Life and Real Estate on the Eastern Shore of Virginia

A Glorious New Year’s Day 2014 Trip From Eastern Shore Virginia To Williamsburg, VA’s Historic District

January 28th, 2014 by Marlene email

Bright, sunny, beautiful from dawn till dusk, New Year’s Day 2014 was simply lovely. We had planned early on to ring in New Year’s Day in Williamsburg and the weather could not have been more co-operative. One of the delights of a trip to the historic area of Colonial Williamsburg in December are the beautiful holiday decorations– the door of each home in the restored area is adored with a unique, handmade wreath. And since they are all crafted by the residents, no wreath is duplicated. For about the last ten years we have made an annual pilgrimage on New Year’s Day to enjoy a guilt-free buffet brunch at one of the hotels because afterwards we take a brisk walk through the restored area to work off all those calories ! ( An excellent excuse for sampling several deserts …..) And the trip from the Eastern Shore of Virginia to Williamsburg is so easy, a glide over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, clear blue waters below, chop-chop-chop up I-64 E , exit onto Colonial Parkway and, insto-presto, in less than 2 hours it’s napkin in lap, fork in hand, ready to enjoy a luscious lunch.

Lunch this year was an interesting buffet at the always special Williamsburg Inn– in addition to Southern regional dishes like oyster pie, seafood fritatta and minced Smithfield ham salad, a surprisingly excellent offering was a black-eyed pea bisque. For those not familiar, it is a Southern tradition that on New Year’s Day, one must eat black-eyed peas — they are supposed to bring good luck for the coming year. I don’t really enjoy them and the idea of black-eyed pea bisque was initially not appealing whatever. But Hubby tried some, wow, said he, this bisque is really excellent, you really should try it. So I did…. once, twice and three times a charm ! Couldn’t believe it, that’s how delicious it was, best darn thing on the menu, I shall remember it aways. Well, maybe not always but at least until next year when I hope they will serve it again ! The desserts were fun, especially the crepe’ station, rich, thin crepe’s filled with Bananas Foster, topped with a little scoop of fabulous ice cream and sliced fresh strawberries, very, very yummy indeed.

The weather was delightful, a little warmer than usual, about 55 degrees, so when we started our walk Duke of Gloucester Street was teeming with folks from all over, tourists wearing their badge passes, locals, students from the College of William and Mary which is located just a few blocks away, everyone quite relaxed, just enjoying the afternoon, strolling down this historic street. If you love dogs, Gloucester Street is also a “meet and greet” heaven for dogs of all kinds and sizes, as owners leisurely traipse down the street behind their pooches. This year was an especially great year for “people walking dog” watching– a Bernese Mountain dog, Labradoodle, Great Pyrenees, Scottie, Doxie, Boxer, you name it, they were enthusiastically escorting their owners down this four hundred year old street where individuals like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both alumni of William and Mary, probably walked their dogs too. Interestingly, you almost never see aggressive canine behavior there, just doggie curiosity and tail wagging which makes the whole “man’s best friend” scene lots of fun. And to add additional interest to this convivial scene, the period style carriages were out in force, each drawn by two gorgeous, well-cared for horses, stepping high, coats gleaming in the afternoon sunlight, liveried driver seated high above. The carriages are apparently hand- manufactured in Austria according to one of the drivers but the wheels themselves are actually handmade at the wheelwright shop right in the Williamsburg Historic Area. Anyway, four or five horse-drawn carriages traveling down the street is quite a sight.

This year’s batch of wreaths and swags was interesting as always. Nearly every home and shop in the Restored Area is decorated each holiday season with a wreath or swag made entirely of materials which would have been available to residents of the 18th century, basically constructed from fresh greenery pine, fraiser, boxwood, holly, magnolia and decorated with a myriad of dried different flowers, seeds and fruits, no artificial decorations allowed. To up the ante’ a bit for residents, 1st, 2nd. and 3rd place blue ribbons are awarded and given the obvious amount of effort many wreaths show, I’m guessing there is a bit of friendly competition every year to win a ribbon. The effect is so pleasing that every year literally thousands of visitors come each year over the holidays to see the decorations and enjoy a holiday meal in one of the period taverns. Each Tavern is gaily decorated for the season, softly lighted by candles with costumed servers offering food authentic to the period– one of the most famous is the King’s Arms Tavern which is famous for its peanut soup, Game Pye as well as an unusual veggie offering, a rich creamed celery with a hint of nutmeg, which doesn’t sound that great but which was quite delicious. There is always something new to see or try in Williamsburg and a visit there is a great way to kick off the New Year.

Tags: Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, College of William and Mary, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Eastern Shore of Virginia, King's Arms Tavern, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Virginia Eastern Shore, Williamsburg holiday decorations, Williamsburg Inn
Posted in Climate and Weather, Crafts, Entertainment, Historic Homes, Just Having Fun, Regional Foods & Wine, Virginia History | No Comments »

From The Entire Crew At Blue Heron Realty Co., Our Wishes For A Happy Holiday Season And A Great New Year !

December 24th, 2013 by Marlene email

Well, it’s that time of year again, putting up the outdoor lights, decorating the big cedar tree in the front yard, getting a wreath properly hung on the door so that it isn’t that tiny bit crooked, and, my special favorite, stringing long loops of colorful holiday lights along the full length of our back deck, such a cheery sight as dusk falls. And all the usual outdoor holiday decor tasks are made so much easier here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia because of our mild but definite 4 season climate. ( The delights of the Shore’s fabulous climate were brought into sharp relief today by a call from an employee who had made what was to have been just a quick trip to Houlton, Maine, expecting to be back for work as scheduled on yesterday. Instead, she got trapped by a major winter storm with a projected duration of at least 2 days, 8-12 inches of snow and lots of ice accumulation expected, so she missed work because it was too dangerous to drive. You just wouldn’t believe it, said she, ice pellets are falling fast and furiously, snow drifts are about a gazillion feet high, I’m so ready to get back to the Shore ! ) So, counting my blessings as I puttered out on the deck yesterday afternoon, dressed in a light windbreaker, potting up pansies into 3 beautiful flower pots I got as gifts for a special friend, sky blue, sun shining, slight breeze blowing off the water, nary a snowflake in sight, no black ice, no 30 car pile-ups….. I think next year I should just print t-shirts that say: “Life is good ….on Virginia’s Eastern Shore“.

On a more serious note, this is the time of year when friends and family are close in mind and heart, and, if we are lucky, in body too. Trivial and petty are hopefully cast aside, leaving more space for thinking not just of family and friends but especially about helping those less fortunate. By nature, I am an optimist and 13 is my lucky number– but it does seem that 2013 has brought definite economic improvement here on the Eastern Shore and nationwide. For this, at Blue Heron Realty Co., we are truly grateful. And we would especially like to thank our clients and customers, all the many folks who have purchased or listed property through our firm. Please know that we very much appreciate your business and really value your confidence in us.

