Reflections on New Year's Eve | "What I Learned From the Past Year"

December 31st, 2016 ~ what I have learned during the last twelve months:

New Year Wishes and Charming Vintage Greetings

Goodbye to the past 12 months....you can't get out of here FAST ENOUGH. I've learned more about myself, life and my family than I cared to know, made some tough decisions and found out things that changed everything. Some of it was overdue and needed to happen.....other aspects may have been best left alone....either way, I MADE IT. 

Vintage Holiday Greetings | A Retro Christmas Collection

Some images I found while looking for the perfect holiday wishes to order in Christmas cards for this year. How lovely are these vintage scenes of Santa Claus, scenic countrysides, decorations and those beautiful ornaments we all remember!? Click on any picture to open in a larger window and see the links for more seasonal collections at the end of this post too!

Christmas By The Sea | Celebrating the Holidays at the Beach

What does a "tropical Christmas" mean to you? Perhaps it brings to mind stately palm trees by the seashore, festooned with colored lights and starfish, or maybe you think of festive beach cottages adorned with wreaths, garland and greenery.

#ChristmasLightTracker featuring Holiday Lights on Delmarva

Photos taken featuring local businesses and towns of Maryland's eastern shore and southern Delaware. I'm posting pics from around the area as #ChristmasLightTracker to bring you local displays of lights and Christmas Spirit. For more follow me on Facebook.

Jim's Bait and Tackle Shop in Roxana, DE. Find them on Facebook.

Newark, Maryland and the Queponco Railway Station

Tucked away on Maryland's eastern shore, located between Berlin and Snow Hill, you will find the town of Newark. Most people assume, when you mention it, that you are mistaken and of course referring to it's namesake in northern Delaware - but no, there is indeed a Newark in Worcester County, MD. Turn off of Route 113 and go perhaps a mile or two and there you are.

A Collection of Vintage Christmas Cat Greeting Cards

What started out as a wish to cheer a friend who is down because of the pending holidays turned into my sort of fascination with these greetings of yesteryear. The wishes for Christmas range from ornate and stylish, such as well-dressed caroling cats and images depicting a number of felines outfitted in hats and clothing, to very simple faces and a few sprigs of holly (as shown below).

Maybe I should look up more often....

The parking lot of the local grocery store is a zoo when I arrive on the Wednesday before Turkey Day. I knew it would be crowded and that they would probably be out of many items, but that's what you get when you're running back and forth to another state trying to take care of an elderly parent. Everything becomes a blur; time gets away from you, and suddenly the holiday is here.

the First Annual Delmarva Toy Run | "Thoughts on Community"

In a couple of hours I'm scheduled to be at a local radio station to talk about an upcoming event. This project grew out of a discussion held at a fish fry a few months ago where the gist of the conversation centered around "we could all come together and make a difference". And thus was born the idea for the First Annual Delmarva Community Toy Run. A suggestion for a radio contact landed me this opportunity to talk publicly about what, when and why - and it's also the reason for me being up before 5AM. I'm a little nervous, making notes and writing myself reminders of what to say in case I'm tongue-tied, and then it occurred to me that perhaps I should just speak from the heart.

Police Officer Lesley Zerebny | Police Officer Jose Gilbert Vega

Just hours after participating in a community gathering I saw the news....

I'd been at a gathering where people had come out to tell area law enforcement officers they are appreciated; that we care; that their lives matter. As with so many events I attend, it was emotional to see the love from local citizens, watch little interactions between individuals, and stand together with others who support our cops.

  

Flagpole Dedication at BJ's On The Water (75th Street in Ocean City, Maryland)

On August 8th, members from various organizations such as the VFW, American Legion, VVA Chapter 1091, Hogs and Heroes, Legion Riders and others attended the dedication of a new flagpole at BJ's on the Water. Local officials including Senator Mathias presented the owners of BJ's with certificates and items acknowledging their involvement in the community.

Think For Yourself, Part II: "Grow Your Mind and Expand Your World"

~ Grow your mind and expand your world ~

"Expanding your world" sometimes can mean reading, becoming educated and learning more about issues and community matters. I think and hope that everyone makes some time to explore the challenges facing their local towns and cities, read up on problems and work together towards solutions. Grow your mind by continually keeping and processing a list of "articles to read" and share them along with your thoughts to invite new perspective and input from others.

Postcards of Yesteryear | Wicomico County, Maryland

Images of downtown Salisbury as well as a few landmarks from nearby. I was delighted to find myself in the area of the beautiful church recently and stopped to photograph it; the memorial has been a project undergoing restore for some time. See more links at the end of this post .

It's Not A National Day (yet) But Our First Responders Deserve It

For several years now an effort has been underway to dedicate a day to first responders. While it has stalled and been held up repeatedly, there are a number of cities and towns which are recognizing the date of September 27th as "National First Responders Day". After all, don't the people who aid, assist and protect our communities deserve it? While is isn't a national date (yet), here is what we have found out about First Responders Day.

Two years later: Labor Day Weekend

Two years ago I went through the most difficult Labor Day Weekend of my life. Everything I knew was ending and most things I cared deeply about were crumbling before my eyes. A month earlier I had posted that after 19 years my beloved shop would be closing for good and the feelings of failure and loss and disappointment were overwhelming.

How Can Our Community "Do Better"?

Since last Friday when many of us gathered at Pohanka of Salisbury Automotive for the "We Stand United" event....I've been thinking. Turning over some of the words that were said in my head; tossing around some phrases and statements that were made; wondering HOW does a community "do better". There must be a special ingredient in those select few places where people do, in fact, act and live in a way which promotes open dialog, respect and a culture of togetherness.

