 Parsons Cemetery, located in Salisbury, is today both operational and historic. According to their website, it is an urban green space, an outdoor museum, and in the words of architectural historian, Keith Eggener, urban cemeteries "are where life meets death, nature meets city, and present meets past."
Preservation Maryland recently bestowed Parsons Cemetery with the 2020 Best of Maryland Community Choice Award. Over the past several years, the Parsons Cemetery Advisory Board has worked hard to develop walking tours in Parsons Cemetery. Seven tours have been developed and more are being planned for future release. In addition to the tours, Parsons Cemetery is an active participant in the Wreaths Across America program which honors veterans at Christmas time. Over the past year, a comprehensive database was created to identify all the veterans who are interred in Parsons Cemetery so they can be recognized, even those who have no markers. Work is now underway to create a comprehensive database of all first responders interred in the cemetery. Ultimately, the Board’s goal is to make the information in the Cemetery Information Management System (CIMS) available to the public, so they can search for and locate any person interred in Parsons Cemetery. However, this information is not very useful if people are not easily able to locate graves. Thus, the Board believes the installation of signage is a critical next step in the continued development of self-guided tours and other activities like Wreaths Across America. Currently, there are no signs which delineate the layout of the cemetery. Parson’s Cemetery is broken into 9 sections with 40 rows of plots. Through the strategic placement of 19 signs at various points in the cemetery, the signs will make it easier for people to complete the self- guided tours in a timely manner. The signs will also make it easier for visitors to locate a specific person interred in Parsons. The impact of these signs will be immediate and long-lasting, as the signs will be a permanent feature of the cemetery. Work is expected to be completed by June 2021. You can visit their site, by clicking here.
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Mac and Tuck Seem to Crave VisitorsThe pandemic has been hard on individuals, on small businesses, and on museums such as the Delmarva Discovery Museum in Pocomoke City, Maryland. It has also been challenging for Mac and Tuck, the river otters at the Delmarva Discovery Museum. It turns out they would prefer to have more visitors. In spite of having lots of attention by trained staff who adore them, they miss hamming it up for visitors.  They follow their visitors as they move from the 6,000-gallon aquarium replicating the Pocomoke River into the stream and land exhibit. They often show off by wrestling or press a curious nose to the glass along with their wide webbed feet. They seem as curious about human behavior as we are about otter behavior.  Schedule a Private TourThe museum is now offering private guided or self-guided tours to increase social distancing. Appointments are available Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. The otters are most likely to be playful around 10 am, or at about 2 pm. Museum admission for a self-guided tour is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Self-guided tour groups will be limited to no more than 10. Members may enjoy unlimited visits, subject to schedule availability. Once you have finished your tour, enjoy a private shopping experience in the museum's gift shop. Reservations are required and can be made online at delmarvadiscoverycenter.org or by calling the museum at 410-957-9933. "Otterly" Silly Saturdays Coming BackThe museum will again begin offering Otterly Silly Saturdays on February 6. This program gives a chance
for guests to watch the otters enjoy a special treat, such as live fish or a peanut butter filled toy, while learning about this native animal. The fifteen-minute program begins at noon, and reservations are required. Mac and Tuck would love to see you!  Winter Wonderland: Illuminating Traditions Tuesdays through December 29 A seven-week virtual celebration of winter holidays from around the world and their traditions of light. Each video illuminates a new tradition. Pick up a craft kit to take part in the at-home activities. Reserve your kits at 410-742-4988 x 115 or go to wardmuseum.org. Ice Ice Berlin: Ice Art Sculptures & Holiday Shop Night Friday, November 27, 5-9pm 24 holiday ice sculptures carved by award-winning ice artist Erik Cantine throughout town, pinecone birdfeeder craft at the Calvin B. Taylor Museum, Santa, carriage rides, shops open until 9pm. Small Business Saturday Saturday, November 28 Shop local this season! Free Carriage Rides in Berlin December weekends, 11am-3pm A Miracle on Market Street Friday, December 4, 5:30-8:30pm Walk through the winter wonderland in Downtown Pocomoke City with a tree lighting, holiday music, dance performance, carriage rides, sidewalk sales, vendors, Mr. and Mrs. Claus, a bonfire, and carol sing-alongs. Light Up Berlin December 11-31 Drive around town and look at all the beauty Berlin has to offer during this holiday house decorating contest! Tour map list will be available at berlinmainstreet.com Holiday Tea at Poplar Hill Thursday, December 10, 11:30am Celebrate the holiday season at Poplar Hill Mansion, Salisbury’s oldest house, with a tea and menu featuring soup, tea sandwiches, scones, desserts, and more. Safety precautions in place. RSVP by December 4 at 410-749-1776. A Pemberton Christmas Saturday, December 12, 11am-4pm Enjoy a festive day at Pemberton Historical Park with holiday music, decorations, tours of the grounds, wreath-making classes, gingerbread-making contest, socially distanced photos with Santa, fire pits, vendors, food truck, and more. 2nd Friday in Berlin Sunday, December 13, 5-8pm Shop, see Santa, and enjoy live music! On #GivingTuesday, help us make a difference for local museums, attractions, historic sites11/23/2020  On Tuesday, December 1, Giving Tuesday offers an opportunity to help heritage-related nonprofits on the lower eastern shore. By making a donation to the Beach to Bay Heritage area during this nationwide online giving event, you can help preserve our local heritage. As one of 13 heritage areas in Maryland, Beach to Bay blends economic development with conservation of our area's natural, cultural, and historic resources. During this pandemic year we have:
 Photo Caption: Pictured from left to right are Tyler Walston, Sunny Crouse, Samantha Gooch, Judith Stribling, Addie Eckardt, Doug Stevens, Gwen Acle and Nicole Acle. SALISBURY, Md. – On Saturday, Nov. 7, Wicomico County officials and volunteers gathered at the Pirate’s Wharf property for a tree planting.
