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101 Ways To Have Fun ~ Summer 2008

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1. Good Day, Sunshine

With the unofficial start of summer Memorial Day, the sun is still weeks from its zenith, providing us at least 101 days to bask in its warm embrace and soak up that crucial vitamin A. In the last days of May, the sun rises in the northeast around 5:50 and sets in the northwest around 8:20. Watch over the ensuing month, as the sun rises each morning a little more to the north or northeast and sets each evening a little farther to the north of northwest.

By solstice, June 21, the astronomical start of summer, the sun rises at its farthest point north of northeast, then it climbs to its highest point in the sky, appearing to stop directly overhead, until, finally, it descends, setting at its farthest point to the north of northwest. Like a spring pinched between thumb and forefinger, the path of the solstice sun is a steep arch, and it takes 14 hours and some 54 minutes from sunup to sundown.

After solstice, the sun’s point of rising and setting again slips southward, just as, day by day, our minutes of sunlight slip away. By Labor Day’s unofficial end to summer, the sun will rise and set to the south of northeast and northwest, and we will have lost more than 90 minutes of daylight. Over the following four weeks we lose another hour-plus of sunshine, and the sun dips dramatically, finally rising at due east and setting at due west on the day of autumnal equinox, September 21, the astronomical end of summer.

Make the most of the long fleeting days of summer: Rise in time to salute the sun.

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2. Wade a Minute

From the Potomac to the Patapsco to the Eastern Shore, summer’s the season for stepping in. But before you jump in to cool off from Maryland humidity, join a ritual wade-in to check water clarity.

Walking into the river is a Chesapeake summer rite started by former Sen. Bernie Fowler 20 years ago. Each year, Fowler dons white sneakers and overalls to wade into the Patuxent and see how far he can go before his sneakers disappear into the murky water. That Sneaker Index is our cultural yardstick for the rivers’ — and Bay’s — health.

Fowler started a tradition that’s spread to other rivers, north and south, east and west. Wade in a waterway close to you:

May 31: The South River Federation hosts their Sixth annual Sojourn and Wade-in. Wake up with coffee and doughnuts at 8:30am, then paddle into Harness Creek to observe the Federation’s oyster reef at 9am. Step into the river for the wade-in at 1pm and dry off at a 1:30pm cookout. All at Hillsmere Community Beach, off Hillsmere Rd., Annapolis: 410-224-3802.

Wade into Spa Creek from the boat ramp at Truxtun Park Saturday, morning June 7.

June 7: Get your feet wet at the Upper Western Shore’s wade-in from 2-5pm @ Anita Leight Estuary Center, 700 Otter Point Rd., Abingdon: rupertrossetti@aol.com.

June 7: The Eastern Shore’s 10th annual wade-in festival features guided canoe and kayak tours, trail hikes, seining, children’s programs and more. Wade in at 1:10pm; festival runs 10am-2pm @ Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Grasonville. free: www.bayrestoration.org/index.html.

June 7: Wade into Annapolis Creeks until you can’t see your toes, then learn about creek restoration projects and seine for fish. When you’ve walked as far as you can, head to Back Creek’s celebration for a report to the mayor of Annapolis on the condition of all four creeks.

College Creek: 9am @ back parking lot of Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis.

Spa Creek: 9am @ Truxtun Park Beach, left off Hilltop Lane onto Primrose Rd., keep left onto Pump House Road, follow signs to boat ramp.

Weems Creek: TBD

Back Creek: 11am @ Annapolis Maritime Museum Beach, Second Street at Back Creek.

June 8: The original Patuxent River wade in with Bernie Fowler kicks off at 1pm with brief remarks by dignitaries. Then everyone wades in at 2pm. Broome’s Island: 410-260-8768. Lunch, music and a good time follow.

June 10: Head south for the Lower Eastern Shore Tributary Team’s wade-in at Cherry Beach Park on the Nanticoke River, Sharptown. Time TBA: Mike Bilek @ 410-260-8988.

June 14: Wet your shins in the Magothy. Then jump in your canoe or kayak for a group paddle at the Magothy River Association’s wade-in from 6-9pm: president@magothyriver.org for precise location.

June 28: Cross the Bay for the Choptank Wade-In, sponsored by the Oxford chapter of Boatbums International, to benefit Maryland Special Olympics, Oxford. Time TBA: Mike Bilek @ 410-260-8988.

June 22: Lower Potomac Tributary Team’s wade-in is 1-5pm at the Mirant Mid-Atlantic Morgantown Power Plant (near the Rt. 301 bridge) Morgantown, Charles County: Mike Bilek @ 410-260-8988.