And to the readers of this little blog about life and real estate on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, we hope you found some of the information you were looking for and had some fun too, learning about our slender peninsula bordered by the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Happily, we had our 15 minutes of fame and celebrity this year as the Home and Garden Network (HGTV) premiered a “beachfront house hunter” episode earlier this month about the Eastern Shore of Virginia and one of its most charming little historic towns, Cape Charles, VA and, ta-da, featured Eva Noonan, sales agent in Blue Heron’s Cape Charles office and her buyers, the Outlands. I loved watching the HGTV crew film the show over 4 days, it was such a fun and a unique experience, keep an eye out for repeat showings of our episode. And I’m hoping in 2014 you will keep reading our little blog to learn more about the amazing quality of life and the outstanding real estate opportunities on the Eastern Shore to purchase beachfront properties, homes with backyard boat docks, Bay Creek Golf Resort listings, historic homes as well as town and country homes listed for sale by Blue Heron Realty Co. in the Chesapeake Bay area

And so, from Lemoin, Marlene, Montaigne, Mike, Gerry, Heather, Kay, Lisa and Brandi in Blue Heron’s Machipongo, VA main office and from Dave, Eva, Jennifer, Luisa, Bonnie and Cynthia in Blue Heron’s Cape Charles, VA branch office, thanks once again for your continued support, we really appreciate it. Best wishes to you and yours from the entire Blue Heron crew for a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2014. ( Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA. )

Tags: Bay Creek Golf Resort real estate, Blue Heron Realty Co. Machipongo and Cape Charles, Cape Charles Virginia, Cape Charles Virginia historic home for sale, Chesapeake Bay real estate, Eastern Shore of Virginia, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Real Estate
Posted in Climate and Weather, Historic Homes, Just Having Fun, Odds and Ends, Our Little Towns, Some Serious Thoughts | No Comments »

” A Victorian Winter Wedding” Was The Theme Of The 18th Annual Cape Charles VA Holiday Progressive Dinner

December 12th, 2013 by Marlene email

Sponsored for the 18th year by the Northampton County Chamber of Commerce, and chaired this year by Blue Heron Realty Co. client, Tammy Holloway, owner of the gorgeous Bay Haven B&B, the annual Cape Charles Holiday Progressive Dinner is always a fun event, homes dressed to the nines, holiday lights blazing, food, wine and lots of good cheer. But what sets the Cape Charles event apart from progressive dinners all across the South (where they are very popular) is its wonderful entertainment. Due largely to the influence of the Arts Enter ! theatre group sponsored by the historic Palace Theatre, the Cape Charles Progressive Dinners always feature a special theme and offer entertainment, usually consisting of numerous vignettes produced by the theatre group, with each home on the Tour playing its part in the theme. This year’s theme was ” A Victorian Winter Wedding“. Like the town itself, it is set at the turn of the century, and revolves around the elaborate preparations for the wedding ( fictional) of the Mayor of Cape Charles to the son of a well-liked local businessman. The wedding theme was embellished at every stop on the Tour, as each home offered a glimpse of a particular aspect of the extensive preparations for the wedding. To better set the mood, at each stop the home’s owner, host and greeters were elaborately costumed in elegant period fashion. ( One of the really clever aspects was that the Mayor’s daughter was marrying the son of one of the town’s foremost businessmen, the builder W. H. Lambertson, and two of the homes on this year’s Progressive Dinner were actually built by W.H. Lambertson in the early 1900’s.)

The evening kicked off at the striking, art-deco style Palace Theatre, built-in 1941 and now fully refurbished, thanks to the fund-raising efforts of Art’s Enter. We were in the early group, started at 3:20, ended about 6:00 pm. In general, organizers have it arranged so that ticket holders consist of groups of about 25 and departures staggered about 20 minutes apart. At the theatre, setting the evening’s theme, we were treated to a short play starring the irrepressible Trina Veber, veteran of many Progressive Dinner vignettes, in the key role of the Mayor’s wife, mother of the bride, anxious to uphold her position as a pillar of Cape Charles society. Here we learn that although the Mayor is cheap, famous for pinching pennies, his wife has arranged to have the wedding dress purchased and fitted by the most prestigious dress shop in town, whose owner has recently made a buying trip to New York City to secure a variety of lovely but expensive dresses for this high society wedding. We also learn that so many guests are expected that both the Cape Charles Inn ( in real life also an inn, the Chesapeake B&B) and the famous ( in real life as well) Miss Mollie’s Boarding House, (where the portrait painter for the official wedding portrait will be staying ), both will be filled with VIP wedding guests. As the little play ends, the audience is left wondering if Daddy isn’t going to throw a conniption fit when he gets the bill for all the grand wedding preparations. But we shall find out before our evening ends. While the action is proceeding on stage, Dinner ticket holders are enjoying a High Tea– tender tea sandwiches, cucumber dill and liver mousse with red onion, prepared by Hook-U-Up restaurant’s fine chef, Tim Brown, as well as a fluffy, orange-iced cranberry orange scone baked by the Cape Charles Coffee House, served with sweet orange tea.

Off then to the second stop, a classic American four square home, one of the many examples in Cape Charles, which the playbill proclaims as home to the Lambertson family whose son is to marry the Mayor’s daughter. From the owner’s speech before entering the house, we learn that when she purchased the property in 2009, this now-lovely house was in serious disrepair and served primarily as the abode for a large flock of pigeons ! As we walk through and see it now, the house has been beautifully restored and is a real credit to the efforts of its new owners. In the theme of the wedding, this house serves as the elegant dress shop. In an upstairs bedroom several mannequins are dressed with beautiful bridal attire in various stages of being fitted. ( Kudos to all the efforts of Arts Enter volunteers in securing the gorgeous period costumes– it must have been a real labor of love. In fact, it’s the numerous participants, volunteers all, over 150 of them, that make the Dinner possible. Without them it just couldn’t be pulled off ! ) Food here was prepared by The Shanty, a fun new seafood restaurant located right on the Cape Charles Harbor, and featured Oysters Rockefeller and Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque. Unfortunately, although I live in one of the finest oyster producing regions in the entire country, I’m not an oyster person so didn’t have any— but Hubby and Eldest Daughter assured me they were succulent. However, I can personally attest that the bisque was absolutely delicious– smooth, creamy with a hint of char at the finish. Actually, it was my favorite dish of the entire dinner, especially as I am a devotee’ of butternut squash bisque. Wine accompaniment was Church Creek Steel Chardonnay by Chatham Vineyard, a fine local vineyard and winery.

From there, we were off to the Inn, a walk of a few short blocks. In the Dinner’s theme, the Inn was to provide accommodations and hospitality for many of the out-of-town guests expected for the wedding and is elaborately decorated for the occasion.. In real life, the Inn really is an inn, the Chesapeake B&B. Listed for sale by Blue Heron Realty Co., it is a gorgeous 2 story historic brick Colonial Revival home which overlooks the Chesapeake Bay and Cape Charles’ soft sand beach. One of its most stunning features is the arcaded 5 bay brick front porch. For the Dinner, the owners had decorated both porch and shrubbery with a stunning display of bright holiday lights, total eye candy. ( For more information on the features of this extensively renovated property, visit http://www.blueheronva.com/property.php?propid=1516 . ) Our group arrived just as the sun was beginning to set, the sky was streaked with soft pinks and violets, absolutely stunning. Prepared by the historic Eastville Inn in Eastville, VA, the offering here was a rich Rockfish Chowder. Rockfish is probably the Eastern Shore’s most prized late season fish, mild and firm flesh, perfect for a chowder. This particular dish is the signature fall-winter dish of the Eastville Inn and includes corn and asparagus, is seasoned with applewood smoked bacon and a touch of garlic and thyme, served with sweet potato rolls spread with a brown-sugar cinnamon butter. Yum !

Next stop, in my opinion, one of the most charming homes in all of Cape Charles, with one of the indisputably most beautiful front porches in town, curved, graceful and full house length. Built in 1912 for Cape Charles’ first banker by W.H. Lambertson, whose son ( in the play) is to marry the Mayor’s daughter, this home continues the evening’s theme as being the home of the bride’s best friend. It is at this gorgeous home that the bridesmaids and friends will gather to make decorations and guest favors for the wedding. The tools and materials for same are seen as ticket holders tour the bedrooms at this house. Food served here was prepared by Aqua Restaurant, offering fine and casual dining right on the shores of Chesapeake Bay at King’s Creek Marina . A modern update of a traditional Waldorf salad and a lightly curried chicken salad in a small brioche roll, very tasty, were served, complemented by Italian white wine selected for the occasion by the Gull Hummock Wine and Cheese shop in Cape Charles.

