Shore Secrets Magazine

Transcription

Summer
2009
Complimentary Edition
Shore
Secrets
Beauty, Style and A Place to Call
Home
Magazine
New Sunset Bay community offers beautiful
and exciting options for residents.
Motorcycle Rally
Beach Weddings
Find out how tradition can combine with
simple beauty for a day you’ll never forget.
A day filled with fun, games and the
best of food and entertainment.
Behind the Racks
Stay tuned for an exciting new and
entertaining venue this year.
Recreation, Dining, Events, Entertainment, Local Features, and More
Surgery
Dental Care
Skin Problems
Pain Management
Prescription Diets
Pharmacy
Labwork
Ultrasounds
Preventive Health Care
Emergency Care
Radiology
Microchipping
Injured Wildlife
Boarding
Grooming
Day Care
We're Ready When You Are!
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 6::00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
757-442-3150
34424 Lankford Highway • Painter
Official Veterinarian for the Chincoteague Ponies!
www.esanimalhospital.com
FEATURES INCLUDE:
Outdoor Swimming Pool, Community Exercise
Room, Private Boat Slips, Deep Water Marina,
Scenic Views, Low Property Taxes. Old Town
Chincoteague, Restaurants, Shopping and
State Parks just minutes away
757.336.1515
6321 CAPTAINS LANE, CHINCOTEAGUE, VA 23336
Shore
Secrets
Magazine
Published and Designed by:
Page
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Little Town With Big Plans
Learn about some of the exciting plans going on in Exmore, a town with amazing energy
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Eastern Shore Motorcycle Rally
Games, contests, prizes, live music and more. A day that is sure to be a treat for the whole family
Pony Penning
Shore Designs
Watching these majestic ponies swim in the early morning light is a sight you’ll always remember
757-768-7828
PO Box 876
Accomac, VA
shoresecrets@verizon.net
Jane Lucy
Lennie Bowe
Sales & Editorial Assistant Kanen Matthews
Thanks to everyone who contributed to Shore Secrets.
This publication would not be possible without the overwhelming support and help of my family and friends.
It is truly a testament to their dedication. Thank you.
Photo Credits:
Lennie Bowe • Jane Lucy • Kanen Matthews
Shore Secrets is published four times a year. Reproduction of any
editorial material or photos is strictly prohibited without
written consent of the publisher. Shore Designs has made
every effort to ensure the accuracy of all
content in this magazine, however, we cannot be responsible
for omissions, deletions or misprints.
Designs
Shore
Graphic Design • Web Design
Advertising • Promotional Materials
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The Little City That Was
I’ve long been fascinated by the “ghost town” of Franklin City, join me as I meet with some amazing folk to learn more of the history there.
A Taste of Passion
Tucked away in the little strip mall in Onley, this restaurant provides a feast for the soul as well as the palate.
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Sunset Bay A Place to Call Home
Spacious and bright, with spectacular views, you find small town charm with all the luxuries.
Memories to Last a Lifetime
Who needs Vegas when we have our very own Beach Weddings ceremonies available right here..
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Behind the Racks
North Street Market serves up some amazing food, offers delectable cheese and wines, but what you really take away from your experience there will last a lifetime
Gun Rights Are Non-Negotiable
Our personal take on this controversial issue of today
Dear Readers,
I want all of you to know how very much we have
enjoyed the last six months, and how excited we are to
be moving forward. We have grown much quicker than
I ever dreamed, and you have made that possible. We
offer you stories of the Shore written from our hearts;
our goal is to present the beauty and quality of life we
are so fortunate to have here. Someone asked Kanen the
other day just why we were doing this, and she quickly
replied almost without thinking “Because everyone has
a story.” And there it is - the towns, the people, the way
of life, all stories just waiting to be told. Thank you for
allowing us the opportunity to do that.
Jane, Jay, Lennie and Kanen
A Love Of People Inspires Local Business Owner
It struck me as I was sitting back one afternoon trying to think
about the businesses along the Shore that I considered to be “icons” of
our lives here, it dawned on me that sometimes, it’s not the business
but rather the person that is the icon. And I suppose it was only natural
for my thoughts to immediately drift towards Paula Belote, owner of
What’s Your Fancy, in Parksley. For you see, if one were to ask me
to describe Paula, I would immediately utter the single word “sweet”.
But almost as quickly, I would rethink my description and say no, it
would be “genuine”. Yet, that’s not quite right either. A multitude of
adjectives run through my mind: honest, energetic, dedicated, sincere,
and of course, most assuredly accommodating. Yet none seem to
be enough in and of themselves; yet somewhere in that assortment
of mere words, you’ll find Paula, and when you do, she’ll make you
smile.
When I first moved to Parksley, Paula ran the now extinct Sears
Catalog Store. For those of you who remember the familiar Sears
Catalogs, then you will understand what I mean when I say it was
everyone’s best friend. And for those of you who weren’t old enough
to experience the phenomena, I truly feel sorry for you. The Sears
Catalog was the one book that occupied a prime spot on everyone’s
book shelf. The kids would fight over it, eventually giving in and
sharing a rare moment of compatibility, sometimes going three or
four hours without fighting and screaming at each other. Christmas
lists were made from these cherished books, birthdays, anniversaries,
redecorating tasks, lawn decorating, remodeling; there was absolutely
nothing that couldn’t be found there. And the best part of all, we
never had to leave the house to shop, each item was selected and then
delivered promptly to the little store downtown; there was no fighting
the crowds or trying to search for that elusive parking spot. Each year,
we all waited anxiously for our copy to arrive, and I remember on the
very rare occasion that a copy wasn’t in our box, I would make the
drive down to the store to ensure I could pick one up before they all
disappeared like some sort of magical trinket. And so, knowing how
important these books were to us, it is perhaps easy to understand
how the local “Sears Lady” would quickly become your friend.
One of the very first things I remember about Paula is that she
was always smiling. I remember thinking to myself that it is absolutely
impossible to be that happy all of the time, but with Paula, the smile
was always genuine, the welcome a heartfelt one. “I love people” Paula
explains “I love working in retail, enjoy being out in the public everyday.”
Paula has been on the Shore since 1950, almost her whole life.
She married a local boy, Sam Belote, and they made Parksley their
home for over 26 years. In 1979, Paula was working at Bloxom Auto
Supply when they got the phone call about the possibility of taking
over the Sears store. “I couldn’t believe it” Paula says “I didn’t think we’d
stand a chance.” Yet, not only did they get the call, but they purchased
the business from Helen Weisenburg, and quickly made the Sears store
her own. “It was so different then” Paula explains “all of this was storage,
that room over there was nothing but kitchen appliances.” You can see her
reminiscing fondly as she pulls out memory after memory.
Then one day, after dedicating herself to the little store for over
twelve years, a customer telephoned Paula at the store. “They told me
we were closing, they’d heard it on the radio” Paula explained, still obviously
shocked by the unexpected news “That’s the first we’d heard of it, but it
was true, they were phasing out all the Sears Catalog Stores. They gave us until
June.”
Paula had no idea what she was going to do, and very little time to
think about it. “I knew I wanted to stay in retail” she went on “And so, we
Shore Secrets Summer 2009
just started throwing some ideas together.” And with that, the present shop,
What’s Your Fancy was born. ”My customers were wonderful; everyone gave
me ideas and suggestions and really helped us.”
In my description of Paula, did I mention tenacious? Well, she
is certainly that and more. “We’ve tried a lot of different products” Paula
explains “Some of them have worked and we’ve stuck with – like our Vera
Bradley line that we’ve carried since day one. Other things, like the Beanie Babies,
we’ve had to eventually let go.” Paula laughed as she remembered the
obsession with Beanie Babies that lasted almost ten years. “We sold so
many of them, people absolutely loved them. I remember when a new bear would
be introduced, there would be people lined up down the sidewalk waiting to get in
and get one before they were all gone. We had to limit them, only one to a customer.
They were a lot of fun, I really enjoyed dealing with them.”
The small store offers an amazing display of both personal and gift items, one
could get lost perusing the shelves for hours.
Now, the little store has an assortment of items that truly needs
to be seen to be believed. Vera Bradley takes up the left hand corner as
you walk in the door, purses, straw hats, even flip flops in her signature
colors and styles are lined up with meticulous care. “Vera Bradley is
fun too” Paula says “I get a lot of pleasure in dealing with her merchandise, it’s
such an amazing quality, and there is always something new and fun to offer.”
Over to the right, you’ll find beautiful wind chimes, delicately painted
trays with matching linen placemats, an assortment of wedding
gifts and items, baby items, greeting cards, candies, lovely delightful
jewelry, personalized garden and house signs, even some unique and
exceptional walking canes. There are even a few antiques scattered
throughout for sale as Paula shows me a particularly interesting oak
piece in the corner that she’s never quite been able to figure out the
purpose of. “I don’t know, it has a groove here along the top, I just have no
idea, but it’s just beautiful, we’ve always liked it.” Perhaps one of my favorite
items are the rustic looking crocks and assorted items that proudly
boast the names of the many towns scattered along the Shore. “You can
get them in almost any style you want” Paula elaborates “there are coffee mugs,
little crocks, big crocks, pitchers, and you can have them personalized, they will put
a picture of your pet, your house, anything you want on them.” She laughs and
shows me a “one of a kind” large crock sitting proudly on display near
the front of her store. “This is truly one of a kind” she laughs “I don’t
know how I missed it, but when I sent in the order, Wachapreague was spelled
incorrectly. There’ll never be another one like it!”
Towards the back of the store, there was a display of what looked
to be pewter, but Paula explained that it is in fact, Eurocraft, and can
Page 3
be put in the oven, dishwasher, and is really popular as wedding gifts.
There was a stunning display of the spellbinding Badash crystal, and
further along, you will find enchanting pottery, such as the former Dovis
pottery and the popular Romanique line, created in Wilmington, DE.
“We also offer some pieces by Vesna Zidovec of Exmore” Paula says picking
up an exquisite example of local pottery. There are tables filled with
captivating baskets of assorted soaps and the popular Yankee Candles,
and it is obvious that Paula enjoys putting these displays together, her
keen sense of color and skillful eye for design show beautifully among
the assorted items carefully resting on the tables. “We are one of the few
places where you can get these candles” Paula offers, pointing towards a rich,
dark wooden rack, filled to capacity with candles of every color and
scent imaginable “Yankee makes such a great candle, I truly enjoy them” It
begins to dawn on me that Paula stocks the little shop only with things
she dearly loves and enjoys herself, and how could one not appreciate
her remarkable presentation of such attractive yet diverse items?
The enchanting line of Willow Tree figurines has always been a personal favorite
of mine, each tiny figure representing something truly unique.
Not wanting to get distracted, I continue moving along, taking
in the rich looking wooden ware, exquisite artwork lining the walls,
picture frames, paperweights, the wonderfully rich Camille Beckman
hand lotions. There was a magnificent table full of books of both
local interest, such as regional cookbooks, and also local authors such
as the intriguing Curtis Badger and Jack Mason books. A selection of
the locally made Moonrise Jewelry was displayed along one wall, and a
new candle, Woodwick, proudly lined another shelf. “They are made with
wooden wicks” Paula explained “the wick pops and crackles as it burns, people
really like them.” There was so much to see, I was certain I was going to
miss something! “Here” Paula hands me a very odd shaped, obviously
hand carved wooden utensil “that’s a fudge cutter, Tom Reed from Indiana
hand carves all of these really unique but useful tools, and I just think they’re so
interesting, what a truly one of a kind gift they make! Supposeduly, some of his
utensils are even at the White House and Buckingham Palace.” A customer
walked in, heading straight towards a colorful display of clear plastic
tumblers. Paula walked over to help her, and I stood back, listening to
the conversation with curiosity. “I need one of these with initials on it” the
woman explained “my niece is graduating, and she just loves these, this was one
of the main things on her gift list.” Finishing up, Paula explained that the
Tervis Tumblers were really popular with everyone. “You can have them
personalized with names or initials, schools, logos, almost anything, and they come
in all different sizes, they’re just a lot of fun.” There was that word again,
fun. Paula used it a lot and I began to notice that where most people
gripe about having to get up and go to work each day, Paula meant
every word she said from the bottom of her heart, to her, this was just
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“fun”.
Paula noticed me standing in front of a small rack where dozens
of rustic, intricate figures were displayed in beautiful fashion. “I love
the Willow Tree line” Paula explains “Each one has its own meaning, and
although they can fit so many different occassions, each one is made personal by
the person who chooses to give it to you and their own meaning behind it.” I
smiled, remembering the beautiful figurine my son had given me last
Christmas of the mother holding her small son to her chest. I could
only nod, knowing exactly what she meant.
I almost missed the back room, but then a metal advertising tray,
boasting the Morton Salt Girl caught my eye, something my daughter
has been collecting for years. Stepping into the smaller room, I am
once again amazed at the amount of diversity of the various items
before me. I suppose one could best describe the little back room as
the “kitchen gadget” room, yet there was much, much more. “The OXO
gadgets are just wonderful” Paula hands me a can opener with a particularly
large rubber handle “this is what began them all, they came up with an opener
with a big soft rubber handle that was easier for older people to use, and it just
went from there, now they offer all of this.” There was an unusual angled
measuring cup, and Paula explains that the measurement is visible as
you look into the cup, eliminating having to bend over and peer along
the side to determine if you have the proper measurement or not.
Cookbooks, Chantal cookware, knives, and more filled the room with
an exciting array to compliment even the most seasoned chef ’s taste.
Off to the side, a display of wool cleaning items such as dusters and
mittens caught my eye. “Aren’t they fantastic” Paula says “They are made of
lambs’ wool. You just pick it up and the dust goes right to it, they work so well.”
As we moved back towards the front of the store, I gave Paula a
list of items that I wanted to purchase when I came back. “I am going to
get in way to much trouble in this store, I love absolutely everything!” I laughed.
Paula just smiled, that genuine, heartfelt smile of hers, the one that
had made me originally think of the word “sweet” to define her. “Oh we
won’t let you get in trouble.” Paula paused for a moment and then added
“You know, people keep asking me if I’m going to retire, but I’m just not ready
yet. I like it here, I love the people, and I know I would miss that.”
Of Parksley in particular, she is very enthusiastic in her praise
of the little town “Parksley is a great town. There are wonderful people here,
wonderful businesses, its such a great community; we have so much to offer people
here.” Smiling, I asked perhaps what I considered to be the most
important question of all, considering her tenacity as a business owner
in a small town. “What’s been the best thing about all of this?” Paula looked
at me almost questioningly, as if surely I shouldn’t have to ask that.
“I’ve just enjoyed it. I enjoy the people in the store, I enjoy dealing with the public, I
just simply enjoy all of it.” And there it was again, that elusive quality that
I couldn’t quite put into words. But whatever it is, Paula personifies it,
and maybe that’s just it – maybe its not a specific quality, maybe its just
Paula herself.
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from 11:00 AM till sold out!
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across from Royal Farms, Parksley
for more info: www.parksleyvfc.org
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Saturday - Sunday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
757-442-4484
3257 Main Street Exmore
A Progressive Town In Which To Live And Shop.
Choosing a home means more than
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Quaint shops. Delectable dining. Rich history and
heritage. Home. For more information, call 665-4618.
www.parksley.org
Page 5
A Little Town With Big Plans
Sometimes, some of the very best things in life are right under
your nose, and you don’t even realize it. And so it was when I walked
into Dave’s Service Center in Exmore, completely unprepared for
what I was about to discover. Dave opened his business there on Main
Street seven years ago, after having worked in the service department
at Midway Chevrolet for fifteen years, and another five at Pomoco
Ford in Cape Charles. “I just decided I wanted to be closer to home, that it was
time to go out on my own.” Dave, who was born and raised in Exmore,
and served on the town council for twelve years says. When Dave
first looked at the property, it had been empty for several years and
was pretty much a mess. “You could see the sky right through the roof of the
building” he laughs. Dave showed me a model of a 1950’s gas station
“This is what we used to create my shop. This is my playroom.” Looking
around, you can understand what he means. There are old oil bottles
and advertising items lining the shelves. An antique, 1940’s gas pump
stands proudly at the end of the counter, and there are advertising jars
from Lance on one end of a shelf. “I have a collection of Hess trucks that
my father in law has given me. He gives me one every year for Christmas, and I’ve
been married for 25 years and I have one for every single year I’ve been married.”
Beside the trucks is a collection of local advertising paraphernalia;
signs, calendars, a pair of salt and pepper shakers from the old Exmore
Esso. You could spend hours pouring through the items there and still
miss something!
“I love doing business in Exmore” Dave says of the town. “We are
centrally located, only a half hour to forty-five minutes from anywhere on the
Shore. We are close to all of the major industries, the hospital, schools, we just
have it all.” As we’re talking, yet another customer walks in complaining
of air conditioning problems with his car. “I can’t see you until Friday”
Dave apologizes “Booked up ‘till then, what time do you want to bring it in?”
After he’s scheduled the appointment, he explains to me that they run
through ten to fifteen cars every day in the little shop, an impressive
number for only 3 employees.
The town of Exmore does indeed have much to offer. A central
hub on the Shore, businesses are relocating to Exmore and succeeding,
despite the current economic struggles of most of the nation. “We
have a little of everything here” Dave elaborates “We’ve got two grocery stores,
three hotels, quite a few restaurants and a brand new one just getting ready to open
up out on Rt. 13. We have a dry cleaners, two banks, a farmers market, two
dentists; Herman Walker’s law firm has been doing business here for over fifty
years. There’s the tire shop, several clothing stores, the antique stores, beauty salons,
hardware stores, the bakery, department stores, dollar stores, jewelry stores, a title
company, and Herbert Senn has been here since the 50’s.” Dave pauses for a
moment to think, and his enthusiam is so real it’s almost palatable.
“And of course there’s New Ravenna Mosaics, the tile and mosaic place, they are
the town’s largest employer, in fact we have a couple of tile companies here. There’s
just so much, I’m afraid I’m going to leave something out, it’s just an incredible
place to do business.”
Walking around the little town, one is definitely impressed with
a sense of continuity, a community pride and spirit that is contagious.
Jason Kirby, the young and enthusiastic owner of the Western Auto
on Main Street, has worked at the store since he was in high school,
twelve years now, and loves dealing with his regular customers there.
“I came here to work when I was sixteen” Jason explains “When the owner got
sick a few years ago, I made arrangements to take it over.” Jason says he has
a string of regular customers that he’s been dealing with for years,
and they’ve been great customers. The little store stocks a supply of
hardware as well as bicycle supplies, fishing and hunting supplies and
Page 6
even guns and ammunition. You can stop by and pick up your hunting
or fishing license, and the store also serves as the local VMRC agent
for commercial waterman’s licenses. Western Auto will celebrate its
100 year anniversary, and the store in Exmore has been in business
since 1909. “I’m not real sure about the locations” Jason explains “I know it
was on Broad Street first, then later at another location on Main Street, we’ve been
at this location here since 1955.”
And the town itself is as charming as it is productive. The
residential area offers beautiful tree lined streets, perfectly manicured
lawns and a real picture of small town life. “We have everything here from
homes for the elite, to practical housing for new families.” Dave says. Back
downtown, the revitalization project is obvious at every turn. The
town has already completed restoring their train station which is now
a museum. Although it’s not staffed full time, it’s open the second
Saturday of every month, and is available to schools and groups for
tours and educational functions. And they are getting ready to start
construction on a new Farming Museum, designed to pay tribute to
one of the largest industries on the Shore, agriculture. “Every other
large industry on the Shore has a museum to commemorate their heritage” Dave
explains “And farming is one of the largest industries here, we need to pay tribute
to all that they have contributed to our communities.” Dave shows me a sketch
of the building that they have planned for the museum, next door
to the Western Auto. The pride he feels in all they’ve accomplished
shines bright on his face “We have a gentleman from Cape Charles, Gay
Wagner, along with his family, who are donating over 100 tractors to us for the
museum, in addition to other tools and implements.”
The train station is now a museum, and is available for schools and other groups
for education, in addition to being open the second Saturday of each month.
Lois Spotten, a resident of the community, stuck her head in
the door to ask Dave a question. “Are you being interviewed” she says
laughing, then turning to me “Well let me just tell you something about Dave.
He’s Exmore’s mover and shaker, he’s a dreamer that doesn’t just sit back, but he
actually acts on his dreams.” Lois and Dave had met through their mutual
work on the town’s revitalization project. Lois has been living in
Exmore for twenty-one years and is an active member of the Friends
of the Railroad. “Lois is great” Dave says with a smile “You will find her
any ol’ time walking around town, picking up trash and just helping us in any way
she can.”
Elaborating more on his “dreams” for Exmore, Dave hands me
a beautifully done sketch of a quaint little town, clean, neat, people
strolling the streets happily. “This is our dream for Exmore, what we have
planned.” Dave says “and we are getting there, its happening.” He is pleased
with the community involvement too, but says he’d like to see even
more people get involved. “We have anywhere from five to twelve people that
regularly attend our town council meetings, but there is always room for more. I
wish more people would come out and get involved, after all, the town belongs to all
of us.”
The little town definitely has some exciting things going on. Dave
explains about Pasco, a company that currently manufactures starters,
alternators, generators and such. “They are going to be offering bio-fuel
systems” he says “all kinds of alternative energy sources, we have already granted
them their permit, we’re just waiting on them to get started. It will be a closed loop
system, clean, no odor; we’re really excited about the opportunity this will bring.”
The town has undergone an amazing transformation, and Dave
says he cannot stress enough how much work Jim Bailey and his crew
at the Public Works department do for the town. “They are just amazing”
he raves “They do the waste water, they paint the curbs and fire hydrants, do the
garbage. There is just no end to what they do for this town.” And the thought
triggers yet another project they have going on, and Dave effortlessly
switches gears to make sure he doesn’t leave anything out “The town
park was done completely with volunteers” he beams “everything was completely
donated. We are also getting ready to put in a parking lot between Main Street
and Broad Street which will connect all those businesses. There is a water garden
to handle the run off. We want the town to be aesthetically pleasing as well as
environmentally friendly.”
Another business that has been around forever in the little town
is the Exmore Diner. Having long been a fan of the little restaurant,
my daughter and I have frequently made regular treks to Exmore
just to partake of their amazing fare. Alan, brother of owner Evelyn
Pruitt, says that they have a wonderful group of regulars that he looks
forward to seeing every day. “People don’t mind waiting, they just come in
and sit right down with their friends if there are no seats left. Everyone knows
everyone else.” The diner is a little car brought down originally from
New Jersey to serve the truckers from the potato packing plant next
door. They’ve maintained the charm and appeal of the original dining
car throughout the years, and it has become one of the Shore’s most
renowned icons. “All the seafood is fresh, and we use fresh vegetables whenever
they’re in season too.” Alan explains. “My sister has worked here since I don’t
even remember when, forever. When they asked her if she was interested in buying
it, she figured why not. It’s been a good decision for her, we love doing business
here.”
The Exmore Diner has long been a favorite icon along the Shore, and is popular
among locals and visitors alike.
starting the second Saturday in July. “We’re really looking forward to that”
Dave says “And we’re also going to have a new ‘Hobby Day’ in the train station
also, whatever your hobby is, bring it on down and share it with the public.”
I suppose the reality is there simply isn’t anything that the little
town doesn’t offer. Surely, it is a central hub for the Shore, offering
almost any retail establishment you could envision, and the town is as
picture perfect as they come. But as always is the case in my travels, it’s
the people that make a place stand out in my mind, and the community
here is no exception. “There is just so much positive energy in this town” Dave
sums it all up “We are growing and changing and it’s just great.” And best of
all, at least in my opinion, is that they are growing with grace and pride,
something they really have every right to be proud of.
Making homeowner’s
DREAMS
come
true,
one nail at a time.
New Construction and
Remodeling Projects
A brightly colored sketch of the towns goal for the futuire shows a clean and
neat town, with residents languidly strolling the streets.
“There is a lot of history here too” Dave says almost as an afterthought
“Did you know that President Grover Cleveland stopped at this train station right
here on his way to Hog Island?” The town has also made arrangements with
Bay Creek Railway in Cape Charles to begin offering dining excursions
Custom Designed Outdoor Living Spaces
Harris Construction
Solcraft
Gary Harris
757-695-1924
Graham Driscoll
757-693-0020
Page 7
PVFC Annual Motorcycle Rally
A Day of Fun For the Whole Family
Ahhh how I love those lazy summer days. Trips to the beach,
barbeques, fresh produce from our garden, and of course, if you live
or visit the Eastern Shore of Virginia, there are also the multitude of
festivals that you are drawn to every year. And as far as festivals go, no
one knows how to put one on better than the little town of Parksley
or their Volunteer Fire Company. Years ago, I attended my very first
“Parksley Spring Festival” and was ridiculously hooked, my calendar every
year revolved around this event, there is no way I would have missed
it, in fact, I was one of those eager residents in the community that
was out there the night before helping them put everything together
for the thousands of guests who would descend upon our little town
the next morning. Needless to say, when I moved back home, I was
not just disappointed, but almost horrified to learn that the Spring
Festival as I had come to know it was gone. Although Parksley has
been working diligently to come up with new ideas and events to take
its place, in the meantime, one very special day has been gaining its
own place in the world of summer festivals, and from a source I never
really expected – The Eastern Shore Annual Motorcycle Rally.
And so, after being told repeatedly by almost everyone I know
that I just “have to go to the Rally” last year, I decided what could it hurt,
I would go check it out. Making my way down Airport Road (what
is also known in town as Bennett Street) I was dismayed to see the
cars were lining the side of the road almost from the end of the town
limits. I kept driving, hoping that someone would perhaps be leaving
and I would be able to secure a much closer parking spot – it would
take me forever to walk that distance to the corner of Airport Road
and Big Road where the Rally was actually being held. I was in luck. A
local fireman whom I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for a few years
saw me coming and waved me in, pointing towards an empty spot all
the way over in a back corner, but still closer than those cars I had
passed along the way in. I paid my entrance fee and then set out in
search of the friends I had agreed to meet up with.
Before I even got out of the car, the laughter resonated like a
boom across the fields. Music played in the background; the perfect
volume; loud enough to enjoy yet not at an over powering level.
People were everywhere, milling along the booths, sitting enjoying
hamburgers or funnel cakes, talking amongst friends, or watching the
games. Still others were over checking out the bikes, rows upon rows
of them, their chrome gleaming bright in the afternoon sun. I caught
a glimpse of the group of friends I was looking for across the crowd
and made my way over to them, though in typical Eastern Shore
fashion, stopping numerous times along the way to say hi and chat for
a few moments with friends along my path.
Immediately, I wanted to eat. No surprise there, we already know
what a food monger I am. We made our way over to the food stands,
trying to decide if we wanted barbeque or burgers. The Fire Company
provides hot dogs, cheeseburgers, hamburgers, pork barbeque, chicken
tenders, fresh cut fries, funnel cakes, snow cones, pizza, cold drinks
and water. The hand cut fries and the pork barbeque were obviously a
favorite as the lines were steady and full, and personally, I couldn’t wait
to get hold of a container of their fresh cut fries, the bottles of Malt
Vinegar lining up along the counter were already making my mouth
water. And of course, I knew that no matter what, I had to save room
for the Funnel Cake. All of life’s decisions should truly be that difficult!
It wasn’t long before Warren Phillips, owner of Jaxon’s Hardware and
a local Harley enthusiast came and sat down at our table. Laughing,
he pointed at my chin, pointing out the massive amount of powdered
Page 8
sugar I had managed to smear all over myself. No matter, food is
meant to be enjoyed. “Crowd’s thinned out a little since this morning” he said
looking around “could barely get in here earlier.” I glanced around, trying
to picture there being even more people here. There were still a good
number, probably several hundred, and I was surprised to learn that
the Motorcycle Rally has drawn upwards of 6,000 people some years
and is steady growing in popularity. Because it’s an outdoor event,
the weather plays a big impact on the turnout, but true to most of the
festivals in Parksley, not even the rain can keep many of the regulars
away.
Walking around the festival grounds, we noticed a large group
of people gathered on the far side of the field, and so we wandered
over to see what was going on. We watched in amusement as a group
of bikes rode single file past us, male drivers with female passengers;
the female trying desperately to grab hold of a hotdog slathered in
mustard swinging wildly through the air with her teeth. The crowd
roared with laughter at every pass, and despite the fact that the ladies
faces and oftentimes hair were completely covered in mustard by the
time they were finished, the fun they were having was more than worth
the little bit of mess. In the event of a tie at the end, then the hotdog
was raised higher and the remaining riders had to try again. Finally,
a “winner” was announced, and the crowd went back to enjoying the
many activities and vendors spread across the field.
The Funnel Cakes are a popular item at the Motorcycle Rally, fresh, hot and
smothered in confectioners sugar.
You could always tell when the games were starting; all you had
to do was follow the laughter and the cheers. Throughout the day you
could enjoy the Joust, a game where plastic O rings are set on top of
a row of  cones. The passenger on the bike tries to pick up as many as
possible with a pool stick. The winner is the one who gets the most.
There is also a Junior Joust for kids. Then, another favorite is the
Tater Hunt. In this game potatoes are hidden in a pile of straw. There
is one less potato than bikes. All bikes ride around the pile in a circle
and when a horn is blown the bikes stop and the passengers hunt for
the potato. The bike without a potato is eliminated. One more potato
is removed and it starts over again. This is repeated until there is a
winner. There is a Junior Potato Hunt for kids. Some of the other
games include the Plank Ride, where planks are laid out along the
ground, each plant getting progressively narrower. The winner is the
bike who goes the farthest without going off the plank. If there is a
tie it would go to the one who was the fastest. There is the Slow Race,
where riders attempt to be the slowest to travel between two points.
They also hold a Cafe’ Racer Slow Race; the same rules apply, only for
cafe’ racers. And of course, the infamous Water Ride where the rider
attempts to be the fastest between two points while their passenger is
holding a glass of water on a board above their heads. If they spill the
cup they are eliminated. And as with many of the other games, there
is also a Junior Water Ride for kids. All games are judged, and plaques
are given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
And even if you’re not a bike enthusiast, the show itself is quite
fascinating. There are eight divisions; Touring, Sport, Sport Touring,
Sportster, Cafe Racer, Custom, Trike and European. In addition to
plaques being awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each division, the
Fire Company also awards plaques for the Oldest Bike in Show, as well
as for the bike that has traveled the longest distance.