The landscape stock trees that were planted stand between 5-12 feet tall. “These trees are a few years old,” said Tyler Walston, environmental planner for Wicomico County Planning and Zoning. “The hope is that they will have a head start and grow to be showpiece trees near areas of interest.” The Pirate’s Wharf project is a multi-phased, large-scale redevelopment of existing farmland located on Whitehaven Road. Phase one of the project is slated to begin this winter. Officials remain hopeful that the park will open to the public in spring 2021. Learn more about Pirate’s Wharf at http://bit.ly/PiratesWharf.  November 21 - 22 and December 12th. With covid protocols in place, Delmarva Birding Weekends has announced the first-of-their-kind Waterfowl Weekends slated for Nov. 21-22 and Dec. 12. Late fall offers high numbers of species for nature lovers to enjoy as waterfowl, hawks, and eagles arrive on the scene. Registration for the event is now open at http://delmarvabirding.com/welcome-waterfowl-weekends/. Nature lovers can register for just one field trip, or multiple field trips each day of the three days of events. In the morning on Nov. 21, folks can search for sea ducks, loons, eiders, and purple sandpipers at select locations in southern Delaware, before embarking on an afternoon trip to the nearby 2,200-acre private Newport Farms to find white pelicans, eagles, and a cornucopia of dabbling ducks. On Nov. 22, local birders who will guide a secret sojourn to four of the best winter birding spots along South Point. The trip takes a unique turn as participants stroll down the private Por Fin Drive, known for its iconic locust trees that grace the gateway to the National Seashore near the Assateague Market. Here, waterfowl enjoy two restored ponds nestled in 130 acres of woods and farmland.  On Dec. 12, in addition to a second trip to Newport Farms, bird lovers will visit beautiful Cape Henlopen State Park where pitch pine forest, tidal marsh, dunes, and beaches may produce Brown-headed Nuthatches, Snow Bunting, loons, scoters and other bay and sea ducks. Guided by local fun-loving birders with decades-long experience, the walking tours accommodate visitors from the curious nature lover to fowl fanatics. Every year, birdwatchers from surrounding states flock to Delmarva in the fall. “These are great nature-oriented weekends,” said Melanie Pursel, Tourism Director for Worcester County. “People will be amazed by the number of eagles and ducks, but they will see a lot more than that walking with guides in the wilds around South Point, Berlin, and Ocean City.” “The early winter here is spectacular,” said Southern Delaware Tourism Director Scott Thomas. “Imagine hiking a dunes trail at Cape Henlopen to be met with a Peregrine Falcon dive bombing a flock of shorebirds. Or spend a morning at Delaware Seashore State Park enjoying loons and scoters. That’s what this time of year is all about.” Social events for the waterfowl weekends have been cancelled due to the pandemic. Typically these "Tally Rallies" would be held at local breweries, bars, and restaurants, and allow participants to add to the species checklist and swap nature stories with new friends. Indeed participants recount the event in terms of experiences rather than simply observing birds – a majestic harrier soaring over the marsh, a flock of surf scoters, or the eerie hoot and shadow of an owl at dusk. An outdoor experience is the true draw. The Delmarva Peninsula is one of the country's premier birding areas, thanks to an extensive variety of habitat protected by our coastal parks, refuges and wildlife management areas. More than 400 bird species have been recorded in the region and previous Weekend tallies have topped 200 species. If boasting that many species isn't enough, participants should feel even better knowing that they’ve helped Delmarva's birds by promoting birding and habitat conservation. Birders, both novice and experienced, make an important statement about the economic value of birds and their habitats through the money they spend in local hotels, restaurants, and shops. Participants are encouraged to remind local businesses that they are here to enjoy Delmarva’s natural areas and the birds that inhabit them. This is more important now than ever. “It’s our vast shallow bays and large tracts of protected marshes and bald cypress forests that make the Delmarva Peninsula one of the finest birding regions in the nation,” said guide and organizer Jim Rapp. “During the weekend, our guests will hike on private farmland and woodland that are normally off-limits to the public.” Co-organizer Dave Wilson added that most trips are not physically taxing and that the event provides a rare opportunity to tally 100 species in a day in places that are normally inaccessible. For the weekends, mask wearing and social distancing will be the rule. There will be no carpooling and numbers of seats will be reduced. Sponsors for the events include Worcester County Tourism, Southern Delaware Tourism, the Boardwalk Hotel Group, Jolly Roger Amusement Park, the Delmarva Almanac, My Backyard, the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays. Special thanks also go to the private property owners who allow us access to their properties for this weekend. Additional sponsor and registration information, field trip descriptions and other resources for Delmarva Birding are available at www.delmarvabirding.com. To become a sponsor or for additional information, contact Jim Rapp (443-614-0261) or Dave Wilson (443-523-2201) at Conservation Community Consulting at conservationcc@gmail.com.  Indeed participants recount the event in terms of experiences rather than simply observing birds – a majestic harrier soaring over the marsh, a flock of surf scoters, or the eerie hoot and shadow of an owl at dusk. An outdoor experience is the true draw.
