil Sabaniev, papier mache artist, at upper right adjusting the telephone through which Rudolph will be talking to Santa on behalf of hundreds of children…” [Easton Star Democrat, Nov. 29, 1957] Adler, of Adler Display Studios in Baltimore, Maryland, also created the iconic figures for The Enchanted Forest in Elliott City and Frontier Town in Ocean City. The 20-foot-tall figure dressed in a red coat with brass buttons sat 136

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Chesapeake Christmas Rudolph with pauses for the child’s responses, which went something like this, “Hello, my name is Rudolph. What’s yours? [pause] That’s a nice name. Have you been good this year? [pause] What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas? [pause] That’s a nice present. I’ll tell Santa.” This was followed by an abrupt “Goodbye” as Rudolph ran off to tell Santa. Children came from neighboring counties to talk to Rudolph. However, somewhat older kids, like my friend Pat, doubted he would get any presents from this, so he gave a false name and asked for comical gifts. Even older, more skeptical

kids like I was remained silent during the pauses and still had Rudolph tell me that was a nice present, which, as I informed my cousin, scientifically proved that Rudolph wasn’t listening. I thought I was so clever. In hindsight, though, this probably destroyed Christmas forever for my poor cousin. A lter nately, if you wa nted to talk to the Man directly and not go through a reindeer intermediary, you went down the hill, where Santa’s Shack was set up in the parking lot. Santa’s Shack had a red door and green shutters and was surrounded by a candy cane picket fence. Once inside, you told Santa what you wanted, had your picture taken with him and got a red cherry

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lollipop shaped like a Christmas tree from a basket as you exited. Rudolph was retired in the early ’70s, probably because the papiermâché was getting a bit ratty. He was in storage for some years and then vanished, his fate unknown. Later, his loss was mourned by m a ny of t ho s e s a me k id s w ho doubted him then, but were now all grown up and wanted the Rudolph experience for their own kids. 1973 ~ On December 16, 1973, a photo of the skipjack Rebecca T. Ruark published in the Salisbury D aily T ime s showe d t he sma l l Chr istmas tree that Capt. Todd nailed to the mast each year. Later, af ter Capt. Wade Mur phy Jr. of Tilghman purchased the boat and had to replace the mast, he said the top was punctured with many Christmas tree nail holes. 2013 ~ Reindeer redu x! The return of Rudolph! In 2013, a new Rudolph was created by Chisel 3-D production studio in Atlanta and in made his first appearance just

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in time for Christmas that year perched back on a Talbot Tow n roof, and ever since. And you can see him back on his rooftop perch this Christmas. Note: Talbottown is now Talbot Town. P.S. Don’t forget to tell Rudolph what you want for Christmas. Perhaps I was wrong, you never know but that he might be listening. And many thanks to Helen Cardiff, Patrick Cardiff and Michael Cardiff for sharing their memories. James Dawson is the owner of Unicorn Bookshop in Trappe.

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Changes:

Coming Again Book II in progress by Roger Vaughan

Chapter 1: Escape gently drawn her to her feet by one The handcuffs hurt. arm as if she were a feather. Becky They weren’t really handcuffs; had blindsided her when she’d gone they were those wire-tie things for the gun. The detective had read that law enforcement was using: her Miranda warning quietly, with mean, thin but tough plastic bands meaning, as if it were a poem. His designed to confine bulky bundles eyes were powerful, stern and conof wires. They proved very dam- trolling without being threatening. aging to one’s wrists if they were Admittedly, she had been transput on too tightly, and they were fixed by him. always put on too There would be The detective read her tightly. The least bit plenty of time to of struggle caused Miranda warning quietly, be furious, plenty painful chafing and of time to vent the with meaning. blood. They were inrage that comes with humane, ought to be outlawed. But failure, the deep-seated anger that they did have one advantage, Isha follows a devious plan gone wrong; thought. She tried to find the most plenty of time to nourish the vicious comfortable position for her bound revenge that was already growing wrists as the officers led her into the like a tumor in her heart. elevator. The ties calmed her down, She’d been through several ugly creating enough discomfort that years of scheming and pretending, her blind fury was reduced to a level being charming to idiots, jumping where her more rational self could into bed with creeps, all to end up in preside over the situation. Because handcuffs thanks to an incompetent rational was required. partner who couldn’t get his side of Her calm had started with the the job done, thanks to the clever detective, that large, cool hunk of little bastard son he had underesAfrican manhood who had moved timated. That she had underestithat bitch Becky off her and had mated. She had to share that part. 149

