Archive for the ‘Historic Homes’ Category
Sears and Roebuck Historic Mail Order Catalog Homes– Alive And Well In Cape Charles, VA
Thursday, April 5th, 2012On The Eastern Shore of Virginia, January 1, 2012 Dawned Auspiciously Bright And Beautiful
Friday, January 6th, 2012There may have been blizzards raging across other parts of the US but here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, January 1, 2012 dawned as a bright and beautiful day which, ever the optimist, I took as a sign of good things to come for our area this year ! And it was particularly auspicious for our plans for the day which were to go to Williamsburg for brunch and a walk through the historic area before they take down the Christmas decorations in Colonial Williamsburg’s Restored Area. Clear blue skies, temps forcast for the mid-60’s — who could ask for anything more for a New Year’s Day stroll down cobblestone streets in the historic area, a living museum harkening back to the early 1700’s ?
Setting off about 11 am, we breezed right along. Views from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge were spectacular, water shimmering in the morning sun, seemingly thousands of seabirds out to greet the New Year, soaring gaily above the Bridge, calling to their fellow revelers, diving for a fine fishy feast for the holiday. Out on Rt. 64 west, the roads were nearly traffic free, likely thanks to the ever-popular Rose Bowl parade and we made excellent time, arriving at the luxurious Williamsburg Inn well in advance of our 1 pm brunch reservation so we took a moment to just sit and relax, soaking up some sun outdoors on the Inn’s peaceful back patio overlooking the golf course.
The Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn is a truly beautiful dining room, filled with soft light streaming in from a full wall of windows running along one entire side, beautifully decorated , lovely and quiet, just a wonderful restaurant to celebrate the arrival of the New Year, a surprise treat from my very thoughtful husband. But they really outdid themselves with a spectacular brunch buffet, a true foodie’s delight. After ordering a bottle of Virginia wine, a Barboursville Chardonay, we set off for the Cold Salads Station where my husband helped himself to some Eastern Shore oysters on the half shell, salty and flavorful, straight from our pristine waters, shucked before his very eyes, while I sampled the marinated shrimp, perfectly chilled, a smige of Ceasar salad and a tiny wedge of Stilton cheese. There were so many delicious hot offerings at the Hot Foods Station I had to circle around twice before I could decide on what to try first whereas hubby loves breakfast and opted right off the bat for a slice of the shrimp, scallop and sausage fritatta, some eggs benedict served with choron sauce and the grilled fingerling potatoes with carmalized onions.
Following the long-time southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck, I started with some black-eyed pea and ham chowder, smoky and delicious, followed by 3 cheese ravioli in a sauce of oyster mushrooms, a slice of breast of duck and a slice of cold prime rib, sliced paper-thin, served with with horseradish cream, all accompanied by a salad of wild greens and spinach dressed with a luscious vinaigrette, everything pairing well with our chardonay. Hubby was back at the Cold Salads Station for another little bit of the Scottish smoked salmon, which he declared “the best I ever ate” and some of the Caesar salad. For my final go-round ( before dessert), I visited the elaborate Carving Station, opting for a thin slice of beef fillet, piping hot, rare and juicy, along with some of the roasted potatoes. Even though we had been taking care to only have very small tastes of everything, we were both getting pretty full. But…… I never miss a wonderful dessert if I can help it so I just had to visit the Crepe Station for one of the little crepes, made while you watch, topped with fresh berries and a drizzle of rich caramel sauce. And I did save room for what I was pretty sure would be the piece’ de resistance, the Bananas Foster. Was I right or was I right ?? Expertly wielding an omelet pan, Chef’s assistant Michael Ellis made the best Bananas Foster that I have ever had, possibly that I may ever have, a supreme combination of banana slices, spices, sugars and rum flaming nearly to the sky and then dying down into a simmering ambrosial concoction, poured over a creamy scoop of rum raisin ice cream, the perfect end to a very special meal.