During a lull in the games, we decided to walk around the grounds
and see just what they had to offer in the multitude of booths that were
lining the paths. Naturally there were tee shirts, and then some more
unusual items like local crafts, jewelry, bike accessories, hats, and the
list goes on from there, including a few Motorcyle Dealers like Harley
Davidson of Ocean City. Stopping by one of the jewelry booths and
inquiring as to how they came to set up at the Rally, we learned that
the Fire Company doesn’t charge vendors to set up at the Rally, they
only ask for registration in order to know how many people to expect.
The Fire Company provides them with electricity if they need it; the
only thing they need to bring is their own table. Despite the fact that
I had sworn I wasn’t going to spend any money other than to eat, I
found myself traipsing back and forth to the car on more than one
occasion, unable to pass up some of the crafts that caught my eye, and
of course, a souvenir t-shirt, because after all, where could I ever get
another one?
The Wienie Bite is a popular fun filled game every year at the Rally, with prizes
given for1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
A group of people beside us started walking back over towards the
woods and glancing up to follow their path, I saw a line of campers and
a few tents. A group of people sat around in lawn chairs out in front
of one of the campers, laughing amongst themselves and watching
their kids play in the grass beside their camper. Still another group
played Frisbee in front of their tent, just a few sites down. Thinking
this might be a fun thing to do, I asked Pete Smith, a member of the
local Fire Company in charge of heading up a lot of the activities just
what you had to do to be able to camp there at the Rally. Pete said
that the Fire Company rents the sites out for only $10 per night, $5 for
a tent site. If you don’t have a tent, you can rent one from the Fiire
Company, and it includes sleeping bags, towels and pads for only $25.
The Fire Company also provides showers, but if you need electricity
at your camper, you will need to bring your own generator. Now that
just sounds like a lot of fun to me!
Motocycles from many surrounding states come each year to participate in the
annual Bike Show.
Back over at the stage, New Direction, a popular band, was
gearing up for their afternoon gig. Later that night, Midlife Crisis was
scheduled to play, and I knew there would be a new influx of people
coming in to dance and enjoy the evenings entertainment, some
arriving for the first time, others coming back after running home to
shower and change. Since we were so late arriving, we decided to just
wait it out, and settled in for the evening, enjoying watching the sun
come down against the tree lined fields, the companionship of good
friends, the bountiful array of mouth-watering foods, all accompanied
by a gentle breeze as the day ended, softly blowing away the heat from
the sun. Smiling, I turned to a friend “You know, it just doesn’t get much
better than this.”
Once again, I have found myself hopelessly addicted to yet
another festival in Parksley. This year, the Rally will be held on August
21st and 22nd, and will mark the 10th Anniversary of the Eastern
Shore Motorcycle Rally. The gates open that Friday at 4:00 PM, the
bike show and games are all held on Saturday. The food alone is worth
the trip, and then of course, as always, they will have an assortment of
musical entertainment, and Midlife Crisis will be back to help us dance
the night away. In addition to the bike show and all of the games,
this year the Rally will provide visitors with the opportunity to enjoy
VCW wrestling. Brandon Chesser, a local from the Shore, is one of
the wrestlers, and we all look forward to cheering him on! Mark your
calendars folks, this is an event for the whole family, and one you’re
sure to enjoy. Oh, and one more thing, please don’t get in front of me
at the Funnel Cake line – I’ve been known to be a little nasty when you
come between me and my food.
Parksley Volunteer Fire Company is a small, local fire department
run primarily through volunteers. They sponsor numerous community
events throughout the year, and truly deserve your support, as having
lived across from their station house for many years, I can tell you
from witnessing their efforts myself, these guys work long and hard
hours for their community. All proceeds benefit PVFC.
For more information about the Rally please visit the Parksley
Volunteer Fire Company webiste at www.parksleyvfc.org.
Page 9
Kite Koop Staff Shares Chincoteague
No one visits the Kite Koop on Chincoteague Island on Main
Street without asking Gregg if this is the same shop that was down in
Landmark Plaza a few years back. Granted, the Kite Koop has since
changed not only locations but owners in just a few years, but it has remained the same kite shop on Chincoteague with more toys than one
could play with in a lifetime. Owen Hooks now owns the Kite Koop
and Bookstore with his wife Kathryn Adkins, a photographer. Born
and raised in Salisbury, Maryland, as a child, he visited his grandparents who lived on Chincoteague. Owen’s life does not solely revolve
around the Kite Koop; he is actually an Environmental Scientist and
author of the well known Wild Pony Auction Guide. He has put 40
pony pennings worth of experience and education into this efficient
and useful guide to a new or experienced buyer of Chincoteague ponies. Owen tells me he is no expert, but felt strongly that there was a
need for this kind of information. Essentially Owen tells me (knowing little to nothing about ponies or horses) that prior to his publishing
of the guide, an auction experience on the island consisted of just a
small booklet. Knowing he always wanted to incorporate his own experiences, the Wild Pony Auction Guide is the product of his desire.
Owen got his first pony at 9 years old and told me it was kept
right behind Ledo Pizza on Maddox Boulevard. Today, Owen owns
4 horses, one of which was purchased at the auction in 2003. He explained to me that you have to be able to examine how much help and
interest will go into a pony before one would purchase such an animal.
Ponies, of course, require a pasture, an acre of grass and necessary
foot checks. The expenses of owning a pony? Owen estimates the
cheapest cost to own a pony on you own property would total about
$100 a month.
About 60-80 ponies are sold each year at the auction on the Island. The most expensive pony sold, according to Owen, went for
near $10,500. This pony was also a buyback, which basically means
that the pony will remain on Assateague Island rather than travel with
the new owners to their place of residence or elsewhere. Owen jokes
with me, the ponies can be trained to race but he wouldn’t bet on
them. While I sit with him in his newly remodeled office in the back
of the store, Owen starts to tell me about Paul and Maureen Beebe
as if they were his own kin. It is fascinating to me that this story has
captured the hearts of so many. I am surprised that there is still so
much to learn about the island. When we talked about the carnival, a
favorite in my family, Owen shocks me by telling me that at one point
boxing matches took place on the carnival grounds!
Owen’s family continually surprised me with new fun facts every
minute I spent with him. His wife Kathryn Adkins, is the phenomenal
photographer of most of the postcards on display in the Kite Koop.
I am a huge sucker for amazing scenery and Kathryn captures it with
soul I have seldom seen. Not only does Owen write the colored and
illustrated Wild Pony Auction Guide, but his children are artistic as
well. When I met Patrick, Owen’s son, I was able to see right away
that he has a flair for destruction and took great pleasure in completely
gutting the kitchen area to prepare for renovations. Owen bought the
store from previous owner, Neafie Scarborough last year anticipating
the 4 children he will be putting through college next year.
Owen stressed to me that his philosophy regarding the store itself
is simple; keep quality items in the store. The Koop has done just that
for nearly 30 years here on Chincoteague. This summer not only can
you look forward to the book signings, book club, and 2nd Saturdays
but get pumped for live music and coffee! This came as a pleasant
Page 10
The Kite Koop offers a kid friendly reading and play area, and soon will have
coffees and live music available to their customers.
surprise to me as well, Owen happens to be quite a good guitar player
and musician in addition to his plentiful list of accomplishments.
Gregg Lewis, the store’s manager, has been with the Koop for
8 years. If you’ve ever been in the store and remember a particular
employee, chances are it was Gregg. Gregg is not only a dear friend of
mine but he is such a wonderful personality and friend to anyone who
walks through the doors of the Koop. You will most likely find him
either assisting a customer or begging you to take the “Find a Penny”
challenge. Gregg is originally from New Jersey and this started many
arguments between the two of us as I am a Pennsylvanian. Gregg is
not only the manager at the Koop but is also an incredible chef. Aside
from being a devoted Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars, and Firefly
fan, Gregg is a key element considering the Koop’s success. Not only
will you enjoy your time in the store playing with all of the cool toys
and kites, but you will make a fast friend with Gregg. His favorite part
of working at the Koop is the friends he makes with repeat customers;
and the shipment of new merchandise in April.
The Kite Koop and Bookstore features professional level stunt
kits in all sizes and colors. Visiting the store, anyone would definitely
want to check out the Kiddie Korner, “Find a Penny” challenge, all
the used and new books, and the beautiful designs and styles of delta
and stunt kites. This store is truly a fun zone for kids of all ages,
whether you are 3 or 93. It’s also a great spot if you’re looking to find
a good book, enjoy the tons of cool toys, or find something fun to do
on the beach. Be sure to chat with Gregg about his Star Wars obsession when you visit!
My visit with Owen and Gregg was such a memorable one because it kept a smile on my face the entire time I was there talking with
them. It is rare to find people of such warmth and character and it
was a pleasure to discover it in Owen and Gregg. Owen is so incredibly knowledgeable of not only Chincoteague ponies but the area as
well. It’s so wonderful for me to find people who love this location as
much as I do. Gregg said it best when I asked him what he could tell
me about this summer at the store: “The faces might change around here but
our attitude is the same!” I guess to some degree the same is true about
the area. Whether you visit Chincoteague for the ponies or just to
enjoy the beach, you get a dose of the attitude of the area and it’s sure
to put a smile on your face as it did mine.
Article by Kanen Matthews
A Sweet Treat
When I first moved back to the Shore, I took a job working
on Wallops Island. So when I eventually found myself working in
Onancock, I was definitely not used to having such an array of places
to eat my lunch. Of course at first I went to all the fast food places,
mainly because I had been deprived of them during my stint on base.
After a couple of weeks I asked my boss if she wanted to do lunch
and she suggested Scoops. Scoops? Ice cream for lunch? “No,” she
says, “they have really great hotdogs.” Alright. And thus began my Scoops
obsession.
At first glance, Scoops is just a small ice cream parlor located
on Market Street in Onancock, VA. Nothing special, right? Wrong.
Immediately I was greeted by the owner, Chris, with an enthusiastic
“hello, what can I get ya?” Definitely more friendly than the drive through
employees at the fast food places. Well that decision was tough in itself.
Did I want nachos with chili and cheese? A hotdog with cole slaw or
sauer kraut? Or did I want a chili dog, with cheese and maybe onions?
No problem there, I wanted nachos and a chili cheese dog. The real
problem came when I tried to order my beverage. I could have a
milkshake made with any of the 28 flavors of ice cream, or pick from
one of the 23 different flavor smoothies. All made with Hershey’s
Ice Cream. It was just too much, I was in sugar heaven. Since then I
have tried about 20 of the 23 smoothies, but Banana Berry is still my
favorite, made with fresh ripe bananas. After I devoured my hotdog
and nachos, I looked at the Sundae menu. Eight different sundaes?
Holy cow! And all of them made with delicious hand dipped Hershey
Ice Cream. And as I sit there and marvel at all the delectable options,
Chris only eggs me on telling me how delicious each one is. And I can
even get quarts of ice cream to take home later. Or if I’m throwing
a party, she offers a wide variety of ice cream cakes. Ah, good for my
soul, bad for my waist. How can I help but indulge?
Chris loves her customers and greets each and every one with a warm and
genuine smile.
Since then Scoops has become my favorite lunch spot, and there
aren’t many days that you won’t find me there, either for lunch, or
afternoon treat, or actually, both. You get a free bag of chips with
every delicious chili dog, which you need because she piles the chili
and cheese so thick on that hotdog you need the chips to scoop up
the drippings. Yum. She has even added barbeque to the menu now,
which she serves in a hotdog bun with a side of cole slaw. It works
pretty well, you get twice the amount of barbeque you would on a
hamburger roll, and its not half as messy.
Scoops Ice Cream Parlor is a great way to spend a summer afternoon, and an
even better place to enjoy a delicious lunch.
It only took a few trips to Scoops before Chris and I became friends.
And I’m pretty sure its that way for everyone that goes there, as its
obvious that Chris really enjoys her customers. You can’t help but
like someone who is so friendly and outgoing. Over time I learned
her story about how she came to live in Onancock and open her ice
cream shop. Chris and her husband Mike are from Severna Park,
MD and have lived here for about four years. Her husband is a pilot
and was flying over the Shore one day, and decided to land in Melfa
and take a look around. Mike rented a car and drove around the
Shore, instantly falling in love with the area (doesn’t everyone?) and
they bought property down here. When they moved to the Shore for
good, (after about ten years of coming back and forth) Chris gave
up her hairdressing business and tried to decide what she could do in
Onancock to make a living. Looking around she realized Onancock
had everything a small town needs, except an ice cream parlor. So
in August of 2007, Scoops was born. When I asked her if she liked
living in Onancock, she replied with, “I love it!” She says she loves
the quaintness of the town, the friendly people and living so close to
the water. She’s happy with her work and is glad she has been able to
bring something to the town that people like. Chris, Mike and their
three dogs (all from the SPCA) have settled quite nicely on the Eastern
Shore, and boy are we happy they are here!
If you think about the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon,
some things just seem natural. A day on the water, the sweet cloying
smell of newly cut grass, freshly squeezed lemonade and of course,
ice cream! Many an afternoon in Onancock has been spent lounging
around the picnic tables provided out front, enjoying one of the
scrumptious treats offered at Scoops, and visiting with friends and
neighbors, exactly the kind of shop you’d expect to find in a quaint,
friendly town such as Onancock.
Scoops is supportive of the community they serve as well. They
provide the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, and Little League with
free cones or discounts, and they send “Above and Beyond” certificates
to the schools for teachers to hand out to the students that perform
well in school. This promotes academic scholarship and community
involvement for the children in the community.
Scoops, a small business with big charm. If you haven’t been
there and met Chris, make a point this summer to drop by. You’re sure
to make a friend while you cool off from the summer heat.
Article by Lennie Bowe
Page 11
A Glimpse of Beauty Untamed
The sun was still a couple of hours away as I slowly made my way
down Eastside Drive. Traffic was thick and cars were creeping along
at a snail’s pace, trying to find the elusive parking spot that would
afford them the best access to the beach, still gray and misty at this
early hour. Knowing that finding the “perfect” parking spot was going
to be like searching for a needle in a haystack, I pushed ahead, my
course set for the public parking lot down across from Pony Swim
Lane.
Handing the smiling worker my seven dollars, for at least the
tenth time that morning, I questioned my sanity at being up at such
a ridiculous hour. I had worked late the night before, and only fortyfive minutes after my head hit the pillow my alarm began protesting
loudly in my ear. What was I thinking, it was just a bunch of ponies
swimming around the channel, I could ride out to the Island and see
these ponies anytime I wanted, I definitely didn’t need to be up at 3:00
AM to see them. But it was a little late for that kind of thinking, I had
made far to many commitments to friends and co-workers concerning
my appearance at this much anticipated event to back out now. At least
I was fortunate enough to be headed to a friend’s home who luckily,
had a condo right on the beach on Pony Swim Lane. Wearily, I climbed
from my car and blindly made my way to her coffee pot.
Grabbing onto a rather large mug of the cherished caffeine, I
glanced around her kitchen, taking in the dozens of enthusiastic guests
talking nonstop, eager for the day to begin. I just wasn’t quite ready for
all of their excitement and so I stumbled out onto her balcony to try
and begin the process of waking up. It was quiet, an almost eerie light
beginning to bud across the channel; you could just make out the boats
lined up there, waiting for the festivities to begin. Directly below, a
steady stream of people made their way to the beach where the ponies
would arrive after their journey. There were quiet mumblings among
them, the crowd almost respectful of the early hour, yet there was no
break in the pace, the crowd was on a mission to get the best possible
vantage point of the day.
The majestic ponies march proudly along, protected at every turn by the able
and efficient Saltwater Cowboys.
Far off against the back drop of Assateague Lighthouse, a faint
pink was beginning to touch the sky. A lone boat sat in the middle
of the channel, and I learned that the coast guard was keeping watch,
ready to set off a red flare to signal slack tide, alerting the renowned
Saltwater Cowboys that it was time for the swim. You could just make
Page 12
out a hint of movement in the distance, people milling around, boats
waiting patiently, everyone seemed far more anxious for this day to
begin than I did. Suddenly, people began pouring out onto the little
screened deck where I had taken refuge, and I realized something was
getting ready to happen. I made my way to the railing to secure my
spot; after all, if I was going to be awake, I may as well see this thing.
Peering off into the distance, I still saw nothing more than a few boats
hovering just off the point, and then, the quiet morning was broken
with a loud popping noise as the bright red flare exploded into the
sky.
The world famous Saltwater Cowboys are eager and excited, their compassion
for the beautiful ponies is abundant and clear.
You could hear them long before you saw them. The whinnies
and neighs of the mares and stallions calling out to each other filled
the air like a symphony. Rounding the curve of the point, you could
see them approach; the majestic ponies swam confidently and proud,
eager to reach the Shore. I began to get a twinge of chill bumps as
fascinated; I watched the regal herd slowly make their way across the
channel.
All of a sudden, there they were. Their heads raised high in the
air, proud and strong as mares called out to their foals and stallions
tried to locate their mates. The water just beyond the beach was black
with the herd. From this distance, it seemed like thousands of them,
though in reality, they only bring 100 to 150 across each year. Abruptly,
a joyous burst of applause from the crowds as the first pony reached
the shore, and was pronounced as King Neptune of the Swim. Each
year, the first foal ashore is awarded the honor of being crowned
either King or Queen Neptune, depending on if the lucky winner is a
stud of a filly.
Within seconds, the rest of the herd followed, happily climbing
out onto the sand and proudly prancing around in search of their
loved ones. Watching, unable to take my eyes from the beach, I was
mesmerized; I couldn’t move, the sight before me was unlike anything
I had ever seen, and the beauty of it made the excitement seem almost
surreal. Once all of the ponies were safely on land, the crowd slowly
made its way back towards the street, lining up along the fence that
ran along the dirt road leading to the beach. There on the sand, the
ponies would be given a short time to rest after their swim before the
Saltwater Cowboys would parade them down along the road and off
to the carnival grounds where they would comfortably wait for the
Pony Auction that was to follow a few days later. I still couldn’t take
my eyes off the ponies, I am not sure exactly what I had expected, yet
before me I witnessed such an amazing sight, and I was impressed
with their dignity, touched by the love they so obviously felt for each
other as they sought out their companions, and humbled by the simple
majesty of it all.
This feisty little foal was sold at the auction at the carnival grounds. Foals are
sold, but are not allowed to leave the Island until they are old enough to be on
their own. Photo courtesy of Kanen Matthews.
A short time later, I saw a stir of excitement ripple through the
crowds and I realized that I needed to make my way down to the fence
if I wanted to catch the ponies coming by on the next leg of their
journey. I was a little surprised to find a hole in the wall of people
before me, and I quickly slid in, unconcerned that I had probably stolen
someone’s spot that had more than likely, simply stepped away for a
moment. Off in the distance, you could see the Cowboys gathering
into formation, gently and tenderly nudging the ponies into line, and I
thought briefly to myself how wrong those animal rights groups were
to complain about the Pony Swim – even if I hadn’t known how much
care the Fire Department gives to the ponies throughout the year,
providing medical care, and making sure they are safe and free from
harm, the love and compassion they exhibited during the swim itself
shone on each and every one of their faces, this wasn’t just a job to
these guys, they truly loved these ponies.
And then, movement. The Cowboys made their way down the
path, followed by the most regal sight I think I’ve ever seen. The
ponies marched almost arrogantly, confidently making their way past
the enormous crowd straining to see them. After the larger, mature
ponies were past, the smaller foals followed behind them, and they
were beautifully stunning, innocent and trusting as they paraded
along behind the others, each trying to emulate the pride exhibited
by their parents strutting along ahead of them. Directly behind the
foals, another group of Saltwater Cowboys smiled as they passed by,
laughing amongst themselves and with the crowds as the spectators
cheered and applauded the final troops sauntering by.
With the crowds dispersing, I suddenly found myself not sure
what to do. I had dreaded this morning, cursed my alarm, and fussed
with myself all the way along my thirty minute drive a mere four
hours earlier. Yet now, I felt a certain degree of sadness at the events
conclusion that I wasn’t quite sure I understood, and found myself
smiling, despite my lack of sleep, and eagerly, almost with excitement,
telling others as I bid them goodbye “I’ll see you here next year!” And I
knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, I meant it, this was an event I’d
never miss again.
The Chincoteague Pony Swim has a long and interesting history,
although the swim dates back to the 1700’s, the event as it is experienced
today beginning in 1925 when the very first Pony Swim was held. An
auction to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, who
desperately needed new equipment after several devastating fires, was
also held that first year, selling fifteen ponies. In 1947, Marguerite
Henry brought fame to the little Island when she published the now
famous and much loved children’s book, Misty of Chincoteague, and
the Pony Swim has continued to grow in popularity, attracting up to
50,000 visitors to the little Island each year. The ponies are owned by
the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, and the herd is tended
by them throughout the year. A local vet, Dr. Cameron of Painter, is
responsible for the herds care, and inspects each pony before auction
to ensure that it is healthy and fit as well as providing routine and
necessary medical care for them throughout the year. Animals that are
too small or weak are not allowed to make the swim, instead, they are
brought over to the carnival grounds in a horse trailer the day before
the swim, and several boats are strategically placed in the channel to
assist any pony that may experience problems. The entire event is
incredible to witness, and one is left with feelings of awe and respect,
not only for the beautiful majestic ponies who prance before you, but
also for the caring and compassionate Saltwater Cowboys and those
such as the Coast Guard and Dr. Cameron who assist them.
Never again will I question why I need to be awake so early on
this very special day. This year, the Pony Penning will be held on
Wednesday, July 29th. I’ve already marked my calendar and that’s set
in stone. The childlike wonder and unabashed exhibition of beauty is
something I yearn to feel, how could anyone not do whatever it takes
to experience that?
For more information on dates and times visit the Chincoteague
Volunteer Fire Company web site at www.cvfc3.com or email
cvfc333@yahoo.com.
Full Service Pharmacy
Large Gift Shop
Beach Supplies
Copy & Fax Services
Refill Your Prescriptions Online!
Member
Pharmacies
Chincoteague
757-336-3115
6300 Maddox Blvd
Oak Hall
757-824-4477
7001 Lankford Highway
www.handhpharmacy.net
Page 13
Sweet Old Fashioned Goodness
“Lots of kids have been raised right here in this little shop. I was sitting out
here on the porch the other day, and there was a young man standing here. Sort of
had his eyes closed, and I asked him if I could get him anything. He looked up at
me and smiled and just said ‘No Mam. My grandfather lived here on the Island,
and I used to spend my summers with him. He brought me here for ice cream every
weekend. My grandfather passed away last week, and I just wanted to stop by and
remember.’ Sort of brought tears to my eyes, you know?”
Grandma has lots of stories like that one, after all, she’s seen a
lot of kids come in and out of the little Ice Cream Parlor on Cropper
Street. According to one of the owners Mary Lou Lynn, Mullers Old
Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor is the longest running ice cream parlor on
Chincoteague, first opening its doors in 1974. Mary Lou and Court
Lynn, bought the property in 1985, and have proudly watched many a
child grow into adulthood right there in their little shop. “Ice Cream is
just fun” says Mary Lou “And I love being able to be here in this shop, to be with
my family all of the time. It’s fun getting to meet people from all over the world.”
Mary Lou and Court are originally from Pennsylvania, and have
been visiting the Shore for many, many years. “It’s kind of funny” says
Mary Lou “We found this place because of Misty, and stayed because of Ice
Cream.” Mary Lou and Court loved the seashore. They had been
looking for a place to vacation, and were on their way to Nagshead,
NC. They wanted to find somewhere to stop along the way, so Mary
Lou picked up a map to try and figure out a good stopping point.
When she saw the little town of Chincoteague, she immediately
thought “Misty!” and suggested they stop there. Mary Lou is a reading
specialist, and has taught reading for 36 years. “My favorite book as a child
was Misty” she explains “I was just drawn to this place.”
Every year, the young family would spend their vacations at
the seashore. They frequented Nagshead, Pauley’s Island and other
destinations, but they somehow always kept returning to the little
Island of Chincoteauge. During their visits to the Island, they always
stopped by the little Ice Cream parlor they had found on Cropper
Street. They had fallen in love with the place, and made it a regular stop
on their visits to Chincoteague. It wasn’t long before they realized that
they wanted to spend the entire summer at Chincoteague and not just
a week here and there. They also needed to put their boys through
college, and they were trying to find a way to accomplish both goals.
“I put myself through college selling ice cream” Court explains “I worked
for O’Boyles all through college. And so I thought, why not, it worked for me.”
One day, they noticed a for sale sign in front of the little shop and
inquired as to the price. They simply didn’t have the money to buy
it, so they worked out an arrangement with the owners to lease the
property for two years until they could make enough money for the
down payment. Once the property was theirs, they set about making it
their own.
“We have all kinds of collections, we almost have a little museum all
throughout the house” Mary Lou explained while taking me from room
to room in the little house “These posters here are all circus posters, they were
in the house when we bought it, they’re quite old.” In another room you find
a collection of ice cream scoops spanning the years, and there are tin
signs, advertisements, and much, much more. The lovely Victorian
house itself is breathtaking, graceful columns separating the hall from
the main dining area, a lovely covered porch and handmade curtains.
The home has quite the history in the little town. Built in 1875 by
William F R Cropper, Cropper was the town undertaker and cabinet
maker and could be found building coffins in a small workshop at
the rear of the present day building. The home was also used as a
Page 14
funeral parlor, which may explain some of the local folk lore of the
property being haunted. Mary Lous’ mother, affectionately known in
town as ‘Grandma’, speaks matter of factly about the ‘ghosts’ they
live with. “I remember the first night I spent here, there are vents in the floor for
heat, registers. And I could hear chairs being moved along the floor. But you just
come to accept the fact there are spirits here, you don’t pay any attention to them.”
Considering Mary Lou’s love of Misty, its particularly interesting to
note the framed photograph hanging on the wall in the little back
sitting area taken during the filming of the movie ‘Misty’ which shows
the original home in a scene from the movie.
A visit to Mullers Ice Cream parlor is truly a trip down Memory Lane. Take
time to tour the mini-museum located inside as you enjoy your treats.
Perhaps some of the most interesting ‘antique’ items in the
tiny shop are the equipment they use to prepare the mouth watering
confections one craves on those warm summer days. Their soda
fountain is straight out of the 1940’s, and produces tantalizing ice
cream sodas, cherry cokes and New York egg creams. They still use
the original old green machines to whip up their thick, creamy milk
shakes. And in keeping with true old fashioned way of doing business,
the Lynn’s make everything from scratch. “We make our Belgian Waffles
fresh every day, we make our own whipped cream too.” And all their fruit is
fresh, right now, there are wonderful succulently sweet strawberries,
but come July, you will be able to sample their house speciality, fresh
juicy peaches over vanilla ice cream piled atop a warm homemade
Belgian Waffle, covered with perfectly sweetened whipped cream. And
speaking of ice cream, Mullers proudly serves Bassetts Ice Cream, the
oldest continuously made ice cream in the United States, beginning in
1861.
“We want quality here” Mary Lou explains “We only serve Dominion
Root Beer too, it comes in barrels, just like the old days, it has an amazing flavor.”
Almost on que, Court brought forth a glass of the foamy rich, dark
liquid and set it in front of me. The taste was full and intense, dripping
with flavor; I’d just found my new favorite drink.
The atmosphere in the little shop is one of stepping back in time.
You can easily forget the hustle and bustle of the traffic, toss off the
cares of the day, and take a beautiful, nostalgic trip down memory
lane. You will almost feel like you’re in another century as you enjoy
an authentic ice cream sundae or old fashioned float while sitting on
their delightful candle lit porch. It’s truly a Chincoteague experience
you won’t want to miss.
Don Valerio’s
Mexican Restaurant
At Don Valerios, you’ll always get great authentic
Mexican food, served up in a fun and festive environment.
With every dish, you’ll receive generous portions of all your
favorites, from sizzling fajitas, to delicious burritos, tantalizing tacos,
exciting enchiladas and much, much more!
We constantly strive to bring you a unique dining experience with our
excellent service and tasty food on a casual dining budget.
29106 Lankford Hwy
Melfa
757- 789-5226
19035 Lankford Hwy
Cape Charles
Don Valerio’s Steak House
757- 678-0011
757- 787-3151
57 Market St • Onancock
Kids menu and take out orders available!
e
t
s
a
T
For a
o
c
i
x
e
of M
Page 15
New Foal Born On Assateague
Kites ♦ Toys ♦ Flags ♦ Windwheels
Open 7
Days A Week
All Year!
New and Used Books Including
Fiction
Regional
Biography
Best Sellers
Children's Books
Birding Guides
"Kid Koop" play and reading area!
FREE Wi-Fi Area!
Locally crafted jewelry, original paintings,
vintage decoys and photography
Member Historic Main Street Merchants
757-336-3399
4019 Main Street ♦ Chincoteague Island
This little foal was born on Friday of Memorial Day weekend,
only 3 days old when this picture was taken. The herd of ponies on
Assateague Island is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, and receive regular Veterinary care throughout the year to ensure
their health and well being. The ponies will be herded up for their
annual swim across Assateague Channel the last week of July, and
I’m going to bet this litlle fella (or lil’ lady?) might just make it to the
auction. Around 60 to 80 ponies are sold annually at the auction at the
Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company carnival grounds. Visitors can
enjoy observing wildlife on Assateague Island by taking the wild life
loop drive on the Island, which is where this little baby was spotted.
Oyster & Maritime Museum a Must See
of Chincoteauge
The Oyster and Maritime Museum located on Maddox Blvd on
Chincoteague is open daily throughout the summer season. The museum offers an in depth look at the history of Chincoteague Island
and includes exhibits on oystering, aquarium, local history, fishing and
seafood industry and more. The exhibit includes the very first Order
Fresnel Lens from the Assateague Lighthouse. The museum offers
an impressive libray, a museum store and information on the history
of the Island, and they provide an interesting diorama which explains
what is involved in harvesting oysters for watermen. Photographs, displays and exhibits, models, seashells and relics round out the museum
for a must see visit on the Island.
Page 16
“The Hottest Little Shop On Chincoteague”
Offering over 500 different hot sauces including
our own “Wild Pony” sauce in a collector’s bottle,
the Habenero sauce that bites and kicks!
