Life on Delmarva: 2017

Saturday, December 2, 2017

25 Humorous Christmas Greetings, Cartoons and Memes (Part I)

Celebrate the season with laughter, sarcasm and humor! Not all of these may appear on Christmas cards which would be considered "appropriate" to send out, but some of these reflect the real feelings of struggling to cope with the happiest time of year (HA HA).

Fall At the Beach: Coastal Changes and Autumn Thoughts

I revel in the sights and scenes of October, enjoying the beauty of the leaves and trees and the change in seasons, and I adore the years when we have that fabulous "fifth season" called Indian Summer. Those seem to me some of the best times of the year, when the ocean's water is still warm, the beach is empty and there is this peacefulness that seems to fall across our little corner of the world.

Retro Halloween Advertising & Vintage Greetings

Images of Halloween from years gone by, along with some cute old advertisements for candy and department stores. I couldn't believe the array of oddness I found when Googling "vintage Halloween greeting cards", and I had no idea it was once such a popular holiday.

The Lorton Reformatory in Fairfax County | "Changes in Lorton, Virginia"

I took these photos just about two years ago, on a cool afternoon in late October. These photos aren't great, as they were taken on a previous-generation cell phone, but but I hope they are able to convey at least a small hint of the beauty found on this property. I titled this picture "What Was", as the fading light turned skies over the former barn to shades of peach and orange. It's evolving into a new stage of life as the complex nears the completion of it's transition into a place of inspiration, art, history and culture.

Delmarva Peninsula News and Information | Delaware & Eastern Shore MD & VA

Directory of news, information and resources for the 14 counties which make up the Delmarva Peninsula. This area is located along the east coast which includes the eastern shore portions of both Maryland and Virginia, along with the entire state of Delaware. The peninsula is bordered by water on three sides by the the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware River, Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Note: many of these links marked "FB" are to the Facebook pages of various sites.

MARYLAND:

Bay Times Stevensville FB

Times-Record Caroline County FB

CecilWhig FB

Crisfield County Times

Crisfield News FB

Crisfield-Somerset County Times FB

The Dispatch Ocean City FB

Dorchester Banner

Dorchester First Alert FB

Dorchester Star FB

Eastern Shore Fire/EMS/Police Breaking News FB

J's Eastern Shore of Maryland Weather FB

The Kent County News Chestertown FB

Ocean City Today FB

Queen Anne's Record-Observer Centreville FB

Salisbury Independent

DELAWARE:

Delaware Online FB

Delaware State News

Harrington Journal

Milford Chronicle

Smyrna/Clayton Sun-Times FB

Sussex Countian FB

Sussex County Post

GENERAL DELMARVA PENINSULA:

92.7 WGMD The Talk of Delmarva FB

Delmarva Daily Times FB

Delmarva Firefighters FB

Delaware Newszap Multiple papers in DE & MD

Connecting Delmarva FB

FOX21 Delmarva FB

WBOC News FB

BLOGGER POSTS ABOUT VINTAGE DELMARVA:

• A Place Called Del-Mar-Va | 3 States and 14 Counties

• Things That Aren't Here Anymore: Ocean City, MD
• Signs, Logos and Businesses of Ocean City, MD (Part I)
• Disappearing Delmarva | Things That Aren't Here Anymore
• Vintage Images from Ocean City, Maryland (Part Two)
• "Vintage Delmarva" on Pinterest
• Views From Years Gone By | Bethany Beach, Delaware
• Vintage Delmarva | Fenwick Island, Delaware (Part Three)
• Old Postcards and Vintage Images | Sussex County, Delaware
• Memories and Postcards of Ocean City, Maryland (Part One)
• Off-Season in Ocean City | Wintertime Views of OCMD
• Vintage Delmarva | Fenwick Island, Delaware (Part Two)
• Things That Are Gone | Bayside Cantina in Ocean City, MD
• Postcards of Yesteryear | Wicomico County, Maryland
• Vintage Delmarva | Memories of Fenwick Island (Part One)

• Directory List for Towns & Cities of the Delmarva Peninsula

PINTEREST BOARDS FOR DELMARVA:

Delaware Beaches

the Delmarva Peninsula

Fenwick Island, DE

Maryland's Eastern Shore

Virginia's Eastern Shore

the State of Delaware

old postcards of Delmarva

community advocate • marketing consultant • voice for small business
classic car lover • salt life • believer that "together we accomplish more"

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Made in America | National Manufacturing Day, Celebrated on the 1st Friday in October

I'm passionate about jobs, our economy and products which are made locally, so of course I was excited to see what would be listed for Manufacturing Day. Created in 2012 by Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International, the observance recognizes businesses which are producing goods in each state across the U.S. From airplane interiors to space suits, food processing, clothing, modular homes, medical supplies and more, companies providing jobs in this country are encouraged to participate.

Vintage Delmarva | Fenwick Island, DE (Part Three)

These are old postcards and/or vintage advertising which I don't believe were included on the first blog post for images of Fenwick Island, DE. Located just steps away from the Maryland beach town of Ocean City, and nestled on the coastline by the Atlantic Ocean, the town of Fenwick Island is loved by many and holds a special place in the hearts of countless visitors, guests, tourists and residents.

Dumser's Dairyland, An Ocean City Icon (the things that mattered to me)

UPDATE 12.28.18: "Nathans Associates wins appeal in Annapolis" via Ocean City Today

UPDATE 12.21.18: "Appeals Court Rules Against Ocean City, Remanding Dumsers Case Back For New Trial" via The Dispatch

I wrote this several weeks after the news stories began chronicling the issues surrounding the southern boardwalk location of Dumser's Dairyland. It's complicated and so I will just refer you here to the newly created group on Facebook, titled "SAVE DUMSER'S ON THE INLET AND NATHAN'S BUILDING IN OCEAN CITY, MD". See the end of this post for links and additional photos.

And Then Just Like That, Here It Is.....the Last Day of August

I don't know where it went; how the weeks of the last three months somehow shrank themselves into such a brief whirlwind of sunshine-filled days on the beach, hot and humid nights on the boardwalk, melting ice cream cones, and streets that turned into wavy, shimmering lines if you stared at them too long. I'm not sure why the days and nights from Memorial Day to Labor Day Weekend feel as if they've evaporated like a brief afternoon shower.....or how, during the winter and spring, that we view summer as an endless paradise of blank space rolling out in front of us, and then so quickly and quietly, it fades away.

We Deserve Better from our Health Care Professionals

I'm so angry right now. We just returned home from the walk-in clinic following three days of the other half dragging around the house lethargically, appearing possibly dehydrated and with a history of his health issues as well as parents on both sides having compromised kidney function, I thought we deserved more than to be treated like a pair of idiots. Which, since we are not, made me want to leave there and drive straight over to the hospital with which the clinic is affiliated with, and DEMAND to be seen in their emergency room because something I believe something IS wrong. But you know, the last thing you want to do when you are feeling awful is to stand up for yourself....and so we came home with nothing. No validation of the words we said; no empathy for how similar these symptoms seem to mirror a previous health issue. Not a blink of an eye when we tried to explain a specific concern, topped off by being interrupted by this so-called professional as I tried to speak......

Losing One of the Great Loves of My Life | It's Almost Three Years Later and.....

"Damn it" I muttered under my breath as the car plowed to a halt. I was in that grey zone between too-close-to-stop and dashing-through-an-obviously-red-light and the frustration of being unable to control even this aspect of the day grated on my nerves. I fumed over something else, which like so many instances before today kept appearing to be totally and completely out of my control. I was headed to the bank, with a check just written lying on the seat beside me, which displayed a date of more than two years since I'd said goodbye. Technically speaking, the numbers indicated that it was coming up on THREE years and yet despite searching high and low, far and wide and everywhere else in between, the place for me in the world that so many had mentioned, is nowhere in sight.

Images & Graphics, Part I | Photo Editors, Sign Generators and Color Art

Have you ever visited a blog and discovered a great post that is just words without any visuals? No matter how good the content is, row after row of text can be uninspiring and dull - even causing the reader to tune out or just avoid sharing. If you aren't a graphic designer or don't have a lot of great photos to include with your social media posts or blogs, here are some easy ways to add super-simple images to anything!