And then, off for our stroll through the historic area, an absolute necessity after all those Regency Room calories ! For those not familiar with the Colonial Williamsburg historic area, it is the amazing restoration and re-construction of many of the most important buildings that existed in Williamsburg during the Colonial era including the Capitol building, the Governor’s Palace and the Bruton Parish Church. As the capitol of colonial Virginia, Williamsburg was a well-known and very important city, really the center of commerce and government of the colony as well as the location of most respected college of that era, the College of William and Mary, alma mater of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, among its many famous graduates. In the early 1930’s, John D. Rockefeller and his wife created the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation ( www.history.org ) , whose mission was and is to re-create a Colonial era town and educate visitors about life in that period, to be in effect a living museum for that period of American history. Re-enactors work and dress in contumes of the period and speak to visitors about Colonial customs, all of which is always a lot of fun. Holiday traditions of the era are observed which is how the door and window decorations of Williamsburg have come to be so famous.
Virtually every house in the Restored Area is decorated by a wreath made only of material which would have been available and used by residents of that time. Boxwood, cedar and pine woven into roping, decorated with fruits, seed pods, plant materials, shells, cloth, etc. which are the allowable materials for the beautiful wreathes desplayed each year in the Foundation’s blue ribbon door contest. Numerous books and articles have been written on how to make a Williamsburg style natural wreath, no plastics, no doo-dads, just raw materials straight from Mother Nature, fashioned into a festive, eye pleasing decoration. It’s such an easy drive from the Eastern Shore to Williamsburg and we try to come every year during the holiday season to see the decorations, usually eating in one of the authentic period taverns which serve a menu of 1700’s holiday fare. Sunday happened to be a day when all the horse drawn carriages, elegant reproductions which according to one of the drivers were handmade in Austria ( except for the wheels, which are fashioned by Colonial Williamsburg’s very own wheelwright) and cost in the vacinity of $250,000 apiece. That’s a pretty steep price but they are truly gorgeous and a 15 minute ride for 4 people costs about $15/ person so it doesn’t take too many years to amortize the investment. At any rate, there’s always something new to see in Williamsburg and its a wonderful way to kick off a brand new year .
(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)
“Echoes Of The Past”– The 16th Annual Holiday Progressive Dinner In Cape Charles, VA
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Every year for the last decade and a half, the Northampton County VA Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a wonderful holiday event– the Holiday Progressive Dinner in Cape Charles, VA (although the 2010 Dinner was held in Eastville, VA ). This delightful event features a “soup-to-nuts” meal progressively served at about 10 historic Victorian homes and sites throughout the town. The Chamber outdid itself this year by including even more entertainment — seven theatrical vignettes recreating a visit in 1886 to Cape Charles by US President Grover Cleveland were added to the normal fare of excellent food and musical entertainment. Eldest Daughter, Middle Daughter, a friend and I had tickets for the earliest group, the “Santa Group”, with a kick-off time of 3:30 at Art’s Enter’s Palace Theater. There we received our red badges, programs and started off with the evening’s first appetizer, a chili-glazed beef kabob with Virginia peanut dipping sauce. Then, a quick and easy walk to Site # 2, the Bay Creek Railway Car, a fully restored vintage car originally used between 1915 and 1940’s, where Vignette # 1 began, a cordial conversation between Alexander Cassatt ( brother to the famous painter, Mary Cassatt) and Wm. Scott, founder of Cape Charles, as they prepared to board for a railroad trip from Cape Charles to New York. Then, boarding the railway car ourselves, we sampled our second appetizer, a rich Scottish smoked salmon with tomato aioli and creme fraiche, served on dill focaccia, prepared by Aqua Restaurant. Although I am not a huge fan of smoked salmon, this was moist and melt-in-the-mouth luscious, a 4 star.
Next, a walk to the fully restored vintage 1950’s ranch home on Monroe Avenue owned by Tom and Kathy Bonadeo for the pasta course. a pasta primevera in alfredo sauce, prepared by Little Italy Restaurant. The pasta was accompanied by sparkling cider or nice local wines from Holly Grove Vineyards in Franktown,VA and the very pleasant musical entertainment by Sarah Scott, flautist.
From there we were off to another home on Monroe Avenue, the well-known Kellogg House, a Flemish bond brick Colonial Revival, definitely one of the finest homes ever built in Cape Charles. Vignette # 2, starring Blue Heron’s own David Kabler, told the story of the exciting news of President Cleveland’s impending visit. Afterwards, a broth-based vegetable crab soup prepared by Machipongo Clam Shack was served, piping hot and very tasty, quite welcome after our little jaunts around town.
