From the monthly archives: "September 2022"

Happily Ever After Sweet Memories

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by Valerie Nusbaum

My mother passed away recently, and as lots of you know from your own experience with loss, this is a very difficult time. I hope you’ll indulge me as I share some thoughts and memories of happy times with Mom.

Autumn was my mom’s favorite time of year. She loved it when the nights got cooler, and the leaves turned vibrant, beautiful colors. She and I took at least one leaf-peeping ride through the mountains every year and each time she’d exclaim that that year was more colorful than the last. Now, I’ll think of Mom every year when the leaves change colors and will miss our outings.

Mom loved all the fall holidays, but she had a special fondness for Halloween, particularly in her later years. Since Randy and I live on a corner in a well-lit housing development with sidewalks, we tend to get trick-or-treaters in droves. Most of the kids aren’t from our neighborhood, and we rarely know any of them, but most years, we try to have candy and treats on hand for at least the first 300 or so.  Mom enjoyed coming here for trick-or-treat, and she always contributed candy to the pot. We started this tradition when she was around 70 years old. We kept it up through last year when she got too tired to sit at her post and had to quit before the candy ran out. Mom’s “post” was sitting in our living room in the middle of our big bay window.  I’d place a chair there for her so that she could see everything and everyone on the street and in our driveway. She was a good sport and dressed up in any costume I had for her. I’d decorate the window to match a given year’s theme, and Mom played along. 

One year, I made her an owl with a feathered mask and wings.  She was a spider woman once, and another time, a witch. Mom sat amid the spider webs and varmints, and she used a flashlight held under her chin to scare the kids. She cracked herself up. She especially loved looking at the little ones’ costumes, and year after year, she fussed about the big kids being too old. Mom could always be counted on to say, “Well, what’s that baby going to do with the candy? He doesn’t even have teeth yet.” Randy, bless him, sat on the steps beneath the bay window to pass out treats so that Mom could be right on top of things without getting cold.

Each Halloween, I tried to make a little party for us, and I always had themed snacks like Jack o’lantern pizza, bat sandwiches, and werewolf fingers dipped in “blood.” Every fall, without fail, I could look forward to a batch of Mom’s pumpkin muffins and a breakfast of pumpkin pancakes. My mother started that whole pumpkin spice thing. I’m going to miss those muffins and pancakes. My own will never taste as good.

One year, I threw a family party for Halloween. My cousins made the trip here from three states away, along with my two aunts from Jefferson County, West Virginia. Things were going along pretty well until Randy brought out his picture search game.  He’d printed a holiday drawing off the internet, but he unintentionally cut the bottom off the picture so no one was able to find several of the items in the search. It was getting pretty noisy, and then Mom couldn’t figure out the word search, and she insisted that the word haunted was nuthead. The next thing I knew, Mom was having a full-blown attach of vertigo, and we had to call the ambulance. You know it’s a good party when the paramedics show up.

There were other Halloween parties, too.  One year, Mom dressed as a fortune teller and read everyone’s palm while looking in her crystal ball. Since the crystal ball was actually a glass paperweight with a rose inside it, everyone’s life was going to be rosy.

Another year, Mom participated in trick-or-treat at her home in Brunswick. There weren’t too many kids, but Mom ran out of candy anyway—probably because my dad (who was still with us at the time) had eaten most of it. Mom made poor Randy go down to her basement and dig through the freezer for candy that she had frozen to avoid eating. One poor kid got a wrapped, frozen Santa in his bag.

For another Halloween treat, Randy and I took Mom to the Sea Witch Festival in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It was a fun time for us, but Mom saw a whole lot of things that shocked her, and she didn’t want to go back there the following year.

My mother so loved going to the Halloween Spirit store in Charles Town. I could hear her all over the store, jumping up and down and laughing. The clerk heard it, too, and asked me if I needed to go check on my child. I explained that what she heard was my then 85-year-old mother. Mom was too little to activate the sensors just by stepping on them, so she had to jump on them in order to make the figures move and make noise. She was child-like in her delight of things, and I’ll miss that most of all. 

Happy Halloween to all of you!

Valerie’s mom, Wanda Zombro, and a mystery man at Halloween 2018.

