Helping birds after the last leaf falls
As colder, shorter days and frostier nights arrive, some ruefully suggest that winter is “for the birds.” Turns out, when chilly winds blow, many Mid-Shore feathered backyard denizens do stick around. How do they fare foodwise during the colder months? And what’s the...
“Rock the red … sage’
Most vegetable gardens are dormant this time of year but Henriette den Ouden, University of Maryland Eastern Shore Specialty Herb Consultant, is harvesting a new plant in her test plot, red sage. “It’s neat,” den Ouden said. She lists the herb’s attractive flower in...
PHS releases top trends for 2022
While poring over catalogs of newly released plant introductions this winter, gardeners may be interested in a list of the top six gardening trends for 2022 released by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Founded in 1827, PHS is the internationally recognized...
Looking at the history of the winter white sale
(Editor’s note: DeeDee Wood is the owner of Black Cat Curiosities, an online antiques research and sales venue.) anuary brings snow, cold, and the end of the holiday season. Marketing techniques from 1878 are still utilized today, with the invention of the Winter...
Start 2022 strong with refreshers
Happy New Year everyone! Raise your hand if you are feeling a bit blue from the annual post-holiday letdown? It’s cold, I’m broke and my festive house feels a little empty without the lovely lights from my now-stored December decorations. It can be a struggle, to be...
Know how to handle winter chaos
Assess any chaos caused by winter weather throughout your yard. For instance, branches harmed by the elements should be carefully removed. Allowing broken limbs to stay intact encourages bark tearing. Always remove heavy snow from evergreens and shrubs, always...
What to do with post-holiday poinsettias?
Poinsettia plants are native to Mexico where they grow wild and tall and are often planted as colorful perennial hedges. Here on the Eastern Shore, the poinsettia is most often purchased as a winter holiday plant for its colorful bracts that blaze bright red, clear...
Think ‘local’ for holiday gift ideas
With so much talk of supply chain problems, product shortages and shipping delays, finding locally-made holiday gifts has even more appeal than it already had. There’s locally-run brick-and-mortar stores that have lots of options, and, best of all, you can walk out...
Peters jump at shot to get Pascal’s Chance
(This article is part of a series that spotlights historic houses in Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, Kent, and Queen Anne’s County. These homes have withstood the test of time and are being given new life by the younger generation that lives in them presently.) Dylan...
Authentic Teddy bears, fur real!
Laura Upham recalls a particular trip she and David McClain made a few years ago to sell furs from wildlife they had trapped. The prices for the pelts going to a wholesale trader were so dismal and had been for quite a while, it was making an Eastern Shore tradition...
