Due to unforeseen circumstances, there have been some changes to the Frederick Douglass Day celebrations.

Unfortunately, the Frederick Douglass Day Parade and the Outdoor Marketplace have been cancelled. However, the spirit of the event remains undeterred. The Welcome Ceremony has been relocated and will now take place at the Talbot County Free Library’s Meeting Room at 10:30 a.m.

For families attending, the Children’s Village activities have been moved indoors to the Talbot County Free Library’s children’s areas. Additionally, the Frederick Douglass Day Entertainment Stage performances will now be showcased at the Avalon Theatre, kicking off with the Easton Middle and Easton High School Bands at 12 Noon. They will be followed by performances from the Covenant Gospel Choir, Randall Butler, and Hip Hop Artist Baba Bomani.

Those looking forward to the lecture with Dr. Spires, it will proceed as planned at the Library at 1 p.m. Book enthusiasts can still catch Jeff McGuiness at Vintage Books and Fine Arts from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Dr. Robert Levine will be signing at Flying Cloud Booksellers at 11:30 a.m.

This marks the first time we’ve encountered unfavorable weather on Frederick Douglass Day. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dana Newman, Jessica Bellis, and Vickie Wilson for their generosity and swift action. Their efforts have ensured that only two activities were cancelled, and all other outdoor events could be moved indoors. We’re proud to say that Easton truly is a remarkable town.

September is the one month not named after a Roman deity and it is the only month with the same number of letters in its name as the number of the month (9). September derives its name from the Latin word “septum,” which means seven. In the original Roman calendar, September was the seventh month, later the calendar was adjusted to add January and February.

Sapphire is the birthstone of September. The calming energy of the Sapphire stone is a great healer, it helps to slow down the mind, serving as a natural relief for insomnia. Like other beautiful blue gemstones, the Sapphire is connected to the throat and third eye chakras. The throat chakra is essential in learning how to communicate our truth and the third eye chakra is all about spiritual communication and intuition. Sapphire is a stone that promotes clear and positive thinking when following the path of your dreams.

Virgo is the sixth sign of the zodiac whose mascot is the maiden. The maiden pays homage to Virgo’s hardworking nature. Virgos have a tendency to be purely practical and very logical in their thinking. Virgos are kind, have positive energy and are great at problem solving. Virgo as an earth sign takes a lot of comfort, cleansing, and calm from healing crystals. Virgos make the best friends as they are fiercely loyal and they have a huge heart space which makes for strong connections.

September 15 is the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month, an annual celebration in the United States that honors the history, culture, and contributions of Americans whose ancestry can be traced to Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Spain. September 15 was chosen as the kickoff date since it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of Costa Rico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, followed by Mexico on September 16, Chile on September 18, and Belize on September 21.

The idea to celebrate Hispanic History began as a week long observance in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was later extended to a full month twenty years later by President Ronald Reagan.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the Hispanic or Latine population hit 62.1 million, making this community the largest minority group in America. Although they are used interchangeably, the terms “Hispanic” and “Latino” have different meanings. Hispanic refers to someone who comes from or is a descendant of a Spanish speaking country, whereas Latino or Latina (or the gender neutral Latine) refers to someone who comes from or is a descendent of any Latin American country.

My sixth grade teacher had been a Peace Corps volunteer in Venezuela so the Hispanic Heritage celebration in our class was memorable. My teacher, wearing the traditional ruffled dress, put her oil filled, electric skillet on her desk and fried empanadas, plantains, and sopapillas. Everything was delicious. We had spent days making a brightly colored piñata and had great fun bashing it with a broom.

My kindergarten class this year will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by exploring Alebrijes. Alebrijes are strange, fantastical animals such as a lion with an eagle’s head and a donkey with butterfly wings. Years ago, my youngest son created an alebrijes, he drew the head of a cat and the body of a caterpillar, it was so amazing that we framed his drawing and had t-shirts made with the image. Alebrijes came from the imagination of Pedro Linares. Mexican artists, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo made alebrijes popular and they are now a form of Mexican folk art.