The final home on the tour was Miss Mollie’s boarding house which was, in real life, Miss Mollie’s Boarding House. Apparently Miss Mollie ran the boarding house for many years after her husband’s death and was known Shore-wide for her famous pound cake. At the house, a video interview of Miss Mollie, done many years ago for a special Cape Charles history event, was playing on the VCR– fascinating, a real highlight and I took a quick pic for this blog post. Miss Mollie died at 101 and in the TV interview I’m guessing she was somewhere in her nineties but still sharp as a tack because when the interviewer, long-time local pharmacist, George Savage, apparently asked a particular question for a 2nd time, he received a quick retort, ” Why you already asked me that !” When George inquired how many of her famous pound cakes she thought she had baked over her lifetime, she guessed she had baked plenty more than a thousand– which is a heck of a lot of home baking ! Food served here was prepared by Kelly’s Gingernut Pub, a fun place with good food located on Mason Avenue in Cape Charles and included a delicious roast beef-Yorkshire pudding canape plus a roastedvegetable tort served in individual tart shells topped with a creamy, buttery sauce. The piece de resistance’ was a little slice of Miss Mollie’s cake, a rich vanilla pound cake, prepared by Heritage Hall in Nassawadox, baked according to Miss Mollie’s very own recipe. As party favors, printed copies of Miss Mollie’s recipe were available for guests to take with them if desired– I took one and intend to try it out for myself.

Leaving Miss Mollie’s, it was just a short walk to the Cape Charles Town Library where the theme and the Dinner concluded, with the penny-pinching Mayor was scheduled to see his daughter modeling her gorgeous, albeit expensive, bridal gown for the very first time. Suddenly he forgets the expense of the wedding and realizes that his baby girl is going to be gone, about to get married and move from his home, that it is family, not fortune, he should be thinking about now. Thus endeth the play and also the Dinner, after the dessert course, naturally. A collaboration between Heritage Hall and Brown Dog Ice Cream in Cape Charles, dessert was a delectable ginger snap cookie “sandwich” filled with Brown Dog’s heavenly ice cream, Caramelized Fig and Mascarpone Cheese flavor, easy to hold, delicious to eat. It was the sweet end to a sweet day. But one more treat to come– Pheiffer Stables, whose farm is located on the outskirts of Cape Charles, had brought a holiday-light decorated carriage into town, pulled by Rosie, a lovely patient horse. Horse and driver stood ready outside the Library, prepared to ferry weary Tour members back to the Theatre. So aboard Hubby and I hopped, not spring chickens any more, nice to get off our feet after several hours walking town. So with sleighbells bells ringing, off we rode to our car, a perfect end to a great evening.

Tags: Arts Enter Cape Charles, Blue Heron Realty Co. Machipongo and Cape Charles, Cape Charles Holiday Progressive Dinner, Cape Charles Virginia, Cape Charles Virginia historic home for sale, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Events in Cape Charles, Palace Theatre Cape Charles, Real Estate, Virginia Eastern Shore
Posted in Entertainment, Fine and Casual Dining, Historic Homes, Just Having Fun, Our Little Towns, Regional Foods & Wine | No Comments »

The Alpacas Stole The Show At The 11th Annual Thanksgiving Artisan’s Guild Open Studio And Vineyard Tour On The Eastern Shore Of Virginia

December 6th, 2013 by Marlene email

Brochure for the 11th annual artisan open studio tour on Eastern Shore VA

The Tour Is A Great Way To Find Unique Gifts For Special People On Your Holiday Gift List

It’s that time of year again– splendid Thanksgiving repast over, excess turkey safely ensconced in a light cream- and- sherry tetrazzini sauce, friendly football bets all settled– and on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, time for something different, one of my favorite events of the year, the annual Thanksgiving Artisan Open Studio and Vineyard Tour. Pleasant, low-key, the Tour is the Friday-Saturday-Sunday after Turkey Day opportunity to personally meet talented local artists and select unique and beautiful art for some of the special people on your holiday gift list. One of the great things about this self-guided driving tour, for locals and visitors alike, is that it is spread over a wide- ranging area. Since the event is held in the participating artists’ studios, which are quite often located at their personal residences, visitors often end up traveling down scenic by-ways and into little hamlets that they would not ordinarily be exploring if not for the Tour. Thankfully, the Guild puts out an on-line brochure and map, plus plenty of signs and arrows are placed strategically along roads, their red bows waving in the breeze, helping to guide folks along the way. This year’s Open Studio sites were scattered from Capeville to Onancock. ( One of my favorite Tours took place a few years ago when we visited Open Studios located from south of Cape Charles up to the island of Chincoteague near the Shore’s northern border with Maryland, a distance just shy of 70 miles. We got started early in Cape Charles and visited just about every venue. In fact, after touring the 2 of the 3 open studios on Chincoteague that year, we spent the remaining half hour + of daylight at the beautiful Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge, home of the famous Pony Round-up. The vast flocks of snow geese were so impressive, elegant white birds serenely floating on clear blue waters. )

Am I Cute Or What ??

Because of another commitment, this year we were unfortunately unable to start until after lunch. With two grandkids in tow, aged 8 and 11, we set off for the By The Bay Alpaca Farm in Pungoteague. The approach to the property is down a long farm road, through large fields blanketed with green winter cover crops, when suddenly they appear, some of the cutest farm animals you’ll ever see, a herd of 14 beautiful alpacas. During the drive I had asked the boys what they knew about alpacas– the 8 year old piped up that he thought they were members of the camel family and the 11 year old commented that they are a lot like llamas. But none of us had ever seen an alpaca up close and personal so we were looking forward to reaching out and touching one of these adorable creatures. Definitely not disappointed, they were the highlight of the entire Tour for the 4 of us, absolutely stole the show ! These graceful animals, with cloven hoofs like deer, in various shades of beige, white and brown, placidly chewed their cuds, completely ignoring their many admiring visitors.

OK, I’m Ready For Some Petting

Awards and ribbons won by the By The Bay Alpaca farm

A Sea Of Awards and Ribbons Line The Walls At By The Bay Alpaca Farm

Andrew Leach, who with Tara King runs the farm, was kind enough to put a leash on one of the sweetest youngsters and let the 4 of us pet him. I was quite surprised at how long and deep the fleece is, about 3 inches this time of year, although it will be at least 6 inches long by the time they get sheared in the spring. And soft, it was amazingly soft, which is why it is so prized for sweaters, scarves, gloves, etc. , all of which Tara makes right there on the farm in her light-filled studio. By The Bay has won numerous awards for its fleece. The studio is a veritable sea of ribbons and awards, a real accomplishment for the owners, especially considering that they started with only a single pregnant female and have built their herd of 14 from there. Aside from how incredibly soft the fleece is, we were all surprised by how much alpacas vocalize as well as by the fact that, unlike cows, horses, etc., they are essentially “potty trained”. Though I hesitate to get so earthy in a blog post, we were all astonished to see three or four different animals walk up to what apparently is their selected potty area in the middle of the pasture and do their thing, right on the exact same spot where a previous animal had just finished. I asked Andrew if I was just imagining this and he said that alpacas like to keep their pastures clean and that they do basically adhere to a central toilet area instinctively, no attempts at training from him ! Who would have guessed ….

