Though vivid colors of Autumn ? now brightly greet us,
dull Winter’s ? chill surely follows close behind.
But memories of our Summer ☀️ days shall to mind spring ever sweetly.
Archive for the ‘Just Having Fun’ Category
GOODBYE EASTERN SHORE SUMMER 2019?
Friday, December 6th, 2019CONGRATULATIONS TO GAIL DREBES, WINNER ? OF THE 1st ? PRIZE IN THE BLUE HERON REALTY DRAWING CELEBRATING THE CAPE CHARLES SUMMER OF LOVE ♥️ FESTIVAL!
Thursday, September 12th, 2019
Presented by Blue Heron Realty agent Nicole Killebrew, Gail and husband Jim Drebes, local Cape Charles town residents, came by yesterday to pick up the $900 gift certificate to the fabulous “At Altitude” Gallery on Mason Avenue, the 1st ? prize in our ♥️ Drawing. Gallery owner Gordon Campbell was on hand to congratulate Gail and welcomed them both to stop in the Gallery to browse as much as they wish before making that hard decision on which photo ? to select.
2nd and 3rd prizes in the Blue Heron Drawing were both won by ladies who were visiting friends or relatives on the Eastern Shore when they stopped by to register.
Cheryl Jones from New Jersey won the 2nd ? prize of the $125 gift certificate to the Oyster Farm Eatery – Cheryl is looking forward to her next visit to Cape Charles to enjoy her delectable winnings ! The 3rd ? prize of a $75 gift certificate to Gull Hummock Gourmet was won by Pat Lasome from Maryland. Pat visits the Shore frequently and now has some delectable treats and wine? to choose on her next visit to town. ( Thanks again to Honey Moore of Gull Hummock Gourmet who helped Barrett Cree with the Drawing ! )
The Cape Charles 50 Days of the Summer of LOVE ♥️ Festival was such fun – – so many exciting ? activities all over town ! For 50 days ! Our thanks to everyone who entered our ? Drawing. Even if you didn’t win one of our 3 prizes, you got a commemorative LOVE♥️ mug and our interesting new Cape Charles Landmarks map. The whole Blue Heron Realty crew enjoyed this Festival so much, we hope you did too !! Come see us at 113 Mason Avenue and catch a ride to find your dream ? home on the HeronMobile
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MERCER FAMILY, THE BRAND NEW OWNERS OF THE VERY FIRST HGTV ? HOME FILMED IN CAPE CHARLES !
Thursday, September 12th, 2019
Their Blue Heron Buyer’s Agent, Gerry Forbes, says Tyler, Tiffany, twins Cole and Kiera plus dogs Copper and Scout are thrilled ? with their new Randolph Avenue home ! ♥️ the beach ? and ♥️ becoming part of one of the prettiest beach towns in America ! Wishing you all many, many happy ? years in your new home.
Serenaded ? By “Schooner Or Later”, The 4th Annual Community Potluck Wowed Hundreds From Cape Charles
Thursday, September 5th, 2019
A myriad of ? flavors, an abundance of food and plenty of camaraderie marked the Cape Charles 4th Annual Community Potluck Picnic. Sponsored by Citizens for Central Park, the Potluck also coincided with the very last Harbor For the Arts Summer band concert held in the Gazebo- – plenty of catchy ? music by “Schooner Or Later” kept everyone tapping toes. Having a town-wide Potluck is a wonderful idea, absolutely loads of fun, unique on the Shore. Grilled burgers ?and hot ? dogs were provided by Citizens for Central Park. Everyone was responsible for bringing a couple side dishes which were as varied as they were delicious. Beautiful ? salads and slaws of every description, hot dishes ranging from 3 kinds of baked beans, homemade mac & cheese, (of course), a very creamy chicken Alfredo, German and many other kinds of potato salads, fruit ? salads, watermelon ? slices and the list goes on. Plus fab desserts, pies, cakes ?cobblers, ? cookies, muffins and brownies ! An absolute cornucopia of flavors ! Already looking forward to the 5th Annual, planning to bring an even bigger pan of mac & cheese.