The Delmarva Peninsula is one of the country's premier birding areas, thanks to an extensive variety of habitat protected by our coastal parks, refuges and wildlife management areas. More than 400 bird species have been recorded in the region and previous Weekend tallies have topped 200 species. If boasting that many species isn't enough, participants should feel even better knowing that they’ve helped Delmarva's birds by promoting birding and habitat conservation. Birders, both novice and experienced, make an important statement about the economic value of birds and their habitats through the money they spend in local hotels, restaurants, and shops. Participants are encouraged to remind local businesses that they are here to enjoy Delmarva’s natural areas and the birds that inhabit them. This is more important now than ever. “It’s our vast shallow bays and large tracts of protected marshes and bald cypress forests that make the Delmarva Peninsula one of the finest birding regions in the nation,” said guide and organizer Jim Rapp. “During the weekend, our guests will hike on private farmland and woodland that are normally off-limits to the public.” Co-organizer Dave Wilson added that most trips are not physically taxing and that the event provides a rare opportunity to tally 100 species in a day in places that are normally inaccessible. For the weekends, mask wearing and social distancing will be the rule. There will be no carpooling and numbers of seats will be reduced. Sponsors for the events include Worcester County Tourism, Southern Delaware Tourism, the Boardwalk Hotel Group, Jolly Roger Amusement Park, the Delmarva Almanac, My Backyard, the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays. Special thanks also go to the private property owners who allow us access to their properties for this weekend. Additional sponsor and registration information, field trip descriptions and other resources for Delmarva Birding are available at www.delmarvabirding.com. To become a sponsor or for additional information, contact Jim Rapp (443-614-0261) or Dave Wilson (443-523-2201) at Conservation Community Consulting at conservationcc@gmail.com.  A road trip is the best way to gain a new perspective. Showcasing Maryland’s only coastal county, the Cape to Cape Scenic Byway runs 79 miles of local and state roads from the Atlantic Ocean to the back bays of Chincoteague, Sinepuxent, Assawoman, and Isle of Wight, to the Maryland/Virginia state line. Come discover natural beauty, historic towns, seaside havens, open fields, and vibrant communities along the route.