Nights at the Sanatorium

By On · Add Comment · In Arts & Entertainment

written by James Rada, Jr.

A serial fiction story for your enjoyment

7: The Last Fight

Tim Ross wandered from window to window in the basement of the nurse’s building of the State Tuberculosis Hospital in Sabillasville. The foundation of the building was stone, but except for load-bearing walls, the inner walls in the basement were all frame construction. Most of them were empty, but some had been converted to storage.

Tim looked out the windows, expecting to see Dr. Vallingham or one of his personal orderlies/guards approaching the building. Tim had already been down here overnight, but no one had come into the basement, not even Frank Larkins, the orderly who had hidden him here.

It was probably better that way. If someone saw Frank coming into the basement, it would be suspicious. Tim was getting hungry, though. No one had brought him food, and he hadn’t found anything to eat down here, although he did find a half-filled pint bottle of moonshine. It slaked his thirst and calmed his nerves.

While he hadn’t seen anyone other than nurses approach the building, Tim thought he heard sirens at one point. He also saw more vehicles driving around than he had seen in his short time at the hospital.

“Tim.”

Tim jumped. He spun, holding a fireplace poker he had found in one of the storage rooms. He relaxed when he saw it was Frank.

“Give a guy some warning,” Tim said.

“I did. I said your name and stayed back from you,” Frank told him.

“You didn’t bring me breakfast by chance?”

Frank shook his head. “Sorry.” Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out an apple. He tossed it to Tim. “You can eat that for now. I’ll get you something to eat.”

“Does that mean I have to stay down here?” He bit into the apple. It was sweet and crunchy.

“Not for too much longer, hopefully. Someone saw Vallingham drive away last night. I’m hoping that means he knew the game was up and won’t be coming back.”

“He deserves to be in prison.”

Frank shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll catch up with him eventually. I’m just happy he’s not around here interfering with the bootlegging.”

Frank and some of the other employees at the hospital ran a bootlegging operation from the powerhouse.

“And killing patients,” Tim added.

“That, too.” Frank chuckled to himself. “Boy was Dr. Cullen furious when I told him what was happening. His face turned deep red, and he stomped around the office. He called the police himself; I give him that. He’s a good man, and this hospital is important to him.”

“Surprised he let something like this happen then.”

“Well, there’s a lot going on here nowadays. We’ve got the regular TB patients, the children’s hospital, and the nursing school. One man can’t run it all.”

“I suppose not.”

Frank left and arranged for a nurse he trusted to bring Tim breakfast, so that he wouldn’t risk being seen coming into the building again. Tim ate the pancakes and sliced apples with cinnamon and then took a nap. He had been up all night worried Vallingham would find him.

Frank came back after lunch. “Things are in an uproar. They are still searching for Vallingham in the woods. We had to break down our still and store the pieces in different locations.”

“Do you think he’s in the woods?” Tim asked.

“I doubt it. Why would he stick around? They’re just being careful, and so are my people.”

“So, is it safe for me to leave?”

“I suppose you can. The police have been asking for you, anyway. I guess they want to talk to you about everything.”

“You didn’t tell them where I was?”

“I do my best to avoid the police. It’s a habit. I don’t want them recognizing me if they spot me at a still.”

Tim followed Frank back outside the nurse’s building. He looked at his watch and saw it was dinnertime. He went to the dining hall and ate while he listened to the surrounding conversations, as people speculated on why the police had been at the hospital all day.

After dinner, he walked through the connecting hallway to the administration building. The police were eager to talk to him. Tim sat through two hours of questions from Dr. Cullen and the Frederick County States Attorney. Tim explained everything that had happened to him, leaving out finding out about Frank and the moonshiners who operated in the powerhouse. By the time he finished, it was dark out.

He walked back to the shack and wondered if the police were still wandering the property trying to find Vallingham, or if they had moved their search away to other locations.

When he walked into the shack, it was dark. He turned on the light in his ward and saw Vallingham standing there with a pistol.

“What did you tell them?” Vallingham asked.

“Everything. At least everything concerning you.”

Vallingham grimaced. “You have ruined everything. I was trying to heal people.”

