Worldwide Photo Walk

You’ve seen those coffee table books that do ‘a day’ of something – across America, at the beach, whatever. This Saturday, July 24, the World Wide Photo Walk invites people to participate in a guided walk through their community, snapping photos as they go. Think of it as Plein-Air for the ‘painting ability challenged.’ The National Association of Photoshop Professionals started the project three years ago. This year, there are over 1,000 walks planned.

Salisbury is joining the project for the first time. Professional photographer Cheryl Nemazie has scoped out a route that begins and ends at Yum! Café at Chesapeake East Gallery and goes along the river to the Farmer’s Market and through the Main Street Plaza. After the walk, the participants will share their photos (and maybe enjoy a lunch at Yum!). They’ll upload their favorites to the Worldwide Walk website.

It’s free, but registration is required. You can sign up, learn more about Cheryl, and scope out the route at http://worldwidephotowalk.com/walk/salisbury-md-united-states/

JULY 19

Movies on the beach, Dewey Beach. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” a charming comedy that adults will enjoy as much as the kids. 8:30. Dagsworthy & the Beach. FREE. Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, bug spray, and popcorn. www.beach-fun.com

JULY 19-25

Plein-air, Easton. Easels under their arms, artists fan out throughout Easton to paint the scene as it’s seen. All medium, all styles, all week. Works are displayed Friday through Sunday. Full schedule at:

www.pleinaireaston.com

JULY 21

34th Annual J. Millard Tawes Crab & Clam Bake, Crisfield. A ‘must’ for the state’s politicos, politico-watchers, and those who don’t care a hoot about the politicos and just want to enjoy the A-Y-C-E seafood. Tickets $40. Reserve and purchase in advance. Usually sells out before the gates open. 12:30-4:00. www.crisfieldchamber.com

JULY 22-25

Classic Powerboat Regatta, Cambridge. A century of powerboat racing, the oldest race regatta in the country. 150 teams competing with hydroplane and flat-bottom boats in many classes. Different activity each night: crab feast on Thursday, Battle of the British Bands on Friday, Downtown block party on Saturday. Race heats are 10-5 each day. Details and full schedule at www.tourdorchester.org

JULY 23-25

Blueberry Festival, Chincoteague. Blueberries do not grow on the island; they are all imported from New Jersey. Doesn’t matter. The festival pays homage to the berry in all its variations: blueberry muffins, blueberry jams, blueberry funnel cake; blueberry ice cream; blueberry pie. Also a large craft show with local and regional vendors. $5. www.chincoteagueblueberryfestival.com

JULY 23-24, 30-31, August 6-7

“Beehive- the 60’s Musical” North Street Playhouse, Onancock. Original musical highlighting the girl groups and girl singers of the 60’s. 35 songs with music from the Supremes to Janis Joplin to Leslie Gore. How’s that for diversity? $18 adults, $8 students. www.northstreetplayhouse.org

July 24

Rum Tasting and Sea Shanty Sing-A-Long, Rock Hall. At the Bay Wolf Restaurant. $10 gets you samples of 3 different rums. Tasting is from 5-7. From 7-10, there’s a sea shanty sing-a-long (songbooks provided). www.rockhallpirates.com

Riverwalk Arts & Jazz Festival, Milford. Artists and live jazz all day from 1-9 pm along the river in Milford. www.downtownmilford.org

July 24-25

Queen Anne’s County Farm Trail. Spend the weekend on this self-guided tour through 19 farms, orchards, barnyards, wineries, herb gardens, and more. Download the brochure at www.qac.org/Docs/Economic Development/Farm Trail brochure.pdf & the map at: www.qac.org/Docs/Economic Development/FarmTrail2010-070610-BT01.pdf

One of the delights of living on the Shore is sharing the place with the osprey. They’re the other ‘seasonals,’ showing up for the summer for many of the same reasons as their human counterparts – good weather, good food, nice place for the kids. For me, spring arrives the first day I spot an osprey.

Ospreys like large summer homes with good views. They build their nests on structures that let them spread out. They return each year to the same nest, adding and expanding. Researchers say some of the nests end up weighing a couple of hundred pounds. Man-made platforms dot the landscape near the water, but the birds also like channel markers and power line frames. The signal of Salisbury’s public radio station was disrupted this spring when the birds started building on the station’s transmitter tower.

Because the nests are so visible and the birds are so active, it’s easy to form an emotional bond with them. There are eagles in my stretch of the Shore, and it is always a thrill to see them, but they remain aloof and distant. Not so the osprey. I’ve seen them flying over Carroll Street in Salisbury with fresh-caught fish from the river.

There’s a nest at Upper Ferry, on a platform adjacent to the ferry landing. I was there yesterday and the babies were looking out over the edge of the nest, waiting for whichever parent who had the duty to deliver lunch. Osprey share the parental duties, one hunting while the other minds the kids. Whichever was in charge of domestic duties for the afternoon was perched on the nearby light pole, imperiously ignoring the cars and ferry (and the kids, for that matter) while watching the river. Waiting for the ferry can sometimes be a frustration, but having the nest there helps keep things in perspective.

If you are out on the water, you can get very close to the nests. The parents will fly away as you approach, calling in their oddly high-pitched voices (a bird that big should have a deeper cry). They are not abandoning their chicks, but trying to draw you away from them. They circle and swoop and I don’t doubt if you tried to get into the nest, you’d have an unhappy encounter with their talons. But they’re tolerant enough to let you get a glimpse of their babies.

But while they are protective, they are not into multi-generational living. The chicks’ first flight from the nest is also their last. The day they take off, the parents slam the door shut, and the babies are on their own – a very literal interpretation of ‘empty nest.’