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3. Celebrate a June Holiday

It’s hot. Outside children frolic, teenagers tan and retirees have all day their way. Unless you run an ice cream shop or supervise a waterslide, work is the last place you want to be. So declare a holiday.

Summer is a time of celebrating: no school, long weekends at the beach and barbeques should fill three glorious months. Bay Weekly offers up 12 summer events that should earn you a day off, or at least a long lunch.

In June, put the Earth first, salute the flag and dear old dad and put your pooch to work.

June 5: World Environment Day. A wise frog once said It’s not easy being green. These days that’s not true. Established by the United Nations in 1972, World Environment Day sets out to prove that green is the way to go. The main festivities take place in New Zealand this year. Instead of taking a carbon wasteful flight, celebrate the day in your own back yard. Visit a farmers’ market, bike to work or spend an hour without power. For more ways to save the world, see Carrie Madren’s story: www.bayweekly.com/year08/issuexvi16/leadxvi16_2.html.

June 14: Flag Day. Thirteen red and white stripes symbolize the colonies that rose up against the British crown; 50 five-pointed stars represent the states in our union. Greater than the sum of its parts, this red, white and blue cloth stands for the ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Take time today to salute the flag, recite the pledge of allegiance and admire the soaring hopes of our founders. Flag day is also the time to give tattered American flags a proper burial. Bring the flags to American Legion posts for a respectful burning ceremony — the official way to retire our flag. For the government’s official rules: www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/ourflag/titlepage.htm.

June 15: Father’s Day. Conceived by a woman, Sonora Dodd, in 1909, Father’s Day typically takes a backseat to its May Matriarchal Equal. Instead of a tie or World’s Best Dad mug, spend the day doing things Dad wants to do. So you’ll know, ask him to fill out a wish list. For more celebrating ideas: www.holidays.net/father/celebrat.htm.

June 20: Take Your Dog to Work Day. Bay Weekly’s editor-at-very-large, Moe, and his newshound intern, Nipper, encourage you to take your pooch to work today. On June 20, businesses around the country open their doors to four-legged friends at the 10th anniversary of Take Your Dog to Work Day. First, get an okay from your office before you add an extra employee. Then pack treats and a toy to keep Fido occupied and plan for walk breaks throughout your day. For more ideas, or to register your business: www.petsit.com/tydtwd/.

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4. Savor a Seafood Festival

’Tis the time of year to spread newspapers — other than Bay Weekly — over picnic tables, park a pitcher of ice-cold drinks on the table and prepare to crack open crab claws, feast on clams and fry up fish.

As the summer sun heats the waters of Chesapeake country, the scent of Old Bay wafts from local seafood festivals.

Whether you dream about steaming crabs in an old oil drum, washing down fried clams with Natty Boh or slipping shucking knives into the shell of an oyster, the Bay area offers up a feast for every taste.

Revel in the bounty of the Bay on Watermark’s Crab Feast Cruises (June 4, July 16 & Aug. 13) aboard the Harbour Queen. Tour the waterways of Annapolis watching the Wednesday night sailboat races from a prime vantage point, as you pick succulent steamed crabs deck-side. 7-10pm cruise from City Dock, Annapolis. $70; rsvp: 410-268-7601.

The St. Mary’s Crab Festival celebrates 22 years of Bay bounty on June 8, when you crack steamed crabs and digest delectable non-aquatic delicacies. Square-dance to melt off excess calories and digest the tunes of live bands. Motorists shine up the shells of their classic cars for a show following the feast. noon-6pm @ St. Mary’s Government Center lawn, Rt. 245, Leonardtown. $5 + food: http://leonardtownmd.lionwap.org/.

On June 28, the Summer Seafood Festival at Tilghman Island brings in a crab connoisseur who steams our state crustacean in his own steamer using a secret recipe. Season your day with Old Bay events such as trot-line baiting contests, hard-crab races and a crab-picking contest. Cheer queen contestants to select Little Miss Tilghman and Miss Tilghman. Firefighters’ parade follows. Sponsored by the Tilghman Volunteer Fire Company. 11am-7pm @ Kronsberg Park, Tilghman Island: 410-886-2677; www.tilghmanmd.com.

Put some swing into your seafood at the Potomac Jazz and Seafood Festival July 12, where you relax riverside, feasting on the lawn of St. Clement’s Island Museum. Southern Maryland seafood delicacies from crabs to clams are served with a side of dynamic jazz. Funds the St. Clement’s Museum. 4pm-10pm @ St. Clement’s Island Museum, 38370 Point Breeze Rd., Colton’s Point. $42.50: 301-769-2222.