Off next to the newly opened Fig Street Inn, located at the corner of Tazewell Avenue and Fig Street. Originally built by one of Cape Charles’ prominent families, the Wilson family, owners of the town’s first department store, this home is located on land purchased from the estate of Cape Charles founder, Wm. Scott. The house needed substantial renovation when purchased by the current owners and they have done a marvelous job, it looks just resplendent dressed in its holiday finery. The Vignette here starred Trina Veber ( AKA Mrs. Santa from the Grand Illumination presentation) and Linda Spence, society ladies getting ready to meet their husbands and hear more news about President Cleveland’s Cape Charles visit. Afterwards, a salad course of mixed greens with almonds, feta and cranberries was served, tossed with a tangy apple cider dressing, everything crisp and tasty, prepared by the Exmore Diner, an Eastern Shore landmark.
From the Inn, a quick walk up Tazewell Avenue to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Dougherty, built on land purchased directly from Wm. Scott in 1883. This lovely home still retains one of the original hitching posts remaining in Cape Charles and lo and behold, a real live horse, a miniature, was hitched there, quietly nibbling at the grass and in general ignoring all the fuss around it. Wines from Chatham Vineyards, a fine local winery, were served with a trio of cheeses and apple slices in a pretty presentation from Gull Hummock Gourmet Market, located in in downtown Cape Charles, after the Vignette which featured Thomas Dixon and Wm. Fitzhugh, both prominent in Cape Charles society, planning a hunting trip out to our Barrier Islands which would likely include President Cleveland.
And a zip-zip across the street brought us to the beautiful Tazewell Avenue 1920’s home of Mr. and Mrs. John Schulz. Mr. Schulz , a former Navy pilot, employee of Voice of America and foreign correspondent has many unique art pieces from around the world which he was kind enough to expound upon for our group. After a tour of the home we were treated to music of the season played by the dynamic duo of Malcolm, on violin, and Carol Russ, on accordion. It’s always a treat to be nearby when Malcolm and Carol play. ( In fact, they added greatly to the ambiance of Blue Heron’s period- attire party aboard the tall ship Kalmar Nychol this past June. ) The entree’ was served here, a succulent presentation of braised duck in a port wine reduction accompanied by goat cheese mashers and asparagus spears, expertly prepared by Kelly’s Pub located on Mason Avenue in historic downtown Cape Charles.
And last but not least, dessert at Heyward Hall, individual apple rum cakes, expertly prepared by Amy B. Catering, served with aromatic coffee brewed by the Eastern Shore Coastal Roasting Co., both enjoyed while being entertained by the mellow harmony of Eastern Shore’s own Acclaim Barbershop Quartet. And then who should stride out on the stage to deliver a strong “thank-you for your hospitality” speech ?? You guessed it, the final Vignette of the evening featured President Grover Cleveland congratulating the gathered Cape Charles citizens on their vision and foresight in developing the railroad and planning for the new steamer which would carry passengers and rail cars across the Chesapeake Bay. With that speech, the 2011 Progressive Dinner Tour concluded for the “Santa Group” although about 10 or so later groups, presumably named after his reindeer, were wending their way through. It was a lovely night, the food was great, as was the entertainment– and we managed to work off at least a few calories as we strolled from site to site on a beautiful December’s evening.
(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)
Charlottesville Uncorked– A Fall Week-end Sampling Blue Ridge Mountain Area Wines
Thursday, December 1st, 2011Just before Thanksgiving we had an opportunity to take a week-end off and decided to make a quick trip to Charlottesville, VA. Located at the foot of the beautiful Blue Ridge mountain range, it’s only about a three and a half hour drive from the Eastern Shore of Virginia and it’s a drive through some of Virginia’s prettiest countryside, ever gorgeous in the fall. We started out by heading south over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, deep blue waters of the Bay glistening in the sun, picking up Rt 64 west to Williamsburg, which is a lovely tree lined drive through slightly hilly terain, a quick stop at the Williamsburg Outlet Mall for a pair of boaters at Bass Shoes, lunch at the Cheese Shop in Merchant’s Square in the Colonial historic area, one of their delicious Virginia country ham sandwiches accompanied by a little glass of chilled white wine. Back on the road again, by-passing Richmond, heading into even more rolling terrain until suddenly, from the top of a hill, the peaks in the distance now reveal themselves in varying shades of blue, the Blue Ridge Mountains, a lovely sight, and then we’re quickly in Charlottesville.