Coming Again

Mitch’s obsession to make Andy go on the race really blew the entire Being able to blame it on someone scam. Mitch and his infantile need else dilutes some of the curse. When to punish Andy after his drunken you have to take some of the blame, gaffe at the New York Yacht Club when it’s your screw-up, well, that’s had forced Mitch’s hand, a gaffe the worst, the very worst. that had forced Mitch into enterShe’d had Andy wrapped around ing a boat in the race. Upwards of her little finger. She had. No ques- $15 million it had cost the company. tion. At first, anyway. It was text- That bit of pocket change wasn’t book stuff. Anything she wanted really the problem. It was the old he got for her, including her pair of baggage, rotten to the core. Mitch world-class breasts. Not that they had always hated the kid, the issue weren’t prize-winning to begin of his mother Deedee’s one mistake with. But now they were impossible in her otherwise pristine life: getto ignore. Andy was putty in her ting knocked up by her father’s boat hands, nothing a little time between captain, some Australian dude. the sheets couldn’t fix if things got And that crippling business of her testy, with the emhalf-witted father phasis on little. Por- She’d had Andy wrapped sending the boat tion it out, like candy around her little finger. captain packing and to a baby. insisting his daughShe had. No question. Poor confused ter marry Mitch, his Andy, angry Andy, poor rich white ambitious protégé in the company. boy. Just give him another drink, “Bastard,” Mitch called Andy, often roll him another joint, buy him an- to his face. Andy might have been other toy. Such a simple mommy’s a bastard, but he was in line to inboy. And then, what happened? He herit the company, screwing Mitch had started to think! She had seen out of what he thought should be it that night when he caught her his. Mitch had actually tried to have going through his Mountain View Andy killed once, stupid Mitch who plans, that stupid astronomy-theme couldn’t wait to hand Isha over to hotel idea of his. She’d heard the the cops as the evil witch behind the wheels turning, seen it in his eyes, plot. What a hideous oaf, so blinded and she had let it go, not given it the by greed. She’d lost count of how attention it deserved. Thinking, for many times, after sex with him, chrissakes. Is there anything more she’d dashed into the bathroom and dangerous? And she had let it go. thrown up. It was that goddamn ocean race And then there was Deedee, around the world. It had to be. standing firmly behind Andy going 150

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the handsome lobby of the posh apartment building on Manhattan’s on the race. Who knew that would Central Park West where she and happen? Mother Deedee, who had Mitch had been living. Ralph, the always bailed Andy out, who had night doorman, was stunned by the saved his butt time after time. Not sight of his fantasy woman in custhis time. Turned out Deedee was tody. Ralph’s building had its fair still in love with the boat captain, share of gorgeous women, but this figured going on the race was the one was something else, a Blackway to make Andy pursue his roots, Asian mix underpainted with a liband betting he’d respond to the chal- eral dose of Caucasian. The result lenge. Talk about a long shot. But was sultry to the max, with those damned if the old lady wasn’t right. big, wide-set eyes and that full, exFaced with having to race 30,000 pressive mouth so striking in a little miles around the world with eleven girl’s face, framed by the perfectly strangers on a stripped-out race tousled hair. Uncanny. And that boat had turned him around, turned body that defied gravity. . . She was fat into muscle, forged anger and small, not a fraction over 5’3”, which fear into commitadvanced a certain ment, and had made Isha letting her guard down. girlish innocence She knew better. Rage began that Isha made the him start to think. Andy was on the boiling again in her guts. most of. And here she race, all right. Or he was, in handcuffs! should have been. It was Mitch’s idea Isha gave Ralph her best bedragto bring everything to a head during gled look, eyes sad as she mouthed, the race layover after the finish in “It’s okay, a mistake.” The cops were Fremantle, Western Australia. Give taking her to the local precinct while Deedee her terminal cocktail. That Andy and the detectives were still would bring Andy home. Overcome upstairs dealing with Mitch. with grief, he would be a piece of Isha stopped abruptly, causing cake for Mitch’s thugs. How wrong the wire ties to dig into her wrists. “I could he be, and she had gone along need a toilet,” Isha mumbled to the with it. Impatient Mitch. Isha letting woman officer. “I’m about to burst.” her guard down. She knew better. It was an old ruse, but not a bad one. Rage began boiling again in her guts. And probably the only one availThe elevator door opened and the able. The delivery was everything. cops flanking her each gave her a Isha bent over and produced a wet, pull, the cuffs punished her wrists. throaty cough, pressing her hands She’d better start to think. The two to her stomach. cops, one a woman, guided her into “You can make it to the station,” 152