Pop a claw or shuck a shell at the 32nd annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake on July 16. Devour all the steamed crabs, fried fish, clams — steamed, fried or raw — plus corn on the cob, onion rings and soda you can, saving room for a juicy slice of watermelon to cap the afternoon. The feast honors former Governor J. Millard Tawes and, during election years, brings in bushels of politicians as well as seafood. 12:30-4:30pm @ Somers Cove Marina Grounds, Crisfield. $40: 410-968-2500; www.crisfieldchamber.com/events.htm.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum celebrates the Bay in a new way, shucking the traditional two-day Crab Days festival for July 26’s Chesapeake Folk Festival. Crustacean connoisseurs fear not: Crab is still the king of cuisine; bushels of steamed hard-shells wait for pickers. Explore other culinary traditions, listen to live local bands, try your hand crafting tables and set sail on skipjack rides. 10am-4pm @ Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michael’s on the Eastern Shore. $13 w/discounts plus food: 410-745-2916; www.cbmm.org.

The Annapolis Rotary Crab Feast spices up August 1 at their annual crab feast. Crack into all-you-can-eat jumbo hard-shells, smothered in Old Bay and steaming hot. A tradition since 1945, the August feast expects 2,500 crustacean cravers communing at the world’s biggest crab feast. Put aside your hard-shell picking to devour fresh corn on the cob, barbequed pork and crab soup. Bring your own vinegar. All funds benefit local charities, non-profit organizations and the Annapolis Rotary Foundation’s philanthropic projects. Day-of tickets $65; but the feast sells out quickly. 5-8pm @ Navy Marine Corps Stadium, off Rowe Blvd., Annapolis. $55 in advance. Corporate sponsors reserve tables for 10 and get VIP treatment and no waiting for $1,100: www.annapolisrotary.com/crabfeast.asp.

Sink your teeth into fresh-fried catch of the day at South River Federation’s annual Fish Fry on August 23. Locally hooked fish sizzle and pop in pans as you savor homegrown corn, tomatoes and more summer fare. 2-4pm @ Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Philip Merrill Center, 6 Herndon Ave. off Bay Ridge Rd., Annapolis. $25 w/discounts: Cindy @ 443-482-2155; www.southriverfederation.net.

Tuck into the 29th annual Seafood Feast-I-Val on August 9. Savor steamed crabs, crab soup, fried fish and clams, sliced tomatoes, corn, watermelon and sweet-potato fries at this all-you-can-eat smorgasbord. Take a break, dancing to live music and browsing craft vendors before going back for seconds. 1-6pm @ Sailwinds Park, 200 Byrn St., Cambridge. $35: 410-228-1211.

Find exotic foods and classic Maryland fare at the 28th annual Havre de Grace Seafood Festival. At the two-day feast, devour crabby cuisine — from crab cakes to steamed crabs to crabdawgs; find fried conch, flounder, clams and oysters; and test your palate with alligator nuggets. Craft your creative side at arts tables, boogie to live music and bid on items in a charity auction. August 9 & 10. 11am-7pm Sa; 11am-6pm Su @ Tydings Memorial Park, 300 Commerce St., Havre de Grace: 410-939-1525; www.HdGSeafoodFestival.org.

Spend the afternoon with Old Bay-seasoned steamed crabs at the Susquehanna River Crab Feast August 16. Thwack claws with a crab hammer and consume crab cakes in open air of historic Port Deposit. Museums and sites open for touring all afternoon. 4pm-8pm @ Marina Park, Port Deposit: 410-378-9169.

Fish crackle over an open flame at Wesley Chapel Old Time Fish Fry on Friday, August 22. The traditional Eastern Shore fry-up serves you pan-fried fish, Dutch-oven bread with molasses, crab cakes, scalloped potatoes and more. 3-7pm @ Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, 6065 Rock Hall Rd., Rock Hall. $12: 410-639-2272.

North Beach’s Annual Bayfest takes you back to the Bay, drawing thousands of visitors to the waterfront boardwalk. From August 23 to 24, crack into bushels of crabs, enjoy child’s play at a kids’ corner, peruse craft tables, examine antique cars and burn off your seafood feast by grooving to live music. noon-6:30pm SaSu @ North Beach boardwalk. free: 301-855-6681.