Reflections Glass On Display

From By The Bay we were off to Onancock, specifically the historic Onancock School which now houses the studios of about 10 artisans. We visited the studio of Elizabeth Hunt, a well-known potter who does beautifully decorative stoneware, David Farlow, the Harbormaster at the Quinby, VA harbor, who is a 4th generation Eastern Shore decoy carver and the Reflections Glass Studio, owned by the Careys, a husband and wife glass blowing team. There were more studios at the school to visit but because of our late start it was almost the witching hour and I still wanted to visit the studio of Vesna Zidovec, a well-known potter, whose mirrors decorated by borders of her hand-made glazed marine life tiles are legendary here on the Shore. Vesna has a very cozy studio in her home in Onancock, toasty warm from a wood stove in the corner, flanked by a chessboard table, soft classical music playing, a great place to end the Tour. We selected a lovely glazed bowl decorated with, of course, a blue heron, and then it was time to head for home, another Tour, albeit abbreviated, under our belts, a delightful time had by all plus a lot more info on alpacas.

Tags: Art Events on Virginia's Eastern Shore, By The Bay Alpaca farm, Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Eastern Shore VA Artisan Open Studio and Winery Tour, Holiday events in Cape Charles Virginia, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore
Posted in Business, Crafts, Entertainment, Just Having Fun, Our Little Towns, The Arts | No Comments »

“Fire”, A Female Cooper’s Hawk, Was The Hit Of The 21st Annual Eastern Shore of Virgina Birding & Wildlife Festival

November 25th, 2013 by Marlene email

Eastern Shore Virginia bird migration flyway

Every year during the first week of October, thousands of bird lovers gather on the Eastern Shore of Virginia for the annual Birding Festival. Hosted by the Eastern Shore of Virginia Festivals, Inc, a local non-profit, we recently celebrated the 21st annual Birding and Wildlife Festival. Coinciding each year with the annual fall bird migrations, the Festival is a celebration of the amazing variety and quantity of bird life found here on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, especially at the Shore’s beautiful Southern Tip. Since the land mass of the DelMarVa (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) peninsula, of which the Virginia portion is the southern terminus, is widest at the northern section and narrows gradually as one moves south, it acts almost like a funnel. The bountiful tip of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, just south of Cape Charles, VA where the land ends as the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay converge, is a bird-friendly area offering lots of food, water and protective vegetation becomes the natural “layover” point for millions of migrating feathered friends as they travel south along the Atlantic Flyway.

Eastern Shore Virginia Barrier Island chain

Eastern Shore Barrier Island chain, part of the Virginia Coast Reserve

So what better location to hold a Festival to see and learn about a whole variety of birds than the special place where they stop to rest and feed before beginning a journey over open waters ? Having spent a summer nesting and parenting, munching on gourmet goodies like seeds,worms and insects, just generally loafing around and yuking it up in the temperate climate of the East Coast of North America, the Birding Festival takes place during the peak migration period. Migration is dangerous, a journey from which is estimated that nearly half will not survive to return to breed in the Spring because of the predators encountered en route and the hazards of a long, energy-demanding flight over lengthy stretches of open waters. Since the Chesapeake Bay is a large physical barrier, it is especially important that natural habitat offering plentiful food and cover be available at the tip of the Shore to provide for refueling and protection from predators as the birds rest for a day or two before departing on the next leg of their journey. This makes it especially important on the Eastern Shore for individual landowners and conservation groups to make sure that the trees, shrubs and grasses which provide the critical seeds and berries needed by the birds are maintained . Towards this end, several large farm parcels located in this very critical rest corridor have been purchased by The Nature Conservancy for the express purpose of trying to maintain vegetative cover for bird habitat. And The Nature Conservancy has also been very active in preserving other critical bird life areas on the Eastern Shore including acquisition of the famed “Virginia Coast Reserve“, the off-shore Virginia Barrier Islands chain, now designated as a United Nations Biosphere, purchased by the Conservancy to protect them from development and to maintain crucial wildlife habitat.

Kids petting a skunk at eastern Shore VA birding festival

Petting A De-perfumed Skunk At The Eastern Shore Virginia Birding Festival

Fire, A Harris Hawk, Munching On A Her Raw Chicken Reward

Fire, A Trained Harris Hawk, Munches On Her Reward For A Demonstration Well Performed

The Festival includes a central Exhibitor’s Hall in Cape Charles, a forum for conservation groups and private firms to provide information on their programs. Once again the exhibits by the Virginia Living Museum were a big hit, especially the de-perfumed skunk which the kids had great fun petting. But some of the really fun stuff involved a few special programs and the amazing variety of unique field trips. Which brings us to the beautiful Harris Hawk named Fire. She is the big star of an amazing show featuring various raptors in flight, called, duh, the Flight of the Raptor. Started in 1995 by Master Falconer Ray Pena, this fascinating demonstration includes numerous hawks and peregrine falcons who have been trained to catch a lure in mid-air and bring it to ground, just as they would in the wild. Apparently for nearly four thousand years raptors have been trained by man to help hunt for food, especially rabbit and pheasant. During the show, Fire and other hawks are released and freely fly to any nearby perch— in Fire’s case, to the top of a Bay Coast Railroad locomotive. The falconer then twirls a feathered or fur lure in circles over his head, the hawk circles overhead and then dives for the lure, bringing it dramatically to ground. Ray gets the hawk to release the prey to him and rewards it with a bit of raw chicken, Fire’s favorite treat. ( By the way, hawks eat everything from their catches — feathers, fur, bones, the whole nine yards, which help satisfy the mineral requirements in their diets. ) The substantial crowd which had gathered for this demonstration was pretty amazed to see how, when these hawks are released from their perches, they fly off to a nearby tree or whatever, watch for the lure, dive for it and then let the falconer take it away from them.

Banding songbirds at Kiptopeake State Park

Bird Banding At Kiptopeake State Park During The 2013 Eastern Shore VA Birding Festival

Aerial View of the Oyster, VA Harbor, Departure Location For Several Birding Festival Boat Tours

All kinds of interesting field trips are available for attendee participation — ranging from bird banding demos, hikes, boat tours and workshops, there is something for everybody. The bird banding is fascinating and the hikes are a big favorite, especially the Eyre Hall Hike over 600 acres of diverse habitat along Cherrystone Creek. Here hikers will see mature forests, freshwater marshes and ponds, open saltwater beaches and tidal flats as well as open farm fields. Bird watchers are invited by the owner to tour the famous gardens associated with Eyre Hall’s circa 1760 home. The Owl Prowl Sounds of the Night outings at the Virginia National Wildlife Refuge and the Kiptopeake State Park are also lots of fun and good opportunities to experience nocturnal wildlife activity. Captain Buddy Vaughan’s Cobb Bay Boat Excursion leaving out of Oyster village harbor is an exciting way to see a barrier island beach and view numerous shorebirds including oystercatchers, whimbrels, sandpipers and terns. For attendees hoping to see clapper rails saltmarsh sparrows and maybe even a Delmarva fox squirrel, Capt. Rick Kellam’s Broadwater Bay Ecotours out of Willis Wharf offered a boat tour of the pristine Machipongo River, a seaside saltwater inlet from the Atlantic Ocean. Popular workshops included the Butterfly Walk and the Dragonfly Workshop & Field Trip. Another interesting boat trip, sponsored by the Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality, was the Sea Grasses and Oyster Reefs Boat Trip. Also departing out of Oyster village, this trip traveled to the nearby sites of the US’s largest and most comprehensive aquatic grass restoration project, a $6,000,000 investment by Virginia Coastal Zone Management to support shellfish farming and ecotourism. Something for everyone is the promise of each Birding Festival and it truly delivers on that promise.

