The beauty of dawn
Lay before
Me
Colliding into a new day

I left my home in the Washington, DC Metro area to visit my house on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, stopping off in Virginia Beach-ish to watch the sun come up. It was in the shadows of darkness that I left, but, I knew I would be bringing the sun into my day. A priority I don't want to miss the opportunity to welcome it in. The shore is on a peninsula and can only be reached by one of three bridges. I went south from my house, so I entered the shore by going over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It is really only $14.00 to cross, I was towing a small trailer in the back, so it cost a bit more. I like going this way, it is not too busy, because who wants to pay that much for a toll?

Although this piece of land is classified geographically as a peninsula, it is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay and made up of parts of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, but in all respects, the Eastern Shore is an island, anchored by a few bridges. If you keep riding due North, you will come upon Maryland, then Delaware, then Maryland again. They actually call the entire strip the Delmarva Peninsula. If you are going to Virginia, you say you are going to the Eastern Shore. I just say I am going to the Shore House.

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The Eastern Shore of Virginia is well known for its unspoiled beauty and abundant wildlife. As far as developing it, the natives have blocked the growth of chain restaurants, resorts, and souvenir shops. There is one Walmart that went up for the entire 70-mile stretch and that was under duress. I freely admit it was one of the reasons I bought out there. Peaceful. Very.

Working the water is a way of life here. Surrounded on three sides by water, it only makes sense that their history would be tied to it. It is not considered easy work, but, many have been born into it, it is in their blood. In actuality, the Shore is made of two very different industries: fishing and farming. They have opened up a Waterman's Museum in Onancock, a beautiful little town in Accomac County. The preservation of history allows people to take a look back, remember and celebrate their ancestors.

The Tidewater Region of Virginia is also called the Coastal Plain Region. It received its name because the major rivers that flow through the region rise and fall with the tide from the ocean. Tidewater is the easternmost region of Virginia. It includes the land along the Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern Shore. It is located west of the Atlantic Ocean. The Tidewater Region produces many different products, or items produced to sell. The location near the water has provided a rich layer of soil, making the region a top producer of peanuts, cotton, and soybeans. The Atlantic Ocean also makes the Tidewater Region a top seafood producer. The region's location near water also affects many different industries including shipbuilding, fishing/seafood, military bases, and tourism. source

Raise your hand if you want crabs? What? Blue crabs! You don't know what you are missing. They have a sweet, delicate flavor and are delicious dipped in a little butter and lemon... or nothing. They are always in demand and happen to be a little scarce this year. I personally drop my own traps. There is no magic to crabbing. You just don't want to leave the traps in for more than six or seven hours. When the little captors run out of bait, they will turn on each other. When that happens, you might be left with the winning lone crab.

Blue Crabs remain an important part of the Eastern Shore's economy. The blue crabs mate from May to October. Once mature, the female will mate with a male one time. Males are a little more promiscuous. Once they mate, an egg develops and can contain 2 million eggs. She releases the eggs into the ocean where eventually they make their way back to the salt marshes to reproduce their own.

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Many of the homes in this coastal area desired shakes and shingles for their beauty and durability to withstand the coastal winds, weather patterns, and salty air. Cedar shakes and shingles have been a mainstay for coastal homes for centuries.

The Chincoteague Ponies are a breed of horse that developed and lives in a feral condition on Assateague Island in two separate herds, one in Virginia and the other in Maryland. this is because the island is in both these States. They were made famous by the Misty of Chincoteague series, a novel written by Marguerite Henry in 1947. They live on a diet of salt marsh plants and brush and if you spot them roaming the beaches on the island, you can see they have a little belly on them from the salt content of their food. There is a pony auction every year, to keep the herd to a manageable number.

All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand. Oh, yes. Still by hand. It has a different feel. Altered not by keys, backspace, and delete, I write, erase, tear it to pieces and start all over again. And again.

It’s my way. I walk out to the deep end of the page and dive right in.

It is a wonderful existence out there and I go as often as I can, or to mow the lawn. Whichever comes first. A while back, after going to the auction for years, we bid on a horse and won. We are now proud owners of a beautiful Chincoteague Pony.

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The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
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Escaping to the Eastern Shore of Virginia

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#TeamUSA is a growing community of quality-content people from the United States or those living here. Check us out on Discord!