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had tackled her, she had been totally subdued in the lobby. She seemed the male officer interjected. “It’s ten nauseated, sick. And how could she minutes.” His name tag read “Qui- do her business with her hands tied? Three minutes later, Gaines mby.” “I will foul myself and your car,” would urge Isha to hurry it up. Five Isha said, casting an imploring look minutes later, Gaines would begin pounding on the locked toilet door. in Ralph’s direction. “I am ill.” “She could use the little service Ten minutes later, Quimby would toilet down the hall.” It was Ralph, attempt to kick the door in, injureager to help his favorite tenant. Isha ing his foot. Twelve minutes later, let her head drop. She appeared in Ralph would find the key and unlock the toilet room, which was empty. obvious distress. The woman cop looked at her The grid to the heat vent was lying partner, who had rank. He grimaced. on the floor. The opening seemed impossibly small, but Isha had nev“All right. Damn. Hurry it up.” Ralph led the way. The woman er weighed more than a hundred officer kept a hand on Isha’s arm. pounds. Quimby questioned Ralph about where the heat Outside the toilet door, Isha held up The grid to the heat vent was duct led, and Gaines her cuffed wrists to lying on the floor. The opening ran off in that direcseemed impossibly small. tion. She was too late. the officer. Isha was gone. “I’ll need my After exiting the apartment buildhands.” The woman officer opened the ing’s back entrance and running toilet door and glanced inside at the up the alley to the street, Isha had tiny, windowless room with a toilet hailed a taxi. It was good luck she’d and a utility sink. A broom and a had her wallet in the pocket of the mop stood in a bucket. There was jeans she was wearing. Before the police had arrived, she’d gone out to barely room for one person. The officer cast a glance over her get ice cream. She gave the driver a shoulder, removed a set of clippers hundred-dollar bill and told him he from her belt and cut the wire ties. needed to cruise around for an hour. Later, under questioning, the offi- Where he went was up to him. She cer, whose name was Gaines, would curled up on the rear seat out of sight tell her angry superiors that while it and dozed, considering her options. An hour later, she directed the was true Isha had tried to unholster Quimby’s gun during the arrest, and driver to cruise by her apartment while she’d had a screaming fight building. It was now around 1 a.m. with Andy’s girlfriend Becky, who The place looked quiet. No suspi154