As summer’s last long weekend winds to a close, enter the 61st annual Hard Crab Derby. Friday, Aug. 29, watch contestants claw their way to the top in a crab-cooking contest at the Baptist Church (9am) before entering the marina grounds. Saturday, Aug. 30, work up an appetite at a 10K race (7:30am), watch crustaceans run for their lives at the annual Crab Bowl Derby Race (2:30pm) and put your fleet fingers to the test at a crab-picking contest (3:30pm). Sunday, Aug. 31, finish your feast with a final supper of fresh fish, clams and crab. The weekend ends with a bang as fireworks burst overhead (9pm). 9am-7pm F; 7:30am-10pm Sa; 8am-9pm Su @ Somers Cove Marina Grounds, Crisfield. $4: 410-968-2500.

Sail into Labor Day at the 49th annual Skipjack Race and Festival to watch swift ships and sup on Maryland seafood. Races and fresh cooked clams, fish and crab dishes fill the last weekend in August. August 31, watch skipjacks sail into port, admire classic cars at a show, craft a seaside knickknack, bid at silent auctions and enjoy carnival rides. September 1, bless the fleets before racing courses are set and load up on the last of the summer seafood. 1-11:30pm Su; 8am-6pm M @ Deal Island Harbor, Deal Island. free admission; pay for food and rides: 410-784-2799.

This year, the Maryland Seafood Festival takes the summer off, canceling its 2008 feast. But you can have a personal seafood festival at Sandy Point State Park all summer by packing a picnic of savory seafood and eating Bayside.

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5. Walk about Old Annapolis

Make the best of a sunny day to absorb some rays — and Annapolis’ 350-year history. Park your car along residential streets for two hours or invest in a parking garage, where you can stay for as long as you like for a small fee.

At foot-speed you can stop and admire the centuries-old residences and charming front-yard gardens of our historic capitol city — without worrying about rear-ending the car in front of you.

Wander at your leisure through the residential streets of Historic Annapolis — the same streets traversed by such historic notables as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Notice the eight types of picture-frame-sized markers on historic homes and buildings, awarded by Historic Annapolis Foundation in 1969. Each color signifies an era. Green, for instance, marks construction between 1681 and 1708; blue notes building from 1784 to 1840.

Take it a step farther and amble around State Circle, where you’ll find Thurgood Marshall memorial on Lawyers’ Mall, and see the beautifully landscaped grounds surrounding the home of our governor. Government House has housed governors and entertained visitors — like Mark Twain, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and Sugar Ray Leonard — for 125 years.

Find more maps and walking tours at HistoryQuest, Historic Annapolis Foundation’s new center to help bridge the history gap: 410-267-7619 or 800-603-4020; www.annapolis.org.

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6. Live off the Land

Wild cherry soup, dandelion jelly, linden tea, sorrel salad, blueberry muffins … As food prices climb, you may want to see what’s edible in the meadow or the woods behind your house. Of course, you will have to be careful what you pick: Make sure the dandelions were not showered with pesticide and — if you are brave enough go mushrooming — make sure you don’t pick the poisonous ones.

The advantages of picking wild vegetation are many. First is the cost: Zero. Then there’s the freshness; It doesn’t get any fresher than this. The berries and greens are organic and all are full of nutrients and some have medicinal properties. How much more local can you get? You’re doing your planet a favor by not having your blackberries shipped from California or Oregon.

Just look at what you can find in Chesapeake Country. In the greens category: sorrel, wild onion, garlic and dandelions galore. Blackberries are plentiful and large; blueberries are small and rarer. Linden trees are rare too, but if you spy one in full bloom in July, before the bees discover them, pick the fragrant white flowers and dry them in the sun for a treat as you savor the honey taste of linden tea.

Flowers are delicious to nibble. Common honeysuckle and the less common acacia blossoms give you the mixture of sweetness and flavor.

Go ahead, indulge.

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7. Party in the Streets

The first Sunday of each month, head to inner West Street in Annapolis for free live music, art and entertainment. The annual First Sunday Arts Festivals makes West Street a stage for both visual and performing artists from the area. Take artistic energies home with you from vendors selling clever wares that range from hand-sewn clothing to soaps, note cards, paintings, original pottery and jewelry. The monthly celebrations last through October, from noon-5pm: www.goweststreet.com.

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8. Grow Tomatoes in Five-Gallon Buckets

As long as you have sunshine, you can feast on homegrown tomatoes. Tomato plants are not fussy; they will grow and be productive even if you plant them in five-gallon pails.

Clean the pail and rinse thoroughly. All the better if cement residue clings to the inside walls. It will help maintain the high pH tomatoes love.

Using a half-inch spade drill or standard half-inch drill bit, make at least five drainage holes along the bottom edge of the pail. Since most plastic pails have a flat bottom, drilling holes in the bottom of the pail is fruitless unless the pails will be standing on stones or rough surface to allow water to escape from the bottom.