Tags: bird banding, Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Eastern Shore Virginia Birding Festival, Kiptopeake State Park, Nature, Oyster VA, The Nature Conservancy
Posted in Birding, Boating, Climate and Weather, Gardening, Just Having Fun, Our Little Towns | No Comments »

Gorgeous B & B Listed For Sale In The Charming Victorian Beachfront Town Of Cape Charles, Virginia

November 7th, 2013 by Marlene email

Beach blanket and flip flops at Cape Charles VA beach

Cape Charles, VA Was Named One Of Southern Living’s “5 Best Little Beach Towns” In 2012

What better opportunity to marry a love of fine historic homes with a spirit of entrepreneurialism than operating a B&B ? And what better place to purchase a gracious Bed and Breakfast featuring fine Southern hospitality than in Cape Charles, VA which offers an exciting coastal lifestyle in an intimate small historic town environment ? Presto, Blue Heron Realty Co. has just listed a fine opportunity to follow your dream of both owning a gorgeous historic home and running your own business with this charming 7 bedroom, 8 bath beauty. Located on the beautiful Southern Tip of the Eastern Shore of Virginia, which is the slender terminus of the DELMARVA peninsula, bordered on the West by the Chesapeake Bay and on the East by the Atlantic Ocean, Virginia’s Eastern Shore is a dream location for anyone interested in coastal traditions. And the charming Victorian town of Cape Charles is the epicenter of cultural and maritime events on the Shore, so it’s a terrific place to live a water-oriented lifestyle as well as to operate a business that takes advantage of these special assets. In fact, in 2012, Cape Charles was named by Southern Living magazine as one of its ” 5 Best Little Beach Towns.” And we’re also proud to announce that Cape Charles and Blue Heron Realty Co. were recently chosen by the Home and Garden TV Network (HGTV) to be a featured episode, airing in January, 2014, of its exciting new series entitled “Beach House Bargain Hunt”.

Cape Charles House B & B, A Classic Colonial Revival Featuring 7 Bedrooms And 8 Baths

Introducing the Cape Charles House Bed and Breakfast, one of the town’s largest and most opulent homes. Constructed in 1912 on the highest point of land in Cape Charles, this 5900 sq. ft. classic Colonial Revival was lovingly restored by the current owners. Featured on the well-known HGTV program, “If Walls Could Talk” and a recipient of the coveted Governor’s Award for B & B Hospitality, this long-established B & B has been welcoming guests since 1993. With 5 spacious guest rooms, each with a sitting area, an en suite bath and individual climate control, Cape Charles House offers guests a great place to just unwind and relax. Numerous large, sunny windows in guest rooms and in the spacious common areas create a pleasant, light and airy feel throughout. The gorgeous original hardwood floors were hand restored. The original moldings, pocket doors and high ceilings help maintain the integrity, warmth and beauty of this stately historic home. Outfitted with comfortable furniture and plenty of reading material and games, the common rooms include a large dining room with fireplace, a spacious living room with fireplace, a roomy parlor and, of course, the cheery kitchen with “never-ending” self -serve coffee and tea service plus guest ice maker .

Gracious Front Porch on Cape Charles House B & B

The Gracious Wraparound Porch- The Perfect Place To Relax, Unwind And Enjoy The Virginia Eastern Shore Slower Pace Of Life

The gracious wrap-around porch is a favorite guest amenity and the perfect place to kick back on a balmy summer’s eve. Filled with pots of blooming flowers and decorated with white wicker furniture, guests love to relax and unwind here, enjoying the refreshing breezes flowing off the Chesapeake Bay just a few blocks away. The town’s soft, sparkling sand beach and swimming area is not just a favorite of Southern Living magazine, it is one of the many prime recreational amenities that attract guests to Cape Charles House year after year. Golfers fall in love with the two side- by- side 18 hole award-winning Arnold Palmer Signature and the Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses located less than 10 minutes away. The deep water Cape Charles Harbor Marina and the King’s Creek Marina are both boater’s delights– in fact, lots of B&B guests arrive by boat and golf cart rentals are available for guests to tool around town during their stay. For Nature enthusiasts and bird watchers, the nearby Eastern Shore of Virginia Wildlife Refuge and the Hawk Observatory at Kiptopeake State Park offer a full range of unique outdoor activities. The Cape Charles Historic Area boasts vibrant little shops, art galleries, restaurants and the beloved Palace Theater, a lovely venue for live dramatic and musical performances. ( As a matter of fact, some impressive artists, including the Virginia Philharmonic Orchestra, have played at the beautifully restored Art Deco design Palace. Theatre. ) Fine and casual dining opportunities, both in-town and nearby, offer a variety of delicious cuisines including luscious local seafood, the famed steamed Chesapeake Bay blue crabs and authentic Southern-style BBQ.

Prospective purchasers will really appreciate being able to retreat to the roomy owner’s quarters. Offering total privacy from the rest of the house, the third floor has been remodeled into an owner’s penthouse apartment, complete with a master and a guest bedroom, an office area, a sitting room and a kitchen. The owner’s quarters sunny master bedroom overlooks park-like grounds and includes a huge walk-in closet and a sumptious master bath. At the end of a busy day, the owner’s apartment provides the perfect place to relax and retire into your own private world. What a great house and terrific town for actually being able to live the dream of owing a spectacular historic home and being your own boss !! In addition to the real estate itself, the purchase price of $695,000 for Cape Charles House B & B includes most furnishings, as well as ownership of the trade name, website domain name, the telephone number, the B&B’s very attractive website and its valuable guest list. Financial information is available upon request by calling the Blue Heron Realty Co. listing agent team of Gerry Forbes and Heather Brady, who may be reached at 757-678-5200.

Tags: Blue Heron Realty Co. Machipongo and Cape Charles, Cape Charles House B & B, Cape Charles Virginia, Cape Charles Virginia historic home for sale, Chesapeake Bay real estate, Eastern Shore of Virginia, HGTV, Home and Garden TV Network, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Palace Theatre Cape Charles Virginia, Real Estate, Virginia historic home for sale
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The 21st Annual Eastern Shore of Virginia Harvest An Unqualified Success

October 18th, 2013 by Marlene email

Harvest Fest on Virginia's Eastern Shore

Harvest Fest On The Eastern Shore of Virginia

When you live on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, as the first week of October rolls around, you can look forward to a few traditional pleasures– mums start to bloom gloriously, pumpkins appear in riotous hues of orange at roadside farm markets but, best of all, it’s time for the annual Virginia Eastern Shore Harvest Festival, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. Ticket sales are limited to about 2500 each year and there is no better hangout for an entire afternoon of food, fun, hospitality and some old-fashioned “howdy-I’m-so-and-so-and-our-candidate-would-appreciate-your-vote” state and local politics. Ground Zero is the Sunset Beach hotel’s spacious beachfront acreage at the beautiful southern tip of the Eastern Shore , right at the edge of the mighty Chesapeake Bay.

So Little Time, So Many Seafood Goodies

Although there is always lots of great local art for sale, the seafood, of course, is the big drawing card, a veritable cornucopia of Eastern Shore delicacies from the deep, plus a few harmless veggies ( i.e., French fries and corn-on- the-cob, although this year there was also a salad station, which mysteriously I somehow managed to miss ). And for the landlubbers, fresh, local BBQ and the ever-popular Southern-style chicken wings do the honors. First off, the trick is to start out by making a big circle around the entire venue, checking out exactly what’s on offer and then setting one’s eating strategy. To dive enthusiastically into one’s favorites or to go with the conventional appetizer/entrée’/dessert strategy, that is the question. Personally, I think most folks just dive into their favorite seafoods right off the bat in this all-you-can-eat heaven but almost everybody in our little group went with an “appetizer first” strategy, meaning that first up were the steamed little nicks, everyone picking up baskets heaped with the ever- so- tender, half-dollar sized beauties, accompanied by melted butter. And for those who love ice-cold oysters on the half shell, an army of volunteers was kept busy popping opening these glistening beauties, enticingly displayed on deep beds of crushed ice.