THE WEATHER WAS COOL BUT THE MUSIC WAS HOT AT CAPE CHARLES CENTRAL PARK
Thursday, August 8th, 2019
One of the many things we love ? about Blue Heron being one of the sponsors of the Harbor for the Arts ? music in the Park series is that it just seems a bit more fun to come and enjoy the various bands if you are helping to sponsor them. Last Saturday evening the weather was cool but the music ? was definitely ? hot ! The Bobby “BlackHat” Walters band performed, playing with feeling and wildly popular with the crowd ! A breakout moment came when Bobby ? announced “OK, we’re going to play “Get Your Red Shoes On.” And I want to see some dancing going on out there in the audience ! “ Well, 1, 2, 3 – out poured the music and up jumped the crowd, definitely folks had their red ? shoes on. And just about everyone caught the spirit, young, old and in between, on their feet, dancing ! ( Possibly a first for a Central Park band concert ? ) Bobby also played a touching harmonica rendition of Leonard Cohen’s famous composition, “Hallelujah”, to much applause, a song made indelible to many when it was performed on Saturday Nite Live a few years ago.
Also super popular Saturday night was Cape Charles Main Street’s table, brimming , as promised, with colorful Summer of LOVE ♥️ T shirts for sale. Business
was brisk, T shirts in every hue, plus hats, totes, doggy neckerchiefs, you name it, everything ♥️ flying off the table and into bags at a dizzying pace. We managed to snag the very last Men’s Large in burnt sienna for our son-in-law, who has an amazing collection of local event T shirts that he loves wearing all summer. Shirt Mission Accomplished !
Everything was downhill easy from there for the rest of the night. The sun set, the music played, people swayed, dogs frisked, kids skateboarded, teens played soccer, Gordo’s spicy tacos were relished, literature given out, refreshing Italian Ices savored, toddlers twirled, adults laughed, everything went per normal and all was right with the world….. and we had our Men’s Large Burnt Sienna Summer of LOVE ♥️ T shirt !
“Art & Music on the Farm” 2019 – A Huge Success ! Again !
Thursday, May 30th, 2019
From traditional music rooted in rural Virginia to art in many forms and mediums, from Hog Island fig trees to twirling wind whirligigs, the Barrier Island Center and Museum’s annual bash, “Art & Music on the Farm”, was an exceptional event ! As always ! Even the weather could not have been better – – breezy, blue skies and mild temps conspired to make last Saturday a perfect day for an outdoor festival. This annual Machipongo event is one of the largest art/artisan festivals on the entire Shore, offering something for everyone. Dozens of little white tents filled with amazing decoy carvings, Windsor chairs, sculptures, bronze work, ceramics, plants and garden art, stuffed animals and children’s books, paintings in oil, watercolor and acrylic mediums, hand-crafted wood pieces, pottery and so much more were on offer for the numerous enthusiastic attendees. For animal lovers, 2 rare Hog Island sheep from Island View Farm were on hand, sweet woolly characters, Opal, and her week-old baby, Beep-Beep, wowed the crowd. Plus there was toe-tapping live music ! And lush Chatham Vineyard wines !
Of course, all that walking, talking and shopping was bound to work up some serious appetites. Fortunately, delicious aromas floated everywhere, originating from
vendors like Kitchen Sync, with fresh strawberries in cream, shrimp orzo and chicken salad on its savory bill of fare. Around the corner, while Gordos Food Truck was wowing the crowd with tacos and gorditas, Cape Charles Lion’s Club was rapidly turning out burgers and crab cakes. Over at the Kielbasa tent, grilling was amped up to a fast pace to keep up with demand, their mouthwatering subs pairing well with ice cold liquids from the adjacent Beer Garden. For those craving a little caffeine, Coastal Roasting had its famous Marsh Mud iced coffee and fruity iced teas ready to pour. Plus their beautiful new custom ceramic coffee mugs were available to add a little pop of color and pizzazz while sitting on the porch enjoying your morning Joe.
For many, the music was unquestionably the highlight of the day. From 11 am till closing, over on the main stage 4 talented groups performed throughout the day. Adjacent to the stage, a tiny dance floor was in place for those who might want to accompany the lively music with a little free style dance. Fortunately, local clogging enthusiast Bill McLaughlin was on hand – he and several energetic youngsters added some impromptu entertainment with their spirited flatfooting. Toe-tapping and delightful, rooted in the genres of old time rural Virginia bluegrass and country, with styles and traditions that go way, way back, the music absolutely captivated the audience. In the Education Building, various Musician’s Work Shops were held- although we didn’t make it to any, they were likened to being “on the porch of the Floyd General Store during Floydfest – but right here on the Eastern Shore”. All in all, simply a terrific day, filled to its fresh, breezy brim with beautiful art, delicious food and timeless music. In short, another wonderful Art & Music on the Farm ! And hats off to all the volunteers, vendors and sponsors who make this fabulous event possible each year – thank you !