757-336-3118
6273 Cropper Street • Chincoteague Island
PVFC Stokes The Fire
What’s Your Fancy
Wusthof Knives
Chantal & Berndes Cookware
Yankee Candles
Bath & Body Products
Willow Tree Figurines
Dovis Design Pottery
Every Memorial Day and Labor Day, you’ll find the Parksley
Volunteer Fire Company stoking the fire underneath some good ol’
Southern BBQ. Your choice of 1/2 of a slowly cooked chicken,
seasoned with their own specially made sauce, or a plate of perfectly
prepared NC style barbeque pulled pork. Throw in some baked beans,
potato salad, roll and soft drink, and you’ve got that perfect summer
meal. The local fire company hosts the event located on Rt. 13 at
Fisher’s Corner twice a year, and always gets a hefty turn out. A picnic
area is provided if you want to enjoy the afternoon with friends, and
it’s definitely some of the best barbeque anywhere around. Make sure
you come out and get yours, this only happens twice a year!
Tervis Tumblers
Baby Gifts
Vera Bradley Bags
Badash Glassware
Bridal Registry
Curtis Badger’s Books
757-665-5127
24266 Bennett Street • Parksley VA
Dart League Awards Given
The Area’s
Only
Pro Billiards &
Dart Shop!
Billiards and Dart Supplies Including:
.
High quality pool sticks, balls, gloves, chalk,
cases, tip shapers, custom darts, dart wrenches
and pointing tools, flights, shafts and tee shirts!
.
.
Cue Repairs!
.
Open
Mon - Sat
Club Car Cafe
Rick’s Pro Shop
18497 Dunne Ave ● Parksley
www.rickspoolndarts.com
The Eagle’s Nest Lounge in Parksley held it’s Dart League Awards
on Wednesday, May 13. This is the third year the league has been together, competing each Wednesday. Cash awards were given to the
winning team, “Smokin’ Darts” and team members Donnie Brock,
Kevin Liddle and Josh Voss. Donnie Brock was also recognized as
MVP (male) and Pat Burdette MVP (female). Tim Valentine, owner
of the Eagle’s Nest Lounge, provided the group with his famous hot
wings, mingling with the crowd as much as possible in between trips
to the kitchen to prepare the feast. “They’re a good group” Tim says “We
started out with only two dart boards and something like four teams, I’ve enjoyed
watching them grow.” For more information on the dart league please
visit their website, www.clubcarcafe.com.
Page 17
Dining in Accomack
Mallards Sidewalk Cafe
(757) 787-7321
Accomac, VA
Sorrentino’s Subs Etc
(757) 787-4777
Onley, VA
Bizzotto’s Gallery-Cafe
(757) 787-3103
Onancock, VA
Sonic Drive-In
(757) 824-5500
Oak Hall, VA
Sugar Shack
(757) 787-2273
Tasley, VA
Los Tejones Restaurant
(757) 787-7445
Onley, VA
Corner Bakery
(757) 787-4520
Onancock, VA
Subway Sandwiches & Salads
(757) 824-0094
Oak Hall, VA
Daily Grind
(757) 302-1212
Onley, VA
Mc Donald’s
(757) 787-7888
Onley, VA
(757) 336-3644
Chincoteague, VA
Scoops Ice Cream Shoppe
757-787-3239
Onancock, VA
Ray’s Shanty
(757) 824-3429
New Church, VA
Parksley Taqueria
(757) 665-7826
Parksley, VA
Ocean Deli
(757) 824-4111
Wallops Island, VA
Mallards At The Wharf
(757) 787-8558
Onancock, VA
Hilda Crockett’s Chesapeake Hs
(757) 891-2331
Tangier, VA
Wendy’s
(757) 787-8598
Onley, VA
Island House Restaurant
(757) 787-4242
Wachapreague, VA
Lorraine’s Snack Bar
(757) 891-2225
Tangier, VA
Inn & Garden Cafe Inc
(757) 787-8850
Onancock, VA
Club Car Cafe
(757) 665-7822
Parksley, VA
Double Six
(757) 891-2410
Tangier, VA
Mallards
(757) 787-7333
Onancock, VA
Tammy & Johnny’s
(757) 787-1122
Melfa, VA
Mr. Baldy’s Family Restaurant
(757) 336-1198
Chincoteague, VA
Placa Garibaldi Rstrnt & Store
(757) 665-1296
Parksley, VA
Metompkin Seafood
(757)824-0503
Mappsville, VA
Chincoteague Inn
(757) 336-6800
Chincoteague, VA
Stuckey’s Southern Grille
(757) 824-3616
Mappsville, VA
Don Valerios
(757)336-5715
Chincoteague, VA
Paradiso’s Pizza
(757) 824-9882
Temperanceville, VA
Bill’s Seafood Restaurant
(757) 336-5831
Chincoteague, VA
Marshtump Cafe
(757) 824-0065
Saxis, VA
Don’s Seafood Market & Rstrnt
(757) 336-5715
Chincoteague, VA
Wolff’s Sandwich Shoppe
(757) 824-6466
Atlantic, VA
Sea Star Cafe
(757) 336-5442
Chincoteague, VA
Wright’s Seafood Restaurant
(757) 824-4012
Atlantic, VA
Main Street Shop Coffeehouse
(757) 336-6782
Chincoteague, VA
Great Wall
(757) 854-4558
Oak Hall, VA
Mister Whippy
(757) 336-5122
Chincoteague, VA
Johnno’s Bistro
(757)789-3444
Onley, VA
Burger King
(757) 787-1896
Onley, VA
Bojangles
(757)78-3300
Onley, VA
Hardee’s
(757) 787-8947
Onley, VA
(757) 787-1151
Onley, VA
(757) 336-2480
Chincoteague, VA
Dragon House Restaurant
(757) 789-7779
Onley, VA
Pizza Hut
(757) 787-3800
Onley, VA
(757) 824-5689
New Church, VA
Page 18
Sage Diner
(757)787-9341
Onley, VA
Sunrise Restaurant Bar & Grill
(757) 302-1275
Onley, VA
Blarney Stone Pub
(757) 302-0300
Onancock, VA
Flamenco
(757) 787-7780
Onancock, VA
Island Creamery Ice Cream
(757) 336-6236
Chincoteague, VA
Village Restaurant
(757) 336-5120
Chincoteague, VA
Great Wall 2
(757) 336-5529
Chincoteague, VA
Famous Pizza & Sub Shoppe
(757) 336-3301
Chincoteague, VA
Captain Zack’s Seafood
(757) 336-3788
Chincoteague, VA
A J’s On The Creek Restaurant
(757) 336-5888
Chincoteague, VA
Ledo’s Pizza
(757) 336-6597
Chincoteague, VA
Great Wall
(757) 854-4558
Chincoteague, VA
Maria’s Restaurant & Pizza
(757) 336-5040
Chincoteague, VA
Mullers Old Fashioned Ice Cream
(757) 336-5894
Chincoteague, VA
Club Car Cafe
Monday-Thursday 8 AM to 8 PM
Friday 8 AM to 9 PM
Saturday 8 AM to 8 PM
Closed Sundays
Traditional Eastern Shore Cooking
in a cozy, relaxed atmosphere.
Please accept our apologies if we have inadvertently left off any
places of business from this list. If you would like to see your
favorite restaurant added here, please contact us at:
editor@shoresecretsmagazine.com
Monday-Thursday 4 PM to Midnight
Friday & Saturday 4 PM to 1 AM
Closed Sundays
Come For The Food,
Stay For the Fun!
HERSHEY’S
Hand-dipped Ice Cream
Specialty Cones
Banana Splits
Rootbeer Floats
Smoothies
Nathan’s Chili Dogs
Pulled Pork BBQ Special
Ice Cream Cakes
757-787-3230
132 Market Street
Onancock
Pool League Every Tuesday
Dart League Every Wednesday
757-665-7822
In a hurry?
Visit Our
Drive Thru!
18497 Dunne Ave
Parksley, VA
www.clubcarcafe.com
Page 19
The Little City That Was
The sun was just beginning to make its way down beyond the bay
as we drove down the little narrow road. It was a warm evening, we
had our windows rolled down to enjoy the gentle, cool air, and you
could hear the birds calling out to each other as they dipped and dove
randomly across the skyline. In fact, all around you were the sounds
of nature; crickets calling out loudly, the peaceful sound of the waves
crashing gracefully against the harbor, the rustle of the leaves as the
wind playfully teased the long, laden branches. In the air, you could
smell nature as easily as you could see it; the crisp clean smell of the
ocean, freshly cut grass sweet and pungent with the underlying aroma
of wild onions, the marsh, thick and strong as we drove along the
quiet path. In the background, you could hear the kids playing tag,
laughing and calling out “You’re It!” A lawnmower making it’s final turn
along the side yard, the deep rumble of the diesel engine of a boat at
mooring. It was a lazy summer evening, and the setting couldn’t have
been more perfect nor serene.
We were on our way down to the Clammee Hands Restaurant,
one of two commercial endeavors located in the tiny community of
Greenbackville. Our mission for the evening, after having our dinner
of course, was to meet with a couple of the locals to talk about the
town, as well as nearby Franklin City, what some on the Shore deem
a ghost town. Franklin City had always caught my attention; it was in
many ways, exactly what people called it – a ghost town. Yet if you
looked carefully, you could see the relics of a once bustling, busy little
town – the broken, ramshackle remains of the railway leading out
into the water and then disappearing as if they were never there, the
remnants of homes, blackened and decaying lining the edge of the
marsh. It fascinated me, how could such an obviously busy little town
just disappear? But for now, I was going to have dinner, and that
thought excited me.
Arriving at the Clammee Hands, Nancy greeted me with a huge
smile. She had known we were coming, in fact, I had asked if we
could talk with her husband, Perry Romig, for a few moments while
we enjoyed our dinner. Perry, in addition to running a repair shop for
boats there in Greenbackville, also operates the charter boat Topless,
and seemed to know everyone in the tiny little town. He always had
some engrossing stories to tell that seemed to keep me captivated for
hours. Nancy asked if we were going to have dinner, and I smiled
broadly; I knew what I wanted without even looking at the menu. The
Soft Shell Crabs were without a doubt the best I’d ever had anywhere.
Small, tender, cleaned to perfection with a sharp, slightly salty flavor;
I honestly think I could order them every single night and never get
tired of them. Kanen was joining me for dinner, though she wasn’t
familiar with their menu, so she studied it briefly before ordering their
Salmon dinner – both of us choosing a freshly baked sweet potato and
string beans seasoned with bacon. Corn bread and rolls would also
arrive at our table, and I already knew that my coffee cup would never
see empty no matter how long I stayed at my little table.
After we gave Nancy our order, I pointed out the back window
to show Kanen the breathtaking view of Chincoteague Bay that
surrounded the little restaurant. It was just at the edge of dusk, so the
seascape was particularly stunning. We hadn’t been there long when
Nancy told us she had also called a friend of theirs, Frank Merrill,
who would be coming down to talk with us. “If there’s anything you want
to know about Franklin City or Greenbackville, Frank’s the man to talk to”
Nancy explained “Frank was born and raised in Franklin City, if we had a
mayor around here, Frank would be it.”
A few minutes later, Perry arrived and we exchanged a few
Page 20
pleasantries, talking about the fishing industry, the newest rules
and regulations that plagued the local fisherman, and then finally, I
brought the conversation around to the reason I had come. I had only
known Perry a short time, but he’d quickly become one of my favorite
people with his quick easy smile, and genuine desire to help anyone
who needed it. Perry has lived in Greenbackville since he was only five
years old. His speech has clearly picked up the thick, heavy timbre of
the locals, and one would never guess that he hadn’t been born right
here. Perry’s Dad had been stationed at the Air Force Base that had
originally inhabited the site where the present day Wallops Island is
now. “It was the largest Air Force Base in the world” Perry explained “Dad
got sent here, married a local girl and just decided not to leave.” A few minutes
later, Perry looked up and smiled so broadly that it seemed as if his
whole face lit up. Glancing up, I saw a small man, roughly Perry’s age
walk in the door and walk over to our table. “This is Frank” Perry
offered “Now this is who you need to talk to.”
Years ago, you wouldn’t have been able to see the boats through all of the crab
pots lined up at the harbor. Today, only a few commercial fisherman are able to
make a living out of the small bay.
You could tell that Frank was sizing me up. We’d never met, and
I wasn’t a local, so the caution and apprehension was almost a given in
these parts, wary of who I was and exactly why I wanted information
on his town. He blatantly looked me over and pulling up a chair said
with a curt yet not uninviting tone “So what are you doing?” I laughed,
a little nervously; I didn’t want to offend by getting down to business
to quickly “Well, eating dinner first” I said “And then, I want to know a little
more about Greenbackville and Franklin City.” “What are you having” Frank
asked, ignoring my other question. “Oh the soft shell crabs of course” I
responded. “Good choice, they don’t get any better than the ones they serve here.”
Perry nodded in agreement “They clean the heck out of ‘em, they’re the best
there are.”
With the discussion of food out of the way, I turned to Frank
once again. “So, talk to me about Franklin City.” You could see Frank
start to relax, a soft smile forming on his lips. This was obviously a
subject he would enjoy, I had apparently passed the initial test and he
was ready to trust me enough to talk to me a bit. And with that, he
simply said “Well, what do you want to know?”
Wow, what didn’t I want to know? As I said, the little town
had always fascinated me, and so, I said simply “Well, what happened
to Franklin City?” Perry and Frank both nodded at the same time,
answering simultaneously “Storms took ‘er out.” They argued good
naturedly amongst themselves for a moment, trying to ascertain
exactly which storm had been the worst, and then, as if by unspoken
agreement, Frank finally told me “The storms in the 30’s really took their
toll, it took out the hotel, and they just never rebuilt it. But the storm in the 60’s
finished ‘er off.” Nancy walked over to where I was sitting, and pointing
to an outlet high up on the wall, perhaps five feet off the floor she said
“Water was up to here, that outlet was the water mark.”
“Used to be a gang of stuff down there” Perry said “There was a hotel,
a store; I’ve seen pictures showing 1,000 people down in Franklin.” Frank
nodded “In 1902, there were 2800 plus people. Read that somewhere, don’t
remember where. The old hotel was nice, it was owned by the Marklins. Johnny
was the boy; I think his Dad’s name was Bob. They did a lot with seashells,
everything inside was done with shells, the bar, and all the tables. It was really
something.”
“Used to be, people made a living on the water here too.” Perry added “But
now that’s gone too. There’s only one local left that makes his way on the water, and
he’s a transplant from Smith Island.” Frank nodded in agreement “Oysters
used to be plentiful out here. By the 30’s they’d dropped off and by the 50’s they
were just gone.” You could see the bond between the two men, so strong
and resilient that it was almost a tangible thing. They easily finished
each other’s sentences, read each other’s thoughts. I knew that these
two had stories to share that would be wonderfully absorbing, stories
of a shared youth, combined adventures and experiences of growing
up in this little community, and I couldn’t wait to ask them about
their younger days here. But for now, I didn’t want to interrupt their
nostalgia, each of them pulling at the recesses of their memory that
seemed interminable, and besides, I was truly eager to hear more.
“There were the fires, long about the turn of the century, ’06, ’07, ’08
somewhere along there.” Frank offered “Lots of people just never rebuilt from
them.” “Then the railroad left in the 50’s” Perry added. Frank nodded in
agreement “Yup, the causeway was the end of the railroad here.” I interrupted
briefly, just to make sure I was understanding them.
The Clammee Hands Restarant offers not only some of the most beautiful views
on the Shore, but also some of the most amazing fresh seafood around.
“The Chincoteague causeway?” I asked. Frank nodded. “See, everything
went out of Franklin by the tracks there. Chicken feed, everything. When the
causeway got built, everybody just drove their stuff, no need for the tracks anymore,
the causeway ruined a lot for Franklin.”
“Franklin used to have their own Post Office too” Perry said “There were
two railways for pulling boats. All that’s gone now.” The two men shook their
heads sadly, remembering those long ago days of bustling prosperity
that had been Franklin City. “Last passenger train was in 1949” Frank
began, and Perry jumped in to finish “Yup, and the last freight train was
in 1956.” And then, nodding to Frank as if to suggest he elaborate,
he threw out “And the naval base left in the 50’s too.” Frank picked up the
thought “Used to be the largest Naval Air Station in the world, right here, right
where Wallops Island is today.”
“No commercial watermen left around here either, that’s all gone.” Perry
said. Frank thought for a moment, and added “Back in the 50’s there
were 36 watermen that lived in the town here and worked out of Greenbackville
harbor. Now, like I said, there’s only one left that lives and works here. Oh you’ve
got a couple others, maybe a dozen hard crabbers, half dozen peelers, one or two
monkers. But they don’t live here; the bay just doesn’t support the town anymore.”
Perry added “All the shucking houses, they were over in Franklin, but they fished
here.”
Curious, I asked why they thought that was, and boy oh boy did
that open up a can of worms. “Well, back in the 80’s, they decided to let
Maryland fisherman come down here and fish in our bay. Just not enough fish in
this place to support them and us both.” Again, Frank nodded and picked up
the story. “We had one netter that would come down here and lay out six miles
of nets. Now the bay here, Chincoteague Bay, its only four miles wide, maybe six
and a half feet deep, so you tell me, how can you keep fishing like that?” “And
you’ve got all of these regulations” Perry almost moaned “you got size limits
and catch limits and how are the fish suppose to know they can’t go in a net? They
can’t read, they don’t know they’re too small to get caught. So they get tangled in
the nets and die and you still can’t keep ‘em. Just doesn’t make any sense.” Frank
spread his hands out in exasperation “We need specific Bay regulations, not
State regulations. This Bay, well its different back here, you can’t fish this like
you would other waters.” I was certainly sympathetic to their concerns
over the heavy regulations. We talked a little bit about the absurdity of
how some of the current regulations were formed, their tests and their
graphs that basically only showed where something was one day, not
where it might swim to the next. “Fuel crunch hurt us too” Perry added
“Cut my charters in half last year, you can’t survive like that.”
I couldn’t wait to hear more about the town, what it had been
like to grow up there. Today, it was quiet, peaceful, the yards perfectly
manicured, neighbors relaxing in the yards and on their porches, I
could only envision the community twenty or thirty years ago, it must
have been close to heaven. I gently tried to steer their conversation in
that direction, I was sure the two had much to share.
“Oh it was absolutely fabulous” Frank said when I asked about
growing up there. “You could hunt whenever you wanted, fish whenever you
wanted. We had the boyscouts, didn’t have any money for uniforms, but we didn’t
care, really didn’t matter to us. We played soccer, football, baseball, every night.”
Perry interrupted, laughing “Yeah, most nights we played right there in my
yard.” There was one Church, a Methodist, in Greenbackville, and
another in Franklin City back in the day. “We all pulled our weight” Frank
said “Come summer, if you were six or seven years old, then you had better have
a job.” Perry laughed, a soft memory that said they looked forward
to the work rather than dreading it. “When you got off the school bus, you
had to feed the chickens, shell corn, pick tomatoes. We had to separate the crabs.
In the summer, we worked on the water in the mornings, and in the fields in the
afternoons.” “We were raised to fend for ourselves” Frank added “we had the
freedom to play sports, hunt, fish. We were our own little world; we harvested the
fields, the water. We learned to take care of ourselves.”
Apparently during those long ago years, there had been two
“bars” in town, Ed Davis’s right there in Greenbackville, and the old
hotel over in Franklin City. “That was Marklin’s” Frank said “It was a
little more upscale, it had televisions. Davis’s had pool tables, a bar and a buncha’
tables.” Frank chuckled, and we all looked up to see where his thoughts
had taken him. “I remember I used to go there after school. You could get
a hamburger, French fries and a soft drink for 25¢. Then I wanted to watch
Gunsmoke, but I had to sit through Lawrence Welk first. Gosh that used to make
Page 21
me so mad, but if I didn’t watch Lawrence Welk, there would be no Gunsmoke,
so I just sat there, boy did I hate Lawrence Welk.” Perry laughed, jumping
ahead. “We had teen dances too. Most of the time they were in somebody’s back
yard.”
“Those were good times. Everyone raised everyone else’s kids here. It was a
real community.” Frank said “If you did anything you weren’t suppose to, your
parents would know about it before you ever got home.”
Perry burst into peals of laughter “You remember that day we skipped
school to go to Chincoteague to play pool?” Frank started laughing, “Yeah,
I told you that it wouldn’t be a problem, I would sign your Mom’s name to the
paper saying you weren’t going to be there.” Perry chimed in “Yeah, but we
didn’t realize that the counselor and my Mom were good friends. Got back, and
the counselor called me to her office. Started asking me all these questions about
my Mom going to school and graduating. Then she finally said she was surprised
my Mom had graduated at all since she had never learned to spell her own name.”
Frank burst into peals of laughter “I had spelled his Mother’s name wrong on
the excuse!” “That was a bad year. I had never been in trouble in my life. Frank
quit school, went to work on the water for a year, then he came back.” Frank
interrupted with a stern revelation “Yeah, I quickly decided after working
on the water for a year that I really needed to be in school.” Perry kept right on
without skipping a breath “Yeah, well here I was never having been in trouble,
and you come back to school and all of a sudden I get suspended from school four
times in one year.” Again, the camaraderie between the two men was
almost touchable.
Frank changed directions in the conversation abruptly “Did you
know that we were incorporated once?” Not waiting for me to answer, he
kept on going “it was back in the 30’s; the town cop was paid a salary of
$26 a year.” Perry laughed “Yeah but that didn’t last long, everyone refused
to pay their taxes, and what few taxes they did collect, well, the mayor got a new
cook stove.” Frank laughed once again picking up where Perry had
left off “Yup, and the town cop only got $14 of his $26 salary.” “So yeah, the
incorporated town only lasted a couple of years” Frank finished up, both men
nodding in affirmation.
The two men got oddly quiet for a moment, both of them
reflecting back over the many and exceptional years they’d known
each other. “Those were good days” Perry said thoughtfully “You know,
I never even locked my shop until the 80’s. All that equipment, all of it, and I
just left it wide open. Now? I lock everything up, it’s sad the way things have
changed.” Frank nodded. “There are only about one third of the families
left here in town that are the original families. Used to be you knew everyone,
but not anymore.” Curiously, I asked Frank if he knew how many of
those original houses were left in Franklin City. “Eleven” he answered
without hesitation. “And lets see, here in Greenbackville” his words trailed
off as you could see him physically counting the houses, street by
street “in Greenbackville there are 86” he said finally. I was amazed and
impressed, but even more; wondrously touched by his devotion to the
little community he called home.
“You know, I’m so proud of our fire department” Frank said, as if he
could read my thoughts “they are really something, they work really hard and
do a great job, we are so very fortunate to have them. There have been people in this
community that have made a big difference. Richard and Charlotta Culver, they’ve
been great benefactors, and Reds Mariner, well he spent an enormous amount of
time with the youth in the community. I’m proud of the kids that I grew up with too,
how we’ve all grown up here and are doing well, contributing to the community.” I
could tell that he was thinking, reflecting back over all the information
he’d shared with me, and so I remained quiet, letting him collect his
thoughts. “I just wish things were a little different” he concluded “I hate seeing
the dilapidated houses, the kids are all leaving now, no one sticks around, I hate
how the bay has shut down.” The unstated thought, that both men sorely
missed the way things used to be in the little town, didn’t need to be
spoken aloud.
Page 22
“It’s still a nice community” Perry said “Just things are different now.”
“Well they have the Old Tymers Day” Frank said “I think its something like the
first Saturday in October, and it’s really nice. They put tables out full of pictures
and artifacts from the town the way it used to be; old fire trucks, all kinds of stuff.
They have a barbeque, and all the proceeds benefit the Shriner’s Hospital.” Perry
nodded “Yeah, and every once in a while, we’ll have a town meeting if someone
wants to do something, don’t happen all that often though.”
You can still make out the remnants of the old railway, one of the few remaining
testaments to a busy and bustling lifestyle that was Franklin City.
After inviting me by his garage to take a look at some pictures of
the old town, as well as pictures of the old Franklin City, Frank bid us
goodnight. I was so sad to see him go, I had enjoyed our conversation
more than I could ever express. I felt as if I had not only gained such
wonderful insight into the very lifeblood of the little community, but
truly felt I had met a kindred spirit in our shared appreciation of a
way of life that is sadly so very rare today. I glanced at my watch;
we’d been there almost two and a half hours! The minutes had flown
by; it barely seemed as if we’d been talking more than a few minutes.
Nancy had long since taken our dishes from the table, but my coffee
cup was still full of piping hot coffee, so I sat back to chat a few more
minutes with Perry before leaving. I commented again on the seafood
there at the little restaurant, it was without a doubt some of the very
best I’d ever had, and Perry only nodded, as if it was a fact that was
never in question in the first place. Finally, we said our goodbyes, and
giving hugs all the way around, made our exit. As we were walking
to the car, Kanen turned to me briefly, and uttered a very simple, yet
very poignant and heartfelt thought “Wow, what good people.” Smiling, I
could only nod, yeah they were. No wonder Greenbackville was such
an awesome town.
Chincoteague Center
♦ June 20 Bluegrass Concert
♦ June 27 Peter Stone’s
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♦ August 15 Bluegrass Concert
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Page 23
Saturday In The Park
The young girl’s face was alert and attentive, her eyes intently
focused on her best friend, sitting erect and vigilant, she waited with
an eager patience that was barely contained. The moment her friend
made the slightest move, her legs tensed, ready to spring as soon as
the signal was given, and then she was off, leaping high into the air
more gracefully than any seasoned ballerina, and within seconds she
was once again sitting in front of her friend, the brightly colored disc
offered up to be thrown once again as she tirelessly begged to continue
their game, her tail wagging with unbridled excitement.
The Mid-Atlantic Disc Dogs is a regional club that travels the
Eastern Seaboard and beyond, encouraging not only the competitive
aspect of the sport, but also the camaraderie and enjoyment shared by
the furry community and their owners as well. The group, formed
in 2004 by co-founders Ray Lowman and Frank Montgomery began
with only 25 to 30 members, has grown to over 80 members and has
become a 501 (c) (7) organization. They are recognized both nationally
and internationally by K9 Disc Enthusiasts, and have traveled not only
throughout the Eastern States but also as far west as Colorado and
California. Last year, Frank Montgomery and his companion Pixie
Chick, along with fellow club member, Jeff Stanaway, from Virginia
and the Hyperflite Skyhoundz Co-Founders Peter Bloeme & Jeff
Perry were invited to travel to Shanghai, China to show the Chinese
what the sport of Canine Flying Disc is all about. Frank Montgomery
speaks with enthusiasm when asked about the growth of the club “As
you can see from our schedule on our web site, this has become a year round activity,
and this doesn’t include all the Multi-Club hosted events or ones that we are an
integral part in running.  These include events in Canada, the upper Northeast
and the Hyperflite Skyhoundz Regional and Open Qualifier Championships.”
It wasn’t clear just who had the most fun, the dogs or their owners, as they
eagerly performed amazing antics during the competition.
The group truly has the best interest of their canine friends at
heart, and performs at a wide variety of events. Some of their shows
are held to help raise funds for local groups and organizations such as
Frederick County Humane Society Walk N Wag and Maryland SPCA
March for Animals. They have also supported the American Cancer
Society’s Dogwalks Against Cancer in New York for several years now.
Each New Years, they raise truck loads of desperately needed items
for different No Kill shelters such as Animal Resource Foundation of
Chester and Chesapeake Cats and Dogs. They have also raised over
Page 24
$3,000 for the Humane Society of Forsyth County in Georgia. Yet
other competitions, such as the one held in Parksley this May are done
completely free, simply to encourage the sport, and still other shows
are promoted to help support the club itself. “A competition could draw
a dozen to well over one hundred teams.  We have seen growth at most events each
year and they always attract local competitors.  This is due to what I believe is the
simplicity and beauty of the sport; not to mention the happiness it brings to both
human and canine.  We have seen our first few Local Championships this year
double in size.” Frank says “The event in Parksley was small but it was very big
in our eyes because there were a few new people that brought their pooches out to
try their paw at the sport, it provided us the opportunity to work with them and
their fuzzy buddies to step up their game and entertain and educate many intrigued
spectators.”
The little town of Parksley has always been known for its wonderful
festivals and family events, and so it came as no surprise to me that
they would have sought out and partnered with the Mid-Atlantic Disc
Dogs to offer yet another wholesome and entertaining event for the
community. As I wandered around the town park, I watched all of the
spectators milling about, the kids running freely around the grounds,
the applause enthusiastic and uncontained as each competitor took
their spot on the field. Talking about the event in Parksley, Frank
shared sentiments very akin to my own as he explained “We had a great
time in Parksley.  I did get a chance to walk through part of the town and everyone
we met were very warm and friendly, in fact it seem to get colder the further North
we went on Sunday. I was thinking it was the weather, but maybe Mother Nature
was telling us something.”
The dogs themselves were amazing. I watched in awe as they
raced with boundless energy up and down the field, leaping high into
the air, seemingly turning somersaults in mid-flight, grabbing the discs
effortlessly and accurately, and returning swiftly to their owners to
repeat the process in record time. The unrivaled beauty and fluid grace
of their movements was nothing short of extraordinary. Two local
dogs competed in the event, Rochelle Lutting and her corgi Summer
participated in the Distance and Accuracy division, and Nate, a lovely
golden retriever also vied in the same competition with owner Earl
Pryo as well as the youth division along with Codie White.
Each competition carries its own rules and guidelines but the
general rules for the event are pretty basic. All dogs must have proof
of Rabies Vaccination; they encourage Parvo and Kennel Cough
inoculations as well. All owners must clean up after their dogs, and
because the event is a family oriented venue, there is no confrontation
between competitors or abusive language allowed. As stated on their
web page, the group very simply “Promotes good sportsmanship. MAD
Dogs always has the best interest of our canine companions at heart, while catering
to the love and fun of the sport.”
The Parksley Volunteer Fire Company was on hand selling snow
cones, hot dogs and soft drinks, and the Parksley Police Department
was offering free gun locks to the crowd. The event is just one of many
special activities the Town of Parksley has planned for the community
throughout the year.
At the end of the day, Frank Montgomery and his girl Pixie Chick
won the competition hands down with 28.5 points in the Distance
and Accuracy division and 37 points in the Freestyle competition. He
also took second place in both competitions with his friend Chicklet,
followed closely in third place by Jackson and Kelly Webb in Distance
and Accuracy with 25 points, and Wick and Laura O’Neil in Freestyle
with 32 points. Locally, Nate took first place in both Distance and
Give Her Something To Purr About!