Charlottesville, C-ville, as residents call her, is best known for three things. 1.) It is the home of UVA, the University of Virginia, which in 2011 once again maintained its top rating, tied with UCLA as the 2nd best public university in the entire nation. 2.) It is the location of Monticello, the exquisute mountain-top estate of the 3rd president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, and a named UNESCO World Heritage site and 3.) It is home to Ash Lawn, home of James Monroe, 5th president of the Uunited States. And as if that were not enough, among others, it is also the home of author John Grisham and Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band !
A word, or 2, about UVA. Its gorgeous campass, with mostly classically styled buildings nestled into a rolling terrain, is sited on 800 acres of land which had been part of a 3000 acre parcel owed by James Monroe. The original concept of the University came from Thomas Jefferson, who rated his work in designing and establishing it as the primary achievement of his life, more important even than his presidency. The most revered building at UVA is its first building, the Rotunda, designed by Thomas Jefferson himself, a beautiful classical design modeled after Rome’s Pantheon. Fully completed only after Jefferson’s death, the Rotunda became the academic village that Jefferson had envisioned, containing the library, classrooms, faculty offices and student rooms. Now, of course, the University is a huge affair, with an enrollment of over 21,000 students and a faculty of nearly 1400– I’m sure that Jefferson would be tremendously proud of all that has been accomplished by his successors in the last nearly 200 years.
Sunday morning, after a relaxing brunch at Maya’s on Main Street in the C-ville’s quaint little downtown ( highly recommend the potato cakes with smoked salmon ), we set off for a day of exploration and wine tasting. As it turned out, there was more exploration and less wine tasting. Having driven by Ash Lawn, the home of president James Monroe, many times we decided that the time had finally come to stop and take the tour– and so we did. ( A little trivia on US presidents– 8 were born in the state of Virginia and 7 are buried in Virginia including both Jefferson and Monroe.) Monroe purchased an estate of over 3500 acres ( including the 800 that went to UVA) adjacent to Monticello where his close friend Jefferson lived. Jefferson helped Monroe select the exact location to site his future home which Monroe named Ash Lawn-Highland when it was completed about 1800. Although Monticello is a very grand home, Monroe went in the opposite direction and built a very tasteful but much smaller home which he referred to as his “cabin castle” in the country.
The property is a now a museum owned and operated by the College of William and Mary, with house and grounds very much as they were in Monroe’s day– formal flower gardens, a large working veggie and herb garden, numerous out buildings including the barn, icehouse, smokehouse, etc., pastures with cattle grazing, all overlooking the beautiful mountains. It was a most interesting tour with a few bits of great trivia: back in the day wallpaper was extremely expensive and so was not actually glued to the wall as it would be today but rather attached by tacks so that if the owner moved the wallpaper could be packed up along with the other household furnishings. Also, Monroe was the very first president to commission his own presidential china for use during his term in the White House- prior to that presidents were expected to bring their own china Washington with them. And of course since that time ever subsequent president has commissioned his own china pattern for official White House use. But the most interesting couple bits of Monroe triva offered by the tour guide were that in the very famous painting of General George Washington crossing the Delaware, then Lieutenant Monroe is shown in the boat standing just behind Washington, holding the flag. However, at the time Monroe had actually already reached the New Jersey shore in an entirely different boat from Washington. And talk about making a fashion statement, a replica of the deep rose colored wedding gown worn by Monroe’s glamourous wife, Elizebeth, stands in the drawing room, made notable by the fact that has no buttons, snaps or fasteners of any kind whatsoever — she was literally sewen into the dress for the ceremony after which the dress was taken off by re-opening the seams !