DRUM ROLL PLEASE ! CAPE CHARLES FARMER’S MARKET SEASON 4 NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN
Friday, May 24th, 2019
How delightful it was to once again be able to look forward to Tuesday afternoons from 3-6 pm, May to October, as that special time each week to be able slip into the Cape Charles Farmer’s Market and stock up on super-fresh goodies. Rain or shine, hot or cold, our favorite vendors will be there with our old favorites plus new offerings, always something special to try.
On Tuesday, for those looking for veggies, Copper Cricket and Perennial Roots had plenty of just-picked 
selections on hand. Into our basket went some sweet May peas, peppery white radishes, lovely fresh scallions plus a tray of beautiful brown eggs. Fresher-than-fresh, tender asparagus was on offer from Pickett’s Harbor Farm, definitely couldn’t resist that, so great in an omelette or quiche. Further down the line, the Honey Guy from Eastville was ready for his customers, offering a sweet smile and even sweeter local honey from his busy, buzzy bees.
On the flip side of sweetness was the Horseradish Lady, whose creamed horseradish stood ready to make the ideal spicy cocktail sauce, perfect for the crab cakes and clams being sold at the Edward’s Seafood tent. Further down the line, Kitchen Sync was ready with freshly prepared ready-to-eat-good-food which can also be ordered for pickup at a later date at the Eastville Inn. So into our basket popped some chicken salad – – it was delish on toast for lunch on Wednesday.
Beauty got double billing in flowers with gorgeous offerings from the ever-popular Chatham Flower Farm ( keep an eye on their Facebook page for ticket availability to their amazing “Farm to Table” benefit dinner) as well as a colorful display from the Blooming Farmer. Nothing like a lovely bouquet to cheer up any room in the house ! Snagged a jar of bath salts with dried flowers for a friend, both beautiful and aromatic, a nice little gift. So many interesting items on offer from other local vendors including handmade cutting boards, intricately woven macrame, artful hand towels from She Seeks Wool and much more.
So don’t forget to mark your calendar. When the clock strikes 3pm on Tuesdays, it’s time to grab your basket and head over to the Cape Charles Farmer’s Market located on the grounds of the Museum on Stone Road. What a fantastic opportunity each week from now until October to buy fresh, buy local, buy delicious and nutritious ! LOVE it !
Head ‘Em Up, Herd ‘Em Out !! Spring 2019 Eastern Shore Trail Ride.
Thursday, May 16th, 2019
A sight one doesn’t often see on Bayside Road in Machipongo are horses on the loose, happily cantering down the center line. So imagine my surprise, when driving to the office last Friday morning, keeping an eye out for any early bird trail riders, I had to come to an abrupt halt as I saw 2 horses, gaily unencumbered by riders, come racing across a farm field. They jumped the ditch just in front of me and continued on down the middle of the road, traveling at a pretty good clip. Fortunately, the driver of a pickup going north jumped out, and with some energetic clapping, yelling and arm waving, got the 2 runaways turned back into the field. As I turned towards the Trail Ride campsite to alert folks, an ATV came racing down Cedar Grove Farm Road, apparently a 2 person posse on the move, ready to round up the renegades. The chase was on, Round 1 of “The People vs. The Horses” and the horses were winning ! Those bad girls were tasting sweet freedom and being captured was not part of their action plan. The posse jumped off the ATV, lead ropes in hand, but every time they got within a 100 feet of the horses, off they galloped ! Stop start, stop start, until herding them with the ATV was obviously the only viable solution to move head ‘em up and move ‘em in ! After 15 minutes of this motorized round- up, the horses got bored with the game and headed back into camp where a very relived owner led them away, scolding softly.
With that, the Spring 2019 Trail Ride got off to a pretty exciting start ! The rest seemed like a pretty normal Station 16 Northampton Fire and Rescue Company 
sponsored Trail Ride, headquartered at the Smith Farm in Machipongo. Arriving attendees were busily unpacking, lighting fire pits, feeding, grooming and just generally making their horses comfortable after what had been, for many, a long trip to the Eastern Shore. Lots of folks were chatting with friends, getting ready to cook, walking dogs or saddling up for a relaxing ride. So many beautiful horses there, of every color and stripe, even a huge Shropshire draft horse, Devon, who was hanging close to his little buddy Isaac. We also met Callie, a sweet Australian sheep dog, whose grateful owner said that he had rescued her but then she turned around and rescued him right back, staying by his side for months during recuperation after he fell from a ladder and broke his pelvis in 4 places !