Local contestant Nate enjoys some attention from the crowd in between competitions.
Accuracy as well as the Youth Competition with owner Earl Pryo
and youth handler Codie White, followed by Summer and Rochelle
Lutting in third. But when all was said and done, everyone was a
winner; from the dogs and their owners who enjoyed the fun and spirit
of competition to the crowds who enthusiastically cheered them on,
each of us took away a smile and a memory that would not soon be
forgotten, and the anticipation of more to come; for each of us had
found new friends.
For more information on the Mid Atlantic Disc Dogs and
Disc Dog competition or to find out how you can get involved with
your own furry friend, visit their website at www.mad-dogs.org.
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Page 26
A Taste of Passion
“Yes, I think I do. After reading a lot of overheated puffery about your new
cook, you know what I’m craving? A little perspective. That’s it. I’d like some fresh,
clear, well seasoned perspective. Can you suggest a good wine to go with that?” For
those of you out there that are die hard Disney fans like our family,
you will recognize the words of the great food critic, Anton Ego, spoken to Remy, the tiny rat who becomes the world’s greatest Chef in the
heart warming movie, Ratatouille. I think perhaps if Anton Ego were
to pay a visit to The Bistro at Four Corner Plaza in Onley, he may just
find his order filled to perfection. On second thought, possibly even
more; I believe that Ego would be challenged and then skillfully sated
in a way that would defy his imagination. In many ways, his final perception of the experience may be more than he had ever anticipated,
and his discerning review would read much like his humbled opinion
of Gusteau’s: “Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal
from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have
challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They
have rocked me to my core … I will be returning to Gusteau’s soon, hungry for
more.”
Needless to say, when I walked into The Bistro for the first time,
I was fully expecting your “average” restaurant in a strip mall. These
types of places are all somewhat similar, designed to accommodate the
hungry lunch crowd; something quick, inexpensive and simply more
filling than impressive. So you can imagine my surprise when the
first thing that met my eye was the luncheon special, carefully lettered
on the board at the counter, simple but enticing: “Half Maine Lobster,
stuffed with Crab Imperial, served with Cottage Fries. $9.99” I couldn’t help
but stare at the words, there had to be a mistake. To begin with, I was
expecting maybe a chicken salad sandwich, or at the most, some kind
of wrap filled with veggies and deli meats, certainly nothing quite this
elaborate. And of course the price was equally as unexpected, being
somewhat familiar with the cost of seafood; I couldn’t grasp just how
they could offer this tantalizing dish at such a low, low price. Picking
up a copy of the menu laying beside the counter, I sat at one of the
front tables to see just what kind of choices were available, certain that
the “special of the day” was exactly that: something out of the ordinary,
and not on the regular menu. And once again, I found myself pleasantly surprised at the selections before me.
But before I get into the delectable menu items, let me back up
and tell you a little about the environment, as the décor and ambiance are most assuredly as palatable as the menu. As you walk in the
door, you are instantly assaulted with a sense of cleanliness and well,
amazingly refined simplicity. Does that sound like a contradiction? Well I guess perhaps it is, and despite the fact that it is a feat not
so easily accomplished, here at The Bistro, the simple yet European air is pleasing, straightforward and definitely inviting. A wrought
iron baker’s rack rests against the counter, displaying an assortment
of mouthwatering desserts including brownies, cookies, and other assorted pastries that you can grab on the run. To the left begins a line
of tables, simple yet ample, casual yet formal. The entire atmosphere
truly is a picture of contradictions, blended together to give one an
incredible sense of style and taste. There is a lunch counter where you
can place your order if you want to grab something quickly, or if you
have more time, towards the back you can be seated in traditional restaurant fashion, allowing yourself time to savor both the meal and the
captivating character of the little restaurant. Yet despite the pristine
setting, people chatted amicably, comfortable and relaxed, as if they
were seated around a woodstove with a game of checkers between
them, rather than a very decorous and engaging restaurant.
Glancing around, I spotted a table towards the front and quickly
sat down, wanting to give myself a few moments to peruse the menu.
The cover, a laminated pale blue with a hand drawn butterfly off to
one side, was tied together with delicate yellow ribbon, and stated
simply along the edge “Enchantment”. Intrigued, I was anxious to see
just what fare they offered, so I eagerly looked inside, my taste buds
already eager with anticipation. Having been so pleasantly surprised
thus far, the contents did not disappoint. As one’s eyes tend to normally gravitate towards the right hand side of the page, the first thing
to greet me was a delectable scrumptious array of salads, the names
alone tantalizing and suggestive. Whispers of Honey jumped out at
me and I eagerly read the ingredients: Sliced breast of turkey over
a bed of spinach and mixed greens tossed with red apples, carrots,
honey and candied pecans. My senses were sailing, what am amazing
array of ingredients, I almost didn’t want to look any further. Yet
The Bistro staff is small, like family, and have been dedicated to the little
restaurants success from its very first day.
there on the next page was another item that caught my eye, the Mixed
Berry Spinach Salad which boasted baby spinach with assorted berries, feta cheese, grape tomatoes, onion, toasted almonds and poached
breast of chicken with balsamic vinaigrette. I hadn’t even looked at
the sandwiches or meals, and already I was having issues deciding what
I wanted to try. Considering my love of food, I forged on, savoring
each description. The sandwich selection includes such unusual and
persuasive choices such as their popular Roasted Chicken Salad Lavish
which features all breast chicken salad, red peppers, spinach, onions
and mozzarella on Lavish lightly toasted, or their Eastern Shore Unburger; a grilled breast of chicken topped with wilted spinach, bacon, provolone cheese and an amazing sounding sun dried tomato
mayonnaise. Their pizza selection is as unique as the restaurant itself and equally as appetizing, offering such distinctive choices as a
Chesapeake Lavish made with crab imperial baked on Lavish Bread
and topped with fresh spinach, tomatoes and Swiss cheese; or perhaps their California White Pizza, consisting of cheddar, Monterey
jack, and parmesan cheeses, spinach, tomato, roasted red peppers and
artichoke hearts. Of course if you insist on a “plain old pizza”, they
can accommodate you there as well, though you will certainly realize
as you hungrily dispose of every last crumb, that you will never, ever
use the words “plain old” again when you are ordering at The Bistro.
Page 27
Dinner entrees were equally as impressive: Seared Steak Milano which
includes a seared steak with portabella ravioli tossed with roasted red
peppers and broccoli; Lemon Thyme Chicken, featuring chicken and
asparagus with carrots julienne in a light veloute with a hint of lemon
over cheese pursed pasta. The special of the day, an incredible Lobster
Feast promised a whole 1 ¼ pound Maine Lobster, which you could
have steamed, broiled or stuffed with crab imperial. Additionally, you
received a garden salad, baked potato and a delicious sweet southern
cornbread.
The little Bistro is a favorite spot for locals to enjoy a unique and delicious dining experience and customers enjoy the amiable, attractive atmosphere.
Trying to narrow my choices down from so many delicious
sounding dishes was impossible. And so, when Johnno came to ask
what we’d be having, I told him that I simply could not decide, to prepare an assortment of items and surprise me. Johnno smiled, a smile
that I would only come to appreciate later as I learned more about the
energy and passion he possessed for the opportunity to create mouthwatering dishes in his kitchen, and said simply “Wonderful.”
It wasn’t long at all before the first course arrived, and to be honest, my first thought was “That is way to pretty to actually taste good.” I
simply couldn’t have been more wrong. There were large, perfectly
cooked crab ravioli arranged beautifully on a small plate, garnished
with wilted baby spinach. I learned that it was prepared with a Chardoney Saffron reduction, and the taste was positively exquisite, the
crabmeat fresh and wonderfully seasoned, the sauce an ideal contrast
to the seafood, with each bite more delectable than the last. I literally
scraped up every last morsel, eagerly anticipating the next course. As
usual, my boyfriend and partner Jay had accompanied me for dinner,
and we were both eagerly anticipating the next course, as we each
agreed that we doubted seriously Johnno could outdo himself after
the Crab Ravioli. We were both wrong. Next up was a surprising
Strawberry Marsala, fresh (I learned that Johnno never uses frozen)
chicken breasts sautéed with a hint of thyme, fresh mushrooms and
fresh strawberries, with a touch of cream. The sweet succulent taste
of the ripe berries gave a perfect distinction to the moist, meaty flavor
of the chicken, and the sauce brought everything together with a perfection that was both pleasing and enticing. I hungrily devoured every
bite, despite the fact that I thought I couldn’t hold another morsel, as
I watched Jay take his last bite of chicken, enthusiastically sopping up
every last drop of sauce. We both agreed that there was no way we
would be able to appreciate the last course, we were both positively
stuffed, and somehow food never tastes quite as good when you’re
Page 28
already full. Would it surprise the reader to learn that this time we
were both wrong? We almost groaned as Johnno brought out the last
course, knowing that we’d never be able to finish it. Johnno explained
that he had wanted us to try the Crab Lavish, one of the best selling
items on his menu, and a creation he had conceived himself. I looked
at the mouthwatering dish he placed in front of us and wondered
how on earth I was going to possibly eat all of this food. But the
last thing I wanted to do was to insult Johnno by not eating what he
had so carefully prepared, and so, I cut a fairly small slice off of the
rectangular shaped concoction in front of me. The Lavish bread is
thin, with just a hint of crispness, and smothered in a rich, homemade
crab imperial. Then it is topped off with fresh baby spinach, tomatoes
and covered in Swiss cheese before being baked in their pizza oven
to a bubbly crusty perfection. I was completely unprepared for the
incredible display of flavor that embraced my taste buds. The crab
imperial was nothing short of extraordinary, a hint of sweet cream;
an explosion of fresh succulent crab, with just the right amount of
seasonings. The baby spinach added a delectable, garden-fresh dimension, and the cheese created an amalgamation that was far beyond
scrumptious, in fact, it was as delightful as anything I had ever enjoyed.
Despite my lack of enthusiasm before the course had arrived, I eagerly
ate seconds, and finally thirds before every last crumb was gone from
the beautiful serving dish before us. Johnno came over to talk with
us for a few minutes, explaining that he had yet one more thing he
wanted us to try, the Zepolies, another creation he had come up with
as he was experimenting in his kitchen one day. Jay and I both visibly
groaned, knowing there was no way we could possibly hold another
bite. Johnno laughed “its okay if you don’t finish it” he said “I just want
you to try it, besides I just enjoy making it.” I was beginning to discover that
Johnno just enjoyed cooking, no matter what the order, he was passionate about each and every dish. As promised, a few minutes later,
the dessert arrived, and it was, and remains, one of the most beautiful
presentations I’ve ever seen. There on a very large dessert plate rested
a huge mound of golden vanilla ice cream. Large, triangular shaped
pieces of deep fried pizza dough, drenched in sugar, were sticking
out of the concoction at varying angles, and a delightfully sweet, rich
homemade caramel sauce was lavishly drenched over all. As if that
wasn’t enough, there was a rich, dark chocolate sauce, all topped off
with creamy whipped cream and cherries. The blend of flavors literally exploded in our mouths as we devoured bite after bite, savoring
the sweet rich taste of the flavors. It was official, I didn’t think I’d eat
again for a week.
Later, talking with Johnno, the little restaurants personable owner, was as rewarding as the meal. The Bistro is celebrating a little over
a year of continued and growing success, and Johnno smiles when I
ask exactly why on earth he decided to go into the restaurant business.
“I’ve been a chef all my life” he says simply “It’s something I always wanted to
do, but the timing was never quite right. My daughter left for college last year, and
I decided now was the time.”
John Utzman, Johnno as he is affectionately known by his friends,
is most definitely both the personality as well as the bedrock of the
amazingly successful Bistro. His passion for food and for the exciting
creations he can devise with various ingredients is obvious as he talks,
and you find yourself intrigued as well as entertained as you avidly
listen to him talk about his work. “We make everything here with only the
freshest ingredients. The hamburgers are handmade patties, the chicken salad is
homemade, the fries are cut fresh to order” you can physically see the excitement and anticipation he feels in the kitchen as he continues “Our
pizza sauce is made fresh; it’s never from a can.”
Johnno describes the cuisine as more French in nature, perhaps
throwing in a little Thai, some Amish, German, and even some Italian. “Cooking is a passion I have, have always had” he explains “I like putting
things together, to see what I can come up with.” Laughing, I told him he reminded me of Remy in Ratatouille. “I love that movie” he exclaims as we
compare the movie to the real life adventures in his kitchen. “I love to
dabble and mix different cultures” he laughs “I remember one day someone called
in here and wanted to know if I had any of that crab pizza. I couldn’t figure out
what on earth they were talking about, and then I realized they wanted our Crab
Lavish.” Not quite sure myself exactly what a Lavish was, Johnno explained the process he uses to make the now popular dish. “I take lavish
bread, smear it with crab imperial, add tomatoes and Swiss cheese, then stick it in
the pizza oven and let it get toasty. They have gotten so popular.” The pride is
his voice as he reflects over customers reactions to his food is almost
palatable.
The little restaurant opened on March 17th, 2008, and has increasingly grown in popularity with both locals and passers by. At first,
they were only open for lunch, but then in April, decided they needed
to expand into dinner hours. “I would have to say my biggest surprise as well
as the most rewarding aspect of all of this has been the generosity of my customers.
People go out of their way to wish you well and tell you how nice things are. They
are truly remarkable, the goodness they bring to us, they make you happy to be
a part of this community.” Johnno also explains that he has an excellent
staff which is essential, having people that you can count on and trust.
“We’re small, we’re family here. They’ve all been with me since day one; I guess we
have maybe eight people here. I cross train everyone because I feel it’s important,
and they’ve been good to me.”
For dessert, The Bistro shares a cook with the Yellow Duck Bakery in Exmore, and the wonderful creations are sinfully delicious. They
offer brownies, cookies, Belgian chocolates, cheesecakes, a popular
and wicked “Death by Chocolate” as well as a truly unique creation called
“Johnno’s Zepolies” which as I had learned, were nothing short of spectacular. Just the memory of them is enough to instantly make my
mouth water.
Johnno expertly prepares the Strawberry Marsala, the preparation almost as
impressive as the dish itself.
Johnno moved to the Shore from Hershey, PA about two years ago,
and has never regretted his decision for a moment. “I had a friend that
moved down here about five years ago, and I just loved the rural area. There’s incredible wildlife here and the lifestyle is great, I mean, just imagine, you can hop off
your little boat right onto an Island, isn’t that amazing!” As with everything
else that has captured Johnno’s heart, you can hear the passion he feels
for life explode with his words. And as a mother, I am always parShore Secrets Summer 2009
We simply couldn’t agree on our favorite dish, each course was nothing less
than amazing, yet the Crab Lavish was definitely a treat in and of itself.
ticularly heartened when I hear a single father proudly talk about his
kids, and Johnno’s love and admiration for his daughter are blatantly
apparent. “She came down here with me, she has her own room, even though she’s
in college, and she’s been a big help to me here at the restaurant.”
As we were getting ready to leave, we thanked Johnno profusely
for the amazing meal he had provided. I hesitated for a moment, unsure how he would take the compliment I was getting ready to bestow,
and then threw it out there. “I hope you understand what I’m getting ready to
say” I began “This was one of the most beautiful meals I’ve ever had the pleasure
of seeing. But it doesn’t taste beautiful – beautiful food normally just has no taste,
it’s just pretty. But this” I waved my hands over the table as I continued
“This was just amazing, it tasted as beautiful as it looked, it was simply, one of
the most delicious meals I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying.” Johnno just
smiled “I do know exactly what you mean, I try to prepare all of my meals to
taste the way I want to enjoy them.” It showed, clearly apparent in each
and every bite. But the whole experience was even more, for after
talking with Johnno, I couldn’t help but feel energized, excited about
my experience there, in fact, it was a feeling I took away with me when
I left, knowing that I’d be back quickly for more. Once again, I was
reminded of Ratatouille, and the famous Gusteau’s words rang loudly
in my ears: “How can I describe it? Good food is like music you can taste, color
you can smell. There is excellence all around you. You need only to be aware to
stop and savor it.” I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps Gusteau had
visited our tiny town of Onley in preparation of his film, for surely, he
had to be describing The Bistro, for without a doubt; no words could
be more accurate or fitting.
Watch for our Fall Issue
Coming
September 2009
Shore
Secrets
Magazine
Page 29
Small Town Community Offers Amazing Design
One of the things that I truly enjoy in life is discovering that I’ve
been wrong about something. Now that might sound a little odd, but I
am one of those people that loves to be challenged, which is perhaps
why I love topics of debate about such taboo subjects as politics, or
religion and other controversial issues. I remember my Dad telling
me on many, many occasions, that it was a pathetic person who felt
they had nothing else to learn in life; that an intelligent man would
learn something new every day. Of course none of this was running
through my mind as I walked up to Sunset Bay Villas to drop off the
requested magazines.
Pulling up in the parking lot, it did occur to me that the whole
concept they had developed here was something very new to the
Shore. You will find the occasional apartment, and certainly lots of
subdivisions and other housing choices, yet until now, no one had
offered a condo style environment to prospective home owners.
The surrounding area; parking lot and grounds, were neat, clean,
immaculately maintained, and I have to admit I was impressed. Several
people, obviously residents, talked amicably over on the grass, their
two dogs clearly enjoying the opportunity to play while their owners
were preoccupied. “Nice” I thought to myself as I approached the
steps to the model and office “This place is really, really nice.” Oh but I
was in for even more of a surprise as I stepped inside, for “nice” was
only just the beginning.
As I opened the door, a pleasant, smiling face of a young girl
greeted me immediately. “Hi, what can I do for you?” she inquired. I told
her I was there to speak with Christine, and asked if she was in. Still
giving me that very genuine and sincere smile, she pointed at the office
behind me “Just go right on in” she instructed. Walking through the open
door, I introduced myself and handed over the stack of magazines I
had brought with me. “It’s so nice to finally meet you” Christine said “Come
on, I want you to meet everyone else!”
Her enthusiasm was almost contagious, I hadn’t planned on
“socializing” today, so I certainly wasn’t dressed nor prepared for
introductions, but I found myself whisked away without complaint
as Christine animatedly introduced me. “You’ve already met Kelly” she
says, piloting me down the hall “Well, sort of ” I gave Kelly a quick smile
“And this is Julie, she’s been here since before the place was built, she has seen our
home here grow from the ground up.” Julie stood up from her desk to shake
my hand as Christine explained who I was and that I had brought
Spacious, warm and inviting, the homes are beautifully appointed.
Page 30
magazines for them. “So nice to meet you” Julie offered, “Can I get you
some coffee, a snack?” Glancing over to the front of the room, I noticed
a coffee pot, numerous cakes and cookies, and other refreshments
spread out on a beautiful table. “Oh, our residents love coming in here in the
mornings so we just keep the coffee on for them, we really enjoy having them come
over and hang out with us, particularly on the weekends.” Having lived in “the
city” at one point in my life, I was impressed, for never once in any of
Waking up to this view every morning would be nothing less than the equivalent of heaven on earth.
the communities that I had lived in, had I ever felt compelled to go
“hang out” in the office with the staff; these people obviously had a
great rapport with the homeowners here.
The longer I stayed and talked, the more curious I got about
what they had to offer. And so, it seemed only natural to me to ask
if I could see some of the models they had available. “Of course!”
everyone seemed to chime it at once, and you could tell how very
proud they were of their new community, their affection for both the
little neighborhood and its residents was beautifully obvious. Christine
handed me a map of the community, and started circling the models
that were open, but Kelly quickly offered to walk with me to show me
where they were each located.
Kelly and I began our tour by going out the back door. As we
meandered back through the hall, we walked through a wonderful
gym, weightlifting machines, exercise bikes, televisions. “Our residents
really enjoy this room” Kelly stated as we reached the door, and then
pointing through the large glass windows overlooking both an amazing
swimming pool as well as the breathtaking water view, she explained
that their pool would be opening soon as well. The walkways were
bright, with wonderful lighting, the smell of the ocean and bay lingered
in the air.
When we arrived at the first model, I am not really sure what I
was expecting. Perhaps my thoughts had been along the lines of “I’m
sure they’re nice, but they simply have to be limited in space.” And once again,
I found myself delightfully proven wrong. As Kelly threw open the
front door, I stepped inside of a massive hallway and great room.
The lighting was perfect, and there were unusual angles and curves
throughout the entire space that gave a unique and visually astounding
appeal to the architecture. Beautiful double doors opened onto a
patio that was, quite literally, right on the water. Off to the left was a
positively huge bedroom, opening onto a wonderful large bathroom,
cabinets, a glass shower enclosure, jetted tub; it lacked absolutely
nothing. The kitchen was equally as well appointed, gorgeous
cabinetry, gleaming countertops and top of the line appliances that
even a gourmet cook would admire and respect. Kelly explained that
all of the units had a master bedroom, then a smaller bedroom and
den, which could also be used as a bedroom if desired. Glancing into
the “smaller” bedroom, I really wouldn’t have called it small, it was
more than ample, and again, I was struck by the beautiful angles they
had used in their design, the effect was breathtaking.
As we wandered around the various residences, each one offered
something exceptional and distinctive. On our next to the last stop, as
Kelly opened the door, she explained that this particular home had the
very best view of the water, and as I stepped inside, it quite honestly
took my breath away. Almost timidly, I walked into the extraordinary
kitchen, which opened up onto an expansive, striking living room.
The double doors overlooked the docks and water, boats were tied off
just waiting for their owners to jump aboard and take a cruise around
the Island. Hardwood floors gleamed in the afternoon sun, yet despite
everything I had seen, I was unprepared for what would greet me
as I stepped into the master bedroom. A beautiful, large mahogany
bed gracefully dominated the center of the room, and off to the
side, expansive glass windows opened up onto a dazzling view of the
harbor. A very large, beautiful yacht was pulled into the slip directly
outside, giving one the impression that you could literally climb out of
your bed, and step onto your boat, ready to while away the afternoon
hours in peace and tranquility. I was absolutely speechless; all I could
manage was a ridiculously lame “Wow.” Kelly smiled, “I know, I just love
this, it’s my favorite.”
As we were walking back towards the office, I commented on
how quiet it was; something else I had not anticipated in such a close
knit little community. “Oh I know” Kelly agreed “its so peaceful here.”
Off on the grass, a few kids played with a ball, another was riding
a bike off towards town, and still more residents were enjoying the
afternoon with each other, many of them walking dogs, or just sitting
around talking affably.
Arriving back at the office, I peeked around the corner to find
Christine and thank her for the tour. “I can’t get over how wonderfully
large these places are” I exclaimed. Christine laughed, understanding my
surprise “I know” she said with obvious pride “We have homes here that
are over 1,900 square feet.” I was more than shocked; most homes on the
market today were much less than that! `We talked a little more about
the architecture and the quality, and I learned that the community
was designed to be in keeping with the little Island, offering old town
Chincoteague style and grace. Both inside and out, no expense was
spared as Christine shared with me some of the incredible amenities
that were standard in each home such as colonial baseboards, ceramic
tile flooring, whirlpool tubs, marble vanities, and top of the line
fixtures and accessories. Additionally, many of the homes have
hardwood floors and granite countertops. I thoughfully interjected
that regardless of the amenities, they were so beautifully furnished,
there was no way that I could make my own place look that positively
stunning. “Sure you can” Christine explained “We offer the option for all
of our homes to be purchased fully furnished. In addition, we have a complete
breakdown of profit and loss if you wanted to use this as investment property.”
After hearing all of this, I fully expected a heinously high price
tag attached to such opulence, yet when I made an offhand comment
about how I could never afford a place like this, Christine threw out a
couple figures that once again left me speechless – these places were
less than the cost of many single family homes on the market today!
Christine could tell I was taken aback, and so she continued “the best
part is what you get for your money here. We have a community fishing pier
where our residents and their children can crab or fish, there are private boat
slips available with a deep water marina, a promenade walking pier all along the
waterfront, the swimming pool and exercise room, trash chutes on every floor” and
then she adds with a smile “best of all, low, low property taxes!”
Julie had been listening to us go on and on about the homes and
the amenities, and she took advantage of a pause in our conversation
to interject her own thoughts. “The best part about Sunset Bay though
is the residents” Christine smiled and nodded in agreement as Julie
continued “You really get to know them, they’re just great people, they’ve become
like family. Like I told you, everyone comes over here on Saturday and Sunday
mornings to have their coffee and just hang out, they’re such awesome people. It’s
such a continuation of the small town atmosphere of the Island itself, it’s just a
small rural community where everyone knows each other, where everyone is family”
Christine agreed “It’s such a great mixture of people too, we have older residents
that have retired here, and we have young couples just starting out with their young
families. And everyone has a dog!” Julie laughed “Yes they do, we were laughing
the other day and saying there must be some unwritten requirement that you have
to have at least two dogs to live here!” We talked for a few moments about
the various families that were a part of the community there and then
The angles and the architecture combine to portray breathtaking spacious
beauty and design.
Julie added “I wish you could meet Stella” Christine nodded “Stella and
her husband came down a little over a year ago. They really had no intention of
buying a condo, they wanted a single family home; I don’t even know why they were
looking here. But they walked in and just fell in love with the place; you could just
see her husbands eyes light up. Well, they bought a home with us, and we really
came to love them. Stella’s husband recently passed away, and Stella has decided to
make us her permanent home, and we’re so glad she’s here!” Christine nodded
warmly, and added “You will have to meet her; she loves us as much as we love
her.” Julie continued“She was over here the other day and just going on and on
to a prospective buyer about how wonderful we were. I finally told her she had to
be quiet, that she made us sound perfect, people were going to think we paid her to
talk like that!” Both women laughed affectionately as they talked about
the residents who had become near and dear to their hearts.
As I was leaving, it occurred to me how excited I was to have
been so wrong in my perception of these condos here on the Island.
I certainly never visited Sunset Bay with the intention of writing an
article, yet, as happens so frequently in my travels up and down the
Shore, when I discover something truly unique and inspiring, I know
that I enjoy sharing my discoveries. And so it is, Sunset Bay stole a
little piece of my heart that Saturday when I visited, and I’m guessing,
it may steal a piece of yours as well.
Page 31
It's the Man, Not the Collection,
That's the Real Treasure
If you are interested in learning a little something about the
history of the area, then there is probably no one better to ask than
Peck Watkinson of Parksley. And if you want to witness that history,
to get a real visual for what he’s talking about, then you should most
assuredly seek to have your questions answered while you are visiting
his little museum over on Wilson Street in Parksley. Oh, it didn’t really
start out as a museum, it actually just begun with Peck collecting a few
things here and there: local historical memorabilia, cans, tools, model
tractors, coins. But it wasn’t long before it was a full blown hobby, and
one that Peck will readily share with you.
I first had the pleasure of meeting Peck way back, oh about 1984
or 1985. I was an avid collector of antiques, and consequently, we
both frequented some of the phenomenal auctions that used to be
held by OW Mears, out at the Barnyard Auction house. Of course,
at the time, meeting Peck didn’t really qualify as “a pleasure” in my
book, because one of the things I was most interested in was any
kind of railroad lantern that might come up for bid. My grandfather
had been a telegraph operator and had worked his whole life on the
railroad, and I was hungry to expand my little collection of train items,
dedicated to the memory of my grandfather. The problem was, Peck
liked railroad lanterns too, and so each and every time one would hit
the auction block, we found ourselves bidding against each other. I
was young, two small children, so money was fairly tight, which of
course meant that Peck always managed to outbid me. I will never
forget the one time I actually managed to snag a really nice RF & P
lantern, something I was particularly happy about, since that was the
actual railroad where my grandfather had worked. When OW started
the bidding, I quickly raised my hand, and to my surprise, Peck had
been nowhere around. I won the auction at a very affordable price,
and quickly snatched up the lantern, holding it in my arms as if it were
pure gold. A few minutes later, Peck had come around the corner
“You little rascal” he admonished me “you knew I was in the bathroom,
otherwise I never would have let you have it.” I had to laugh, one because it
was true, but two, because by this time, we had become friends, the
good natured kidding and taunting at the auction house a common
and strong bond between us. Of course at the time, Peck was still
adding to his “collection” and the interesting little museum was still off
in the distant future.
The not so little museum originally started out as part of his home,
but quickly grew. Peck has nine rooms now devoted to his collections,
with additional space outdoors that he calls “The Outback” for his “big
toys” such as his impressive collection of tractors. Overtop of the ’49
John Deere hangs a sign that says simply “Carroll G Matthews, Hopeton,
VA” and each of the items is carefully marked with its year of origin,
all of them depicting a unique aspect of history on the Shore. “I got
twenty-five of ‘em” Peck says, talking abut his impressive collection of
tractors. “I got a 1937 Case, I also got a 2003 Kubota, I got anything you want
to see.” And if you want to see them, Peck will gladly show you. As he
pauses beside each one, he explains where it came from, how he got
it, and why it means something to him. “That one there is the 55 Oliver I
got back in the 50’s. Got it used for $500. It was the first tractor when I bought
when I started landscaping.” Peck’s memory is sharp as a tack; he doesn’t
forget a single thing. I’ve heard people refer to that type of memory as
“having the memory of an elephant” yet, in my opinion, an elephant would
be lucky if he could remember half of what Peck has stored away.
Page 32
Back inside, I look around trying to take it all in. There is the
Welcome Room, down the way, the Checkers Room. There is a Front
Porch Decoys display, further along, the Riffle Breezeway. Back Porch
Antiques is packed with an amazing assortment of items, and the Big
Toys Room hosts several tractors and an old VW with a sign proudly
displayed reading “San Francisco to Parksley” and if you ask, Peck will
explain how that came to be. Everywhere I look, there is something
new. There are model cars, a ship with a sign that says “Hunting Creek,
VA” representative of the commercial fishing industry that has kept
the little community there alive. There are license plates, paintings,
guns, bottles, baskets, wooden boxes and crates, bronze statues, the
aforementioned railroad lanterns, an old stagecoach, metal banks,
schooners, trawlers, decoys, oyster cans, trains, tools, and more, even
some furniture. “Most of these guns all came from Harrison Phillips, down
at Jaxon’s, you remember him don’t ya?”he offers, and then a few minutes
later, waving his hand off towards the back wall, and says with obvious
pride “That boat there was built in Portsmouth at the Navy Ship Yard in 1918.
