We on the Eastern Shore are the Lucky Ones! By Maria Grant

When you’re down and troubled during these turbulent times, it’s a good idea to take a deep breath and celebrate the many Eastern Shore treasures at our fingertips. Here are a few of those treasures to consider. Doing so just might brighten your day. 

The Eastern Shore has truly become a musical mecca. This season there have been spectacular concerts sponsored by Chesapeake Music, the Avalon, Gabriela Montero at the Ebenezer Theater, the Oxford Community Center, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, and many more too numerous to mention. The wealth of such treasures given the size of the Eastern Shore is truly extraordinary. 

Hummingbirds are plentiful this season. It’s a joyous experience to witness their mating dances and the twirling whirling energy they emit. 

Parades of Canada Geese and Mallards forge their way down creeks and rivers, focused and driven to arrive at their destinations, and sightings of Great Blue Herons, Eagles, and Ospreys spreading their wings and soaring above us. 

Dinners with friends and relatives who celebrate their engagements, anniversaries, children, birthdays, and promotions. And speaking of dinners, we now have the opportunity to dine at a variety of interesting restaurants that offer culinary experiences on par with those found in much larger cities. 

Neighbors who remain fully committed to improving the Chesapeake Bay by participating in the Oyster Recovery Partnership and the Maryland Oyster Gardening Program. Plus, many residents have created natural shorelines, and other environmental structures that prevent erosion and improve the health of native plants and fauna. 

Breathtaking sunsets with bands of pink and blue that are common occurrences on the Eastern Shore. And let’s not forget those lovely shimmering moonbeams that peek through tall pines.

Hardworking Maryland watermen who continue a long tradition on the Eastern Shore of catching spectacular blue crabs and oysters that make for scrumptious dinners. 

Speaking of watermen, The Chesapeake Maritime Museum is an Eastern Shore treasure that offers insights into our history, as well as an increasing variety of educational programs and activities for all. 

Participating in local book clubs that provide an opportunity to share various points of view with interesting people who have provocative perspectives on a variety of issues. 

The ability to explore tributaries, rivers, and streams through kayaking and boating expeditions. 

Plein Air art activities that highlight the tremendous artistic talent in our area, coupled with wonderful art museums, galleries and shows.

Local garden clubs that do spectacular work throughout the area, providing lovely arrangements on sidewalks and in parks and gardens. Our visitors last week commented on their abundance and beauty. 

The celebration and appreciation for civil rights abolitionists and social activists Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, both of whom offer inspiration that appeals to our better angels. 

The upcoming Waterfowl festival that attracts attendees from afar. My personal favorite offering is the dock dog competition, a truly enjoyable event which always provides an opportunity for laughter and awe.

I reside in Talbot County and apologize if I have not mentioned the treasure trove of wonders in other counties. The good news is there is so much to discover and explore. 

In short, let’s take a pause, celebrate the Eastern Shore, and agree that this truly is the land of pleasant living. 

Several events that have occurred in our country this year are disturbing. No doubt about it. As a result, many of us are participating in constructive initiatives to make our country a more welcoming and safer place to live. 

In these times, it’s also important to be thankful for the special things we have the good fortune to enjoy on the Eastern Shore. The author Marcel Proust once wrote, “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”  It’s also true that the wonders of the Eastern Shore provide a blossoming  boom. Let’s be grateful for it. 

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Maria Grant, a former principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm, focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.