Artful pumpkins are a touch of glass
Fall is forever pumpkin season. But handcrafting, instead of planting, creates some of today’s hottest varietals, harvested from molten glass, plush velvet and sparkling Swarovski crystals. From the Corning Museum of Glass in New York to the Morton Arboretum in...
Espalier fruit trees definitely worth the fruits of the labor
When apple season arrives, the dream of enjoying one’s very own apple orchard often beckons. That dream may seem out of reach to those with downsized yards, but it doesn’t have to be. With recent talk of food scaping, it’s worth exploring a vintage version of edible...
There’s no shortage of ghost walk tours in Shore’s older towns
Leading up to Halloween, houses, meeting halls, corn mazes and woodland trails get converted to fright-filled fall events with plastic masks, fake blood and any other manner of deceptive gore. But the creepy histories of some of the oldest towns on the Eastern Shore...
The Joy of Sedum
The succulents known as sedums are renowned for bringing joy to even the least practiced gardener. Available in about 500 varieties, they’re among the most fuss-free florae to grow and care for, easy-going about soil type and water required (as succulents, they carry...
Critters have ways of finding survival mode for cold weather
When you hear the word hibernation do you automatically envision a bear gorging himself on salmon in preparation for the long winter months ahead? Afterwards, he will retreat into his warm cave to sleep away the season and emerge much thinner and simply famished as...
Learn how you can can fall’s bounty
With Labor Day coming relatively early this year, thoughts have quickly moved from care-free summer fun to back-to-school nights, pumpkin spice lattes, and fall harvest festivals. For some, Labor Day may even signal the imminent closing of your local farmers’ market —...
‘It’s perfect:’ Lister running on wings of her two passions
At the end of last year, Jessica Lister was searching for a race. An avid runner and obstacle course racer, Lister wanted to find a race she could zero in on with a singular focus. When she came across an article announcing the Monarch Ultra Run, it was as if she had...
Get to the root of the matter
Summer is a time of good intentions — but it’s also just too good a time to be either busy exploring or busy being lazy. If you are headed back from (finally) putting your kids on the bus and notice the sad, root-bound plants left in your mudroom, don’t worry — you...
Allergens: Blame it on the boys
Autumn will be strutting herself soon in breath-taking splendor. Along with those colors however, for many people, comes the sneezing, wheezing, coughing and spitting caused by allergies. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, up to 40...
Yard Sale Confidential: Cambridge edition
t’s 8 a.m., another sultry summer Saturday in Cambridge. But the blazing sun’s no problem for the yard sale faithful, eager to scavenge for “fresh stuff.” Most have been at it since 7 a.m. for first crack at the “best stuff.” On this particular morning I rejoined...
Tilghman Islanders have pick of crop
Enthusiasm does not begin to describe what Kathy Pearson exudes while talking about the community gardens she tends at Phillips Wharf Environmental Center on Tilghman Island. “This is the first time I’ve actually done box gardening,” she says. “And I am now looking...
Make that beach vibe last forever
At the end of the summer, chances are, there are sandy seashells stuck in your beach bag, cubbies of your car and other inconspicuous places little hands may drop them. Instead of setting your treasures aside, spend those last sweet days of summer making them into a...
Conservation goes to the dogs
Police and the military have long deployed dogs’ enhanced sense of smell to locate people, cadavers, drugs, weapons and explosives. Health care professionals, too, have brought canine olfactory capabilities into service while sniffing out diseases. Now, dog noses are...
Seeking shade from the sun
With the sweltering, record-setting heat of the summer, homeowners are seeking an effective and essential solution. According to James Curdts of Chesapeake Awnings in Easton “business is going through the roof.” Awnings are in fashion again. The most used material is...
Lavender as useful as its loveliness
Lavender is one of the most popular of all herbs for the fragrance of its dried flowers and the oil distilled from them. It is used most often in sachets, perfumes, and baking as its aroma is touted for its relaxing powers over the senses and the body. As summer...
Cambridge rain gardens rein in runoff
On summer Sunday evenings it may seem to take forever, traveling Route 50 West from Cambridge to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, but eventually you get there. The slow, steady drip of cars creeping towards the Bay may be a source of frustration to weekend beach commuters....
Looking beyond nature’s shapes
Creative people tend to see things differently. I can attest to that, since I consider myself one of them. Something that may look rather ordinary to most could be perceived as a thing of beauty by the artist — just waiting to be painted or photographed. Artists are...
Walbridge gardens through all of life’s seasons
On an unseasonably chilly May morning 100-year-old Ellen Walbridge had just returned to The Dixon House, a historic assisted living residence in Easton from her daily walk with her son. She recently suffered a broken hip and therefore wasn’t quite up to as long a walk...
Garden refresher: ‘New to you’ or tried-and-true?
Summer is here and gardens are blooming! Color brings gardens and exteriors to life and it’s not just the landscaping! Simple materials can turn the garden into a wonderland of joy! One of the most significant trends in landscaping and gardening for 2019 is keeping...
Peter principle: Tiny houses is a big idea
In his 35 years building custom homes, Mike Peter of Centreville has had a lot of unique projects. Over the past winter, Peter said he added a tiny house to that list when the carpenter took on the project to challenge himself after seeing the small dwellings featured...
Family marks 90 years of Hemming and hoeing at Eastern Shore Nurseries
You’ll likely find it difficult to narrow down your choices from among nearly 30,000 beautiful plants at Eastern Shore Nurseries in Easton. The last retail nursery in Talbot County, Eastern Shore Nurseries has been serving gardeners in the tri-county area for 90...