Snagging A Nice Cool Glass of Local Chardonnay Wine, Perfect To Accompany An Afternoon Of Munching On Luscious Local Seafood

But, heresy of heresies, here in the land of prolific clam and oyster aquaculture, I don’t like either clams or oysters! So, while others were busy smacking lips over the bi-valves, I was moseying on over to the other side of the grounds to scoff up on a nice cold glass of Chardonnay to enjoy with my seafood. On the Eastern Shore we are fortunate to have three great local wineries, Chatham Vineyard, Holly Grove Winery and Bloxom Vineyard. We’re not Napa Valley but still, it’s great to be able to brag about having our own wine appellation, the Eastern Virginia Appellation. And from there I headed straight into the arms of the Shrimp Station tent. Now I really love shrimp, they are my personal seafood favorite, but I am very particular about shrimp preparation. Be they steamed, fried or scampied, what reader of this blog has not suffered through rubbery, what-the-heck-are-these, grossly over-cooked shrimp ? I must congratulate the charge’ d’affaires of the Shrimp Station for a job really, really done well. It’s hard to even imagine the challenges of on-site cooking for literally hundreds upon hundreds of people, in an open air tent, with portable equipment, grappling with the logistics of assuring that every single ingredient is on hand, in the correct amount, definitely no possibility of just stepping into the pantry for more. But to do this with shrimp, which are so easy to ruin with a too-thick, greasy coating or by over-cooking, is even more of a challenge. But these were excellent, tender, succulent, crisp in a light, crunchy tempura style batter, congrats to the whole Team Shrimp ! And did I mention the accompanying sauce, a smooth, mayo- based sauce, delicately seasoned with tangy horseradish, a few spices and a bit of mustard, offering just enough bite to contrast with the sweetness of the shrimp, absolutely delightful.

Toads By Any Other Name Would Be More Delicious

After a couple of turns with the whole shrimp thing, it was off to Toads–fried toads. Not the jumps-out-from-behind-the-flower-pot kind of toad but rather a toadfish toad. When cooked, they’re just tiny things, about three inches long and about an inch or a bit more across. But despite the off-putting name, they are delicious, with a delicate white meat, not fishy at all, This was the first time that I can recall toads being served at Harvest Fest but they seemed to be very popular and I certainly enjoyed them, several helpings worth. From there, it was off to the Flounder Station. Flounder is a fav fish of mine, I especially like it served a la Sting Ray Restaurant’s style, topped with a rich Crab Imperial and finished under the broiler until smoking hot and crispy brown. Totally yum ! Sadly, but of course, the Fest Flounder wasn’t topped with crab, but it was still very good, tender, with a crisp seasoned coating, very nice.

Eastern Shore Harvest Fest Crabcake Tent

Waiting In Line For Some Savory Crabcakes

While strolling around, scooping up shrimp, toads and flounder, I had also been keeping my eye on the Crabcake Station which been sporting a pretty long line all afternoon. However, when you’ve got seafood on the brain and there are savory crabcakes to be had, well, trust me, like the Sirens tempting Ulysses, those crab cakes call out, long line or not. So, hey girl, better just get in line with the dozens of other folks looking for their crabcake fix. Presented this year by the well-known Exmore Diner, prepared on a sizzling grill instead of deep-fried, I did wonder at the outset if these would be worth the wait. But reaching the end of the line and picking up my prize, a plate of two aromatic crabcakes, made from the famously flavorful Chesapeake Bay blue crab, subtly spiced, with a pinch of parsley added, delectably rich, melt-in-your-mouth, I had to say, oh yes, they were worth the wait !

Harvest Fest - Virginia Eastern Shore art tents

Surveying The Local Art Talent

By then, totally sated, I was ready to move on to the Arts and Crafts tents and check out all the paintings, carvings, sculpture, etc. Harvest Fest always has always included great variety of local artisans displaying their creative works. Among this year’s group were Billy Crockett, a well-respected local carver, Mary Onley, known affectionately as “Mama Girl“, whose whimsical paper-mache’ figures have become quite famous locally and Copper Creations, well-known for their Nature based copper art figures as well as garden art. It’s always fun to browse through, taking in all the beautiful things on display, especially as I have no talent whatever along those lines . I’m always amazed to see how many really gifted artists we have here on the Eastern Shore and I love wrapping up the annual Harvest Fest with a stroll through the art tents, a real feast for the eyes after such a delightful feast for the tum-tum.

Tags: Cape Charles Virginia, Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Eastern Shore vineyards, Eastern Shore Virginia Harvest Fest, Events in Cape Charles, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore
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A Rollicking Street Festival In Cape Charles For “Benefit by the Bay” 2013

August 23rd, 2013 by Marlene email

Every year one of the Eastern Shore’s primary arts groups, Arts Enter Cape Charles, holds a major dinner-dance-auction benefit to raise funds to pay the mortgage on the Palace Theatre for another year and float many of its other expenses. It’s the major fundraiser for this important community arts group and a lot of time and effort goes into planning this event so it will be not only fun for guests but profitable for the organization. This year’s benefit was a Street Festival, a Strawberry Street in Cape Charles, VA festival to be exact. And festivals in general are so fun and colorful, the hum of voices and music blending, rising, floating above the street, surely they are the perfect occasions to get together with family and friends to hang out, let the vibes flow, just have a merry old time.

Guests entered through the front doors of the theatre, which was all decked out for the evening with fragrant floral arrangements placed in eye-catching corners, then slipped out the side doors, down a long red carpet and into the street. Voila’, overnight a magnificent transformation of the first block of Strawberry Street from the usual blacktop pavement and concrete sidewalks busy with cars and pedestrians into a gorgeous plaza ! Decorated with leafy trees in huge, beautiful pots bedecked with strands of tiny burnished gold lights, flower arrangements sporting a thousand brilliant blossoms, gurgling fountains and dozens upon dozens of circular tables covered with eye-catching deep rose and teal cloths, the street had become a virtual fairyland of colors, shapes, sounds, textures.

We arrived about 7 pm, the sun already throwing long shadows and deliciously cool evening breezes were gently blowing off the Chesapeake Bay just 3 blocks away. Before stepping through to the street, we took a quick whirl through the Silent Auction site set up in the Stage Gallery, just checking on the donated artwork there, lots of promising items to review in-depth later in the evening. But now, time to visit with friends over a glass of chilled Chardonnay and sample from the appetizer table. I had to check out some of my favorites more than once, including the ice-cold jumbo shrimp served with a very tangy red cocktail sauce. The cheese tray was also very popular with wine drinkers and beer fans alike, being well stocked with a variety of both soft and hard cheeses and plenty of crunchy multigrain crackers. Dinner was served buffet style on the southern end of the plaza, with a number of grazing stations set up, offering a variety wide enough to satisfy even picky eaters.

My husband headed for the cold salmon station, the fish prepared by talented local chef Tim Brown, beautifully decorated with wafer thin slices of cucumber, served with a dill creme’ fraiche, and accompanied by a colorful cold pasta salad and skewers of antipasto anchored by chilled asparagus, all very, very nice. I, on the other hand, elected to head first to the Land & Sea station and the savory plump grilled chicken breasts and succulent crabcakes awaiting there. One thing about grilled chicken– it’s so easy to end up with something dry and tough ! But this was really excellent, very tender, great flavor and texture, done about as perfectly as any BBQ chicken I’ve had, with plenty of spicy sauce on the side. Tossed green salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, roasted potatoes and an elaborate fruit tray were offered as sides, all in all, a tasty summery meal. For those looking for local seafood, a raw bar station offered fresh tender little clams and salty oysters from the Broadwater Oyster Co. of Willis Wharf, both served on the half shell atop deep beds of ice. Raw seafood is not my thing but this was a very popular station, keeping several servers busy just popping open the clam and oyster shells. for the ever-present line of aficionados.