Set a relaxed pace and take time to stop and explore points of interest that range from well-known treasures to hidden gems. Stretch your legs at photo-worthy vistas, wildlife observation areas, cultural hubs, and don’t miss the seafood eateries, craft breweries, bakeries, or ice cream parlors for a taste of local flavor. READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE ON THE Worcester County WEBSITE.  Shop Local on the Lower ShoreIf you haven’t yet finished your holiday shopping or, maybe haven't even started, think about doing your shopping from small businesses across the shore. Shopping at a locally-owned and operated business is truly a unique experience. While everyone was hunkered down during the COVID pandemic, local shops, restaurants and galleries were struggling to create new ways for people to shop and eat out. Let’s show some love this holiday season and give those hard-to-buy- for on your list a unique gift made right here on the lower shore. For the Drink LoversRise Up Coffee- Who wouldn’t love their slogan; Grown by Friends. Roasted by Friends. Enjoyed by Friends. Coffees, espressos, blends, coffee club, swag and gift cards are available. Wind Mill Creek Winery is a fairly new winery and vineyard located just on the outskirts of downtown Berlin. The main building is a meticulously restored 1858 homestead which has been in the family for decades. New this season is an igloo village, yes, you just read that right! No one else is offering this anywhere, so if you’re looking for a gift that is unique, this is it. Rent the igloo by the hour and sip their selection of delicious dry wines. You can even have their wines shipped direct to your family and friends. Bordeleau Vineyards & Winery whose name literally means the water’s edge is located on the banks of Wicomico Creek south of Salisbury. Bordeleau offers tastings in their cozy tasting room or weather permitting outside on their patios. A loyalty program and wine club membership are also available and make great gifts. Stock up this holiday season on some of their award-winning wines. Seacrets Distilling Company offers plenty of award-winning spirits, in a variety that will suit any palate. A fearless collection of premium small-batch, handcrafted spirits; bold spiced & gold rums and sweet white & coconut rums, ultra-smooth vodka and exceptionally refined gin. Their flavored vodkas are a must try – lemon drop, orange, ruby red grapefruit, bumbleberry and passion fruit, macerated with fresh fruits. And don’t forget their traditional bourbon and American whiskey. I gift basket of these selections will be a huge hit! Burley Oak Brewing Company, as their apparel says hand-crafted goodness. Burley Oak is located in Berlin and is a local favorite. Pick up a growler or two for that craft beer lover on your list. Evolution Craft Brewing Company might just arguably be the best restaurant and taproom in Salisbury. They offer gift cards and a loyalty program which includes all seven of their restaurants. We couldn’t say it better than they do, “Ever-better beer for ever-better food. An excellent recipe for ever-better times.” Tall Tales Brewing is located between Salisbury and Ocean City. This brewery has gift cards, growlers, branded apparel, and the coolest outdoor pizza oven and bar anywhere in the area. The Buzz Meadery is located in downtown Berlin, Maryland. They are devoted to using local produce and honey to create unique flavors of mead. This is a great new idea for holiday giving. Specialty Crafted & Unique Uncle Jon’s Soap, Beards, Bath & Beyond Ok, yes, they have gift ideas for everyone but this is especially good for the guys on your list. They’ve got the dudes covered with everything from shave soap tubs, shave brushes, aftershaves, head balms for the bald, mustache wax, grooming kits and so much more. You’ve got to check it out! Free shipping is provided on orders over $100. Beach Memories Jewelry, located right on Main Street in downtown Berlin offers gorgeous, hand-made glass beads and glass bead jewelry. One particularly cool item is the sand encased glass bead. Put a little sand in your beads and create a lasting memory for anyone on your list. They will also lovingly and respectfully create a beautiful piece of keepsake jewelry with your loved ones cremains. A truly special gift indeed. Jeffery Auxer Design Studio offers hand-blown glass items from ornaments to lighting fixtures. Is items are not only unique and gorgeous but both functional and ornamental. Even more cool? Give someone a gift of a class where they can create their own holiday ornament. He studio and gallery are right behind the Atlantic Hotel in Berlin Art Lovers on Your List Bishop’s Stock Fine Art, Craft & Wine in downtown Snow Hill is a mainstay of the downtown and not only offers 2 and 3-dimentional art but also offers jewelry, textiles and boutique wines. Purchase a wine club membership and discover some really great small batch wines. Each December, owner, Ann Coates has a ‘bin sale’ offering unframed works by regional artists. This is a great way to own or gift some really fabulous art! OC Center for the Arts is a must stop to take in their wide selection of art by regional and local artists. Their gift shop also sells a variety of handmade items including jewelry, pottery, prints and handbags. Gift someone on your list a class (virtual for now) in all varieties of medium from pottery to watercolor to oils and photography. Salisbury Art Space or SAS is located in downtown Salisbury and has a large gift shop selling a wide variety of hand-made items from local and regional artists. Another great gift is a gift of membership. Memberships are a way to show your support year-round. The Mudhud Clay Art Studio, located in Salisbury is a clay studio offering membership levels for creating your own clay masterpiece. The Mudhud offers, classes, memberships and giftcards. They also host ‘clay’ parties perfect for the holidays or birthdays. For the BibliophileThe Greyhound Indie Bookstore, offers a wide selection by local authors. Owner, Susan Ayers Wimbrow is an author herself. She has a wide selection of books for both young and old. Sweet Tooth Fixes Smith Island Cake, YESSSS. From traditional cakes to cake bites, there’s a flavor for everyone, even gluten free. These sweets are the real deal, no knock-offs here. They offer shipping too! Come to their store in Crisfield and you won’t be able to resist a little holiday indulgence.
On What Grounds Coffee House on Main Street in Berlin has so much more than coffee. Stop in and check out their wide selection of house made chocolates, packaged beautifully for a ready-made gift. This holiday season, visit a Main Street. Step out of your car. Take in the sights and sounds of the Beach to Bay Heritage Area. Buying a gift card to any main street business supports all our small business owners. After all, they are our friends and neighbors. |
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