The big draw for attendees is the opportunity to soak up the Shore’s relaxing coastal ambiance, exploring winding trails through farm fields, riding along woodlands bordering large waterfront farms, past little freshwater ponds, across cross dams and over roads and out onto sandy Chesapeake Bay beaches, horses splashing enthusiastically through saltwater shallows. Saturday is always the biggest day, offering a long ride followed by a BBQ dinner and Silent Auction put on by the Fire & Rescue Company. And nobody lets some evening rain dampen their spirits, it’s just water going pitter patter on a horse trailer roof. So…. the beat goes on until the next Trail Ride, coming Fall 2019.
THE 1st ANNUAL CAPE CHARLES LOVE RUN WAS A HUGE SUCCESS !
Thursday, May 2nd, 2019
Even 25 MPH winds couldn’t blow away the festive spirits of the 100 or so competitors in the inaugural LOVE Run held in Cape Charles this morning ! Everyone was in great spirits, further buoyed at the early start hour by hot coffee and some luscious fresh pastries from Coastal Bakery. The very enthusiastic crowd was comprised of folks of all ages, young, seniors, kids, teenagers, parents pushing toddlers in strollers & buggies plus tots on scooters ! It was great ! ( We were delighted to have a son-in-law and 3 grandkids participating in the Run shown in the photo by our literature table.) Ready, set, then GO ! And then they were off, pacing briskly for a 5k Run, starting down Mason Avenue, continuing through town, out to the Oyster Farm, continuing down Washington Avenue, heading to the finish line back at the LOVE sign. 1st place was claimed by Matt Boynton, 2nd place went to Alan Killebrew and the 3rd place winner was Christina Corollo of the newly opened Ambrosia Cafe.
Half the fun for runners was traversing through 4 Color Stations sited along the course, manned by the sponsors of the Run. Blue Heron Realty’s station color was 
purple and runners dipped, swirled and twirled in the bright lavender mists. ( Completely washable, of course). In fact, getting one’s hair sprayed seemed pretty popular, especially with the kids. Blue Heron Realty Co. was proud to be a Premier Sponsor for the Run. And as part of the celebration for the Run, we included prize drawings for a lovely heron carving by well-known local artist, John Harlow and another drawing for a $100 gift certificate to the Oyster Farm Eatery. (The Winner of each will be announced in a subsequent Facebook post. ) So, a great day for the LOVE sign, made even better by being the opening day of the season for Brown Dog Ice Cream, the perfect spot to revive energies expended in the Run with a yummy dose of chocolate or coffee ice cream.
PS- Giant kudos due to all the volunteers who made this event come off so beautifully ! They did such a terrific job !
ENTER BLUE HERON’S FREE DRAWING FOR A GORGEOUS CARVING BY JOHN HARLOW PLUS A 2nd PRIZE DRAWING FOR A $100. GIFT CERTIFICATE TO THE OYSTER FARM EATERY AS PART OF THE LOVE RUN CELEBRATION !!
Friday, April 26th, 2019
Blue Heron Realty Co is proud to be a Premier Sponsor of the inaugural Annual LOVE Run. And in celebration of the Run, we are holding Drawings for 2 great prizes. You may enter for the Drawings beginning on Friday, April 26th, by filling out an entry form at our office at 113 Mason Avenue between the hours of 11am and 5:30 pm. Then on Saturday, April 27th, at the LOVE RUN, entry forms will be available at Blue Heron’s table near the Start/Finish Line at the LOVE sign at the beach or fill out your entry form at our 113 Mason Avenue office. The deadline for entry for the Drawings is 4:15 pm on April 27th. You must be 18 or older to enter and only one entry per person please. Both winners will be chosen by a random drawing to be held Saturday, April 27th at our Cape Charles office at 4:30 pm. ( You need not be present to win. Blue Heron crew and families are not eligible to win. )
First prize is a beautiful signed custom carving of a miniature blue heron by well-known local carver, John Harlow. John’s work is prized for its artistry and 
craftsmanship, he has won 1st place in countless competitions for his amazing bird carvings. This Harlow heron is truly special, with intricate feather work and a true-to-life appearance. Certainly it would be a beautiful addition to any decor ! ( John had wanted to be here to conduct the drawing but he will be at the World Competition at the Ward Museum where he has 2 carvings entered in the competition. Excited for him ! )
The second prize is a $100. Gift Certificate to the Oyster Farm Eatery, home to delicious meals and spectacular sunsets viewed through the restaurant’s dramatic windows while enjoying a fine dinner there.