As twilight morphed into darkness, we headed inside for another view of the Silent Auction items in the Stage Door Gallery. Lots of good stuff to bid on– several original paintings including a dramatic oil by Clalia Sheppard, lots of original jewelry, some great autographed items, a number of very collectible records, some dramatic framed photography including a very striking photo of a blue heron. ( And as it turned out, for which we were the successful bidder.) As I had an early meeting the following day, it was about time for us to call it a night. Too bad, as we were leaving the band was starting to really get into its groove and the dance floor was filling up. Another year, another great Benefit By The Bay. Keep ’em coming Arts Enter, time soon to start planning Benefit 2014 !

Tags: Arts Enter Cape Charles, Benefit By The Bay, Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Events in Cape Charles, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Palace Theatre Cape Charles Virginia, Stage Door Art Gallery
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A GLORIOUS FOURTH OF JULY 2013 IN CAPE CHARLES, VIRGINIA

July 19th, 2013 by Marlene email

Sun And Fun On The Cape Charles Beach

We spent a few days over the 4th of July at a charming Victorian home overlooking the Chesapeake Bay and sparkling sand beach on Bay Avenue in the quaint historic town of Cape Charles, VA. The plan was to have a couple of grandkids for a sleepover on Wednesday night, then a big family gathering to watch the fireworks on Thursday night and finally for Hubby and I to grab a well-deserved day of peace and quiet on Friday. For once, things went some what according to plan. We rolled into town just after a kid-friendly lunch at Mickey D’s, intent on getting all cold items unpacked and stuffed into the refrigerator at the house before heading out to the Wednesday Aftenoon Chess Club at the new public library on Mason Avenue. I say “new” library not in the sense of the building, which is a grand bank building built in the early 1900’s, most lately inhabited by Bank of America, ( and now owned by the Town thanks to the very affordable terms offered by BOA ), but in the sense that it just become the library. Space to be able to offer chess for kids is just one of the perks of making the building a public building rather than just another retail business as some had hoped. I personally think time will prove that this expenditure by the Town was a brilliant decision.

Brown Dog Ice Cream Shop In Cape Charles VA

To Try It Is To Love It— Brown Dog Ice Cream !

But what is located conveniently adjacent to the library, beloved by young and old alike, the perfect after-chess treat ? The Brown Dog Ice Cream Shop, of course, home of made-on-the-premises, good as Haagen Dazs, 6 or more rotating flavors everyday, served in a cup, sugar cone or crunchy waffle cone, delightfully cold, deliciously creamy ice cream. I tried the for- adults-only lemoncello which hit the spot on a warm summer’s day but I must say that Hubby’s coffee ice cream made with the Eastern Shore Roasting Company’s coffee was absolutely wonderful and I don’t even particularly like coffee ice cream ! The kids all had the Simply Berries, full of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries, the yummy way to sneak in extra antioxidants. From there it was off to the pool for a couple hours of pure splashing, jumping, laughing fun for the kids and a little relaxation in the shade for us.

Cape Charles Fishing Pier at Sunset 4th of July

Cape Charles Fishing Pier On A Soft Summer’s Eve

Back to the house for a fast, kid- friendly dinner of grilled hamburgers, corn on the cob and salad plus plenty of watermelon for dessert. I think that no fruit says summer better than sweet and juicy chunks of deep red, crisp, ice cold watermelon — unless it’s a tree-ripened, dripping with juice, sweet-as-sugar peach, plucked at the peak of perfection from a tenderly cared for tree at the Nottingham Farms orchard just south of Cape Charles. Anyway, we wanted to get in a walk at sunset and headed for the lighted fishing pier just down from the house. It’s a wonderful facility, stretching out into the Chesapeake Bay quite a ways, protected by a jetty, perfect for a relaxing after-dinner meander, no hurry, enjoying the sights and sounds, watching folks still sitting on the beach or wading in tide pools, just savoring the last few minutes of daylight, boats drifting back into the harbor, sated with a day of fishing, lights on the channel markers blinking red and green, a peaceful end to a busy day. Once back at the house, early lights-out for all in anticipation of a busy morning on the 4th, grandparents definitely tuckered out, grandkids not so much, which I guess proves we’re not spring chickens anymore.

Vendor Tents Cape Charles Beach July 4th

Getting Ready For A Busy Day

Awoke on the 4th to stiffled giggles downstairs, where the kids were trying hard (and almost succeeding) to keep the sound levels to a low roar. A dash for the coffee pot, zip-zip for a breakfast of yogurt and sausage & egg biscuits, then out the door for adventures down the street as the artist’s tents and the bouncy house folks were being set up for what they hoped would be a profitable day. Food vendors were already bustling about, the Italian sausage guys busy slicing up mounds of onions and bell peppers to grill, delicious aromas starting to waft across the sidewalk even at that early hour. We poked our noses into everything, easy to do because we were more or less the first visitors on the scene. The kids got fixated on the possibility of a funnel cake later, I bought a light-weight hat with an amazingly wide brim and the biggest flap down the neck I ever saw, perfect for extra sunburn avoidance. We took a moment to say hi to Billie Crocket, a terrific local carver, and then back to the big front porch to settle down with a tall glass of lemonade awaiting the parade.

And Where Are The Clowns ? Send In The Clowns…

What I have always loved best about the Cape Charles 4th of July Parade is the active participation of so many folks in the Parade itself as well as a great turnout of spectators to cheer them on. Led by the Color Guard from the Cape Charles Coast Guard Station, followed by our first responders– fire truck after tanker truck after ladder truck after ambulance, full of volunteers from Fire and EMT Stations all over Northampton County, giving we the served a chance to cheer and wave to these folks who risk life and limb to help us everyday. And then the long procession, a whole array of organizations from Veterans to the Girl Scouts to the ESO Clown Troupe, followed by the Golf Cart Parade, this year with at least 30 gaily decorated golf carts full of waving people throwing candy to the crowd, followed by the Kid’s Bicycle Parade, with the Horse Parade bringing up the rear. So much participation, so much spirit, a joy to see, no apathy here, we love the Parade and the esprit de corps, it beats slick commercial floats a ten times over.

Tall ship at sunset in the Cape Charles VA Harbor on July 4th, 2013

Cape Charles Harbor At Sunset

After the Parade, a stroll down Bay Avenue, flowing with the crowd, snagging some of those aromatic grilled sausage/onion/bell pepper sandwiches, just generally enjoying the day until time for more splashing & laughing at the pool where one of the mothers took over kid supervision responsibilities and Hubby and I went back to the house for a well-deserved iced tea, just chilling out in an overstuffed chair, newspaper in hand, silently singing the praises of whatever brilliant person invented AC. Evening brought a spectacular sunset and some great “people watching” as still-decorated golf carts cruised merrily up and down the avenue, folks arrived to watch the fireworks from the beach, bikes and joggers silhouetted against a glowing sky of deep pinks and reds. Down at the harbor, white masts contrasted with the midnight blue sky. It was lovely, a truly wonderful day. Yet to come, the fireworks, this year a 30 minute display of grand explosions, a profusion of blazing flower patterns, brilliant petals glowing in bright reds, greens, golds, white. It was awesome ! The kids loved it, we loved it, the crowd loved it, a colorful and exciting end to another great 4th of July in Cape Charles, VA.

