Weekend Fast Foward

I've started to write this entry, or continue with it a half dozen times now - and have just not been able to put the words down. By now, last weekend is nearly a week ago -


Labor Day Weekend - Ah, a time to head for the houseboat and hope Hurricane Earl would stay well off the coast of New Jersey. My parents planned to meet me there after taking the Cape May - Lewes Ferry across the opening of the Delaware Bay. My dad is crazy like that. As it turned out - the hurricane caused the cancellation of a number of ferry crossings that day, but not the one my folks were on. My mom said the boat was "rocking and rolling", and my dad was just disappointed, saying "it was like riding across a mill pond". They go see movies at theaters and come out with contradicting reviews too - so you just never know with those two.

I left work a little early on Friday and got down to the wharf in time to shop at the ship's store - unfortunately they were fresh out of Chicken Necks. Chicken Necks are used as bait for Maryland's famous Blue Claw Crabs. The nearby hurricane meant the skies were gloomy and there were short periods of drizzle but not much wind - perfect conditions for catching some crabs -


Failing to get the chicken necks, I decided to take a swim. I had the whole pool to myself - as everyone else seemed to be busy crabbing or battening down their hatches.


I was happy to see Barley's head pop up when I walked to down the dock. This little dog is so ridiculously cute and so ridiculously friendly. I find myself asking his mom if I can take him for a walk and just pat him silly.


Speaking of cute dogs, I spotted this one in the Chestertown Farmer's Market. Tori Z's Kero dog! I didn't buy the little stool but I did buy some cucumbers, tomatoes, and some eggplants. I love cucumbers and eggplant. I'm rather fond of Kero too!


Down the street from the Farmer's Market is the Chestertown Town Dock. This dock is open to public and sailors come ashore in dingys from their boats tied at moorings in the middle of the river. This year's crop of ducks and geese was a good one. I watched a little boy fearlessly throw popcorn to a goose that was easily 6 inches taller than he was. I think his mom was going hysterical as the goose made threating moves and rather odd noises, but he just stuck to eating the popcorn at his feet.

Having an extra day down at the wharf meant having some time to explore some of the adjoinign countryside. One such place is down the Chester River around a bend in the river that is home to Camp Pecometh called Spanish Neck. Spanish Neck is a peninsula formed by the confluence of the Chester and Corsica Rivers. On it lies a 758-acre farm named Conquest and a Conquest Beach park. The farm dates back to 1669 and a land grant by Lord Calvert, the founder of the state of Maryland.

For some interesting but confusing history of the area, go (here).


At any rate, I was surprised to encounter some buffalo while walking along an equestrian trail near the beach. I don't know if many of you recall the movie, "Bless the Beast and the Children" with its haunting "Cotton's Theme" but it popped into my head then and hung around for awhile. "Cotton's Theme" was later revised slightly and called "Nadia's Theme" for the Olympic gold-medal winning gymnast from Romania.

After a pleasant 3 mile stroll through the countryside at Conquest Beach and another 3 mile stroll at Adkins Arboretum, I had worked up and appetite so I headed to the wharf with high hopes...


...that there would be some steamed crabs to be had! And corn on the cob! Yummy!

I must admit the very first person that ate a crab must of been very, very hungry indeed... I can imagine his (or hers) surprise when they found out how good these taste!

Liisa and Ted, the couple in the boat next door - have caught hundreds of crabs this summer. She was saying she's used every crab recipe she knows to prepare them!


After I ate, I felt like Barley... ...it was time to take a pleasant snooze in the warm afternoon sun.