While we should never wait for an annual event or holiday to celebrate someone’s ethnic background, Hispanic Heritage Month is a great opportunity to honor the respective cultures and ancestral backgrounds of Latine and Hispanic Americans.

The 600 and 700 blocks of Locust Street date back to the late 18th century. One home belonged to a Maryland governor, another to the first president of the National Bank of Cambridge. At least two houses were designed by prolific local architect J. Benjamin Brown. Beyond Choptank Avenue, Locust was once the driveway to the 100-acre Oakley Farm.

Black Water Bakery is launching plans to expand its restaurant space in downtown Cambridge. With newly installed window graphics announcing the news, construction is slated to begin this fall. Known for its friendly, welcoming feel, Black Water has been a downtown staple for coffee, locally sourced breakfast and lunch, and made-in-house baked goods since it opened its doors in 2017. 

The expansion will double the indoor seating area from about 40 to 80 and allow more space for Black Water’s pastry chef to create pastries, artisan breads, custom wedding cakes, and more. The main entrance and existing area will remain largely as they are now, but will open into a 2,200-square-foot space next door that can be used for general seating or private events.

“We’re thrilled that we’ll be able to accommodate more people,” said Jamie Summers, who owns the bakery with her husband Brett Summers. “Now we end up turning people away because we don’t have enough space.”  

With Christine Dayton Architects as the architect and Hill-Kimmel Contracting as the contractor, the expanded space should be ready to welcome customers by mid-2024, Jamie said. “We’ll still have the same eclectic, cool vibe where people love to gather and hang out,” she added.  One fun feature will be a refurbished, classic phone booth that once stood at the original High Spot, a much beloved eatery for generations located a few blocks from Black Water. 

The expansion project is being partially funded by a Project Restore grant through ​the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Project Restore is a program developed during the Hogan Administration to provide financial support to existing or new businesses to incentivize commercial investment in vacant retail and commercial properties. 

“We ask the community to be patient with us as we activate another vacant retail space in downtown Cambridge,” said Jamie, referring to the six buildings the couple has transformed with thoughtful, historically accurate restorations. “We’re continuing to improve Cambridge one space, one building at a time. As 23-year ‘locals,’ we’re very passionate about Cambridge. It’s such a great place.” 

Black Water Bakery is located at 429 Race St., Cambridge, MD. Find out more at black-water-bakery.com. 

 

 

The Washington Post this morning released an extensive profile of Eastern Shore artist Jason Patteson and his longtime interest in state flags and their confederate roots. Serving now as interim deputy director of Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, Paterson critiques flags that still show the legacy of slavery, including the beloved Maryland flag.

Read the full story here (a paywall may exist for some readers):

 

 

The Romanesque Revival-style Dorchester National Bank building on High Street was originally built as a single-story structure in 1889, making it Cambridge’s oldest surviving bank building. Its first president was former Governor Henry Lloyd. In 1908, local architect J. Benjamin Brown added a second floor and attic, and he enlarged the building further in 1915. The building is reputed to be haunted by bank president George W. Woolford, who died in October 1929. It formerly housed the Richardson Maritime Museum.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is pleased to announce the expansion of its on-water experience offerings through the acquisition of the cruise boat PATRIOT, which has been docked at CBMM’s waterfront for decades.

Effective immediately, CBMM assumes day-to-day operations of the 65-foot, two-level vessel modeled to resemble a Chesapeake Bay steamboat that has offered guests scenic cruises of the Miles River since 1990. All reservations will be honored, with the current staff remaining in place.

“We are absolutely thrilled to add PATRIOT to the CBMM family,” CBMM President & CEO Kristen Greenaway said. “Given PATRIOT’s impeccable reputation and ability to give access to the Miles River to 20,000 guests per year, the acquisition of the vessel is a key addition to delivering our mission. We appreciate previous owners Robin and John Marrah with entrusting us to steward PATRIOT into its next chapter and wish them all the best.”