Tags: Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Events in Cape Charles, life on Virginia's Eastern Shore
Posted in At the Beach, Boating, Crafts, Entertainment, Events In Cape Charles, Fine and Casual Dining, Just Having Fun, Our Little Towns | No Comments »

TALL SHIPS AT CAPE CHARLES 2013 FESTIVAL ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA

June 27th, 2013 by Marlene email

Runners in the Great Bay Run in Cape Charles VA registering to participate

Last Chance To Register To Compete In Cape Charles Tall Ship Festival’s Great Bay Run

Eagerly awaited with much anticipation, Saturday June 15, 2013 saw the little Eastern Shore Virginia historic town of Cape Charles abuzz with events from the town center to the outer reaches of the Harbor. First off in the morning was The Great Bay Run, kick-off at 8:30. Organized by Blue Heron Realty Co. agent Eva Noonan and her friend Gary Hack, the Run was off to an early start by 7:30 am when participants could begin to sign in and receive their official PIB badges for either the 1.25 mile fun walk/run or for the more serious folks, the 5k event. Over 180 people registered, including kids of all ages, the young and young of heart, moms & dads pushing 3 wheel jogging strollers. Up and down Mason Avenue, in the heart of the Cape Charles historic area, guys and gals of all shapes and sizes gathered in little groups, stretching ham strings, doing warm-up deep knee bends, trying to get ready for the Run, psyching up in anticipation of a hard final push needed to cross over “the Hump”, the steep overpass above the railroad tracks near the finish line at the Marina.

Runners taking off from the starting line for the Great Bay Run

Wooosh, They Are Off !

By 8:15 am, runners were lined up clear across the road at the corner of Harbor and Mason Avenues, awaiting the starter’s gun to begin a course that would wind them down streets of Victorian and other historic homes, past views of sparkling sand dunes and shimmering blue Chesapeake Bay waters, on out to the finish line at the new marina. Then wooosh, they were off and I slipped over to the Cape Charles Harbor to await the first arrivals. I’m proud to say that of the 7 Blue Heron agents and/or their family members who ran this event, 3 won first or second place in their age group– go Herons, go ! In line with being a carefully budgeted event, the donated trophies were inscribed antique bottles and large shells– but winners were all proud smiles as they accepted their unique prizes. Everyone who finished the course got a colorful Great Bay Run T-Shirt as well as free after-the-race pizza and Coke to rebuild energy for the rest of the day’s fun. Race proceeds will be donated to the Leukemia Society and to Broadwater’s Track & Field Team.

The sailing ship "Alliance" moored at the Cape Charles Harbor for the Tall Ships Festival

The “Alliance” berthed in Cape Charles for the 2013 Tall Ship Festival

Next up, a stroll through the marina to see the Tall Ships in the soft morning light– we had brought the grandkids down at sunset Friday evening to enjoy the music events scheduled for the Harbor stage and view the ships, always interesting for young and old alike. Although our old friend, the tall ship Kalmar Nyckel, had earlier dropped in for an overnight anchorage, for the Festival weekend this year Cape Charles was host to the 97 ft. Sultana, a replica of a 1768 British schooner whose job was to enforce the tea taxes prior to the American Revolution, the 105 ft 3 masted schooner Alliance and the 126 ft Virginia, a replica of a harbor pilot boat used on the Bay in the early 1900’s. No matter how many of these replica ships I see I never cease to feel amazed that back in the day, 100 foot vessels like these routinely sailed across stormy oceans with nothing between them and disaster but a skilled captain ( hopefully) and sheer luck– no auxiliary engine, no GPS mapping, no radar, no depth finder, no marine weather service, no ship-to-shore radio and no rescue helicopters, just strong canvas sails, grit and determination. And a daily rum ration…… Each Festival ship offered deck tours as well as 2 hour day-sails out on the Chesapeake Bay, a great opportunity for landlubbers and sailors alike to enjoy a taste of maritime history. And the weather was so co-operative– cool temps, clear skies, steady breezes all weekend.

A Crunchy Waffle Cone Filled With Brown Dog’s Lush Ice Cream Is Not To Be Missed

Good food and plenty of it, paired with lots of music, is part of the secret to a good festival and there was plenty of both in Cape Charles. From BBQ ribs to Greek gyros, deep dish pizza to “Aden’s Dawgs”, washed down by everything from Kona ice to Bud Lite, plenty of variety was available to satisfy the ole taste buds. The Shanty, a great new-as-of- last-year seafood restaurant right at the edge of the water at the marina, was doing a landslide business. Huge platters of steamed hardshell crabs accompanied by luscious grilled corn on the cob were zooming out of the kitchen at the speed of light, I think the servers must have been wearing jet pacs they moved so fast ! Downtown, just a few minutes walk from the Harbor, Kelly’s Gingernut Pub was going full blast, the Cape Charles Coffee House had extra tables outside for al fresco dining and the Hardware store was putting on a “bring your own hot dogs” BBQ bash for friends and customers. But the really, really big smiles were coming from the folks leaving Brown Dog Ice Cream shop holding crunchy waffle cones stuffed full of the best ice cream I’ve had in a long time, made right on the premises. The only other thing I’ll say about Brown Dog is that when you’re in town next, try a scoop of their pina colada topped with a scoop of rum raisin. Double yum !

A Colonial Village at Tall Ship Festival in Cape Charles VA

Colonial Village- Fun & Educational

But my favorite events were back at the Festival grounds where a very talented group from Raleigh, NC, Historic Interpretations, Inc. teamed up with a group also from Raleigh, called the East Coast Pirate Crew, to set up a Colonial Village. Dressed to “kill”, the East Coast Pirates manned a ” pirate gear for sale” tent plus a tent featuring typical pirate weaponry as well as a display of the typical foodstuff found aboard a pirate ship, with members on hand interpreting same and offering samples of the 17th century on-board daily food staple called “hard tack”. ( No grog offerings though, a true pirate wouldn ‘t stand for that. ) Historic Interpretations program offerings were quite interesting, completely interactive, with all their members dressed in authentic period costume, looking great. The Village included a “typical Colonial kitchen” tent, complete with homemade strawberry and lemon cordials brewing, ( for which I got the recipe ), a games tent, herbs and medicines tent and 17th century “home ec” tent staffed by two very knowledgeable ladies who demonstrated weaving, embroidery , sewing and fashion tips of that era.

A Pannier To Increase Hip Widith Appearance Under Colonial dresses

Just what every modern woman wants– a pannier to make her hips look wider !

Probably doesn’t sound that interesting but it was really fascinating. The ladies had a large hunk of what I thought was spun wool but which was actually flax ready to be spun, then woven into linen cloth, which they demonstrated on a tiny portable loom. Wow, no wonder most folks back in the day had only 2 sets of clothes– at the most. Every woman had a ” housewife”, abbreviated to “hussif”, a cloth strip with multiple pockets on one side for important small implements such as scissors, pencil, glasses, etc., all expensive to replace. The hussif could then be rolled up tightly and stored in her sewing box which contained the rest of her sewing equipment. A typical box would hold lots of handmade sewing aids including a wooden “egg” for darning, a lump of beeswax to stiffen thread, a thimble made of horn, soapstone to mark lines on cloth, a cloth tape measure wound up in a casing made of a large nut shell, hoops of various sizes, and the list goes on and on. And the fashion accessories were pretty interesting too. Corsets were laced up with a long metal instrument called a bodkin. And if you’ve ever wondered how Colonial ladies managed to have a slender waist but appear as if they were four feet wide from hip to hip, well it was thanks to a “pannier”, a very narrow belt with two short cloth barrelly things hanging from each side to make the dress stand way out from the hips. Go figure !

The Festival was all this and so much more. Strolling musicians in town and at the Harbor, the Cape Charles Orchestra playing sea chanteys on Strawberry Street , sidewalk art, a Golf Cart Scavenger Hunt, helicopter rides all day long,Coast Guard water safety program, artists and artisans galore with lovely items for sale, a great display by the Waterman’s Association, an old time oyster “buy boat” at the marina. All capped off with the Pirates & Wenches Ball, everyone dressed in costume, dancing the night away, proceeds benefiting Cape Charles Central Park. But memories now– but we do have Tall Ships Festival 2014 to look forward to.

(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA. )

Tags: Cape Charles Virginia, Eastern Shore of Virginia, Events in Cape Charles, Tall sailing ship Kalmar Nyckel, Tall Ships Cape Charles Festival
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