Featured Articles

  Jill Tascher Basham: Plein Air Artist Extraordinaire  by Helen Chappell 
As those who follow the art world know, Talbot County hosts an annual plein air competition. For the casual observer, there’s something pleasant and soothing about seeing all the artists out and about with their easels and paints, filling up their canvases with bits and pieces of landscapes we take for granted. Until we see them through the painterly eye, then if we’re fortunate, we see the beauty in what we’ve taken for granted all these years. I also enjoy seeing so many people so clearly enjoying what they’re doing. Happiness is always welcome. Read More …

---

  The First Family of Tidewater Times by Michael Valliant

Tidewater Times magazine looks great for being 67 years old. It has outlived just about every free publication in the region; its readership is enthusiastic and growing and its reputation is built around unparalleled editorial content, striking photography and artwork, and long-standing relationships with advertisers. The magazine began in 1952, when Omer J. Shively, Jr., advertising manager of The Star Democrat, looked at a business opportunity for the newly opened Tidewater Inn. “They thought it would be great to have a little magazine to be given away at the Tidewater Inn that focused on the community.  Read More …

---

  Red, White and Blue Waves Over Fort McHenry  by Bonna Nelson

 Francis Scott Key saw the flag waving over the fort. You may remember the story. The year was 1814, two years into the War of 1812. The location was the Baltimore Harbor and the star-shaped structure, Fort McHenry, perched on its bank. The event was the Battle of Baltimore. Soldiers at the fort successfully defended the Maryland city from attack by the British Navy. Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer and amateur poet, was being held by the British on a U.S. truce ship in the harbor during the battle from September 13 to 14, 1814.   Read More…

---

  Tidewater Kitchen ~ Everything’s Coming Up Basil! by Pamela Meredith
Summertime is in full swing, and there is basil everywhere! There is so much of it in the garden that we need to find creative ways to preserve it for later in the year. I am not a fan of drying basil because it quickly loses its vigor. My preferred method is to cut and grind the basil with some olive oil, then pour the mixture into ice-cube trays. Basil leaves are tender and damage easily, so use a food processor to rapidly incorporate the ingredients with quick, clean cuts that minimize bruising and exposure to air. Once the cubes are solid, store them in a freezer bag.  Read More… 

---

  In the Box  by Gary D. Crawford
And now ~ as John Cleese used to say ~ for something completely different. One day last year, I stepped up onto an ominous-looking stainless steel scale. There were handrails on both sides and a big digital readout in front. As I stood there and got settled, the dial fluctuated for a moment, then came to a stop. It settled on 346.6. That was pounds, mind you…my actual weight at that moment. The Health Educator stepped over with his clipboard. “Hmm, 346.6,” he said as he wrote it down. (My God, I thought, that’s over a sixth of a ton! More than most NFL linemen.   Read More…

---

  Changes: Aging Smart 101 for Men (a book proposal draft)  by Roger Vaughan

The books I have reviewed on aging are all earnestly serious. I suppose that’s understandable, since aging unto death tends to be a serious subject. AGING 101 will not be quite so serious. It will be a “glass-half-full” approach to a subject that is usually approached as “glass-half-empty.” Obviously, the glass in question contains the same amount of liquid. The only difference is one’s perception about what remains, and also what the glass might contain. Water? Warm milk? Tequila?  Read More…

---

 

Tidewater Times was established in 1952 as a specialized monthly magazine which would appeal to the tourist, the prospective land buyer, and others for whom the Eastern Shore has a special allure. It was created to be small enough to fit into a woman’s purse or a man’s coat pocket. Today it has blossomed as a vital symbol of our thriving community.

Our award-winning group of Feature Writers include Helen Chappell, Gary Crawford, Pamela Meredith, Roger Vaughan, Bonna Nelson, Michael Valliant, Tom Horton, Jim Dawson, and Marc Teffeau. Distribution covers an area including Dorchester, Talbot, Caroline, Queen Anne’s and Kent counties.

Subscriptions are $25 per year. For rate or subscription information please contact Tidewater Times.