Adding PATRIOT is a natural step for CBMM as it has been a fixture of St. Michaels Harbor and CBMM partner, dating back to 1969 when Jim Heikes refitted a wooden fishing boat as a cruise vessel named PATRIOT.

Today, PATRIOT has the capacity to provide tours for up to 149 passengers. The enclosed main deck offers climate-controlled comfort, while the top deck is partially covered by a canopy. It’s the perfect setting to enjoy breathtaking views while learning local history from experienced guides.

“Robin and I have been blessed for almost 14 years of ownership of the PATRIOT,” John Marrah said. “It has been a huge part of our lives in St. Michaels, and we truly believe that CBMM is the best new home where the PATRIOT will thrive. We have valued our relationship with Kristen Greenaway and the CBMM team for many years and are thrilled that the PATRIOT is in their loving hands.”

CBMM has long prioritized offering its guests opportunities to experience the Miles River on the water.

In recent years, many of those cruises were offered on its passenger-carrying buyboat Winnie Estelle, and with that venerable vessel undergoing maintenance this year, CBMM has added Harbor Highlights Cruises aboard other vessels in its historic floating fleet. More offerings are also on the horizon aboard its newest buyboat, Choptank.

With PATRIOT, CBMM’s short-term focus will be to finish the season strong while beginning to explore the long-term opportunities that the acquisition provides.

Guests can continue to book tours online at patriotcruises.com or buy tickets from the booth adjacent to the dock through Oct. 22.

Right now, Narrated Historical Cruises are offered seven days per week, plus Island Music Cocktail Cruises on select weekend days. Adults and seniors will continue to receive a $3 discount off CBMM general admission by showing their PATRIOT ticket.

The second Cambridge High School opened on School Street in 1929. The building was severely damaged by fire in September 1935, and the students temporarily moved back to the Seminary, which had been the first high school. Cambridge-South Dorchester HS opened in September 1976, and the old high school building became the home of Cambridge Middle School until 1984, when much of the structure was demolished. What remained became the Dorchester Family YMCA.

Peak viewing season for the “naked eye” giant planets continues this month, with Saturn visible all night, Jupiter, rising later, dominating the eastern sky before dawn. Meantime, Venus becomes even brighter in the early morning sky, and by the end of September will be joined by Mercury.

Saturn, which just passed opposition August 27th, remains at its best visibility for 2023 all month among the dim stars of zodiac constellation Aquarius. From the southeastern sky at sunset it appears due south by midnight early in September. By the end of the month it will be due south by 10 p.m. On September 23rd the growing gibbous Moon will appear just below Saturn.

Jupiter rises around 10 p.m. in early September and it will be well up in the eastern sky by 10 p.m. by September 30th. Among the faint star of Aries the ram it is unmistakable. Both Jupiter and Saturn are beautiful in small telescopes all month.

Venus is so bright in the eastern sky and hour and a half before dawn that it cannot be mistaken. On September 11th a very thin crescent Moon appears just above the planet an hour before the Sun rises. Mercury rises above the eastern horizon too, brightening all the while from September 6th to September 22nd, gaining altitude steadily. It does not get as high as Venus but it can be found below Venus 30 minutes before sunrise on September 29th.

The autumnal equinox is marked on September 23rd when the Sun appears above the Celestial Equator (the equator of the sky). At that time the Sun at noon will be found exactly 50 degrees above the southern horizon. Thereafter with each passing day the Sun will appear below the sky’s equator until it reaches its lowest point at Winter Solstice (solstice means “Sun stop.”) on December 22nd. For us then, at 39 degrees North Latitude, the Sun will only be 26 1/2 degrees above the southern horizon at noon.

Look nearly overhead September nights and spot Vega (in Lyra the harp), the brightest star of summer. Cast your eyes left (east) to another bright star Deneb (in Cygnus the Swan); and then down to find Altair, brightest star in Aquila the eagle. Then look back up to Vega. You will have traced the “Summer Triangle” —– a beautiful asterism formed by these 3 first magnitude stars. It will remain visible, appearing to move into the west as we move into fall and on into Early December.