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ment door was for show. She’d leave it just as she found it. She took her cious-looking cars. On the next time shedding her clothes, fi lthy pass, she stopped the cab. Ralph from crawling through the heat came out, his face full of concern. ducts, showering and dressing in a “They’re gone,” he said. “They late night, lower Manhattan street taped off the door is all.” outfit for November: jeans, a black Isha asked the driver to wait in cashmere turtleneck and warm, the back where he had picked her flat boots. She’d wear her threeup. The driver took in the building, quarter-length black down coat that the doorman, who obviously knew could be squashed into a tiny bag this woman, and said he would. and a dark designer stocking cap. “It’s a colossal mistake,” Isha said Isha packed one of her larger rollto Ralph. “Our lawyers are already er suitcases, selecting a variety of on it. This is going to cost the City outfits for both winter and warmer plenty. Help me out and you’ll be climes, along with jewelry and actaken care of.” cessories. She even considered get“Of course, Ma’am.” ting a night’s sleep and venturing off “I’m not here. You in the morning, but have not seen me. I This was almost as good as decided not to push hiding at the police station, it. They had taken need a key.” Isha thought “Got it,” Ralph Mitch’s computers, said, disappearing but the cops would for a moment into his cubby by the want to tear the place apart come front door as Isha headed for the morning. They hadn’t found her elevator. Ralph returned with the iPad, which was lucky. She went to key. Isha stared into Ralph’s eyes, the safe and removed several thougrabbed the lapels of his uniform sand dollars in cash .her partner coat and put her cheek against his kept on hand, muttering a sarcastic chest. His arms automatically went “Thanks, Mitch.” She grabbed the around her. spare fl ip phone they kept in the “Thank you, Ralph. You are such safe, put her wallet and a few essena good man.” tials in a canvas tote bag, grabbed Ralph could hardly speak. “Any- the roller bag and took the freight thing . . . just call,” he managed. elevator down to avoid Ralph. This was almost as good as The taxi was waiting. “Chelsea hiding at the police station, Isha Hotel,” she told the driver. thought, stifl ing a rueful laugh that tried to escape as the elevator door vaughan.roger@gmail.com slid shut. The tape on the apart156

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DECEMBER 2021 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Sun.

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Daily Meeting: Mid-Shore Intergroup Alcoholics Anonymous. For places and times, call 410-8224226 or visit www.midshoreintergroup.org.

Thru Dec. Christmas Train Garden - For 87 years, volunteers with the Cambridge Rescue Fire Company have created this spectacular train garden for the holidays. The

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RFC Train Garden is the longest continually operating fire department train display in the nation. This year’s themes include Train Gardens of the Past and the “Harvesters at the Holidays” display honoring Dorchester County’s heritage of bountiful seafood and farming production. Mon. Fri., 6 to 9 p.m.; Sat. and Sun. 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Closed Christmas Day. Free admission. “The Old Firehouse,” 307 Gay St., Cambridge.

Daily Meeting: Al-Anon and Alateen. For a complete list of times and locations in the Mid-Shore area, visit www.easternshoremdalanon.org/meetings. Every Thurs.-Sat. Amish Country Farmer’s Market, 101 Marlboro Ave., Easton. An indoor market offering fresh produce, meats, dairy products, furniture and more. For more info. tel: 410-822-8989.

NEW MOON

2 Moonlight Madness in downtown Easton 4 to 10 p.m. Shops open for all your holiday shopping! Shop Small for all your gift giving. 2,5 Easton Choral Arts Society presents “A Merry Rutter Christmas” on Thursday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, December

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December Calendar 5 at 4 p.m. on the stage at Christ Church Easton. Easton Choral Arts will begin its 44th season in person, with its annual Christmas concert featuring some new choral gems, as well as numerous time-treasured songs, all by the ever-popular composer and arranger John Rutter. Tickets for both in-person and streamed virtual concerts are on sale at eastonchoralarts.org. 3

First Friday Art Walk in downtown Easton from 5 to 8 p.m. Come out and enjoy the extended hours of the galleries and have an artistic adventure! Many other

downtown retailers are open late and invite you to shop their fine selections and meet artists or special guests they are hosting in store. 3 For All Seasons will kick off the holidays with a fun family event from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the Talbot County courthouse lawn in Easton. Frosty’s Holiday Village will celebrate different seasonal holidays, including Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa while highlighting the importance of taking time to connect with loved ones during the holiday season. 3 The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra continues its tradition of sharing seasonal cheer when