Found that at an auction” Peck explains that he’s had over a thousand
visitors to the museum that he calls “Little Village Museum.” He tells me
that people just come in and look around, even when he’s not around.
Peck’s collection ranges from license plates to railroad lanterns, bottles to
boats, and everything in between.
“That’s what it’s there for” he says matter of factly. I for one, can’t imagine
being there without Peck by my side. His animated conversation, his
love of detail and conversation, and his abundant knowledge of the
area and history behind each item is as impressive as the collection
itself.
Peck is no ordinary collector. He goes out and finds what he
wants, and he buys it. “I ain’t got no wife, no dog, nothing, it’s just me. So I
collect, that’s what I’ve got, collecting.” He points to a sign hanging along
the wall and says “Bobby Walker give me that back when he bought his store”.
Moments later, he’s telling me about some decoys he is interested
in buying because he doesn’t have any by that carver. People in the
community have helped Peck accumulate many items in his collection
“People know me, they know what I want.”
Yes, people do know him. On the day we met, we had agreed to
get together at the Club Car Café in Parksley. As we sat there trying to
talk, we were easily interrupted a dozen times with people stopping by
the table to say hi to Peck or to ask him a question. Peck runs his own
landscaping business, started back in 1978, and is in much demand
around the area, his honesty and integrity as a local businessman
known far and wide. “I like to work” Peck says “Got to keep busy.”
While we are talking, Peck hands me a large, beautifully bound
book, explaining that a friend put it together for him. Inside are
pictures of his collection of “things”, but after you’ve turned a few
pages, you find pictures of family and friends gathered throughout
the years. He turns the book slightly, and starts explaining the pictures
to me, family events, dinners for friends, the kids when they were
younger, his daughters Sandy and Joan, pictures of his son Tony
he lost several years ago, pictures of his four grandchildren. Each
picture brings with it a memory that shines bright in his eyes. Of
course, then there are the pictures of Peck himself in younger days,
sporting around in a convertible, or one of him boarding a cruise
ship. Weddings, funerals, family outings, it was all there, and Peck’s
love for his family and friends was unequivocal as he elaborated on
each one. “Wait, I got something I want you to read” he says, as he left to
get something for me out of his truck. When he returned, he handed
me a beautifully framed letter written by his daughter Sandy upon her
retirement, expressing her desire to pursue her passion of art. As
I read the letter, I couldn’t help but see Peck in her words, his own
passion and dedication to his friends and family leaping off the page.
“She’s a heck of an artist” Peck says “You should see some of the paintings
she give me, she can paint.” The pride on his face couldn’t have been any
clearer, the love for his daughter emanating from every word.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Peck looks at me and says “When you
gonna give me that lantern.” I burst out laughing, I couldn’t believe he
remembered. Years ago, Peck had stopped by the house and eyed an
old Caboose lantern that had belonged to my grandfather. My father
had electrified it for my Mom, and the lantern has always been one of
my favorite pieces of family lore, the story behind how it came to be in
my living room was interesting and particularly heartwarming to me.
The minute Peck had seen the lantern, he had wanted it, and it had
been a running argument between us for years. “I am not giving you my
lantern Peck” I laughed “I can’t believe you still remember that, it’s been fifteen
years.” Peck tossed his hand into the air as if to brush my no away.
“Shuw, course I remember it, I want that lantern, I’ll pay you for it, how much you
want.” Shaking my head, I reminded him “Peck, that was my grandfather’s
lantern, there’s no price tag on it, it’s not for sale.” But Peck persisted, just as
he’s done for the last fifteen years. “I know that, but I don’t care, I want that
Interspersed throughout his collection are poems, signs and banners that
reflect all that Peck holds dear; family, friends, God and Country.
Well known and much loved and respected, Peck enjoys spending a birthday
with his friends.
lantern, when you gonna give it to me.” I reached over and gave him a hug,
remembering how much I genuinely adored this man, and how much I
had missed this little banter in the years I’d been gone. “You can’t have it
Peck, but you can come visit it anytime.” Peck once again threw his hand in
the air, dismissing my ‘no’ as if it had never been spoken. “You decide to
get rid of it, you let me know. I want that lantern you hear?” And with that, he
was out the door. Off to work, or perhaps off to find another trinket
for his collection, it was hard to tell. But he’d be back, and he’d have
more stories to share. And whoever was in earshot, well, you can just
bet he’d leave them with a smile.
North Street Market
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Page 33
Recipes to Rave About
Summer is in full swing, veggies are ripe in the garden, and I for one have been
desperately trying to find innovative ways to prepare some of the wonderful fare
from the summer. And so, indulge and enjoy some of the amazing bounty we have
here on the Shore.
Bruchetta
Loaf of Crispy Italian Bread or baguette
3 – 4 Plum Tomatoes, chopped fine
4 leaves of fresh Basil
3 – 4 cloves fresh Garlic
1 medium white Onion
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese or shredded Parmesean
(whichever you prefer)
Salt And Pepper
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Tblsp Balsamic Vinegar
Chop tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil into small pieces. Soak in oil
and vinegar, mixed with salt and pepper while preparing bread. Slice
bread and dip both sides into olive oil lightly. Place bread in oven for
a few until toasty, than remove and cover with tomato mixture and
cover with cheese. Return to oven and bake at 400 a couple more
minutes, just until bubbly – less than five minutes, watch carefully.
I’ve been making this recipe for my family for almost fifteen years now, but they
never seem to get tired of it!
Fresh Broccoli Salad
1 large head broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 onion, diced small
10 – 12 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tblsp vinegar
Mix well, pour over broccoli mixture, chill before serving.
My daughter brought home this next recipe from college, so I was skeptical when
she offered to cook dinner. What an amazing surprise! Easy to prepare and full
of flavor!
Baked Cabbage
1 cup of white onion, sliced
1 large head of cabbage
2 potatoes, quartered
1 pound of bacon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
2 cups chicken broth
Preheat oven to 375. Cut cabbage into quarters, then cut quarters
into halves. Place the cabbage in a pan rounded side down. Cut
potatoes and put in pan. Fry bacon. Add onion, salt and pepper to
bacon grease. Cook till soft. Evenly distribute bacon mixture over
vegetables including the drippings. Put chicken broth over cabbage.
Tightly cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for an hour and a half.
Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes.
Page 34
Let the kids help with this next recipe; they can help gather the fresh berries and
pull apart the cake, too. An easy but mouth watering desert that tastes like you
spent hours in the kitchen, rather than just minutes!
Strawberries and Cream Dessert
1 8-inch angel food cake
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 carton (16 ounces) frozen Cool Whip
2 pints strawberries hulled and sliced
Cut angel food cake in half, tear half into bite sized pieces. Place
in bottom of a 4 quart glass dish. Combine milk and lemon juice, stir
until thickened. Stir in Cool Whip. Spread half over cake, then layer
half of strawberries. Tear remaining cake and repeat all layers. Cover
bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.
Garnish with fresh strawberries.
Looking for something to do with that fresh picked asparagus? Try this simple
but delicious recipe.
Asparagus
1 bunch of freshly picked Asparagus
Tblsp of Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Place asparagus in the bottom of a 9 X 12 pan, Sprinkle olive oil
over top lightly. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake
for about 20 minutes until tender.
Want a quick an easy salad that is as impressive as it is quick to make? Try this
new twist with two old favorites.
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Large bowl baby spinach leaves, washed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup fresh Strawberries, sliced
!/2 cup Raspberry Vinagrette Salad Dressing
Fill serving bowl with baby spinach leaves. Add sliverd almonds.
Add thinly sliced strawberries, and pour raspberry vinagrette dressing
over all. Toss lightly, chill for a half hour.
Memories To Last A Lifetime
Susan and her fiancé Donald were getting married. She and
Donald had decided they wanted to honeymoon on an Island
somewhere, so Susan was eagerly searching the Internet for that
perfect destination when she stumbled across something interesting;
wedding ceremonies held in the Moorea French Polynesian Islands.
Researching the information, she was intrigued, they would perform a
traditional Tahitian wedding on the beach, however the ceremony was
not recognized in the United States so they would have to redo the
ceremony here for their marriage to be legal. But it didn’t matter; the
ceremony itself was unique and special. She approached the idea with
Donald and he agreed, they would be married in the Islands.
“I can’t tell you how wonderful it was” Susan explains “It made that day
so very special, it is something we will never forget.” Showing me the large
picture album, she explained different aspects of the ceremony and
what each meant. It was easy to read the smiles on the faces of the
bride and groom which beautifully expressed the joy and character of
that unique and special day. “Everyone’s wedding should be special like that”
Susan says with genuine emotion.
Susan and Don Krista had moved to the little Island of
Chincoteague in 1999. She had been a medic and firefighter for twentytwo years in Mathews County, Don had retired from the Shipyard as
an electrical engineer. They were looking for a place to relocate. One
Saturday, they decided it might be fun to take a trip across the Bay to
Chincoteague, Susan had never been, and Don hadn’t been since he
was a child. “Once we hit the causeway, Don and I just looked at each other and
said we just found home” Susan smiles remembering “We found a real estate
agent and three months later we had bought a home.”
Susan took a job as an office assistant with Sea Breeze Rentals.
When the company decided to diversify some of their interests she
and Don talked about the fact that there were more than enough
vacation rental homes on the Island to go around and just decided
“why not.” And so in 2000, VIP Island Rentals was born.
“I just love doing business on the Island” Susan says “Everyone works so
well together, it’s nothing for us to call another rental company for a customer that
we just can’t accommodate and other companies do the same for us. It’s a great
community that just really pulls together.”
In 2003, Susan’s oldest and dearest friend, Ivy Whalen was
visiting Susan on the Island. Ivy was also starting to look for a place to
relocate, her husband had owned a contracting firm for 35 years and
they were starting to think about their future retirement. During their
visit, Susan mentioned to Ivy that she was thinking about expanding
her business. “I needed a partner and Ivy needed a home” Susan laughs “She
stayed with me for awhile and then they bought their own place. That was over six
years ago, and here we are.”
“I absolutely love dealing with vacationers” Ivy says “they are happy, they
are having a wonderful time and you get to help them enjoy their time here.”
I laughed and reminded Ivy of the weekend we had met her. My
daughter and I had decided to come back to the Shore for a little mini
vacation, it was in fact, the weekend we made the decision that no
matter what, we were going to move back home to the Shore. We
had researched some vacation rentals online and found VIP Island
Rentals, and arranged to pick up the key to our property before 5 that
Friday on Labor Day weekend. However, as seems to always be the
case whenever we make plans, the day got out of hand, and at 4 that
afternoon, we had taken a wrong turn and were hopelessly driving
around DC trying to figure out how to get back on the Interstate. I
had called the contact number Ivy had given me in case of a problem
and explained our situation. “It’s okay” Ivy had laughed “things like this
happen all the time, just call me when you get here.” It had been almost 8 that
night before we finally arrived and Ivy had eagerly met us at the office
to give us the key and our check in package. I remember thinking at
the time that I would not have been so cordial and downright happy
had someone pulled me out of the house at 8 at night. Yet Ivy had
been all smiles, clearly anxious to do anything she could to help us.
Helping people out is something that comes very easily to both
Susan and Ivy. “I remember last year there was a huge storm coming up” Susan
recalls “We had a customer that had rented one of our waterfront homes, the
owner supplied kayaks and canoes to the renters. Their children had taken the
boats out, and with the storm approaching they just couldn’t get back in. They
called me in a panic.” Susan had told them she would be there in two
minutes, then immediately got on the phone with the Coast Guard
and then stayed on the phone with them until everyone was safe. “The
people were just amazed that I came down and stayed with them the whole time,
but I never considered doing anything else. I am just so glad I was able to help and
that the whole thing had a happy ending.”
“We love people” Susan explains “We have one customer that has been
coming to the Island every year for 32 years now. And then there are the people
that have never been to the Island before, I love being able to share where I live with
them, love meeting such a diverse group of people all the time. You become friends
with your customers, in some instances, they become really good friends.”
Ivy nods her head in agreement, telling me about her own
experiences and the aspects of the business she enjoys. “Someone just
this past weekend came in here looking for a real estate agent” Ivy says “It was
their first trip here; they’d only been here two days and knew this is where they
wanted to live.”
Susan and Don were married in a traditional Tahitian ceremony in the Moorea
French Polynesian Islands. Susan wanted to offer somethikng equally as special
to those couples who wanted to be married in Chincogaue.
One day, Susan was sitting on the beach and noticed a couple
come down to the waterfront, say their vows in front of a marriage
commissioner and then walk off. “That was it, just the vows, there just
wasn’t anything else. Your wedding should be more than just standing on a beach
for five minutes; there should be very special memories. I knew that somehow I
wanted to incorporate the spirit of the ocean into the ceremony.” And so, the idea
of hosting Beach Weddings came into focus.
Susan smiles, thinking back over some of the weddings she has
helped arrange. “Billy and Amber” she laughs gently “They were our
very first wedding. They had contacted the Chamber of Commerce about having
a wedding on the beach. The Chamber knew we were going to be offering the
Page 35
weddings, so they sent them to talk to me. The couple was from Pennsylvania, and
since their wedding, they’ve become almost like an adopted son and daughter, every
year they stop in to say hi.”
Ivy laughs and says “Remember that wedding we did at night?” Susan
smiles “Remember it, of course I do, it’s one of my favorite weddings that we’ve
done.” Susan goes on to explain how the couple had originally planned
to be married on Saturday, but at the last minute, the weather report
changed to calling for horrible, horrible storms. “We’d only had a couple
days warning to plan the wedding anyway” Susan explained “The couple got
here late that evening, it was almost dark. They were really worried about the
weather and just didn’t know what to do. The groom asked us if there was anyway
they could get married that night. I didn’t see any reason why not, so off we went to
the beach. It was pitch black, there was a group of school kids down on the beach
with a bonfire, so we asked them if we could borrow their firelight” she laughs
“The kids formed a semi-circle around us all and when the ceremony was over, the
kids were hooting and hollering, it was actually pretty awesome.”
One of Susan’s favorite memories of the ceremonies she’s helped
put together was about three years ago. “This couple was just riding by
and saw our sign for beach weddings. They’d been living together for almost twelve
years, they had an eight year old daughter, and they just decided it was time. I sent
them to Accomac to get their license on Friday morning and they were married that
afternoon. The woman found a strikingly beautiful white sundress down at Roses,
and the man had found a lovely Hawaiian shirt done in off-white. Their little girl
was completely thrilled. Watching them interact together and all pull together to
make it happen just really touched my heart, it was absolutely amazing.”
The little shop offers a wonderful selection of unique local gifts and souvenirs
including consignments from local artists and photographers.
One of Susan’s favorite parts of the weddings is the Sand Unity
Ceremony. She showed me a beautiful glass container, a wild pony
etched delicately into the glass. “We give them champagne glasses, and they
scoop up some of the sand from under their feet and pour it into the container.
The ceremony goes on to explain that once the grains of sand are joined, they can
never be separated again.” As Susan described the ceremony, I felt goose
bumps pushing their way to the surface of my arms, how positively
beautiful, to take your vows alongside the beauty of the ocean, and
affirm that your love is as endless as the grains of sand along the
beach.
Susan and Ivy will arrange as much or as little of the ceremony
as the couple desires. It starts with the “Simplicity Package” that makes
arrangements for the marraige commissioner, admission to the beach,
and goes up from there to actually making all the arrangements for
the reception, flowers and more. “I’ve done weddings from anywhere from
two people up to 150. It just really all depends on what the couple wants.” Susan
Page 36
Your wedding can be as simple or as decorus as you want, the choices are
limited only by your dreams.
explains.”It’s their special day, it should be as elaborate or as simple as the couple
wants, its up to them.”
When VIP Island Rentals first began, they had started with a small
office upstairs. Then a few years later, when the downstairs portion
of the building became available, they decided to expand. “You see how
much space our actual office takes up; we don’t need a lot of room, so we decided
to offer a small retail area up front.” The little office offers a wonderful
blend of unique and interesting items, including consignments from
local artists and photographers, shadows created by Susan and her
husband of horses and waterfowl, wind chimes, pictures, garden flags,
lighthouses, postcards, lamps and home décor and more. “Ivy also sells
the Premier line of jewelry” Susan says “It’s becoming really popular with our
customers.” Just recently, they have also started offering a completely
natural line of dog treats, made locally on the Island. “She just brought
us her new ‘Woofle’ a dog biscuit shaped like a waffle. We give all of our guests
a check in package, it includes information on the Island, coupons, trolley tokens,
and we are going to include samples of her biscuits to those guests who stay in our
pet friendly homes.”
“It’s just been a lot of fun” Susan says of her experiences in the
business “I just want to say one more thing. If you are going to plan a beach
wedding, please don’t throw rice or birdseed at the bride and groom, or you’re going
to be slammed by seagulls!” she laughs remembering one such occasion
“the best man got it, right on the eyebrow. He never even broke a sweat, he just
reached up and wiped his face and kept on going. I know it will eventually happen
again, but we can at least try to prevent it.”
Somehow, I have a feeling that just made the day that much
more special. It’s oftentimes the little funny things that stand out, and
bring the warmest memories. The soft gentle rush of the waves, the
wind gently kissing your skin, the enormously poignant impact of the
beautiful Sand Unity Ceremony, well, no seagull would ever be able to
steal those memories or lessen their beauty.
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4103 Main Street
Chincoteague Island
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Page 37
He, She and Baby Makes 3
A Threefold Look At Today’s Controversial Issues
As nice as it would be to view the world through
rose colored glasses, the simple fact of the matter
is, not everyone is perfect. So as much as we may
want to believe in the inherent goodness that we
hope to find inside of everyone, it’s not always a fact
of life. I am quite sure that at some point in each
of our lives, we have all met the “bad” lawyer. Or
the “bad” doctor. There are retail clerks who have
no business dealing with the public, teachers who
shouldn’t be instructing our children, and of course, it goes without
saying, cops who really shouldn’t be in law enforcement. And then, to
top it all off, there is the select group of people who just really don’t
handle themselves very well in life in general. Though, like everyone
else, when I first heard about the You Tube video of the Accomack
County Deputy being pulled over by a citizen for speeding, I really
wasn’t thinking about all of those things, my first reaction, like many
other peoples on the Shore I presume, was simply “Wow, this should be
interesting.”
Moments into the video, I was almost ready to turn it off. Quite
honestly, if I wasn’t so nosy, wanting to see who the officer was
involved, I would have shut it off at the onset. I truly don’t know
that I have ever watched a more offensive video, and those of you
who know me, know I am not all that easily offended. Yet within the
first 26 seconds of this tape, the man (and trust me, the term ‘man’
is giving this person more credit than he deserves) behind the camera
phone uses the “F” word 8 times. That’s once every 3.25 seconds – is
it even possible to say the word that fast? My Mom always told me that
the only thing you accomplished by cursing was to show people that
you weren’t smart enough to carry on an intelligent conversation – and
if she was correct, then the person video taping this scene must have
the IQ of a cotton ball, or less.
I am also a little offended by the video tapers insinuation that
most of us aren’t smart enough to figure out that the cop wasn’t
driving 100 miles per hour – the video taper was. The deputy was
most definitely speeding, that much certainly isn’t in question, yet, the
deputy was also clearly some distance away when this self proclaimed
“hero” decided he was going to turn on his little camera phone and film
himself catching up to him. Does he think we are not smart enough to
figure out that when someone is a considerable distance ahead of you,
you have to really, really accelerate to catch up with them? It was quite
sometime, a minute and 28 seconds to be exact, into the video before
he decides to show us the road in front of him and just how far the
deputy is up ahead. So how do we know that he hadn’t slowed down,
just to give himself the thrill of the “chase” that was to ensue, or
perhaps just to do something that he thought would be cool to show
his friends? Deputy Campbell never denied speeding, he did however
deny going 90 miles per hour. What real proof do we have that he
wasn’t telling the truth? We have none, because the only evidence we
have could have very, very easily have been staged.
Please, do not misunderstand the point I am trying to make here.
I am not saying all police officers are wonderful law abiding citizens.
They are not, and I can say that without blinking an eye, and know
in my heart that I speak the truth because I was married for a few
brief years to someone who should have never, ever been given the
responsibility attached to that badge. I remember so very many
occasions when I would try to convince him to slow down, or to not
She
Says
Page 38
go out driving around after he’d been drinking, his response to me
was always the same “I can do anything I want, who do you think is going
to arrest me?” It’s people like that who have no business being in that
profession, and unfortunately, cause much grief and frustration for
those men and women who choose the path of law enforcement for
honorable, honest reasons. I am however saying that we can’t condemn
nor exonerate any conclusions based on such ridiculous evidence.
Again, I have to question the motives of the person behind the
camera. At one point in the video he makes the statement “I got a
f***ing speeding ticket in Virginia just to f***ing I was trying to be cool for my
f***ing” and the statement trails off into his next tirade of expletives,
never to really be finished with that train of thought – or lack thereof.
Don’t worry, if that sentence doesn’t make sense to you, it didn’t make
sense to me either. Is he saying that he got a speeding ticket in Virginia,
and if that is in fact what he is saying, is this some kind of a retaliation
thing? At another point he says that the officer will “find out what it is to
be a jacka** to other people” and again, is he implying that an officer has
perhaps treated him in a fashion that he wants to get revenge for? Later
he says “This is what I do best, get in people’s heads that are f***ing bad people.”
So how exactly does he know that Deputy Campbell is a bad person?
As he turns off of Rt. 13, he is saying into the camera “he’s scared of
me now” then “keep on coming at me” then “come at me now”. Exactly what
gave him these thoughts? If Deputy Campbell was scared, I dare say
he would not have pulled over. He waited until he had a safe place to
stop his car, the fact that it was in someone’s driveway was a very smart
move – I personally would not pull over on the side of a deserted
road with some car on my bumper speeding excessively and honking
the horn – particularly if I were a police officer, heaven knows what
kind of demented person is out there who may have been arrested and
feels like they’ve got some score to settle with a deputy. And exactly
when was the deputy “coming at him?” On the contrary, this guy was
riding the deputy’s bumper, driving at ridiculously reckless speeds, and
honking his horn incessantly. It is blatently clear that he in fact, is the
one “coming at” the deputy.
And that brings up another issue. Okay, at what point does this
person with his little camera think he has the right to speed down the
highway at speeds of 100 miles per hour, on a highway with posted
speeds ranging from 45 – 55 miles per hour in rural Virginia? There
are homes all along Rt. 13 on this stretch of the road, children playing
in the yards, pets roaming freely. This guy readily admits on his own
video that he’s going 100 miles per hour and is scared. So if he’s that
scared, he obviously has no business driving that fast. He’s had no
training, no skills, his car is not equipped to handle those speeds, and
to top it all off, he is busy focusing a very small camera phone on
his speedometer rather than watching the road while he’s admittedly
driving 100 miles per hour. That thought terrifies me, and I certainly
hope it terrifies you as well. Granted, no one should be speeding on a
rural highway like that, not an ordinary citizen, and not a police officer
unless they are on a call and have their lights and sirens on to warn
people of their approach. Yet the simple fact remains, we honestly
don’t know how fast Deputy Campbell was going. For all we know,
Deputy Campbell could have come by him doing 70 miles an hour
(still against the law, but a far cry from 90 - 100 mph), and the person
filming the incident could have possibly waited any number of minutes
before deciding to play his little cat and mouse game and taken off
to “catch” the officer. Quite honestly, the most dangerous infraction
of the law was in both parties running the stop sign. Did no one
stop to wonder if perhaps another vehicle were coming? I have seen
ambulances rushing dying victims to a hospital that slow down before
reaching a stop light or stop sign to ensure that oncoming vehicles see
their approach before going through that intersection, surely a police
officer and a private citizen can be every bit as careful?
Of course, if you visit the YouTube site, you will immediately
see the multitude of comments left by visitors that have viewed the
video. I do find it very, very interesting to note that out of the over
850 entries when I last looked, the support was overwhelming in favor
of the law enforcement involved. In fact, if you could be deemed an
idiot by popular vote, I’d have to say that the video taper has won that
award hands down.
It is my understanding that our Sheriff here in Accomack County
has stated that the deputy was in fact speeding, and has been disciplined
in accordance with policy. Is that not enough? Think about it, who
among us can throw stones in that proverbial glass house? Have we
not all done something that would have been frowned up by our boss,
or our friends, or our colleagues? Have we not all made up an excuse
why we are late for work, taken an extra twenty minutes on our lunch
hour that we didn’t dock ourselves for, been rude to a customer when
we were having a bad day, fudged a little on our expenses or taxes,
taken that ink pen that the clerk let us use to write a check? No one is
without fault in life, and we all reap what we sow. At the same time, I
do feel strongly that there are certain positions in life that require we
lead exemplary lives. Kids need “heroes” they can look up to, and when
I was coming along, police officers, firemen, even our President; they
were the heroes we all wanted to be like when we grew up. As adults,
we need to know that the people holding us accountable are in fact
accountable themselves. For example, how would you feel getting a
DUI from a deputy you had watched stumble out of a bar and drive
themselves home the night before?
And so in conclusion, I guess my point is quite simple. If you
choose to work in law enforcement and accept the responsibility
and the commitment that comes with that badge, then you need to
remember that you are placing yourself in the public eye; and live your
life accordingly. If you are someone with a chip on their shoulder,
a grudge to prove something to the world, take your problems
elsewhere, or more specifically, grow up and don’t put others at risk in
your foolish pursuit of revenge.
Wow, and I said all of that without using the F word once.
Okay I am pretty sure the other two
writing this column are going to disagree with
me, just based on our conversations about this
topic thus far, but I’m going to go out on a
limb here and say this guy that video taped that
deputy is my hero! It took a lot of guts to do
that, and I only wish that I would have had the
nerve to do the same thing.
And before anyone jumps down my throat, I will readily admit,
he could have handled himself a lot better. All of the cursing was
really unnecessary, but at the same time, I have to ask myself, if this
had been an older person in a business suit, would people be quite so
critical of him? I don’t think so. Besides, the last time I checked, it’s
not against the law to curse or swear, it’s not like he was swearing at
the officer, he was swearing to himself.
Personally, I think the deputy should have pulled over immediately.
Seriously, think about it. That deputy is sworn to protect and serve.
How did he know what the guy behind him wanted? Isn’t it entirely
He
Says
possible that the guy was having a problem? Maybe someone was in
trouble, or hurt or sick. But instead, the deputy just kept on going,
completely ignoring what could have been a call for help. If you are
trying to get a police officer’s attention, wouldn’t you blow your horn,
maybe flash your lights, or something along those lines? I know if I
had been trying to flag down a deputy with a sick child in the car and
that deputy had ignored me, well, I’d be pretty upset.
The fact of the matter is there are some nasty cops out there.
Arrogance, cockiness, an attitude of being above the law; you see all
of this everyday in the law enforcement field. In my opinion, a real
cop would have reported the incident immediately. But does anyone
know if this deputy did that? Or did he wait until it all came pouring
out into the public eye? And are we going to be told the answer to that
question? Probably not. And speaking of some questions I’d like to
have answered, what punishment did this deputy get? He supposedly
admitted he was speeding, so, did he get a speeding ticket? Is he going
to have to pay a fine like you or I would? Is it going to cause his
insurance rates to go up like yours or mine would? What about the
stop sign, was he given a ticket for that as well? Isn’t this a matter
of public record? I know I can go online at www.courts.state.va.us/
caseinfo/home.html and search my name in the court system and get
a list of any or all traffic infractions I’ve had in a certain period of
time, and so can almost anyone in most localities, and for what it’s
worth, Accomack County is definitely one of the counties listed on
the site. So if I go online and search this deputy’s name, am I going
to see a traffic offense? Well feel free to check for yourself, but if
you want the quick answer to that question, I just checked and, as of
today’s date, which is the end of May, there is no speeding violation
posted, nor a violation for running a stop sign under this deputy’s
name. This is public information, we have a right to know this, so
why is that information being withheld?
Sometimes you just have to question authority in your life, it’s
how revolutions are started, it’s how things get done in our country.
Okay, so the guy that did this is a kid with a bad mouth, but at least
he had the guts to stand up for something he believed in, and that’s
important. Someone somewhere needs to hold law enforcement
accountable, just like we are held accountable. God forbid someone
should have questioned Hitler! I said it before but I will say it again,
because it bears repeating, police officers are not above the law. Who
brings attention to what the authority figures do? And no, it’s really
not just the police officers. Politicians, any number of public officials
in addition to law enforcement seem to have a large number in their
ranks that just truly think they’re untouchable. They abuse their powers
every day, and then hide behind their office with their “you can’t touch
me” attitude. I just can’t get over this kid, it is really so awesome that
he had the nerve, the guts to do what he did, I think we really need
more people like him, to hold our public officials accountable for
everything they do. They aren’t untouchable and it’s time they learned
that. I work in a profession where I have to deal with law enforcement
every day, and I can tell you, I’ve dealt with my share of marine police
officers who think that because they have that badge, they can say or
do anything they want and you can’t do a thing about it.
No, I really don’t think all law enforcement is bad. There are some
wonderful police officers out there that have my utmost respect and
admiration for what they do. The key is your heart has to be in your job,
not your ego. And this goes for all aspects of law enforcement, civil
servants, county or state police, small municipal police departments
and extends even to the marine police. Ironically enough, one of the
most admirable, honest and trustworthy marine police I’ve ever had
the pleasure of working with, and as I said, I work with a lot, lives
right here on the Shore, and I will defend him and his authority to the
Page 39
end. He is honest; he is human – down to earth. Polite, respectful; he
listens when you ask questions, and goes above and beyond to help
you. He is everything a law enforcement officer should be; he is just a
stand up kind of guy. Yet sadly enough, he is in the minority as far as
what I’ve witnessed.
On the contrary, there are so many cops that just want to be on
that power trip that is associated with their badge. What is it about
giving a ticket to someone who obviously wasn’t intentionally breaking
the law that makes them feel so powerful? I remember sometime
back I was on the road traveling, and I saw a reduced speed limit sign
up ahead. As soon as I saw it, I took my foot off the gas pedal to
slow down, but apparently that wasn’t quite fast enough, as about 20
feet ahead of the sign in the median strip, a cop was sitting, waiting.