Classic Trucks and Vintage Advertising Vehicles at the Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Show

These beautiful old trucks were on display at the Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association Show held annually in Easton, Maryland. The show, hosted by the Tuckahoe Gas & Steam Association each July, features an incredible array of farm equipment, tractors, antique trucks and vehicles, and of course, steam engines.

Ocean City, MD "Things That Aren't There Anymore" | Attractions and Places that are Gone

This blog post is about businesses, places and attractions of days gone by in the coastal resort town of Ocean City. I needed a place to put all this stuff as it happens so we don't forget it. Will be adding more photos and info in the future.

Buy Fresh, Buy Better: Why I Support Our Local Family Farms

Do you put your money into your own community by actively supporting locally-owned and operated farms? I think there is something amazing about pulling off the road at a produce stand located at the end of a long driveway, with acres of majestic farmland stretching out as far as the eye can see.

News Flash for Small Business Owners: "It's Not All About You"

There’s no good way to say this so I’ll just blurt it out; it seems that some folks don’t think or care about each other as much as they used to (ugh, there’s that anti-social mentality creeping in again...or maybe just indifference?) Most people are eager to enjoy the benefits of loyalty, thrilled with the support of their local restaurant, shop or service business, and who in turn, visit and enjoy other establishments.

Visiting Delmarva: the Town of Milford, Delaware

Located on the border of Kent and Sussex counties, Milford's charming downtown, locally-owned shops and eateries make this an attractive place for a day trip or afternoon. There is a great museum, which was at one time the post office, and you may be surprised to learn that throughout the years, Milford has been home to exciting discoveries and inventions.

Independent Businesses Are The Heart and Soul Of Our Communities

The people across this country who have been behind counters for decades.....the ones who have opened a small shop each morning and then swept down the floors of a family icon at the end of each day.....the mom and pop owners who have greeted countless numbers of visitors and guests who turned into friends and family over their decades of service.....this is the true heart and soul of America.

We Have Become a Society of Disrespect: Why Parents Need To Accept Their Responsibility

At one time, probably around the years during which you and I were growing up, it was generally considered wrong to defy, mock or disregard authority. We had rules, expectations and consequences which were laid out to teach us what was required. While I think more often than not, we settled down to meet those guidelines, it's possible that the fact they existed made us realize that WE had responsibilities for how we acted.

Juggling, Tricks and Technicalities | Time Management, Part I

I struggle with managing my time. There. I'm coming clean, admitting the struggle is real and that while I absolutely appreciate and value the opportunity to work from home, tasks and prioritizing and hours in the day DO in fact, often get the best of me. (Whew. I said it.) Had I realized that things needed to change? Of course - but seeing it and saying that and actually creating improvement - those are several very different things. It's so easy to become caught up in the details and projects and emails and Stuff That Demands Immediate Attention, that I just seem to forget the goal for the day was to operate more efficiently, and thus the cycle continues. Until now.

I read an article this morning and was inspired by the ability which supposedly lies within me; apparently I'm more capable that I'd thought to take charge and set goals; to define work objectives and wrestle back control of my hours and minutes. I just have to tap into "what lies within" and learn to set limits and boundaries, because if not, there's no external force that can fix this for me. Confident in this new knowledge and wanting to dive right in, I implement new guidelines for the following day, which is Monday.

Monday morning: I write and send an email detailing a situation which needs resolution ASAP. Immediately after clicking "send", I realize that omitted from the list was an article which must be written today, and so I spend 40 minutes hurriedly Googling for details and essential ingredients. Although not built into the time frame it's necessary.

Next, I attack the Great Pile of Paperwork. UGH. This is complex on many levels, but as the Pile poses a growing source of irritation and annoyance, I just leap in and being sorting. The goal of knocking out the mountain of papers wasn't clearly defined time-wise, but it does up end up taking more than four hours.

Update: It's Tuesday at 1:50am and I'm finished. I got all three projects done, along with a few smaller tasks, several which were normal but that I failed to include in my estimate for the day. A couple of others had cropped up suddenly with red flags requiring attention (a continual problem for me as I tend to underestimate the time needed to process).