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December Calendar it presents its popular Holiday Joy program, w ith acclaimed French soprano Norah Amsellem as guest soloist. Featuring a selection of seasonal favorites, the festive program will be presented at 7 p.m. at the Avalon Theatre, Easton. Tickets are $50, and may be purchased in advance at www. midatlanticsymphony.org or by calling 888-846-8600. Tickets also are available at the door. 3-5,10 -12,17-19 Home for the Holidays at Hummingbird Inn, Easton. Attendees this year will enjoy an expansive holiday light display, Santa visits, crafts for the

kids, dessert and beverages. Live local music each evening from 6 to 7 p.m. Carriage rides on Sunday December 12 and 19 ($5 per person, children under 5 ride free). We are also bringing back our beautiful Luminary Walk, which will lead the way downtown! This year, we are adding a Downtown Decorating Contest for the downtown homes and businesses! Visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org/homefor-the-holidays/ to learn more. 4 Third Haven Friends Meeting Art Show & Sale 2021 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 405 S. Washington St., Easton. Paintings, pottery, wearable art, baskets, photography, puzzles, holiday items and more

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December Calendar will be for sale. A portion of the artwork sales will help fund the renovation of historic buildings and revitalization of the grounds. This event is free and open to the public. Masks are requested indoors. 4 The Met: Live in HD - EURYDICE (Matthew Aucoin) at the Avalon Theatre, Easton 1 p.m. For more info. tel: 410-822-3500 or visit tickets.avalontheatre.com. 4 Cambridge-Dorchester Christmas Parade through downtown Cambridge. 5 p.m. Celebrate the theme of “Fishing You a Merry Christ-

mas” as marching bands, floats, classic cars, horses and Santa fill Downtown Cambridge’s streets for this beloved holiday happening! Donations are welcome to help fund the parade. More at www. christmasparade.org. 4 Christmas Parade through downtown Easton! The event will kick off with a tree lighting at 6 p.m. followed by a parade that will begin at 6:30 p.m. With a myriad of vehicles, novelties, and floats this parade is sure to showcase the very best of Easton during the Christmas season. Join in the festivities! 4 20th Annual Midnight(ish) Mad-

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December Calendar ness in St. Michaels. Each year, the town is transformed into a picture perfect holiday postcard, the shops, restaurants and B&B’s are decorated w ith stunning greenery, lights and festive cheer. This year we are celebrating with two days to receive raffle tickets to win amazing gift baskets! We are having the raffle virtually on our Midnight Madness Facebook page starting at 10 p.m. All you need to do is answer your phone if we call you! For more info. visit stmichaelsmd.org. 4 2021 Crab Basket Tree Lighting Ceremony, 3116 Main Street in Grasonville. 3 to 7 p.m. Come and see the beautif ully hand

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December Calendar painted holiday and nautical themed bushel basket tree lighting ceremony at Fisherman’s Inn on Saturday December 4th. The formal program will begin at 6 p.m. with a countdown to the lighting at 6:30. You will be able to walk through and visit arts and crafts vendors and stop for a Santa Selfie from 3 p.m. to7 p.m. There will be an opportunity to purchase books and have them signed by Jay Fleming and Brent Lewis during the event. For more info. visit visitqueenannes.com/ event/2021-crab-basket-treelighting-ceremony/.

4-5 Christmas on the Creek, Oxford. Holiday bazaar @ Holy Trinity Church, 9 a.m. to noon with decorated wreaths, greens, frozen home-made chicken pot pies, soups, lasagna, baked cookies and more. Silent auction of a Festival of Trees tree, hot chocolate and goodies free for all to enjoy. Bundle up and come caroling on the porch at Pope’s Tavern led by Maureen Curtin and Friends as the Dock Trees are lit. Hot chocolate and light appetizers. Santa Arrives at 6 p.m. in Town Park. He’ll arrive on the fire truck, wrapped goodies and pictures. For more info. visit portofoxford.com. 4-5 Queen Anne’s Chorale is pleased

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December Calendar to announce two concerts: Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. at the Centreville United Methodist Church located at 608 Church Hill Road (Rt 213). The theme is “A Family Christmas” with selections that will delight the children in all of us. In addition to seasonal favorites that families will enjoy, there will be the traditional audience sing-along, and a light reception afterward. For more information visit www.qachorale. org or email artisticdirector@ qachorale.org. 4,11,18 Easton’s Farmer’s Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on North

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Harrison Street. For more info. tel: 410-822-0345 or visit theavalonfoundation.com. 6 Meeting: Tidewater Camera Club (zoom). 7 to 9 p.m. Speaker Lori Lankford on Creative Close Up Photography. For more info. visit tidewatercameraclub.org.