Of course, he pulled out and pulled me over. And of course, I got
a ticket – 51 in a 35. The 51 mph speed limit should have told him
I was in the process of slowing down, but no, I was legally past that
reduced speed limit sign, even if it only was by a few feet, so he of
course ticketed me. Never mind the fact that in order to have slowed
down to the posted 35 mph speed, I would have literally had to slam
on the brakes the minute I saw the sign in order to avoid being pulled
over by the cop waiting a measly few feet away. And no, for those of
you wondering, I’m not a fast driver, in fact, a few of my friends have
jokingly called me “Grandma” referring to my customary slow paced
driving.
The kid that video taped that deputy only exercised the right that
each and every one of us as US citizens have, the right to hold our
government accountable for their actions. If he would just clean up
his potty mouth, that kid could go far in life. Few people today have
the guts to do what he did, my hat is definitely off to him, kudos to
you kid!
Baby’s
If you Google “Accomack County Deputy
YouTube Video”, you will be able to watch
an irate citizen chase down an Accomack
County Deputy. Perhaps if you mute the
speakers on your computer, you will be
less offended, but then you won’t get the
full effect either.
When I was asked to write my opinion
on this situation, I was truly torn. I cannot take a side, as I honestly
feel that both the civilian and the officer are equally wrong. First off,
the initial wrongdoing of the officer, speeding, is hard to prove based
on that video. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the officer was
driving at a reckless speed based on the sheer fact that it got the video tapers attention. But without a radar, how do we know the exact
speed? By the time the camera actually shows the road with the cop
car ahead, the cop is pretty far ahead so of course it took excessive
speed to catch him. Had the cameraman been driving alongside the officer and taped his speedometer, that would have been another story.
On the other hand, after we see the cop and the cameraman turn
off Rt. 13, you notice that the cop and the cameraman blow through a
stop sign like it wasn’t even there. Thank God there was no one coming through that intersection. Reckless. I don’t care how much training
you have driving, that could have killed someone, especially with no
lights or sirens. Suppose there had been another vehicle, a motorcyle
or a bicyclist or a pedestrian at that stop sign? How would any of you
have explained that to their families? Then the cameraman proceeds
to ride the bumper of the cop car, all the while beeping his horn.
This officer has no idea what’s going on, so he finds a safe place to
pull over, in a driveway. After ascertaining why he has been followed,
Turn
Page 40
he politely asks the cameraman to leave. Meanwhile, the cameraman
accuses the deputy of trespassing. What? You pulled him over, where
was he supposed to go? At which point the deputy accuses the cameraman of kidnapping. Seriously? I don’t know which party handled
this situation more poorly, or ridiculously.
Rather than run down a cop, cussing incessantly on video, call
the Sheriff ’s department and report your complaint with date, time
and license plate. I assure you, it will be taken care of. You obviously
had a cell phone, you were using it to videotape the deputy, when you
should have been using it for what it was intended for - to dial 911.
Do not commit the same crime and endanger the innocent citizens of
the Eastern Shore by driving 100 mph while focusing on keeping your
camera on the speedometer. And the video does not prove the speed
of the deputy, rather, the speed of the cameraman while trying to
catch up. That’s not radar, and it would assuredly not hold up in court.
That video only proves how sketchy and crazy that guy is.
On the other hand, the deputy has no business driving a cruiser.
Whatever speed he was going, it was obviously fast enough to alarm
and enrage another driver on the road. Had his lights and siren been
on, that would have at least been a safer way to drive at a speed that
much faster than the rest of traffic. However, not knowing the actual
speed, there is only so much one can say about that indiscretion, other
than, drive the speed limit unless you are on a call, because you are not
above the law.
Now, the more serious infraction is running that stop sign. Not
even a pause. That sign may as well have not even been there. Luckily
no one was hurt, but the irresponsible driving of that deputy and subsequently, the idiot following him quite realistically could have killed
someone. How’s that for a YouTube video? Even with sirens blaring
and lights on, he should have at least slowed down at that intersection.
Deputies are sworn to serve and protect. Endangering other drivers
on the road by disobeying every traffic law is not protecting. I am not
suggesting this officer is not a good policeman, I am saying he has
made a poor judgment call and perhaps should not be allowed to drive
unsupervised for awhile. Traffic laws are there for a reason, to ensure
the safety of all drivers. Aside from the fact that cops should be setting
an example, shouldn’t they also want to ensure their own safety as well
as everyone else’s?
So no, I cannot take a side. Both parties recklessly endangered the
safety of my friends, family and neighbors in their stunt. They should
both be punished for being so irresponsible, immature and reckless. I
cringe knowing either, or both of these men, are driving on the Eastern Shore. Wear your seatbelts my friends.
He, She and Baby Makes 3 is published quarterly representing the opinions of
our personal family on todays controversial issues, from a male, female and young
adult point of view. It in no way represents facts, it is merely our point of view.
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The Onancock to Tangier Ferry is back up and running just in
time for the summer season! The Joyce Marie II, captained by Mark
Crockett, is originally a Maine Lobster Boat and will operate on a first
come, first serve basis from May to September. The ferry will run
twice a day. Captain Crockett is a Tangier native, so your trip is sure to
be full of real life information. Tangier Island is a small Island boasting of only 600 residents. It was originally settled in 1686, and there is
still a heavy hint of those long ago accents in the natives of the Island,
even today. Visitors can rent golf carts and bikes, explore the Island,
learn more about the fishing and crabbing industry, and eat at one of
the amazing restaurants there. Lodging is available at several quaint yet
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Page 41
Dining in Northampton
Bls Home Cooking
(757) 678-5993
Cape Charles, VA
Hardee’s
(757) 331-4029
Cape Charles, VA
(757) 442-2536
Exmore, VA
Yuk Yuk & Joe’s
(757) 678-7870
Eastville, VA
Cape Charles, VA
Bahama Breeze
(757) 331-8680
Cape Charles, VA
Don Valerios Mexican Rest
(757) 678-0011
Cape Charles, VA
Kelly’s Gingernut Pub
(757) 331-3222
Cape Charles, VA
Eastville Inn
(757) 678-5745
Eastville, VA
Sting-Ray’s Restaurant
(757) 331-1541
Cape Charles, VA
Ballard Fish & Oyster Co
(757) 331-2426
Cheriton, VA
The Pelican Pub
(757)331-4229
Cape Charles, VA
Yellow Duck Bakery Cafe
(757) 442-5909
Exmore, VA
Burger King
(757) 442-2643
Exmore, VA
Exmore Diner
(757) 442-2313
Exmore, VA
Captain’s Deck-Big Bill’s
(757) 442-7060
Nassawadox, VA
China Chefs Restaurant
(757) 787-8711
Exmore, VA
Little Italy Restaurant
(757) 442-7831
Nassawadox, VA
China Wok
(757) 442-3300
Exmore, VA
(757) 442-0090
Exmore, VA
Wendy’s
(757) 442-6997
Exmore, VA
Taco Bell
(757) 442-7827
Exmore, VA
The Great Machipongo Clam
Shack
757-442-3800
Nassawadox, VA
Don’t see your favorite restaurant listed? Please give us a
call to make sure it’s included in
the next edition of Shore Secrets
Magazine!
SIMPLY SPECQUACKULAR
Beth's Majic Muffins!
40 Delicious Varieties
Mc Donald’s
(757) 331-1855
Cape Charles, VA
(757) 442-3534
Exmore, VA
Rock N Robins Family Rstrnt
(757) 331-3601
Cape Charles, VA
Chesapeake
(757) 331-3123
Cape Charles, VA
Cape Charles Coffee Co Llc
(757) 331-1880
Cape Charles, VA
Veneto’s Pizzeria
(757) 331-2275
Page 42
Old Fire House
(757)331-4440
Cape Charles, VA
Trawler Seafood Restaurant
(757) 442-4421
Exmore, VA
Good For You Naturally
757-442-4484
Exmore, VA
El Maguey Mexican Restaurant
(757) 442-2900
Exmore, VA
La Rosita Mexican Store
(757) 442-5055
Exmore, VA
Cheesecakes • Eclairs
Giant Cookies • Wedding Cakes
Coffee • Latte/Cappuccino
Many seasonal items
Be Sure to Check Out Our
Kiddie Playroom
757-442-5909
3312 Main St.
Exmore , VA 23350
www.yellowduckcafe.com
Small Town Carnivals Survive Despite the Odds
When I left the Shore for a few years back in the early nineties,
there didn’t seem to be a town up and down the Shore that didn’t have a
summer carnival. There was of course the wonderful, family fun filled
small town fair in Parksley, yet another smaller version in Bloxom.
There was a larger, people-packed extravaganza in Onancock, and the
list just goes on and on. What fantastic, entertaining events these
carnivals were. Such a wholesome place to take your family, there
were games, rides, mouth watering food. Bingo stands, raffles, pony
rides and more. Yet sadly today, there are only two carnivals left on the
Shore out of the dozens that once had kid’s shrill laughter ricocheting
through the night skies.
This year will mark the 84th annual Chincoteague Carnival, which
is sponsored by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. Keep in
mind when I use the word “sponsored” what I am really saying is; they
do everything. When I spoke with Roe Terry, Public Relations Officer
with the Fire Company, he explained that it takes up to 90 people each
and every night to keep the carnival running. And that doesn’t include
all of the prep work that goes into making sure it opens in the first
place. “Few years ago, it used to be 80 – 84 people” Roe stated “But when we
added the Kiddie Land area, we needed more, so it’s at least 90 of us here every
night now.”
I think it’s a real testament to the dedication of the firefighters on
the Island that they have kept the little carnival alive, when so many
of the other local carnivals have folded. “We try to keep things nice” Roe
said “We are adding a new Ferris wheel this year.” The old Ferris wheel is
ready to retire, and the new one will take its place next week, in plenty
of time to get it set up and running before the carnival opens. “We’re
hoping to get a 16-seater” explains Billy Tarr, President of the Company
“It will take up a little more room, we’ll have to move it all forward a little, but it
sure will be nice.” The night we visited the carnival grounds, volunteers
were everywhere. Some were hanging signs, others were painting
buildings, and still others were cleaning out the booths or cutting the
grass. “People don’t understand how much work goes into this” Roe said “There’s
a lot more involved than everyone sees on opening night.”
The Chincoteague Carnival will open for the season officially on
July 2. That Saturday on July 4, the carnival hosts an old fashioned 4th
of July fireworks show that most of the town turns out to enjoy. They
will have fifteen different rides, including a beautiful old carousel that
caught my eye, and of course, some of the best food you’ll ever find
on the Shore including their famous clam sandwich and tantalizing
funnel cakes. Throughout the month, they provide regular carnival
attractions in addition to live, family friendly entertainment and a
host of raffles. “We allow four non-profit organizations to come in and use
our buildings” President Tarr explains “Last year we had the Ruritans, the
American Legion and Prom Promise here.”
One of the biggest highlights for the Chincoteague Carnival is
of course the Pony Swim and Auction. “It was originally called the ‘Sheep
Penning’ back in the 20’s” President Tarr says “they had sheep, hogs, all kind
of livestock out on the Island. That was back before Assateague was turned over
to the Wildlife people.” The fire department has been handling the pony
swim since 1924 in conjunction with their carnival, with the only years
that it wasn’t held being the years of 1943 – 1945, during World War
II. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company actually owns the herd
of ponies on the Island, and consequently, is responsible for their
care throughout the year. In addition to the round up for the swim,
the ponies are actually herded together two other times throughout
the year and given their annual vaccinations, are wormed, tested for
infectious diseases, and have their hooves trimmed. Dr. Cameron, the
ponies Veterinarian, gives the entire herd a general check up during
each round up.
This year the Pony Swim will be held on Wednesday, July 29, with
the auction the following day. The first colt to make it to the Shore will
be crowned King or Queen Neptune, and given away at the Carnival
grounds. Tickets to win the pony can be purchased from the Fire
Company, and you must be present to win. After the auction, during
which the yearlings and younger ponies are sold, the remainder of
the herd is once again allowed to swim across Assateague Channel to
return home. The Fire Company also holds a “Beach Walk” on Monday,
July 27 which gives visitors the opportunity to watch the ponies make
their way from the North Coral to the South Coral along the beach.
One of the many volunteers needed to run the little carnival hangs a freshly
painted sign on one of the game tents, just weeks before opening night.
If you are lucky enough to be the proud new owner of a
Chincoteague Pony, the Fire Company even provides a registry where
you can register your new pony, again, maintained completely by
volunteers.
“We have some great volunteers” says Jim Lewis, a member of the
company since he was eleven years old, when he became old enough
to join the Junior Squad. He points to a young man busy cleaning
up around one of the booths “That’s my son right there; he’s been coming
down here helping me since he was three years old.” The energy among the
men and women working on the grounds is sheer electric. Laughter
peals through the air as jokes are told, the fellowship among them
strengthened by the purpose they serve. “We’ve all been doing this a
long time” Jim says. And right he is, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire
Company having begun in 1924, and operated continually through the
support of their volunteers ever since. Glancing around the carnival
grounds, you began to sense the continuity, grandchildren standing
where their grandfathers once stood, young toddlers wandering
around, learning the path of their fathers and mothers.
On the last night of the carnvial, drawings will be held for a new
Harley Davidson Motorcycle, a Western Caribbean Cruise for two
(complete with spending cash!) and a handmade Chincoteague Pony
Quilt. Tickets may be purhased at the carnival, and you don’t even
have to be present to win - but why wouldn’t you be? It’s a great night
of fun, so be there!
Another local carnival that has withstood the test of time is
the little carnival in Wachapreague. The carnival officially opens on
Wednesday, June 24, and runs Wednesday to Saturdays through July
18. The little carnival is known for it’s mouthwatering clam fritters, and
Page 43
and each year sponsor the Miss Wachapreague pageant. The carnival
offers amusement rides, games, bingo, music and food, and provides
an excellent venue for evenings of wonderful family entertainment.
This year, the local band, The Real Deal, featuring Pat and Sherry
Belote, Gary Gibb, Wes Parks and Barry Simpson will perform on
June 27 and again on July 11. The group plays a wide variety of music
from Rock, Pop, Country and more.
When I spoke with Freddie Matthews, President of the Parksley
Volunteer Fire Company, regarding the demise of the carnival that
they had put on in Parksley for so many years, Freddie told me that
the costs just became astronomical. “The last year we had our carnival was
1988 I believe” he said “the costs just kept going up, particularly the insurance
and liability. We ran for two weeks, with a limited number of rides and games,
there was just nowhere we could expand to, so we couldn’t add more rides, it got to
the point where the money we made just barely covered the bills, we couldn’t afford
to keep doing it.” I couldn’t help but think that once again, we never tend
to think about these things. I know that I for one have always enjoyed
going to these carnivals, but it’s never once crossed my mind the
amount of money or volunteers that are involved behind the scenes.
“We have the carnival, the poker run, pig roasts” says Roe Terry “People need
to come out and support us if they want to see these things continue.”
One things for certain. If you yearn for a little good old
fashioned fun, coupled with a sprinkling of the nostalgic spirit of the
carnivals of days gone by, then you’re sure to enjoy the Chincoteague
or Wachapreague Carnivals. I know I will have a new appreciation for
the entire event this year. Not only for the men and women working
so fervently behind the scenes to bring it all together, but also how
important our own support is if we want it to continue. Too many
carnivals are just a thing of the past; let’s make sure that doesn’t happen
to Chincoteague or Wachapreague. I truly hope to see each and every
one of you there.
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Ice Cream Parlor
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Page 44
Hi my name is Ruby, and I really hope you will be my friend.
I’ve been here a long time, and I’m getting really depressed.
I’m only a year old, and when I got here, I had 7 babies with
me. The nice lady here said it was sad, because I was still just
a baby myself. I love to play and I love to give hugs. I’ve had all
my shots, and I am healthy as can be! Won’t you please give
me a chance to show you how much I can love you?
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Calendar of Events
speaker and enjoy light refreshments. For more information please
contact the CNHA at (757) 336-3696 or email cnha@verizon.net
June
June 13 Festival of Choirs in Parksley Town Park from 10 AM to 5
PM
June 13 ES Association of Realtors 3rd annual Horse Shows Deer
Run Farm, Parksley, VA. Benefits the Habitat for Humanity. For
more information, contact Amy Higgins at (757) 709-1761 or Laura
Flournoy at (757) 789-7630.
July 4, 2009 Old-Fashioned Fireworks Display At Carnival Grounds.
Celebrate Independence Day on Chincoteague Carnival Grounds at
10:00 p.m.
July 6 – 17 Art Splash - Musical Theatre Day Camp. Art by the
Bay Summer Camp Turn to Shine Dance Camp. Visit: www.
artscentercapecharles.org
June 20th SPCA Yard Sale 8 AM until ... SPCA Onley, VA
Thurs July 9 Super Hero Night 7 - 8:30 PM Parksley Town Parking
Lot. Come and meet real-life heroes at super hero night! Local law
enforcement, fire and rescue, and military officials will be available.
Come and see fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, a crime scene unit,
and military gear. Hosted in part with the Town of Parksley and held
in the town parking lot from 7pm until 8:30pm. Bring the entire family
for a wonderful evening. Meet the men and women who protect us!
June 20 Bluegrass Concert at the Chincoteague Center. 7pm featuring
Blue Daze & The Satyr Hill Band.For more info please call 757-3363030 or 336-0614 or visit www.IslandBlueGrass.com
July 10  Onancock Second Fri.. 5 – 8 PM.  Galleries and shops remain
open featuring artists, demonstrations and specials.  www.onancock.
org
June 20 Cape Charles Beach Party with live band Ryan Conroy 5:00
- 9:00 at the Beachfront Corner of Mason and Bay Avenue, Cape
Charles. $5.00 per person
July 11, 2009 2nd Sat. Art Stroll. Participating galleries and shops open
extended hours with special events. www.chincoteagueculturalalliance.
org. Call (757) 336-5636.
June 22-26, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Art & Nature Camp. A week of
adventures. Learn about horses, take a wild life refuge walk, visit a
working farm, take a kayak trip through the marshes, and make crafts!
Local fields, beach breaks, movies, and games will also be included.
Ages 6-14 Call (757) 331-2787 for more information.
Wed July 15 C-Shells Musical Group 3 PM at Accomac Library, 7
PM at Chincoteague Library. Join Cindy and Shelly of the musical
duo “C-Shells” while they sing songs for the young and old. Playing
together since 1992, they have visited numerous libraries and schools
in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Get ready to stamp your feet,
clap your hands and sing along!
June 13, 2009 2nd Sat. Art Stroll. Participating galleries and shops
open extended hours with special events. www.chincoteagueculturalal
liance.org Call (757) 336-5636.
June 24 – July 18 Wed - Sat Wachapreague Volunteer Fire Company
Carnival, Wachapreague Fair Grounds. An authentic old fashioned
small town carnival with food, Miss Wachapreague contest, funnel
cakes, and famous clam fritters. Live family friendly entertainment.
From Wed. through Sat.
June 25:  Friends of Onancock School Open house 6 PM. See what’s
happening and hear about the current plans for the historic Onancock
School.  At the Onancock School, 6 College Ave., Onancock. www.
onancockschool.org
June 27 and 28 the HAM Radio Operators set up in the Pavilion in
Parksley for their annual Field Day exercise.
June 27 - Peter Stone’s Model Horse Show at the Chincoteague Center.
8-4pm For more info call 757-336-0614 or visit www.StoneHorses.
com
July
July 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27 – 31, Aug 1 Chincoteague
Volunteer Firemans Carnival
July 3    3rd Annual Ice Cream Social. 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Onancock
Town Park.  Annual family fun as ice cream is dished out to the
accompaniment of patriotic toe-tapping tunes.  Entertainment by AllStar Chimers and the CommUnity Band.  Sponsored by OBCA.
July 3, 2009 First Fri. Programs. Dr. Susan Langley - “Historic
Shipwrecks of Assateague” 7:00 PM Herbert H. Bateman Educational
& Administrative Center Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Sponsored by the Chincoteague Natural History Association.
Admission is free for program attendees. After the program, meet the
Thurs July 16 C-Shells Musical Group 11 AM Cape Charles Library,
2 PM Nassawadox Library. Join Cindy and Shelly of the musical
duo “C-Shells” while they sing songs for the young and old. Playing
together since 1992, they have visited numerous libraries and schools
in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Get ready to stamp your feet,
clap your hands and sing along!
Sun., July 19 Shakespeare’s  “Twelfth Night” 6:30 p.m. A reading
performance of the main scenes at the Gazebo in The Bay Creek
Resort and Club by the Actor’s Guild of Arts Enter Cape Charles. 
Courtesy of Mr. Dickie Foster Call 331-2787 for details.
Mon July 20 Snakes Alive! 2:30 PM and 6 PMAccomac Library. 6
PM Reptile Show Ron Cromer and his snakes are back! Join us for a
hands-on experience and meet a variety of gentle reptiles. Penelope
the giant pet python from S.E. Asia will make another appearance as
well as 2 dozen other native species of reptiles. Mr. Cromer has been a
specialist in herpetology and full-time lecturer since 1982.
Thurs July 23 Rob Wescott Magician 11 AM Cape Charles Library 2
PM Nassawadox Library. Back by popular demand, Chico the MindReading Monkey and Princess the Magic Bunny! This program features
magic, music, art, writing and theater. Mr. Westcott will inspire your
children to read and celebrate creativity and the arts!
July 24, 25 & 26 - 22nd Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival. 9-4:30
pm. For more info call 757-894-2334 or visit www.ChincoteagueBlu
eberryFestival.com
July 25 ES Association of Realtors 3rd annual Horse Show, Deer Run
Farm, Parksley, VA. For more information, contact Amy Higgins at
(757) 709-1761 or Laura Flournoy at (757) 789-7630
Page 45
Calendar of Events continued
July 25 Cape Charles Beach Party with live band-Ben Phelps Project
5:00 - 9:00 at the Beachfront-Corner of Mason and Bay Avenue, Cape
Charles. $5.00 per person
Wed. July 29 The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company’s annual
Pony Penning. The Chincoteague Ponies swim from Assateague Island
to Chincoteague Island at the first “slack tide”. The first foal ashore is
named King or Queen Neptune and is given away in a raffle later that
day at the Carnival Grounds. The Carnival opens immediately after the
swim. Proceeds from this event fund the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire
Company. A free shuttle runs the day of the swim.
Wed July 29 Rob Wescott Magician 3 PM Accomac Library, 7 PM
Chincoteague Library. Back by popular demand, Chico the MindReading Monkey and Princess the Magic Bunny! This program features
magic, music, art, writing and theater. Mr. Westcott will inspire your
children to read and celebrate creativity and the arts!
Thurs. July 30 Pony auction at the Chincoteague Carnival
Grounds 8:00 AM. Cash, Master Card, and Visa are accepted
as payment. The Carnival opens immediately after the auction.
For more information call (757) 336-6161. www.chincoteaguechamber.
com/pony-events/ev-pony.html
Thurs July 30, Betsy Q Music, 11 AM Nassawadox Library. Join Betsy
Q. for music, singing and dancing! A favorite with children on the
shore you don’t want to miss this.
Aug.ust
Aug. 7, 2009 First Fri. Programs. Chris Seymour - “Assateague
Lifesaving Stations” 7:00 PM Herbert H. Bateman Educational
& Administrative Center Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Admission is free for program attendees. After the program, meet
the speaker and enjoy light refreshments. For more information
please contact the CNHA at (757) 336-3696 or email cnha@verizon.
net. Sponsored by the Chincoteague Natural History Association
Aug. 7, 8, 9 Thomas Lee Hart Sr. Fish for the Hungry, Sponsored
by the Eastern Shore Association of Realtors. Wachapreague, VA.
Benefits the Foodbank on the Eastern Shore. For more information,
contact Amy Higgins at (757) 709-1761 or Laura Flournoy at (757)
789-7630
Aug. 8, 2009 2nd Sat. Art Stroll. Participating galleries and shops open
extended hours with special events. www.chincoteagueculturalalliance.
org Call (757) 336-5636.
the door. Contact Cliff Murden at 757-787-2563 for additional
information. 
September
Sept. 4, 2009 First Fri. Programs. John Amrhein - “The Hidden
Galleon” 7:00 PM Herbert H. Bateman Educational & Administrative
Center Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Admission is free for
program attendees. After the program, meet the speaker and enjoy
light refreshments. For more information please contact the CNHA
at (757) 336-3696 or email cnha@verizon.net. Sponsored by the
Chincoteague Natural History Association.
Sept. 4, 5, 7 Parksley Volunteer Fire Company BBQ, 1/2 chicken
dinners & pulled pork BBQ. Dinners include a drink, roll, potato salad,
and baked beans. Will be serving from 11 am until sold out every day.
located at stoplight on RT 13 across from Royal Farms Parksley, visit
for more information www.parksleyvfc.org
Sept. 5th Cape Charles Beach Party with live band-Michael Clark Band
themichaelclarkband.com 5:00 - 9:00 at the Beachfront-Corner of
Mason and Bay Avenue, Cape Charles. $5.00 per person
Sept. 5  Friends of Onancock School 3rd Annual PigNic
Fundraiser.  Barbeque pork dinner, local artist exhibition, silent
auction and concerts.  www.onancockschool.org
Sept. 5 & 6, 2009 Chincoteague Decoy Carver’s Assoc. Decoy Show
Chincoteague Center, 6155 Community Drive, Chincoteague Island,
VA Sat. - 9am to 5pm, Sun. - 10am to 4pm. Over 25 exhibitors
showcase some of the finest waterfowl carvings and wildlife art from
the area. Meet the carvers and artists. Contact: Cinda Walls (410) 5461635.
Sept. 6 Sail In The Arts (757) 331-3669 www.stagedoorgallery.com
Sept. 11   Onancock Second Fri.. 5 – 8 PM.  Galleries and shops
remain open featuring artists, demonstrations and specials.  www.
onancock.org
Sept. 11-12   Harborfest.  Annual family fun event with food, contests,
music, small boat races, critter parade and the rubber duck race.  Town
wharf at the end of Market Street.  757-787-3363.
Sept. 12, 2009 2nd Sat. Art Stroll Participating galleries and shops
open extended hours with special events. www.chincoteagueculturalal
liance.org Call (757) 336-5636.
Sept. 18-20 Square Dance Square-Up at the Chincoteague Center.
For more info call 757-467-2557 or 336-0614 or visit www.
chincoteaguecenter.org
Aug. 14:    Onancock Second Fri.. 5 – 8 PM.  Galleries and shops
remain open featuring artists, demonstrations and specials.  www.
onancock.org
Have a Happy & Safe
Aug. 15 “Grease” performed by the Hurrah Players 7:30 p.m. At The
Historic Palace Theatre, Cape Charles www.artsentercapecharles.org
4th of July
Aug. 15 - Bluegrass Concert. 7pm featuring Charlie Sizemore at the
Chincoteague Center. For more info please call 757-336-3030 or 757336-0614 or visit www.IslandBlueGrass.com
Aug 22, 23 Eastern Shore of Virginia Motorcycle Rally, sponsored by
Parksley Volunteer Fire Company Corner of Airport Road and Big
Road, Parksley, VA visit www.parksleyvfc.org for more information
.
Aug. 22, 2009 7:30 p.m. Mollasses Creek Blue Grass Concert at
Cokesbury Church on Tickets on sale $12 in advance, $15 at
Page 46
Shore Secrets Welcomes Kanen
And Other Assorted Ramblings
When I first came up with the insane idea to publish this magazine,
I was full of ideas and energy and well, as I said, insane ideas. I spent
hours, then weeks and finally, months throwing together stories, spec
ads, and proposals. It was exciting and I had every intention of “getting
this show on the road.” Ahhh but then life seems to happen, and well, I
decided I really wasn’t all that brave, and so I went out in search of
employment and put my little presentation package away, safely tucked
in the bottom of my desk drawer.
However, I had made the mistake of showing my idea to a few
people. A long time friend and fellow business associate hounded me
constantly, reassuring me that he really thought it was a good idea;
that the people on the Shore would really enjoy something like this.
I listened, but didn’t act. And then, when I met the love of my life,
I made the mistake of telling him about my dream. He asked if he
could see it and so, I dug down into the little drawer and pulled out
my idea. For the next few hours, he read through what I had written
cover to cover. And when he was finished, he closed the book and
said “What is wrong with you, what are you waiting for, this is wonderful.” And
that was the beginning of many months of arguing about what I was
going to do about this magazine. Night after night, he begged and
pleaded with me to “just do it.” But there was nothing that he could say
that could erase the overwhelming fear I felt. Oh, not a fear of trying
something new, I’ve never been one to be easily intimidated. It was
quite honestly, a fear of putting myself out there.
See, the problem was, I am not a writer. When I write, I write
from my heart, and thats really personal, my writing is after all, just an
extension of me, my heart and soul are in every article you read. I’d
never shared anything I had ever written before with anyone except
for with him. What I write, well, that’s me, that’s who I am, and the
idea of putting that out there for all the world to see and critique,
well, it terrified me. I tried desperately to explain this to him, but he
just wasn’t buying it. After all, if he enjoyed reading what I wrote, he
didn’t see any reason the rest of the world wouldn’t enjoy it as well. I
couldn’t seem to get through to him that he was just a tad biased; he
was simply adamant; I just had to publish this magazine. And so, after
months and months of arguing about this, he finally sat me down and
said “Jane, this magazine is our future, it means everything to us. Please, just do
it, for us.” I wonder if he knows just how powerful those words were?
And now, six months later, I am still amazed that I am actually
doing this. Every article I write, I cringe when I think that other people
are actually going to be reading it. Every time I lay the pages out and
get them ready to send to the printers, my hands actually shake, and
I find myself having to rationalize why I shouldn’t just go get a job
and give up this crazy notion. But I always remember the words of a
former employer who asked me once if I was scared a few moments
before I was to give a presentation to our class. When I told him yes,
that I was in fact, terrified, he smiled and said “Good, anything in life
worth doing is worth being scared about.”
When the first issue arrived, I was a basket case; I didn’t even
want to open the first carton. Jay did that for me, and the smile on his
face was a mile wide as he handed me the very first issue. He quickly
loaded them in the truck and began distributing them up and down
the Shore, while I sat here absolutely horrified of the reaction I was
sure to come. Within days, I had businesses calling asking me for more
copies, they couldn’t keep them on the shelves. I have to admit, I was
hit with a ridiculous range of emotions. Of course I was happy, but
mostly I would have to say I was more humbled than anything else.
And of course, once again, I was still, just plain terrified. For what this
meant is that I now had to do it again.