Next, fill the pail to the rim with a commercial rooting media such as Pro-Mix or Metro-Mix. These commercial rooting media have a pH of nearly 6.5 and contain sufficient fertilizers to support tomato plant growth for approximately three weeks.

Transplant only one plant in the center of each pail. Tear away the walls of peat pots; remove plastic pots and crush the root ball slightly with your hand to force the roots to grow into the new rooting medium.

Immediately after transplanting, water the plants so heavily that water drains through the holes. Heavy watering at this time will also cause the rooting medium in the pails to settle, leaving one to one-and-a-half-inches of free space for future heavy watering.

Flavor and productivity depends primarily on the varieties you select. Buy disease-resistant varieties such as Celebrity, Super Sonic or Better Boy. For outstanding flavor you might want to grow a variety called Brandywine. It is as ugly as sin, but its flavor is outstanding.

Success in growing tomatoes depends on two factors: fertilizing and selecting a site where the plants are exposed to full sun all day.

You must begin to fertilize as soon as you see the first tomato form on the plant. Fertilizing heavily before fruit sets can delay fruiting. Apply any water-soluble fertilizer such as fish emulsion, Miracle-Grow or Rapid-Grow. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for amounts; apply at two-week intervals. Always fertilize when the growing medium is moist and not dry. Every month, spread two tablespoons of agricultural grade dolomitic limestone over the surface of the medium in each pail.

Tomato plants grow quick and tall. You will have to tie them to a stake, grow them in a tomato wire cage or support them on trellises.

Avoid wetting the foliage when watering. By keeping the foliage dry and maintaining good air movement around the plants, you can minimize disease. Good nutrition keeps the foliage healthy and green.

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9. Make a Hero of a Tomato Sandwich

Nothing says summer like a tomato sandwich. Not a sandwich with a few thin slices of tomato playing second fiddle to ham or turkey. Not a sandwich where tomato shares the bill with bacon and lettuce. We’re talking full-fledged tomato sandwiches, where the tomato is the star. We’re talking a sandwich perfected over three decades.

The most important ingredient is, of course, the tomato. If you grow your own, pluck the tomato from the vine just before you eat it. If it’s still warm from the sun, you’re approaching perfection. You can usually find good alternatives to homegrown at farmers’ markets and roadside stands. But don’t waste your money on those pink plastic tomatoes at the grocery store.

Any slicing tomato will make a good sandwich, but best are the beefsteak varieties. They are juicy and meaty and often big enough to fill a sandwich with one slice. Cut the tomato into half-inch slices.

Next, you’ll need some moderately dense white bread with a soft crust. (Stay away from squishy white bread; a juicy tomato will demolish it.) Toast the bread slightly, so that the outside is barely browned and the inside is still soft.

Spread both slices of bread with good-quality mayonnaise. Don’t use salad dressing or you won’t taste the tomato.

Place your tomato slices on one slice of bread and sprinkle salt — or a dash of Old Bay — on the tomato. Grind black pepper onto the mayonnaise on the other slice of bread and place onto the tomato-laden side.

Now comes the number one secret for the perfect tomato sandwich, passed down from ancestral tomato growers and eaters: Cut the sandwich vertically, then horizontally into fourths. You’ll be able to easily pick it up and eat it without standing over the sink.

Caution: may be habit-forming.

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10. Take a Swing at Ballpark Poetry

Ode to Opening Day
Stuffed into bleachers for opening day,
we hope the game gets under way.
The clouds are steely, moisture hangs overhead,
it looks like the rain delay everyone dreads.
To stave off the weather, fans start to cheer,
hoping our record will be different this year.
Without Immortal Cal, Brooks or Frank,
it looks like another year in the tank.
But we clap for the new players, and hope for the old,
inexplicable optimism making us bold.
Then thunder cracks above the din.
Even God knows the Os won’t win.

America’s national pastime has inspired books, films and poetry. Bay Weekly invites you to swing for the fences, writing and submitting your ode to baseball. Winning verse will be published in a follow-up story. Poems must reflect on baseball or an aspect of America’s Game. Bonus to poets who blend the themes of God and baseball, as Bay Weekly’s Diana Beechener did, inspired by Philip E. Burnham Jr “Assignment #1: Write a poem about Baseball and God.”

Limit profanity — no matter how badly your team is losing.

Take yourself out to the ballgame — as you’ll see in Ways to come, Chesapeake Country has six minor league and two major league options for the ballpark poet — and field inspiration. As the scents of roasted peanuts, sizzling hotdogs and ice-cold beer mingle, step up to the plate, put pen to pad and swing for the fences. Submit your ode: Diana@bayweekly.com.

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