Despite the article's advice to take on the toughest part first, I wound up leaving the most difficult two things for last. I'm now curious if tackling the most challenging aspects could have helped productivity? At the time, feeling pretty overwhelmed, I opted to take baby steps instead, and looking back now it seems as if restructuring my process and approach could be a better game plan. We'll see what happens on the next run.

#delmarvausa | community advocate | localist | respect | united we stand

Friday, April 21, 2017

"The Things We Are Losing" | Why We Don’t Know Each Other Any More

We are changing so rapidly; sliding down the slippery slope of progress and applauding our evolution into technology; while at the same time we lose ourselves more each day. Our crazily over-scheduled lives rotate around an online world, reveling in the speed of information and how quickly we can be made happy - whole at the same time any idea of delaying a purchase until it is saved for, earned, or "worked for", appears to be rapidly fading into the past. When you look at life today, it seems we're primarily focused on getting everything right now.

Old Postcards and Vintage Images | Sussex County, Delaware

Postcards featuring areas of Delaware in the southern area of the First State. While Delaware is made up of just three counties -Sussex, Kent and New Castle - each one has many small towns which are distinctly different from one another.

Vintage Delmarva | Fenwick Island, Delaware (Part Two)

The town of Fenwick Island is considered by some to be just a shortcut, a blip on the map as they pass through heading south to the larger resort town of Ocean City. And sure, it's a tiny place, tucked just on the other side of the Mason-Dixon Line bordering Delaware and Maryland. But for many, it's magical, with that vibe of "soaking up the summertime" appreciation for the sand, surf and shore that most of us have within us.

Happy Easter | A Collection of Hilarious Cartoons, Vintage Greetings & Cute Stuff

Sometimes you just need to laugh. Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend and happy holiday! Double click to open any image in a larger window to download.

Shop Local This Easter | Small Business Matters

The upcoming holidays of Easter and Passover offer a wonderful opportunity to visit, shop and support the independently-owned businesses right in our own neighborhoods. From providing jobs, contributing to the economy to offering community support, these unique establishments provide so many layers of distinctive character which simply cannot be found in a big box store.

Tales from a Small Business Owner | "Long hours and rescued pets"

One of the short stories which originally appeared as "Juggling", a collection of events, afternoon mishaps and the struggle to balance my retail store, houseful of rescued pets and the reality of working really 12-14 hour days for months during the summer.

Off-Season in Ocean City, Maryland | Wintertime Views of OCMD

During the summertime the town of Ocean City roars to life as Maryland's largest vacation spot and favorite beach destination. Everyone wants a ride on that Ferris Wheel overlooking the sparkling skyline of the coastal resort, and no visit would be complete without a stroll on the boardwalk.

During the peak season of the warmer months is one of the best times to take photos of the lights, attractions, people and faces along the iconic strip by the ocean, but when that fades away and the crowds return home, the hectic pace is replaced by a slower and quieter version of life. It is then that this place takes on an entirely new façade dotted with vacant windows, silent coaster tracks, colorless signs sitting idle, waiting to glow again, and that spectacular view of a deserted boardwalk that seems to go on forever.....I call the months following Labor Day the time period "after the summer ends", and then by about March that transitions into "before the summer begins".

It's usually late October when they take the cars off the Ferris Wheel

Haunted House at Trimpers Amusement Park and a spooky, silent, pirate

Okay. The grinning pirate may be just a bit creepier in the winter.

"Tickets please, tickets......everyone must have a ticket to ride!"

the Oceanic fishing pier in the fog

".......oh i may not look like much now.....but wait until I get my canopy....and lights! and music! then they all line up for a chance to take a ride......"

Coaster tracks at Trimpers

the Spinning Coaster ride!

...a silent downtown bus stop

Although a few businesses and attractions remain open all year, for the most part everything closes early and is primarily open on weekends only.

"Arcade in the mist"

Signs are something I really love but sometimes in the summer it's just difficult to pull over or take a photo. So this time of the year is perfect for enjoying the neon sights.