It didn’t help that a month into our next publication, I ended up
having to have emergency surgery for kidney stones. Once again, Jay
has been such a Blessing in my life. He learned how to design ads. We
talked over story ideas while I lay in bed and took notes. He was out
on the road selling ads, coming home at night telling me with a look of
exasperation “Jane, I’m a fisherman; I don’t know what I’m doing.” And yet,
we did it. The second issue was a few weeks late and not quite as large
as I would have liked for it to be, but we got it done, and once again,
within days, I was getting those telephone calls for more copies.
I have met some amazing people, people that I probably would
never have had the opportunity to meet if I weren’t out here digging
around the Shore to explore ideas to write about. I find that I pay more
attention to places I go than I did before, and look at things more
deeply, and if anything, I appreciate the beauty here on the Shore even
more than I did before. Those of us who are fortunate enough to call
the Shore home really need to count our Blessings; we are so very
privileged to be surrounded by such simple, yet awe-inspiring beauty.
And so with Jay and I actually putting this magazine together by
ourselves for almost a year, with occasional input and articles from
my lovely and talented daughter, Lennie, we were truly given a most
unique gift; Kanen. I had worked with Kanen briefly last summer up
on the Island, and so I knew of her energy and amazing work ethics.
I knew she had talent, dedication and drive, and I also knew that we
would be the luckiest people alive if she agreed to come to work for
Shore Secrets. When we talked over my idea, and she said yes, I literally
hugged her so hard I probably fractured some of her ribs, and from
day one, she has been a lifeline for us.
Kanen recently graduated from the University of Delaware. Her
energy and the fact that she throws her whole heart into everything
she does make her a tremendously valuable asset, and will carry her
very far in life. When she meets with a customer, be it to interview
them for a story, or to sell them advertising space, she puts her whole
self out there, she becomes involved wholeheartedly with them, and
that is as good a thing as it is bad. From a writing perspective, nothing
could be better; the stories she writes bring her heart to the surface
with every word she puts on paper. From an advertising stance, every
no she takes personally. We’re working on that, I’ve seen about all the
tears I can bear to see from her. And yet, its that passion that makes
her successful, and consequently, makes me so comfortable having
her out on the road representing what is after all, my dream, Shore
Secrets Magazine. It’s not something I would trust to just anyone, and
Kanen not only respects that, she personifies everything we want this
magazine to stand for.
A few days after Jay and I had met with Kanen and agreed that
she would be working with us, she sent me an email saying that she
really thought we needed a mission statement and asked me what I
thought of what she had written. What she sent me, exactly as she had
written it, is this: “The one thing in today’s world that is actually strengthening
our economy, is the growth of the small business.  It’s the small businesses that
are seizing this opportunity in the midst of bailouts and aid packages who are
determined to rise above.  The great thing about the Shore is that we’ve established
not only a functioning community of small yet fast paced businesses, but a closely
knit family.  Everyone knows each other and it’s important that we help each
other out in these difficult times.  This magazine not only tells the Secrets of the
Shore, but allows the visitor to get a glimpse into every day life for us.  The Shore
has so much history and so many stories to tell, it’s important that we as residents
remember and cherish them, but we should share them as well.  The Eastern Shore
is certainly a find, but the treasure lies in the people, the scenery, and the stories.”
When I read those words, I felt as if I could have written them myself.
From the very first day she came on board, Kanen has never “worked for
us” she has been a real integral part of this magazine, she exemplifies
the ideals and enthusiasm and well, the wonderment that we want to
convey to our readers. Yes, in short, Kanen is home with us. And so,
we say not only “Welcome” to Kanen, but thank you for believing in us
enough to trust us with your talents, we will treasure them.
Page 47
Kanen's Korner
Allow me to introduce myself... I am
Kanen. Pronounced “Kay-nen”, this Korner
is designed for me to share with you some of my thoughts and feelings
on issues I feel are prevalent to all of us on the Eastern Shore. Now
that you know me, let’s begin. Everyone knows the world is morphing
into this new idea of Green. I’m all for it as well. And as we all know
a good way to be “green” is to use our cars less. With this schedule
changing task, some of you may be tempted with the crazy notion of
riding a bike around instead of using a car. I am a lover of the two
wheeled gasless cycle as well. There are a few things you and I need to
straighten out however, especially since we are kicking off the summer
season.
As bike riders, we tend to elevate ourselves on the scale of importance, this does not however allow us to act as Gods. While we
travel much faster than the common pedestrian, the car is still the rule
of the road. The car and motorized traffic must yield to pedestrians,
and there are significantly fewer “Yield to Biker” signs. While this
hurts me as deeply as it hurts you my friends, it does not excuse us to
act as though we are uncivilized. For instance, bike riders have a nasty
tendency of abusing the road. Here’s the golden rule as set forth by
VDOT: you must ride in the same traffic lane as the direction you are
heading. It is in no way safe for us to ride facing oncoming traffic.
While this is very James Bondish, playing with death and all, it also
freaks me out as a driver.
The next rule on VDOT’s website that we have difficulty following goes back to the days of our childhood. Coloring inside the lines
was challenging as a 4 year old, but later on in life riding in a straight
line is a monumentally larger task. It’s not difficult! Now, I would
never consider myself an aggressive driver, but I am a very frustrated
driver. I have enough to think about without trying to anticipate your
moves as a bike rider, I gave up my hopes of being a Jedi years ago.
The next rule of thumb for the average bike rider is another good
one. We need to remember to signal. Yes, it seems kind of silly while
wearing your swim suit and lovely coordinated beach outfit to stick
your arm out and extend your hand to indicate a right or left turn,
but it’s more important than you can imagine. Back to the Jedi point,
I can’t read your mind, and I have no idea what you are planning on
doing with the next precious seconds while we sit at a stop sign, and if
I’m running late for work and your left turn interferes with my right,
we are going to have a problem. While I certainly do not wish you any
bodily harm, I can’t make any promises. Signaling is not only crucial
to your survival but it allows me to travel accordingly.
The next one affects me personally, as I prefer a more designated
path: Bicyclists must stay as far to the right of the road as possible
when riding on the shoulder. Under any circumstances we should not
be riding in the actual car lane of traffic, this is insanely dangerous
and risky. Not only are you a danger to yourself, but you are creating a doom-like situation for a vehicle driver who may be behind you
attempting to pass. They have to venture into the opposing lane of
traffic as it is, and if Johnny Speeds A Lot is in no position to slow
down, you have a bad accident.
Ah, this next rule is also near and dear to my heart. When on a
roadway bicyclists need to ride in a single file. Once again we remember our childhood days of recess and lockers, and especially how walkPage 48
Bike riding is fun, enjoyable, healthy and a great way to save on gas. But be
cognizant of the rules of the road in order to ensure a safe summer for all!
ing in the halls involved a hand holding ceremony while we marched
single file to our class. Trust me, I love taking bike rides with my
friends and family as much as the next person, but if it’s not a designated bike path, we should try to stay as far away from cars as possible.
This will not only make our lovely summer bike ride more enjoyable
without the fear of death or dismemberment it also keeps traffic log
jams to a minimum.
Lastly, the most important and infuriating infraction of all bicycle
law, and to emphasize this properly I will elaborate with a tale. One
day while driving to work an unidentified individual who I had witnessed violate all of the above rules with a friend was serpenting all
over the road. I was unable to pass this mess of a bike rider, because
opposing traffic was advancing quite regularly and made it impossible
for me to scooch around this troublemaker. When I finally was able
to pass, I had discovered the source of the problem. He was texting
on his bike! I cannot stress how incredibly angry this made me, as I
was cheating death to weave around this young rascal while he was
conveying life-altering information to another individual. I love my
cell phone dearly, I believe we have a special relationship that doesn’t
require much effort on my part, but there is a time and place for such
things and it certainly isn’t riding down Route 13 in the midst of rush
hour traffic. I almost rolled down my window to shout obscenities
mixed with helpful advice at the youngster, but alas, I am without
power windows in my car.
I don’t want any of you to assume I dislike all bike riders. I have
great respect for our dedication to exercise and the outdoors. However, it is imperative that we follow these rules so that I don’t kill you
by accident or out or frustration! Feel free to ride to your dreams my
friends. Stay on the shoulder, on the right side (which is also the correct side), signal when you are turning, follow all the same road signs
and rules, and stay far away from gas guzzling vehicles. I care about
this so much, here is the link for more information from the Virginia
Department of Transportation’s Website: http://www.vdot.virginia.
gov/programs/bk-laws.asp. Be safe and be smart!
Kanen Matthews is a recent graduate of University of Delaware and joined our
staff in May. We look forward to hearing much more from her!
Mason-Davis
MLS 25819DF $250,000
47 Market Street Onancock, VA 23417
(800) 288-7037 (757) 787-1010 (757) 787-1956 (fax)
www.mason-davis.com info@mason-davis.com
“Independently Owned and Operated”
6 acres with pond conveniently
located yet rural.
MLS 22844CP $629,000
1000‘ of water frontage on
Butchers Creek – minutes to the
Bay – like new home!
MLS 27277JB $350,000
MLS 27524JB $349,000
Waterfront. Nature abounds on 3
acres with wonderful views of
Assawoman Bay.
MLS 27434JB $369,500
Privacy and nature’s beauty on
6.9+ acres fronting on
Craddock Creek.
MLS 26084JB $349,900
1889 traditional ES style home –
most of the remodel is done!
MLS 27616JB $239,000
The Bloodsworth Cottage est.
1776 as the Ailworth House.
History and charm!
Onancock charm - close to
Marina and boat ramps Walk to
downtown.
MLS 26822LA $798,000
Waterfront, park-like setting, and
3 acres surround this must see
totally renovated home.
MLS 27249JB $395,000
1840 home plus workshop/art
studio and guest space on 4 acres.
Bloxom Homes – Affordable!
MLS 27352AM
$87,000
MLS 27067AM
$149,500
MLS 25976CP
$138,500
MLS 27250CP
$68,000
Page 49
Places of Worship
Baptist Bible Church
(757) 787-7909
24577 Front St, Accomac, VA
Calvary Bible Church
757-442-3208
Front St. Accomac,Va
Naomi Makemie Presbyterian
(757) 787-1331 
Market & Lee St, Onancock, VA
Melfa United Methodist Church
(757) 787-8860 
19444 Main St, Melfa, VA
Market Street United Methodist
(757) 787-4873 
75 Market St, Onancock, VA
Drummondtown Baptist Church
(757) 787-4339 
23474 Front St, Accomac, VA
Rock Church Of The Eastern Shore
(757) 787-7625 
27112 Lankford Hwy, Melfa, VA
St Thomas United Methodist Church
(757) 665-6430 
Clam (Bloxom, VA)
Drummondtown United Methodist
(757) 787-2772 
23457 Drummondtown Rd, Accomac, VA
Onancock Baptist Church
(757) 787-4348 
1 Crockett Ave, Onancock, VA
Macedonia AME Church
(757) 787-9506 
Accomac, VA
St George’s Parish
(757) 787-4892 
23319 Back St, Accomac, VA
Adams United Methodist Church
(757) 665-4483 
23532 Lee Mont Rd, Parksley, VA
Zion Baptist Church
(757) 665-6288 
26381 Metompkin Rd, Parksley, VA
St James Episcopal Church
(757) 787-4892 
23319 Back St, Accomac, VA
Faith Assembly Of God
(757) 665-4257 
22593 Lee Mont Rd, Parksley, VA
St Luke AME Church
(757) 787-2052 
Accomac, VA
Metompkin Baptist Church
(757) 665-4135 
Parksley, VA
Faith Baptist Church
(757) 787-1351 
Rt 13, Onley, VA
Miracle Temple Deliverance Center
(757) 665-7710 
24345 Bennett St, Parksley, VA
Onley United Methodist Church
(757) 787-4155 
25642 E Main St, Onley, VA
United Christian Church
(757) 665-5029 
24284 Cooke St, Parksley, VA
St Peters Catholic Church
(757) 787-4592 
25236 Coastal Blvd, Onley, VA
Grace United Methodist Church
(757) 665-1992 
18484 Wilson Ave, Parksley, VA
Onley Baptist Church
(757) 787-7140 
25462 Coastal Blvd, Onley, VA
Parsley Baptist Church
(757) 665-5695 
24359 Adelaide St, Parksley, VA
Bethel AME Church
(757) 787-7516 
40 Boundary Ave, Onancock, VA
St Luke AME Church
(757) 787-3538 
Onancock, VA
New Jerusalem Faith Church
(757) 787-1004 
40 Boundary Ave, Onancock, VA
Mt Nebo Baptist Church
(757) 787-7069 
Onancock, VA
Central Baptist Church
(757) 787-7148 
27140 Lankford Hwy, Onley, VA
Kingdom Hall-Jehovah’s Witness
(757) 665-5607 
18308 Lankford Hwy, Parksley, VA
Church Of Jesus Christ Of LDS
(757) 787-1850 
26133 Onley Rd, Onley, VA
Metropolitan United Methodist
(757) 787-8373 
21445 Bayside Rd, Onancock, VA
Cheriton United Methodist Church
(757) 331-3084 
Pine & Church St, Onancock, VA
Page 50
Woodberry United Methodist
(757) 665-6420 
18121 Lankford Hwy, Parksley, VA
Temperanceville Church Of Christ
(757) 854-1644 
22334 Wonney Rew Rd, Parksley, VA
Calvary United Methodist Church
(757) 665-6445 
21475 Hopkins Rd, Parksley, VA
Gaskins Chapel AME Church
(757) 787-7645 
Melfa, VA
Snead’s Memorial Methodist Church
(757) 442-5922 
Melfa, VA
Herbert Baptist Church
(757) 787-2438 
Wachapreague, VA
Grace Independent Methodist
(757) 787-4925 
Wachapreague, VA
Ocean View United Methodist Church
(757) 787-2101 
Main St, Wachapreague, VA
Cashville United Methodist Church
(757) 787-2621 
15599 Cashville Rd, Onancock, VA
Broadway Baptist Church
(757) 787-9425 
15341 Broadway Rd, Onancock, VA
Church Of Christ
(757) 787-7744 
Keller, VA
Hollies Baptist Church
(757) 787-4655 
17691 Hollies Church Rd, Keller, VA
Mears Memorial United Methodist
(757) 789-3207 
Keller, VA
Gospel Temple Baptist Church
(757) 787-9465 
Keller, VA
United Methodist Church
(757) 665-6261 
25585 Shoremain Dr, Bloxom, VA
Macedonia Baptist Church
(757) 665-6441 
27105 Nelsonia Rd, Bloxom, VA
Union Baptist Church
(757) 678-1280 
15183 Lankford Hwy, Bloxom, VA
Modest Town Baptist Church
(757) 665-6945 
16508 Metompkin Rd, Modest Town, VA
Harborton United Methodist Church
(757) 442-9390 
Pungoteague, VA
Exmore Baptist Church
(757) 442-9491 
11624 Occohannock Neck Rd, Exmore, VA
Miracle Temple Of Faith Church
(757) 442-3346 
9423 Hospital Ave, Nassawadox, VA
Pungoteague Community Church
(757) 442-9596 
15346 Pungoteague Rd, Pungoteague, VA
Saxis United Methodist
(757) 854-3940 
20137 Saxis Rd, Saxis, VA
First Baptist Church
(757) 824-0493 
31027 Depot St, New Church, VA
St George Episcopal Parish
(757) 787-4892 
St Georges Cir, Pungoteague, VA
Bethel Baptist Church
(757) 442-6861 
7638 Bayside Rd, Nassawadox, VA
Bethel Baptist Church
(757) 824-5909 
14050 Bethel Church Rd, Bloxom, VA
Cornerstone Seventh-Day
(757) 442-6840 
3431 Main St, Exmore, VA
Atlantic Baptist Church
(757) 824-5034 
10040 Atlantic Rd, Atlantic, VA
First Baptist Church
(757) 824-5166 
29270 Metompkin Rd, Mappsville, VA
St John United Methodist Church
(757) 824-0186 
10352 Atlantic Rd, Atlantic, VA
Horntown Baptist Church
(757) 336-3324 
Horntown, VA
Miracle Temple Of Faith
(757) 824-0064 
15505 Lankford Hwy, Mappsville, VA
Shiloh Baptist Church
(757) 824-5786 
Atlantic, VA
Red Bank Baptist Church
(757) 442-4161 
9202 Seaside Rd, Marionville, VA
New Mt Olive Baptist Church
(757) 442-3560 
13444 Hacksneck Rd, Painter, VA
Epworth United Methodist Church
(757) 442-6391 
4158 Seaside Rd, Exmore, VA
Dea’s Chapel
(757) 824-3354 
Horntown, VA
Holy Trinity Baptist Church
(757) 442-3261 
14191 Trinity Ln, Painter, VA
Emanuel Episcopal Church
(757) 824-5043 
26405 Horsey Rd, Temperanceville, VA
Island Baptist Church
(757) 336-5645 
3380 Willow St, Chincoteague, VA
Shiloh Baptist Church
(757) 442-2739 
31559 Boston Rd, Painter, VA
Ebenezer Baptist
(757) 442-4824 
Christ United Methodist Church
(757) 336-6394 
6253 Church St, Chincoteague, VA
New Mount Zion Baptist Church
(757) 442-9805 
17450 Coal Kiln Rd, Painter, VA
Bread Of Life Community Church
(757) 414-0054 
4388 Lankford Hwy, Exmore, VA
Union Baptist Church
(757) 336-5018 
6365 Church St, Chincoteague, VA
Mt Calvary Baptist Church
(757) 442-4483 
Exmore, VA
New Mission United Methodist Church
(757) 678-7600 
8240 Treherneville Dr, Birdsnest, VA
Mt Zion Independent Methodist
(757) 824-5927 
Withams, VA
Antioch Baptist Church
(757) 678-7749 
8181 Bannister St, Birdsnest, VA
Friendship United Methodist
(757) 824-0750 
32347 Chincoteague Rd, New Church, VA
Holy Unity Commandment Church
(757) 678-0025 
11240 Lankford Hwy, Birdsnest, VA
Bethel United Methodist Church
(757) 442-3070 
Bethel AME Church
(757) 678-7866 
15676 Courthouse Rd, Cape Charles, VA
St Mary’s Baptist Church
(757) 442-9812 
Johnson’s United Methodist
(757) 678-7707 
11175 Bayside Rd, Eastville, VA
Chincoteague Baptist Church
(757) 336-3324 
New Church, VA
Christ Episcopal Church
(757) 678-7837 
16304 Courthouse Rd, Eastville, VA
St Paul On The Shore Lutheran Church
(757) 824-3500 
28281 Main St, Hallwood, VA
Belle Haven United Methodist Church
(757) 442-5844 
35446 Belle Haven Rd, Belle Haven, VA
Tabernacle Baptist Church
(757) 824-5840 
5224 Fleming Rd, Temperanceville, VA
St John Methodist Church
(757) 824-5085 
Temperanceville, VA
Craddockville United Methodist
(757) 442-9659 
33464 Boston Rd, Craddockville, VA
Maranatha Baptist Church
(757) 442-2501 
12354 Lincoln Ave, Exmore, VA
Halls Chapel Church
(757) 824-3381  Sanford, VA
New Allen AME Church
(757) 442-7958 
7026 Bayside Rd, Exmore, VA
Jerusalem Baptist Church
(757) 824-0178 
10011 Jerusalem Rd, Temperanceville, VA
Swain Memorial Church
(757) 891-2241 
16152 Main St, Tangier, VA
Mt Olive Baptist Church
(757) 854-1660 
25365 Saxis Rd, Temperanceville, VA
Franktown United Methodist Church
(757) 442-3481 
7551 Bayside Rd, Franktown, VA
Mt Sinai Holiness Tabernacal
(757) 678-5178 
5209 Stumptown Dr, Cape Charles, VA
For additions: shoresecrets@verizon.net
St Mark’s United Methodist Church
(757) 824-5852 
Rr 710, New Church, VA
Page 51
Needles in the Haystack
As I was sorting through my inbox the other day, I lamented
over the many junk emails I get bombarded with constantly. Everyone wants to refinance your mortgage, offer you ways to lose weight,
erase wrinkles, give you buying power with numerous credit cards,
lower your insurance rates, and many other products that really aren’t
fit to be descibed in this publication. Yet, despite all of the inevitable
junk, there are the occassional forwards from friends that elicit some
thought. Whether they manage to tickle my funny bone, or just perhaps give me a moment to pause and think, there are some that I feel
worthy of mention, for one reason or the other. And so here we have
it, this months collection of note worthy emails. Enjoy!
The College Professor
The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this
class on socialism.” All grades would be averaged and everyone would
receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive
an A.
After the first test, the grades were averaged and
everyone got a B. The students who studied hard
were upset and the students who studied little were
happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who
studied little had studied even less and the ones who
studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so
they studied little. The second test average was a D!
No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was
an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling
all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of
anyone else.
All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that
socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great,
the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.
Could not be any simpler than that.
“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take
away everything you have.” ~Thomas Jefferson~
Mosquito Spray
I was at a deck party awhile back, and the bugs were having a
ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck
floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared. The next year
I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I
saw mosquitoes. And voila! That worked as well . It worked at a picnic
where we sprayed the area around the food table, the children’s swing
area, and the standing water nearby. During the summer, I don’t leave
home without it.....Pass it on.
OUR FRIEND’S COMMENTS: I tried this on my deck and
around all of my doors. It works - in fact, it killed them instantly. I
bought my bottle from Target and it cost me $1.89. It really doesn’t
take much, and it is a big bottle, too; so it is not as expensive to use
as the can of Bug-spray you buy that doesn’t last 30
minutes. So, try this, please. It will last a couple of
days. Don’t spray directly on a wood door (like your
front door), but spray around the frame. Spray around
the window frames, and even inside the dog house.
Page 52
The Boots
Did you hear about the Texas teacher who was helping one of
her kindergarten students put on his cowboy boots? He asked for help
and she could see why.
Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn’t
want to go on. By the time they got the second boot on, she had
worked up a sweat.
She almost cried when the little boy said, ‘Teacher, they’re on the
wrong feet.’ She looked, and sure enough, they were. It wasn’t any
easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed
to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on, this
time on the right feet.
He then announced, ‘These aren’t my boots.’ She bit her tongue
rather than get right in his face and scream,
‘Why didn’t you say so?’ like she wanted to.
Once again, she struggled to help him
pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet. No
sooner had they gotten the boots off when
he said, ‘they’re my brother’s boots. My Mom
made me wear ‘em.’
Now she didn’t know if she should laugh
or cry. But, she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to
wrestle the boots on his feet again.
Helping him into his coat, she asked, ‘Now, where are your Mittens?’
He said, ‘I stuffed ‘em in the toes of my boots.’
She will be eligible for parole in three years
Government Cat
Four men were bragging about how smart their cats were. The
first man was an Engineer, the second man was an Accountant, the
third man was a Chemist and the fourth man was a Government Employee. To show off, the Engineer called his cat. ‘T-square, do your
stuff.’ T-square pranced over to the desk, took out some paper and
pen and promptly drew a circle, a square, and a triangle. Everyone
agreed that was pretty smart.
But the Accountant said his cat could do better. He called his
cat and said, ‘Spreadsheet, do your stuff.’ Spreadsheet went out to the
kitchen and returned with a dozen cookies. He divided them into 4
equal piles of 3 cookies. Everyone agreed that was good.
But the Chemist said his cat could do better. He called his cat and
said ‘Measure, do your stuff.’ Measure got up, walked to the fridge,
took out a quart of milk, got a 10 ounce glass from the cupboard and
poured exactly 8 ounces without spilling
a drop into the glass. Everyone agreed
that was pretty good.
Then the three men turned to
the Government Employee and said,
‘What can your cat do?’ The Government Employee called his cat and said....
‘Coffee Break, do your stuff.’ Coffee Break jumped to his feet, ate the
cookies, drank the milk, used the paper in the toilet, enjoyed a little
hanky panky with the other three cats, claimed he injured his back
while doing so, filed a grievance report for unsafe working conditions,
put in for Workers Compensation, and went home for the rest of the
day on sick leave!
New Surf Shop Opens
ome Bubbl
S
r
o
f
y
d
a
y?
e
R
Chincoteague is home to a brand new surf shop and gift store.
Located on Maddox Blvd, the brightly lit and attractively displayed
little shop features a wide variety of top of the line surfing equipment
and clothing, skate boards, as well as unique gifts, many of which are
custom made on the Island, including some heavenly locally made soy
candles. Make sure you stop by and welcome them to the Island, we
think you will enjoy your visit and are sure to find something you like
among their diverse and well stocked displays.
Parties • Vacation
Special Occasions • Anytime!
HOT TUBS TO GO!
Hot Tub Rentals Delivered Right To Your Door!
No maintenance required.
We do it all for you!
Guaranteed safe & clean.
Steam Rollers
757-693-1340
Heating Things Up
Hot Sfuff of Chincoteague offers over 500 gourmet hot sauces,
including their famous “Wild Pony Hot Sauce” trademarked as “the
sauce that bites and kicks..” They carry a tempting line of hot sauces,
salsa, barbeque sauces and dips. Tucked behind Mullers Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor on historic Cropper Street, the store is owned
by Mary Lou Court’s brother, Gus, who has been involved in hot
sauces for over twelve years. A graduate of West Chester University,
Gus enjoys dealing with people on the Island and offers a friendly and
welcoming atmosphere. The little shop also offers a great selection of
tee shirts bearing the very popular Hot Stuff logo as well.
Page 53
Behind the Racks, Educating the Palate
I am a coffee addict. It’s an addiction that I savor, and can never
visualize giving up. Some of the very best moments of my life have
been savored over cup after cup of the warm, comforting liquid; quiet
talks with my Mom, evenings in the backyard with my Dad, cherished
moments spent with friends, even that first cup of the day shared with
my beloved is without a doubt, the very best part of my day. This
addiction has also sent me off to explore many a “coffee shop” in various
areas, and so, when I returned to the Shore, naturally, I set out to find
just such an establishment that would become my regular hangout for
feeding my addiction. Well, I found it. However, what I didn’t realize
when I first stepped through the door of North Street Market, is that
I had found so very, very much more than a “coffee shop.”
The first thing that hits you is the décor. There truly is no other
place quite like North Street Market on the Shore, the environment
slightly Old World, rich, warm, inviting and friendly, yet almost
decorous – it is almost a contradiction, and to me, that is always exciting.
Unlike many small businesses in today’s economy, the little store
was awash with customers. People milled around picking up various
goods; examining a bottle of wine, checking out dips and spreads and
crackers, and of course, the opulent aroma of coffee permeated the
air, reminding me of just why I’d come. There were a few customers
in line at the Espresso Bar, so while I was waiting, I wandered around
the shop, taking in all of the many items on the bountiful shelves
and marveling at the enormous selection so impeccably displayed.
Immediately, my eyes landed on the selection of kitchen ware, and
I eagerly picked up a rather elaborate French press, designed to be
used “On the Go” for people who didn’t want to sacrifice the flavor of
that perfect cup of coffee while they were on the road. There were
heavy, gleaming frying pans of every shape and size, cutlery, colanders,
canisters and gadgets. And interspersed through all, an absolutely
amazing array of ingredients for the adventurous cook: chocolate for
melting and baking, crystallized ginger, spices and flavorings. I picked
up a container of the ginger with abandon; I had not been able to
find it since I had moved back to the Shore. Glancing back, the owner
was still chatting amicably with some customers at the Espresso Bar,
so I ventured back towards the Wine Bar to wait in line. Seeing me,
he immediately wrapped up his conversation, thanking the customers
North Street offers over 6000 items in their little store, from high end cookware
to artisan cheeses, an extensive wine collection, and fabulous dips, spreads,
pestos as well as a wealth of knowledge for the community.
Page 54
immensely for stopping by, and welcoming me with a huge, genuine
smile and a warm greeting “Hi, and what can we do for you today?”
I ordered my Latte, anxious to see just how it fared among the
veritable hundreds I had sampled at various coffee shops in my travels.
While he prepared my order, we talked for a bit, and as he elaborated
on the different selections he had available, I begun to realize just how
little I truly knew about coffees, despite my addiction.
And that was the beginning of my educational lesson for the day.
As I fervently latched hold of the cup of steaming hot liquid, I asked
Steve, the owner, if he had a few moments to talk with me. And so it
was that we ended up sitting at the little Wine Bar, talking for hours,
as I learned about cheeses and wines, coffees and food. And so much
more, perhaps even a little about life.
Steve Lotharius, the owner of North Street Market, is at once a
fascinating person. When he talks about his business, his passion is
indeed tangible, an expansive all encompassing emotion that embraces
each and every aspect of his life. The little store celebrated its fifth
year in business on April 14 of this year, and Steve has loved every
minute of it. “We made the decision to leave our careers and start over” he
explained “We traveled for about fourteen months, and ended up in Onancock.
We bought the little store at the end of this street, but we rapidly outgrew it, and
so at the end of the first year, when this building came available, we bought it,
and doubled our square footage.” You can see the excitement cross his face
as he elaborates about how one aspect of the business grew into the
next. “I love cheese and wine” he explains “And so we opened up the Wine Bar
as an extension of the store, it’s an extension of everything we do really.”
“At first, we had bought a house in Accomac and restored it. But we were
working all the time here at the store, so eventually we just sold the house and
moved n upstairs.” He laughs as he remembers those early years. “Things
just took off; we had to move into this building to meet the demand.”
Steve had worked his whole life in International. He had worked
for McCormick, the spice company, and developed a zealous love of
wine and cheese as he traveled throughout Europe. He’s been to 42
countries, and even lived in Europe for a handful of years. And yet,
he’s ended up here on the Shore. “The people are what makes this place”
he explains “both the locals and the come here’s, they are truly wonderful.”
And the customers share his enthusiasm, many times throughout our
conversation, someone would come in the door, call out affectionately
to him, and he would excuse himself to chat with them for a few
moments. The questions were all somewhat similar “I’m having a
roast for dinner, what cheese would be good as an accompaniment? Is the flavor
strong? What about a wine?” It was clear that his customers valued and
appreciated the vast knowledge he had brought to the area. “The
Eastern Shore is unique” Steve adds “It’s a very special experience that makes
living in the states easier.”