From Ash Lawn we were off to the new winery acquisition by “The Donald”. The former Kluge Estates Vineyard is now called Trump Winery, no surprise there although the primary wines for sale are ’07, ’08, ’09 and ’10 bottlings which still carry the Kluge label. The tasting room is very much the same, still attractive warm woods but an additional large outdoor seating area has been added in the back and a large screen TV in the main room offers a beautiful slideshow of the vineyard through the seasons. Sparkling wines were very much the signature wines of Kluge and I’m sure will be of Trump as well. We ordered a small cheese plate and tastings of all 3 of the sparklings, a Blanc de Blanc, Blanc de Noir and the Rose’, favorite hands down being the elegant and beautifully colored Blanc de Noir.
From Trump it was on to the only other vineyard we had time for, Jefferson Vineyard, just a few minutes away from Monticello. It is well-known that Jefferson became a great connoisseur of wine from the substantial amount of time he spent in France when he succeded Franklin as the American ambassador.
Jefferson was eager to establish vineyards on this side of the Atlantic and the land on which Jefferson Vineyards stands was at one time owned by by an Italian viticulturist who was prompted by Jefferson to try his luck in Virginia.
(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)
Majestic Historic Home, Circa 1912, Located In Belle Haven, VA Just A Few Minutes From The Chesapeake Bay
Monday, October 3rd, 2011Auspiciously, this magnificent historic home listed for sale by Blue Heron Realty Co. is located in Belle Haven, VA, a little Eastern Shore of Virginia town which straddles the county line between Northampton and Accomack County, a beautiful retreat, which indeed this home is. Of dramatic neoclassical design, its most striking architectural characteristic is the line of tall Doric order style Greek columns which dramatically define the entry portico. ( Interesting bit of trivia, in ancient Greece, the height of a column was described as “diameters” of height, a ratio between the width and height. So what we would describe as an 10″ column 10′ tall would have been said by the Greeks to be 10 diameters high although apparently Doric order columns were often not much more than 8 diameters high whereas the more elaborate Ionic order columns were generally 9 diameters and the ornate Corinthian order columns 10 diameters high. All that being said, in this post I’ll just detail the height in feet, 20 feet tall to be exact, and not diameters.) I mention this detail about the imposing columns because only a very few historic homes on the Eastern Shore were built in this really grand style, making this particular home even more special. Custom built in 1912 for a very prominent local doctor whose offices were in the basement, according to local lore, this was the very first house on the Eastern Shore to have both telephone and electricity– it even had a built-in tube intercom system throughout, one of the newest gadgets of that era. Complimenting the elaborate inside features is its magnificent facade, three course thick brick embellished with large modillions and intricate dentil moldings.
Walking up the marble steps and into the house, one is struck by the spacious size of the foyer and its light and airy feel. This is because not only does the solid mahogney front door have double set of elaborately etched leaded glass sidelights and transom lights, but the current owner has installed seven skylights including a large skylight centered over the elegant cantilevered staircase so natural light streams gently down, bathing each floor with uplifting golden sunlight. Together with the many windows throughout, this home is much enlivened with the warmth and brightness of natural daylight, giving each room a relaxed, very pleasant feel.
Interior details include all original woodwork and original hardwood floors, elaborate crown moldings throughout, wainscoating in many rooms, four sets of massive pocket doors, hinged doors throughout constructed of top quality mahogany and still retain their original crystal doorknobs, seven elaborate fireplaces with hand carved mantels plus a simply gorgeous antique crystal chandelier which highlights the spacious dining room. Close to the back stairs accessing the 2nd and 3rd stories is a large Butler’s Pantry which features the original sink and cupboards. Hoping for a cozy spot to curl up with your favorite author’s newest book ? Try the large library with floor-to-ceiling bookcases and a great fireplace ! It’s a very comfortable feeling room, the kind of room that is heavenly even on a cool, grey, rainy day, a crackling fire burning, a steaming mug of java at the elbow, stretched out on the sofa, toes encased in toasty fleece sox, soft music in the background, yep, heavenly is the word for it …..
Love open air lunches ? Two large porches, one screened, one open, stand for scads of comfy wicker outdoor furniture with colorful, thick Sunbrella cushions, the better to enjoy our balmy summer breezes. Love horses ? The property includes a horse stable and the house is available with 5 acres up to 24 acres, so lots of room possible for pasture. Close to shopping, boat ramps, restaurants and marinas. Two public beaches are located less than 20 minutes away . This is a wonderful, versatile home, lovingly built, featuring fine craftsmanship and only the very best materials. Call Blue Heron Realty Co. at 757-678-5200 for pricing details and more information on available adjacent parcels.