“So, if you killed some along the way, that’s all right?”

Tim wondered if he could turn off the lights again before Vallingham shot him.

Vallingham jabbed the pistol in his direction. “What would you know? You just stumbled into something that was beyond you. I tried to get my notes from my safe, but the police were all over the building.”

“They will catch you.”

“Doubtful. I have money saved. I can disappear and start my research again elsewhere. I had hoped to get what I had done so far.”

“You don’t think a new doctor studying tuberculosis might give you away? You want attention.”

Vallingham paused and thought for a moment. “I want…”

That’s when Tim turned the lights off and threw himself backwards into the entry area. He heard the shot fired and the impact when it hit the wall. He scrambled out the door on his hands and knees and then ran.

Tim meant to run for the administration building, although he wasn’t sure anyone was still there, but when he came down off the porch, he slipped and tumbled down a hill toward the woods. Then, he heard Vallingham coming after him and another shot fired. Tim took off for the cover of the woods.

The shots would undoubtedly bring the police if they were still around, but Tim couldn’t wait to see if they would show up before Vallingham shot him.

He ran into the trees, feeling like he now knew what Max Wenschof had felt like when he ran into the woods chased by a moonshiner. He slowed as he reached the woods because he didn’t want to trip on a root. He wasn’t thinking about going somewhere in particular, he just pushed further into the woods. He stumbled once but caught himself on a tree. After that, he moved slower and kept his hands out feeling for trees.

He heard Vallingham coming behind him, but he also heard the man yell when he tripped and fell.

After a few minutes, Tim saw a low light in the distance. He headed toward it, thinking it must be one of the hospital buildings. However, as Tim came into a clearing, he saw it was four moonshiners working by lantern light around a still.

They yelled when they saw Tim, but he didn’t stop. He shouted, “Revenuer coming.” Then he ran back into the woods.

Out of breath, Tim dropped behind a fallen tree and tried to find a place where he might hide.

He heard more shouts and gunshots. When the gunshots stopped, Tim heard voices speaking too low to be understood. He heard metal and wood hitting each other. After fifteen minutes, things fell silent.

Tim pushed himself and walked back toward the clearing. The lanterns that had cast the low light were gone. He tripped again, but this time, he hit the ground. As he pushed himself up, he felt something soft and realized it was clothing. He patted it. It was a body. He felt for a pulse. Whoever it was, was dead.

Tim pulled out his matchbook and lit a match. It cast a small circle of light. He held it toward where the head was. He saw Vallingham’s dead eyes looking back at him.

Tim shook the match out and sighed. Then, he slowly stood and made his way back the way he came, although he came out far from his shack.

Police were walking around with flashlights on. One of them shined a light on Tim. “Who are you?”

“Tim Ross. Dr. Vallingham, the man you’re looking for, is in there.” Tim waved toward the clearing. “He’s dead.”

“Dead? Did you kill him?”

“No, he ran into bootleggers. They shot at each other. He lost.”

By morning, police were swarming over the hospital grounds. In Dr. Cullen’s office, the doctor profusely apologized for what had happened.

“I’m alive, at least,” Tim told him.

“Yes, and like you, I mourn for those other patients who aren’t so lucky. There are doctors from the state right now pouring over hospital records, looking over all patients Dr. Vallingham supervised. Their families deserve to know the truth.”

Tim nodded. Dr. Cullen was right, but Tim had been thinking that he was alive while Dr. Vallingham was dead. This might have been Tim’s last fight, but at least he had won it.

The End

VFW Post 6658 Auxiliary’s Patriot’s Pen Contest

By On · Add Comment · In Arts & Entertainment

Each year, the VFW Post 6658 Auxiliary sponsors a contest titled, “The Patriot’s Pen,” which is open to students in grades six through eight. Students are required to enter a typed essay of 300-400 words based on the theme: “My Pledge to Our Veterans.” Monetary prizes are given the winners on local, state, and national levels. Judging is based on knowledge of theme, theme development, and clarity of ideas. 

If interested, please contact Annette Wivell at 301-447-3475 for an entry form. Entry deadline to VFW Post 6658, Emmitsburg, MD 21727 is October 31, 2022.