“It’s exciting” he says “The more customers learn about wine and cheese, the
more they want to know. The vast majority of our cheeses are sold after a customer
is given a sample, they love learning about the different varieties and flavors and
ways you can pair them together.” And variety is something that North
Street Market definitely does not lack. Currently, they stock over 62
varieties of European Cheeses, all freshly cut. “People don’t realize that
stocking these cheeses is a lot of work. Each cheese has to be unwrapped and
cleaned once a week. You truly have to love and appreciate it; there is a lot of labor
involved.” And educating his customers has a truly personal fulfillment
side to it as well. There is a certain amount of pride in his smile as he
adds “I love to see our customers come back in with their friends, telling them about
this cheese or a wine, explaining to them what they’ve learned.”
Steve was also instrumental in the beginnings of the now popular
Onancock International Films. “I think it’s important to offer residents
choices like this.” Steve explains “And I’m barely involved anymore, they are
going so well. Last week we had Slum Dog Millionaire and it was a great success.
It’s more just a personal interest of mine now.”
The Wine Bar is popular with locals and tourists alike, and reservations
quickly fill up on Friday and Saturday nights.
Steve is definitely all about the education aspect of the little store,
not just for his customers, but for himself as well. “If you are intrigued
by something, then you want to learn more” he explains. Steve just got back
from a seminar in New York City on cheeses. He has taken classes on
how to prepare Espresso and Latte’s. “The more you teach people, the more
they want to learn” he explains “and that’s certainly true for me as well, there is
so much information and knowledge out there.”
It was fascinating to hear how the little store had grown and
evolved since its inception five years ago. The Wine Bar grew from
its initial focus offering wine tastings and a casual environment for
customers to come in and enjoy a variety of wines, to a small scale
restaurant. “Well, Virginia ABC laws dictate that you have to serve food if
you’re going to serve alcohol. And so we figured why not.” Today, they employ
an amazing Chef, Victoria, who has cooked for such celebrities as
Harrison Ford, and the delectable dishes she invents in their small
kitchen have become so popular that you may have to call well in
advance to get a reservation. “We only seat 20 people, and so it’s almost
exclusively reservations” he explained “I’m not going to say you can’t walk in
here occasionally and be seated, but it’s pretty rare.” As if to add veracity to
his statement, the phone rang and I listened intently as he cordially
apologized to the caller for not having any available seating on Friday
night “I can perhaps fit you in on Saturday if that’s acceptable” he apologizes
“Wonderful, I have openings at 6 or 8, which do you prefer?” Their menu
changes weekly, but Steve willingly shared with me a copy of the last
week’s menu, and it positively left my mouth watering. Panko Crusted
Sea Scallops, Artisan Salad, Gaucho Filet Mignon with Chimichurri
Sauce and Herb Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus. “We try to keep our
prices low enough that people can still enjoy a nice meal out” he explained as
he saw my eyes light up at the more than reasonable menu items. For
dessert, a Raspberry Marquee Cake caught my eye, and Steve brought
me a small chocolate cake, fresh red raspberries amongst chocolate
cake and interspersed with chocolate mouse. If there is anything to
rival my addiction to coffee, it was my equally obsessive addiction to
chocolate! Everything is made fresh from scratch, and they are more
than willing to let the customers help determine the menu for the
week. “When someone calls in for a reservation, I will ask them what they’d like
to see on the menu” he elaborates “Victoria is wonderful, she can come up with
pretty much anything people want.”
“The Wine Bar has been a lot of fun too” Steve explains “It’s nice to see
people come in and sit down to visit. At first, people always gravitated to the tables;
they didn’t want to sit at the Wine Bar with people they didn’t know. But now, the
table fills up quickly, people love sitting there and meeting new friends and sharing
their love of wine and cheeses and what they’ve learned.”
Taking all of this in, I once again marvel at the vast amount of
merchandise they offer. “There are over 6,000 different products here” Steve
smiles “Over 300 labels of wine, 100 cheeses, we use over 250 suppliers. Our
cheese is all consolidated in Boston, and then flown to Norfolk where I go and pick
it up. We try to offer things that will compliment each other and help us with events
we have planned for the future.”
And the future is definitely exciting for North Street Market.
They’ve just begun their “Gourmet to Go” which has quickly become
popular, offering Quiche, desserts and other menu choices for people
who just want to grab something to take back to the office or home.
And Steve explains with excitement the many different things he has
going on in the upcoming months. “Of course we do events for things like
Father’s Day, Holiday Activities. But we also have a professional knife sharpener
coming in from Norfolk who will spend the day here with us, and we’re going to
be offering a new bar of Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oils, some of which are
infused with lemon and garlic, and of course, offering education on ways to use
them.” As he tells me more about the many events he has planned he
explains “You have to be committed to education, and that’s why we do this.”
Getting involved in the community is a strong focus as well. “We do
the Walk in the Vineyards down at Chatham Vineyards” Steve explains “and
different events at the Barrier Island Center.” And of course there’s more,
the excitement literally dripping from his voice as he explains more
and more about what he plans to offer at the little shop. “We are going
to hire a Director of Education and Excitement” he explains “And that’s
their title, Education and Excitement Director, someone that can bring to the
community the education and fun that we want to keep going here.”
Thanking Steve for taking the time to talk with me, I realized that
the very reason I had come in, the Latte, hadn’t been mentioned. “The
Latte was amazing, definitely one of the best I’ve ever had” Steve just smiled
“Thank you” he says simply and sincerely. It’s amazing that I went in
to grab a quick cup of coffee, and instead discovered a wealth of
both items and services that I had no idea even existed on the Shore.
From the high end cookware, to the succulent dips and pestos and
spices, to the wines and cheeses, the Wine Bar and even the new and
successful “Gourmet to Go” offerings, I was enthralled and hungry to
come back for more. Oh, and of course, the coffee, which was by my
discriminating standards, nothing less than superb.
We welcome your thoughts and
suggestions. If you have an idea
that you would like to see us
cover, please contact us at:
757-768-7828
or email
Page 55
Gun Rights are Non-Negotiable
Jane’s Thoughts ...
Gun Control. Those are powerful words in today’s
society, words that elicit extreme responses from
almost everyone across the board. It’s rare to find someone who “just
doesn’t care” about this topic, there seems to be no middle ground at
all; you’re either a determined advocate of gun control, or violently
against it. It will probably come as no surprise to you to learn that I
am one of the minions that make up the latter group, and like many,
my feelings are not mild or wishy-washy, I am an avid supporter of
our Second Amendment, and as with most things that I am extremely
passionate about, I am very vocal about my opinions. In May 2001,
my daughter and I were asked to speak at a Rally at the State Capital
in Richmond, VA. The occasion was actually Mother’s Day, but
the cause was one we both held dear; Second Amendment Rights.
Unfortunately, there are some pretty disturbing reasons why we are
so exceptionally sympathetic to this particular topic, and although
it is one of our basic human rights; the right to defend ourselves,
the right to keep and bear arms; and most assuredly a cause I would
champion irregardless, in our particular case, our feelings have only
been bolstered due to events that have touched our lives.
Without mincing words, let me just put it out there: In January
2000, my daughter was attacked. No, she wasn’t out somewhere that
she shouldn’t have been. No, she wasn’t home alone, or in an alley, or
walking down the street. She was in our home, spending the evening
with me, enjoying a quiet evening. She was also only seventeen years
old. The man who attacked her was a convicted rapist, having only
been released from prison after serving twelve years for rape mere
months before he attacked my daughter. He had been watching her
for quite some time, calculating the moment of his attack, learning our
schedules, observing our lives. And so, I offer you these words from
our hearts and from our lives. If you bring nothing else away with you
from this article, at least let me believe that it has in fact, made you
think.
To be honest, I am not sure I can describe our lives during that
time, and there is certainly no way I can communicate the fear. How
does one describe that? The events of that night come into focus with
a sharpness that I cannot describe, carved into my memory with an
acuteness that can only be explained as indelible, forever haunting my
soul, robbing me of any sense of security I may ever feel. It is a feeling
that one cannot imagine, one so intense, so completely overpowering
that it leaves you weak, trembling from its dominance. Yet more
than anything else, it is a feeling that no parent should ever have to
face, should never have to come to terms with. A feeling of fear, of
helplessness, of shark terror. But there’s more. It’s also the knowledge
that someone wants to harm your child, has in fact been watching her,
carefully calculating the moment for his attack. It is a feeling of pure
unadulterated hatred and loathing for another human being.
The night she was attacked, I remember sleepily thinking it was a
little odd to have someone at the door at that late hour. Those were
my last purely calm and rational thoughts of that night. Within what
seemed like seconds, I heard my daughter’s screams – screams of pure
panic and terror. The sounds of her cries still echo in my mind, it is
a sound I carry with me every waking moment, a sound that denies
me the comfort of sleep, a sound that threatens to destroy my very
sanity. I sat up in bed, my first thought being that it wasn’t happening,
no, not my daughter, there was a mistake, it wasn’t real. Yet instantly,
I disregarded those thoughts, and mother instinct took over. Never
even thinking about calling the police, the only thing I knew beyond
Page 56
any doubt was that I had to reach my daughter, I had to help her. By
this time I was screaming, crying, racing for the stairs. I could hear
the struggle ensuing downstairs; Lennie’s screams had only intensified,
each outcry being answered by one of my own, equally as desperate. I
cannot tell you the thoughts racing through my head at that moment;
I can only tell you that as I reached the top of the stairs, I closed my
eyes, praying to God that I would find her alive when I reached the
bottom. It was then that I heard the crash. My heart jumped, froze in
my chest as I frantically rushed toward the sound of her cries.
And that was only the beginning of our nightmare. When I
found my daughter, she was bleeding profusely from her mouth, she
had a puncture would in her back where she had landed against a
sharp corner of the table, and needless to say, a concussion from
her fall. Immediately, we raced to the bedroom and barricaded the
door, frantically calling 911. Yet when the police arrived, they only
filed a simple assault charge, never dusting the house for prints,
never photographing her injuries. In short, it’s almost as if the entire
incident were brushed off, deemed unimportant. Fortunately through
the help of friends in the police department, the very next morning
the charges were upgraded to felony assault and additional charges
such as abduction, breaking and entering etc were also filed. Yet every
step of the way left us fighting for justice, and suddenly, I remembered
how many times I had heard throughout my life that the victim of a
crime has no rights, that it is in fact the accused that is protected, and
my heart sank.
For the next year, we fought tooth and nail to bring this man to
court. We were met with every stumbling block along the way that you
could possibly imagine; the fingerprint evidence was “lost”, court dates
were postponed, it was in every conceivable way, a nightmare. Our day
to day lives became a joke, we kept ourselves locked in our homes,
more often times than not, sheltered behind the door to our bedroom,
the Rottweiler we had purchased standing guard between us and the
door, and our gun never left our hands when we ventured beyond the
safety net of that room. Industrial locks and bolts were installed on
our outside entrances, yet despite all of the precautions, two days after
my daughter identified this man and he was arrested, he was released
on bond and once again, began riding by our home, watching our
every movement; at times, just sitting in the street staring at our house.
The fear was so thick you couldn’t breathe.
So, you are probably asking yourself why didn’t we just call the
police? Oh, make no mistake, we did. Repeatedly, every single day
in fact as we would stare out of our bedroom window and watch this
man glaring at our home, we would call and say “He’s out there again,
can’t you all please make him leave?” And repeatedly we were told “Ma’am,
he is on public property, there is nothing we can do, make a list and perhaps when
you have enough evidence, you can file charges of stalking.” Great, I had this
overwhelming feeling the police were going to come into our home
one night and find us dead with a list in our hands.
Something else I learned throughout all of this. Something that I
think may shock each and every one of you as much as it did me, for it
is certainly something I not only wasn’t aware of, but would have sworn
couldn’t possibly be true. For you see, are you aware of the fact that
the police are under no particular obligation to protect us as individual
citizens? You read that correctly, but just for the sake of clarity, let me
repeat that: The police are under no obligation to protect individual
citizens, their duty is to protect the community at large. In April of
1981, two young women repeatedly called the police when they heard
someone break in downstairs and attack their third female roommate.
For over a half hour, they repeatedly called the police, and finally,
when their roommates screams stopped, they ventured downstairs,
assuming the police had finally arrived. Unfortunately there were
no police, and the three young women were held hostage for over
fourteen hours; beaten, raped, and robbed. The police never arrived,
despite documentation of numerous calls. Consequently, the three
young women filed suit, yet, in the now infamous Supreme Court Case
of Warren versus the District of Columbia, the highest court ruled that it
is the “fundamental principle of American law that a government and its agents
are under no general duty to provide public services, such as police protection, to any
individual citizen”. Oh and it gets worse, there have been many other
cases with similar outcomes. Take for example Balistreri v. Pacifica Police
Department, where even though the victim had a restraining order, she
wasn’t granted protection. And also, Hartzler v. City of San Jose. In
this case, Ruth Brunell had called the police twenty different times
pleading for help. One night, she telephoned police to tell them that
the man had threatened her and was on his way to come kill her; yet,
the police refused her request that they come to protect her. They told
her to call back when he got there. Mrs. Brunell was stabbed to death
before she could call the police to tell them that he was there. Yet the
court stated that the San Jose police were not liable for ignoring Mrs.
Brunell’s pleas for help. Or one of my particularly favorite decisions,
DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services, where not
only was the victim not given protection, but the court actually ruled
that the only persons that the police are obligated to protect are those
that are already incarnated and under their care. Scared yet? You
should be.
The scariest part of all of that, and the question that should run
through our heads is this: These courts that are basically saying the
police don’t have to protect you are also saying, let us take your guns
so that you can’t protect yourselves. Why?
Make no mistake; gun laws are not going to protect you from
violent crime. Why? Simple. What part of reason or logic tells you
that a criminal is going to obey gun laws? I don’t know about most of
you, but I for one take the whole idea of gun control as a personal
assault on my intelligence. The assertion that gun control is going
to reduce the horrendous crimes spreading like a plague across our
country leaves me shaking my head, wondering if perhaps the gun
control movement is truly that ignorant, or if they just believe the
American public is. You see, this school of thought would lead one
to believe that every criminal, every deviant misfit in today’s society is
going to just stand up and say “Oh no! It’s illegal, so I can’t do this” and run
turn in their guns, or at the very least, equip them with gunlocks. Now
how many of us with even an ounce of intelligence truly believe that
is going to happen?    
I will never forget my own feelings as I sat and listened to the officer
explain to me that we had nothing to worry about. He proceeded to
assure me that the Judge had warned the defendant explicitly to stay
away from us, and that he was sure he wouldn’t bother us again. Now
keep in mind, this warning came after this man had attempted to get
back into our home a second time (yes, eight days after he was arrested,
he managed to get the back kitchen window off of our house before
help arrived). Now, my rationale is quite simple. You cannot reason
with someone who is unreasonable. We are talking about someone
who broke into our home, attempted to rape my daughter, and even
after he was arrested and subsequently released on bond, came back
a second time to finish what he had started. Now, having had such
total disregard for another human being, not to mention the fact that
he was breaking the law in the first place, exactly what aspects of this
man’s behavior are going to reassure me that he has changed and will
suddenly start respecting the law or the court’s authority now? The
fact is I have none, because there are none. Why? Because he doesn’t
care. He isn’t a law-abiding citizen; hence, he does not respect the
law. And this is the whole problem with any theory on gun control.
Gun control advocates are assuming, or wanting us to assume, that
people such as this are just going to accept the government’s laws
and rulings. They do not take into consideration, or give us credit for
having enough common sense to realize on our own, that the people
who use these guns, the people who kill, are not law-abiding citizens
in the first place.
The arguments against guns are widespread and varied. But no
matter how you phrase your reason, the barest facts are that we as
American citizens are entitled by our Constitution to keep and bear
arms. Not only for self protection, but the actual intended purpose of
this right is to protect ourselves from an oppressive government. This
right, this privilege is provided us by the Bill of Rights, what entitlement
do we have, does anyone have, to take that away from us? The US
Constitution, the Bill of Rights, these are the very cornerstones, the
foundation upon which our country is built. Gun ownership has been
an unalienable right since the very conception of our country. Yet
now, with crime rates soaring people are trying to find a place to lay
the blame.
I personally believe it’s time to stop and take a good hard look at
how we have each personally contributed to this nightmare. The moral
conscious of our society is at an all time low. We have removed prayer
from our schools in the name of human rights; today’s teachers are
afraid to discipline their students for fear of a lawsuit from the child’s
parents. Society wants to sue tobacco companies for a disease that
they were forewarned was a very real side effect of a personal choice
they made. Schools are forced to lower their educational standards in
the name of equality; teenagers are taught that abortion, the taking of
a human life, is a viable birth control method. What has become of
us? Where are the morals in today’s society, what true guiding force
does today’s youth have to look up to? There are too many easy ways
out, too many “fast-food” schools of thought trying to make life quick
and easy.   
Page 57
There are so many warning signs, yet we live in a world that wants
everything ready made, that doesn’t want to be bothered with the
traditional values or the time consuming job of actually having to do
something to change things. Why are today’s parents so out of touch
with their children that they can’t take the time to know them? Take
for example what happened in Columbine. I can assure you, if my
child were so depressed and angry that they were in the basement
making bombs or whatever it was that they were doing, I would have
known it. Heck, my daughter used to get aggravated with me because
I could tell if she had just had a fight with a friend, she used to say I
must have had eyes and ears in the back of my head. Yet, society and
our government blame guns for the tragedy rather than delve deeper
into the problem. Here’s a thought; placing blame is not a solution.
So what has happened in our society that so many parents fail to instill
a sense of right and wrong into their own children?  But no, in the
words of George Bernard Shaw: “Liberty means responsibility. That is why
most men dread it.” And that is what is wrong in our country today; no
one wants the responsibility of taking action. 
America has always been a country of dreams. It is a country
where we are free to pursue our goals and our dreams of freedom, a
place where we are afforded the luxury of being allowed to possess
courage. Now more than ever, we need to move forward together.
Andrew Jackson said: “One man with courage makes a majority.” Let us be
that one man. We do not have the time for public indifference.
Perhaps the saddest thing I have to tell you hear today is the
outcome of all that we have been through. For you see, finally, in
December of 2000, 11 months after Lennie was assaulted in our
home; we finally saw the conclusion to our trial; finally saw “justice”
served. Yes, that is sarcasm you detect. For despite the fact that
her assailant pled guilty, despite the fact that this was not his first
offense, because of a glitch in Virginia’s Courts, and something called
Sentencing Guidelines, and because of the fact that he didn’t actually
rape my daughter, that he fled before he finished because he heard
me upstairs; these sentencing guidelines recommended that this man
be given probation only for what he had done to my daughter. This
man completely altered the very core and structure of our lives. He
devastated our standard of living, created a fear that will never be
erased or eased in any way. And for this, for everything; he was given
five years. Four years for breaking and entering and one year for
assault, with all of it suspended. Beyond the time awaiting his trial, he
Page 58
did not spend one solitary day in jail for what he did to us. Now where
pray tell is the justice in that? 
I will leave you with the words of my beautiful daughter, only
17 years old at the time, and I ask each of you, for just a moment to
imagine; what if she was your daughter? With tears glimmering in her
eyes, my daughter looked up at me from the pallet she had constructed
on the floor beside my bed. “I can’t sleep Mom, what happens if I fall asleep?
We are all too tired, no one will hear him if he gets in. He will break in here, get
in the door before we hear him, kill you, then rape me and kill me too. That’s my
future Mom; you know it as well as I do. The police won’t do anything; it’s up to
us. No Mom, I can’t go to sleep.” 
Lennie’s Turn
I’ve been dealing with people who wanted to take away my gun
for what seems like all my life. From the crisis counselor after we
were attacked, to political candidates, to congress; apparently no one
out there really cares about what it feels like to be threatened with no
way to protect yourself. Well I’m here to tell you that the right to own
a gun, the right to protect myself and my family is something I will
fight for until the day I die. The gun rights group that my Mom and I
initially became involved with, Second Amendment Sisters, has a very
simple, but very powerful slogan: “Self defense is a basic human right.”
What could be more true than that?
Mom has already covered the night of the attack, the aftermath,
what we were left to deal with after the justice system stepped in. But
what she didn’t really get into were the feelings that I was left to deal
with. For you see, despite the fact that the police had been notified,
despite the fact that my attacker had been identified and the matter
was “out of our hands” so to speak, I had to live with the consequences.
I had to lie down at night, and close my eyes, trying to sleep. But
the problem with that was that every time I closed my eyes, I could
still feel his hands on me. When I closed my eyes, I could feel his
breath on my neck; I could see the hatred in his eyes. I had to open
our front door and step out into a yard that no longer felt safe, where
unspeakable terror could be hiding behind every shrub. I couldn’t
forget; and I never will. It is a feeling I will carry with me for the rest
of my life. A feeling of personal invasion, a feeling of being denied
the most basic of human rights; the right to feel safe in my own home,
the right to enjoy being able to live unencumbered by fear for my life.
As private citizens, we are so very limited in the ways in which we can
protect ourselves.
My Mom and I are not particularly large or strong women. In fact,
put together, we both might weigh a whopping total of 225 pounds
sopping wet. So the very notion that my attacker was afraid of me or
my Mother is absurd. No, I know in my heart that the only reason I
survived, the only reason I was not raped, is quite simply, because my
assailant thought there was a chance my Mom had a gun. The right to
own a gun, that simple, very basic right; creates a very real sense of
doubt in an attackers mind. Without that doubt, we may as well lay
down and offer ourselves to the attacker. Without that right; without
that flicker of doubt in the criminals mind, there is no doubt that I
would have suffered a much more devastating outcome that night. 
Anthony Shawn Medina, a convicted murderer and gang leader
once said in an interview: “There’s no stopping the flow of guns. They can
make all the laws they want to, but criminals don’t have to obey laws.” The
government officials who advocate handgun control would have
you believe that the simple issuance of more gun control laws will
protect the average citizen. That by outlawing guns, criminals will
automatically turn over their guns to the government and we will all
live happily ever after. Well I am here to tell you that this is not a
storybook world. When this happened, I was seventeen years old.
Kids can go to school or walk down to the nearest street corner and
purchase as much crack or cocaine as they want. Oh, but that’s illegal,
right? So much for illegal substances being hard to get. If someone
wants a drug, they go out, they find a black market, and they buy
it. Will someone please explain to me why the government wants to
brainwash us into thinking guns will be any different? And gun locks
or waiting periods? As the victim of being stalked, as the victim of
having been watched for months upon months, of seeing my attacker
drive by my home day in and day out, I can assure you that had I
not already been in possession of a firearm, a five-day waiting period
could have cost me my life. Yes, make no mistake; your attacker, the
man that wants to attack you, or your wife or your mother or your
daughter; that person loves gun laws, they thrive on waiting periods
and gunlocks. It makes their job so much easier, so much simpler
when they don’t have to worry about their victims being armed.
Want more proof ? Reading from a Letter to the Editor in response
to the Morton Grove, Illinois Handgun Ban: “If guns are banned, then I
as a criminal feel a lot safer. When a thief breaks into someone’s house or property,
the first thing to worry about is getting shot by the owner. But now, it seems we
won’t have to worry about that anymore. Most convicts in my prison hope the gun
control law is adopted for the reason stated above. It is fantasy that just because
guns are outlawed, we, the crooks, can’t get guns. The only people who can’t are the
ones we victimize ... drugs are against the law. Does that stop us? It’s also against
the law to rob and steal. But does a law stop us? One more thing: I thank you, the
public, for giving me this fine opportunity to further my criminal career.” There is
nothing more I can add to that, nothing I can say that will make it any
more apparent. The criminals themselves have spoken, they have told
us; point blank what our society will become. Make no mistake; gun
laws will not protect us as private citizens. 
Something my Mom didn’t mention. The night that my attacker
attempted to get in our house the second time. Of course we
telephoned the police. Anyone want to venture a guess as to when
they showed up? Twenty-five minutes later. Yes, if we didn’t own
a gun, had my boyfriend not lived a block away and come racing the
second I called him, do you know what could have happened to me in
that eternally long twenty-five minute period?
Of course, you are always going to have those people who insist
“Oh, but guns kill people.” Well, duh, of course they do. But so do cars.
So do knives. So do baseball bats. In fact, you can slip on a banana
peel and break your neck, are we going to outlaw fruit? I have lived
around guns all my life. I grew up having guns in my house, as did
most of my friends. I was taught to respect them. There were no
trigger locks on these guns; they were readily accessible, by anyone,
at any time. I watched my parents with these guns, and I saw the way
they handled them, saw the respect and care they gave them. When I
was eight years old, my father took me outside and taught me how to
shoot, carefully, aiming accurately, how to hold the gun and let me feel
the tremendous power that it had, only leaving me with more respect
of this item that was such a normal part of my life. I would no more
have touched one of my parent’s guns than I would have walked up
and laid my hand on a red hot stove. But even aside from that, the
funny thing here is that never once has it ever crossed my mind to
pick up that gun to hurt someone. Never once, no matter how angry
I got, or how mad I was, or how frustrated I was because someone
had made fun of me that day. Never once did it ever even occur to me
to pick up that gun and use it. And therein lies the problem. It is not
the guns that are creating havoc in our society; it is the people. There
is some tiny elemental flaw that exists between those of us who have
the means to kill, and those of us who actually do. It is that flaw, that
glitch in the character of that person that creates a killer. Have we as
a society failed so miserably that we cannot teach our children right
from wrong? Or do we look to the government and say the blame
lies there, that in addition to banning cell phones and pagers, they
have also banned God from our schools sending a terrifying message
to the youth of today that God is to be placed among the “forbidden”
elements of our society. Or does it lie within the families, with the
parents who have failed to teach their children respect; respect for
guns, respect for others, and mostly ; respect for ourselves? Theodore
Roosevelt once said “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to
educate a menace to society.” Perhaps there lies our problem. I don’t know,
I honestly don’t know where the blame lies. But I do know that it
doesn’t lie with the guns. It doesn’t lie with any weapon. Some of the
most ghastly, horrific murders in our history didn’t even involve the
use of guns. Take for example Ted Bundy, convicted murderer who
used a wooden club to bludgeon thirty-six girls to death. Or Charles
Manson’s assassins who used mostly knives in their murderous spree.
And on one instance, when they did use a gun, it was used as a blunt
object, to beat the victim; for example, Vojtek Frykowski was beat over
the head fifty-one times with a gun butt. No, it is not the weapon. If
guns are not accessible, the killer will only find another means, while,
we, as the victims, are left defenseless. As Lucius Annaeus once said
“...quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est.” the translation
of course is: “a sword never kills anybody; it’s a tool in the killer’s hand.” 
The editor and her daughter, the assistant editor, speaking out for Gun Rights
at a Mother’s Day Rally at the State Capital in 2001. Lennie was only nineteen
years old.
Adolph Hitler once said: “The most foolish mistake we could possibly
make would be to permit the conquered Eastern peoples to have arms. History
teaches that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have
prepared their own downfall by doing so.” Additionally, he was also quoted
as saying, “What luck for rulers, that men do not think” As my Mom has
already asked, please, if you do nothing else, please, please just think
about what gun control means. The courts saw fit to release this man
on probation; he never served a day in jail for what he did to me. And
these same courts that have granted this man the ability to continue
to prey on young women such as myself, would also just as easily take
away my right to protect myself; my right to bear arms. Please, don’t
let them do that to me, don’t let them do that to US. There may well
come a time in my life, in your OWN life, where the right to bear arms
may well be your only means of survival. 
In closing, I want to thank my Mother, and to wish her a
wonderful Mother’s Day. Mom, you are my very best friend; I could
not have made it through this without you, and I would never be here
today without your love and support and encouragement. When
the justice system let us down, Mom and I learned something very
valuable; together, there’s nothing we can’t get through, as long as we
stick together and have each other to turn to. I love you Mom, Happy
Mother’s Day.
Photos and posters reprinted with permission from www.a-human-right.com,
courtesy of Oleg Volk. All rights reserved.
Page 59
Need A Number?
A & N Electric Co-op 757-787-9750
Eastern Shore Public Library 757-787-3400
Emergency - after hours 757-787-9777
Northampton County Administrator’s Office 757-678-0440
Accomack County Administrator’s Office 757-787-5700
Northampton County Animal Control 757-678-0460
Accomack County Animal Control 757-787-1131, 757-824-5666
Northampton County Commissioner of Revenue 757-678-0446
Accomack County Commissioner of Revenue 757-787-5747
Northampton County Social Services 757-678-5153
Accomack County Department of Social Services 757-787-1530
Northampton County Parks & Recreation 757-678-0468
Accomack County Health Department 757-787-5886
Northampton County Registrar (voter questions) 757-678-0480
Accomack County Parks & Recreation 757-787-3900
Northampton County Sheriff 757-678-0460
Accomack County Public Works 757-787-1468
Northampton County School Board 757.678.5151
Accomack County Registrar (voter questions) 757-787-2935
Shore Medical Center (Metompkin) 757-665-5996
Accomack County Sheriff 757-787-1131
Shore Medical Center (Onley) 757-787-7374
Accomack County School Board 757-787-5754
Shore Memorial Hospital 757-414-8000, 1-800-834-7035
Chincoteague Police 757-336-3155
SPCA 757-787-7385
Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce 757-336-6161
State Police / Melfa757-787-5813
Chincoteague Public Works 757-336-3366
Miss Utility “Call before you dig” 800-552-7001
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge 757-336-6122
Poison Control Center 800-222-1222
Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce 757-787-2460
Verizon (telephone) 757-954-6222
Before You Adopt!
Why do you want a pet? Is this something you’ve thought about or
an impulse decision?
Do you have the time for a pet? Pets need
human contact more than just an hour or two
each day and need to be a full time part of your
family.
LOOKING TO LURE IN
SOME NEW BUSINESS?
Can you afford a pet? Veterinarian bills can be
expensive, and pets need regular check ups just
like people, or in the event your pet gets sick or hurt, he/she will need
medical attention, just like you or me.
Will you be a responsible pet owner? Having a pet means you have
accepted the responsibility of another being that depends on you for
love, attention, food, shelter and well being.
Are you prepared to keep and care for
this pet for as long as it lives? Pets aren’t
‘disposable’ and are a long term commitment.
They may be cute and fluffy today, but they’re
going to grow up before you know it.
Remember, a pet is a responsibility. Your local shelter may
require a home visit before or after adoption, as well as proof
of your ability to provide for the pet. Please make sure you
are ready for the commitment before you adopt, and always,
spay and neuter your pets.
Page 60
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