9-12, 16-19 Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at the Avalon Theatre, Easton. All show at 7 p.m. except for 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 12 and 19. Join us for the Avalon Foundation’s annual holiday celebration starring your friends and neighbors in this wonderful adaptation of the beloved musical. All ticket proceeds go toward the

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December Calendar

Michaels promises to be better than ever with the return and expansion of its weekend of holiday events taking place on the water and in the heart of historic St. Michaels. This year’s events include a lighted boat parade and festive Talbot Street parade; a tour of homes; breakfast with Santa; holiday music and meals; a Santa dash; a marketplace and sweet shoppe, and a light up the night drive-by house and harbor tour. For parade routes, event details, to purchase ornament & online tickets, and more are at christmasinstmichaels.org.

Foundation’s year-round mission to provide diversified arts and educational programs that improves the quality of life here on the Eastern Shore. For more info. tel: 410-822-3500 or visit tickets. avalontheatre.com. 10-12 The 35th Christmas in St.

11 Christmas at Linchester Mill, Preston. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The

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the festive fun during the Hurlock Christmas Parade, which begins at 5 p.m. Details to be announced on the Welcome to Hurlock Mar yland Facebook page.

11 2nd Saturday in Downtown Cambridge. This monthly celebration in downtown Cambridge features an Art Walk with free art gallery receptions, as well as specials in the independently owned shops and great dining. Shops and galleries are open all day and into the evening, most until 8 or 9 p.m. Updated info. at DowntownCambridge.org.

31 First Night Talbot - A family friendly, alcohol and drug free Ne w Ye a r 's Eve C elebr at ion of the Arts, and the only First Night celebration in the State of Mar yland! This event w ill be celebrated virtually. Tune in and watch the new year roll in! For more info. visit welcome@ discovereaston.com or tel: 410690-4395.

11 Hurlock Christmas Parade. Join

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BOZMAN/ST. MICHAELS: Private 15 acre estate overlooking Broad Creek. Dock. Big view and deep anchorage. Handsome residence with two first floor BRs, each with private bath. Detached 2-car garage, guest house, tennis court. and pool. $2,500,000

EASTON/OXFORD: Spectacular 9 acre point with 1000 ft of shoreline on Island Creek. 8 ft. MLW at dock. Southwest summer breezes. Spectacular sunsets. First story BR, walk-in closet and large bath. 5,000 sq. ft. plus oversize 2-car garage. $3,450,000

EASTON: only three minutes from town! Low maintenance estate with three bedroom, two bath residence set on high ground overlooking Glebe Creek. Dock. Pristine onestory residence with hardwood floors, waterside deck. $745,000

CHOPTANK RIVER/EASTON: Perfectly maintained brick house & guest house. Outbuildings, pool, deepwater dock. 2,000 ft. Choptank River shoreline. Big views. 20 private acres of high land, close to Easton. Hunting. $2,795,000

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Tidewater Times December 2021

Articles inside

Christmas on the Chesapeake - 1609-2013: James Dawson

Oxford Map and History

Tidewater Kitchen - Holiday Feast: Pamela Meredith

Changes - Coming Again - Book II in Progress: Roger Vaughan

St. Michaels Map and History

Tidewater Gardening - Holiday Herbs & Plants: K. Marc Teff eau

Frank Butler of Hambrooks Bay: A.M. Foley

Caroline County ~ A Perspective

Memories are Not Made of This: Helen Chappell

About the Cover Photographer: Rhonda Matterson

December Tide Table

The Real Murder on Mustique: Richard Klepfer

Supporting Your Volunteer Fire Department: Michael Valliant

A Hidden Gem: Bonna L. Nelson

Publishers' Note

Easton Map and History