(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)
Oyster “Buy-Boat” Reunion A Big Hit in Cape Charles, Virginia For The Town’s 125th Anniversary
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011The first weekend of August this eleventh year of the third millenium proved to be truly memorable for Cape Charles residents and visitors alike. Jam-packed with activities that began the month-long celebration of our historic Town’s 125th anniversary, there was something for everyone of all ages to enjoy, including open house tours of several of Cape Charles’ beautiful historic homes for sale.
The Harbor of Refuge of Cape Charles is, of course, no stranger to working watercraft of the Chesapeake Bay. Its first 60 years of service as a transportation hub for the railroad and steamship industries attracted many hundreds of Chesapeake Bay workboats such as log canoes, skipjacks, bugeyes and deadrises that worked the plentiful and famous oyster reefs of the Bay. Unfortunately, since the late 1950’s, the oyster populations in the Bay have declined substantially due to over-harvesting of the resource and decimation by an oyster virus. Slowly but surely, these wooden workhorses of the Bay have fallen prey to abandonment and rot until there are very few examples of these splendid watercraft left afloat.
No one wants to glorify the overfishing that in large part caused the decline of this valuable fishery, the oyster, a “keystone” species of the Chesapeake Bay watershed but appreciation of the design and construction of these historic wooden watercraft is part of the preservation of the Eastern Shore’s rich nautical heritage. ( In fact, the not-so-humble oyster was so important to the Shore that over on the Seaside, less than 10 minutes from Cape Charles, sits the quaint little town of Oyster, Virginia. ) Traditionally, these “buy- boats” cruised the waters of the Bay, buying oysters and clams, dredging for oysters and in general hauling lumber, farm produce and other products from the Eastern Shore to market. Historians believe that there are maybe thirty of these “buy-boats” left in the Chesapeake Bay. Another that is still known to be afloat is in Honduras in Central America of all places. A fleet of twelve buy-boats from as far away as the Sassafras River arrived in the Cape Charles harbor as a culmination of their weeklong annual cruise reunion. This is the first time they have visited Cape Charles, as the Town has now completed the installation of new floating docks which will accomodate fleets such as this.
The fleet of buy-boats arrived Thursday afternoon and Cape Charles’ Harbormaster Smitty Dize and his hardworking crew were prepared to tie them up on B dock where they could all be observed together by the hundreds of eager fans awaiting their arrival here. As Blue Heron Realty Co. is an avid supporter of efforts to revitalize the Town of Cape Charles, we had signed up to sponsor the first Cape Charles Harbor Boat Docking Competition scheduled to take place Sunday afternoon and one of the highlights of the buy-boat reunion here. So we were invited to the VIP party Thursday evening at the harbor and allowed very easy access to all the buy-boats and their owners, captains and crew.
I was readily invited aboard the buy-boats for first-hand tours, their captains proudly displaying for us fans of Bay Chesapeake maritime heritage their beautifully restored and maintained boats. Pictures really cannot do justice to the beauty and magnitude of these incredible boats. It was more than obvious that owning and maintaining one of these craft is a real sacrifice of time, labor and finances, and the owners that I met expressed without reservation their generous attitude of stewardship in preserving an increasingly rare example of Chesapeake Bay maritime know-how.
Friday of that special celebratory weekend brought our first full day of public visitation on these historic watercraft. Hundreds of new visitors to Town were attracted by this display and to tour some of the beautiful historic homes for sale in Cape Charles. That night the local band “Quadpod” entertained the crowd and plenty of good, homegrown food was prepared and served. The next day, Saturday, was anticipated by all as one of the highlights of our month long anniversary celebration with a parade through town by the Shriners and our county fire departments. Then that afternoon, we cruised down to the docks to watch the Smith Island Crab Skiffs Association race around a marked course in the outer harbor. Now that was some excitement to see these wooden skiffs, hand-built by their owners, no more than 13′ long and powered by 20 hp lawn mower engines, flying around the course and even capsizing in the water! Saturday evening brought a beautiful sunset over the horizon of the Chesapeake Bay and we were again entertained late into the night with a live band with everyone looking forward to the boat docking competition the following day. (Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)