July 5th~~
I am so thankful for the creative process...A thought, a word...thrown overboard in a swirling sea..without an anchor...becomes solid, gets rescued, and becomes a column...Social Column 17

The cornfields are as tall as my chin, and the roadsides are all gussied up with black-eyed susans and tiger lilies. My curls, never manageable to begin with, have taken on the look of a shell-shocked poodle in the high humidity. Summer is here, full blast, in Delmarva.
Back in the Midwest, summer meant cold lake swimming and kielbasa and burgers on the grill. Here in Delmarva, it seems everybody gets...well, Crabby. Last Friday I was invited to my first crab feast, at the home of local Delmarva artist, Bonnie Preziosi. An avid surfer as well as artist, her paintings depict her love of sand, sea and sky. You can see her work at one of my favorite gallery's, The Beachcombers Easel Art Gallery, in West Ocean City. She puts on quite the crab feast, too.
A long picnic table was swathed in newspaper, the traditional table covering for the occasion. Piles of spicy, steamed crabs were heaped in the center of the table, and I didn't see a plate in sight. "May I have a plate?" I asked, and the incredulous smirks I received in reply taught me I had a lot to learn about the fine art of crab eating. There are NO plates. You just dig in, and everybody around you will show you their favored style of reaching the succulent sweet meat within.
If you are not lucky enough to be invited to a backyard crab party, you can always purchase them already steamed and ready to go. I took an informal poll from strangers and friends alike, and Crabs-To-Go , located at the corner of Routes 50 & 589 in West Ocean City kept coming up a winner. You can order them by the bushel or by the dozen, and they specialize in Choptank River crabs, reputed to be some of the tastiest, fattest crabs on the shore.
Want a more festive place to pursue your crabby delights? You can head down to Crisfield, Maryland on July 20th for their annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake. For a $35.00 donation, it's an "all you can eat" affair, that includes corn on the cob, watermelon, and beverages. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and it's become so popular it is limited to the first 5,000 people to purchase tickets.
Of course, you can always start from scratch and catch your own. After work on July 4th, I stopped into The Green Turtle on Route 13 in Salisbury. Blonde Crisfield native Corlie, working her way towards her degree as a medical technologist, was our bartender. I couldn't have asked for a more informative expert on this week's crabby subject. When I asked her where the best place to get crabs was, she replied nonchalantly, "Home. You just go "chicken-necking.". You bet I was intrigued. " You can go to Jane Island State Park with a piece of string and some chicken necks, and catch your own." Hmmn. Sounds like fun, but I couldn't help but wonder how crabs developed a taste for chicken... When I DO go "chicken necking" I will be sure to share the experience with you.
Time to leave you for another week. A foot-note before I go~ this Saturday, July 9th, is the opening reception for the works of local artist Diane Laukenmann, at The Beachcombers Easel Art Gallery I mentioned earlier. Held from 5-7pm and open to the public, You can not only view her uniquely Delmarva inspired watercolors, but meet the artist as well. See you next week!