There's a question floating over my head, words in a bubble like a giant blimp hovering nearby - and I'm sure I can't be the only one thinking this: "How can we avoid being the next Ferguson, Dallas, Baton Rouge?" Honestly, someone else besides me must have considered the same exact question....right?

Vintage Images from Ocean City, Maryland (Part Two)

"Memories of Ocean City, Maryland" - Postcards, memorabilia and advertising featuring local landmarks from Maryland's favorite beach towns. These images which feature travel brochures, motel advertisements and depictions of the famous boardwalk, offer a fascinating glimpse into life in our towns from years ago.

Local Ice Cream! Dairy Farms and Creameries on Delmarva July 2016

*** UPDATE *** We have revised our info for the Delmarva Ice Cream Trail. Check out the blog post here and view the new #DelmarvaIceCreamTrail Google Map too!


What better what to celebrate National Ice Cream Day than by enjoying the independent farms and dairies right here in on the Delmarva Peninsula. While while you can go to a chain place anytime, we think the REAL delicacies are found at the local shops and area creameries Below we've listed some of our favorites from Delaware and the eastern shore areas of Maryland and Virginia.

DELAWARE

Fifer Orchards in Wyoming, established 1919

http://www.fiferorchards.com • Facebook

Think For Yourself / Grow Your Mind (part I)

“Grow your mind and expand your world”

1) “Why We Don’t Accept Delays and Appreciate the Gift of Empty Time"

2) "We now live in individual bubbles of our own making"....this is a good read. "There's a Battlefield at Home and Only First Responders See It"

Wake up World (We can't live like this)

Why is "active shooter" a term we have all come to know? Why does it seem commonplace - almost a daily occurrence - to read about another violent act or outburst by someone walking a thin line between right and wrong?

We Will Not All Get Along, All The Time (and that's okay!)

"Learning to accept others"

Sometimes we go about our lives with the expectation that everything must be a certain way, that other people should share our views (because they are the right ones!), or simply fall into the trap of feeling as everyone should see our perspective. Unless you have some fairy dust and a magic wand, chances are good life is not going to go exactly like that.

Visiting the Delmarva Peninsula | the town of Berlin, Maryland

The town of Berlin is one of my favorite places here on Delmarva and it's one that we often recommend to visitors. Located just off Route 50, about 8 miles inland of Maryland's favorite beach town of Ocean City, it's a refreshing change from the souvenir shops and boardwalk stores. See the links and info after the photos.

"Be Careful of What We Are Becoming"

Something dark and disturbing appears to have overtaken our world. A foreboding shadow is emerging perhaps, beginning to creep in as a faint but persistent fog which seems to be settling over us and dulling the perceptions of right and wrong; love vs hate; pitting apathy at war against kindness. What happened to us??

An American Icon | Shelby Mustang GT500 King of the Road

Taken June 2016 in Ocean City, Maryland. Late 1960's model GT500, KR edition (believe it's a '68). About this car:


April 1, a street-legal version of the 428 cid V8 CJ "Cobra Jet" drag car debuts as the Shelby GT-500KR. Inspired by Rhode Island dealer/race car builder Bob Tasca, the "King of the Road" is rumored to produce 400 horsepower. A Ram Air induction setup was installed, as noted by the hood scoop and black hood stripe. The transmission options were a 4-speed manual or six-speed automatic. There was an initial run of 50 units inspired by Ford dealer and Mustang racer Bob Tasca's efforts, but eventually 2,253 CJ Fastbacks and 564 CJ coupes were produced. Note the new, functional C-pillar vents.
Source: http://www.shnack.com/history/1968

Forty years ago, at the 1967 New York Auto Show, Ford introduced the most powerful Shelby Mustang ever. The 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500KR was a mid-year introduction, based on the 1968 Shelby GT500. Ford added ‘Cobra’ to the Shelby’s moniker to help usher in the beginning of a new performance era at the company. The Cobra name referred to the new 428 Cobra Jet V-8 that was planted under the KR’s custom fiberglass hood. It was the engine that would once again vault the Mustang to the head of the pack.
Source: http://www.supercars.net/blog/1968-shelby-gt500kr-fastback/

Flickr Album ~ https://flic.kr/s/aHskssAayd

"Life on Delmarva" • #delmarvausa

You can leave and still not tear others down...

I'm not perfect, actually I'm full of flaws, but sometimes I think about things from a different perspective. You can read this or not, ignore it or unfriend me, it's all up to you.

Once upon a time we were involved with a local nonprofit. They did as much as they could to help others in the community and we bonded with the people and their attitude of caring. It was a good mix; we fit in, offered some things which were useful and developed ties with many nice folks. Fast-forward a few years and - as sometimes happens - things changed. We questioned a few things that by some measures didn't appear to be handled quite right. A couple of misunderstandings and a few situations not handled well led to us feeling out of touch and that perhaps we no longer were wanted. But with a sense of no longer being wanted came something else....the thought that perhaps WE also no longer wanted to be a part of that circle, and so we stepped away.


That's it. We choose to step away....without a public speech, without announcing who wronged who. This organization does good, absolutely. Could they take a look at their practices and interactions with building for the future? Yes. Was everything handled exactly right within? Perhaps not. But every time a family asked for assistance, or someone's home burned down, or a caring person was needed during a difficult time.....they stepped up. The good that is done outweighs my personal feelings of "correctness". How many of you have heard "there aren't enough people who help", or "there are so few resources available anymore" or "I wish there were more places like yours"? Sometimes what is done is in itself a good thing and maybe out-ranks something else; perhaps your beliefs, or likes, or the way you see things....and if so, perhaps you will decide to part ways. YOU can't fix everything. But at that time you have a choice; move on in bitterness and speaking ill of others and tearing down the positive things that were done, or you can just MOVE ON.

"With respect all things are possible"