Memories of a Swing

Poem by Sue Clabaugh

Written for the man who made the swing and for my grandson who loved the swing.

My first memories of the swing are joyful.

I am a tot, too small to realize the full meaning of the thing

But aware enough of my feelings to know

It is a joy and it’s fun.

It’s also love. love from my Mother and Father

one in front and one in the back

pushing me from one to the other

a threesome—making one

Showing a family of love.

Years passed—now I’m five.

Old enough to know the swing is the first thing I run to in the park.

I want the thrill of the highs, thinking that each trip through the air

I will be able to touch the tree limbs with my toes.

And the best part is the feeling of love.

A happy love for 

I’m being pushed—to and fro by my Granny

I trust her her—she pushes me higher than my mother does.

I’m brave because she is

the two of us—making one

Showing a family of love.

 Sixteen now—The years have flown.

I sit on the front porch swing

dreaming of the boy I love

The handsome one, the one with the smile,

And quietly he sneaks up behind me

And gives the swing a sudden push.

I scream and he laughs as he sits down beside me

to say hello.

We begin to talk and share each other’s company

We are unaware that our nervous legs are pushing us

to and fro—making us one

Showing our feelings of love.

I’m old now, very old, feeling very alone

sitting here on this rickity old swing.

 It’s the one my man made for me years ago.

It held our children and grandchildren

And then their grandchildren

All cuddled together

Swinging and smiling.

The one place that young and old could be a child.

I wonder what will become of it when I am gone.

Will anyone remember that

It brought a family together—taking turns swinging

to and fro—making us one

Showing a family how to love.

Once Upon A Time

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by James Rada, Jr.

October 1922, 100 Years Ago

Mule Kicked Him

Last week Mr. George Stevens, of Creagerstown, got too close to the heels of one of his mules, and said mule “busted him one” on the point of the jaw. Mr. Stevens says he had stooped over for some reason or other and evidently touched the mule on the hind leg. He received an ugly cut on the chin, but otherwise escaped injury.

                                          – Catoctin Clarion, October 12, 1922

First Auto Races at Frederick

The six racing events last Saturday, under the auspices of the International Motor Contest Association, was the first auto racing held in Frederick and its popularity was evidenced by the large crowd present. Seven registered, professional, dirt track drivers were entered and some clever machine handling was seen. Cash prizes totaling $2,500 were given the winners.

                                          – Catoctin Clarion, October 26, 1922

October 1947, 75 Years Ago

Man is Charged with Attack on Hospital Nurse

Charles Lester Jones, 34, Hagerstown, said to have a lengthy criminal record, was in jail in Hagerstown Wednesday night under $2,000 bond on several assault charges as the result of a State Police investigation of an alleged assault on a nurse’s aid and the chief engineer at the new State chronic disease hospital at Camp Ritchie Tuesday night.

                                          – Frederick News, October 22, 1947

Minister Leaving Jefferson Charge

Rev. Edwin L. Werner, pastor of Jefferson-Feagaville charge of Evangelical and Reformed church, has tendered his resignation in order to become pastor of St. Andrew’s church at Philadelphia, Pa. The resignation was submitted at a meeting of the Consistory on Tuesday night.

Rev. Mr. Werner has held pastorates in Frederick County for a total of seven years, first coming to Sabillasville, and later two years at Jefferson.

                                     – Frederick News, October 27, 1947

October 1972, 50 Years Ago

Graceham Church To Celebrate 214th Anniversary Sunday; Dedicate Memorial

On Sunday, October 8, at 3 p.m., the Moravian Church of Graceham, Md., will be celebrating its 214th Anniversary and dedicating the Huebener Christian Education Memorial. Preceeding the service a brass quartet will play traditional American and German Chorale tunes.

The Congregation was organized in 1758 and through the years some structural changes have taken place; however, recently the Christian Education wing has been redecorated and certain parts restored. Among other things the restoration included the discovery of three fireplaces.

                                          – Emmitsburg Chronicle, October 5, 1972

William Sanders Knight Of The Year

William Sanders, Sr., was awarded the 15th annual Knight of the Year Award at the Brute Council 1860 Knights of Columbus “Knight of the Year” dinner-dance, held last Saturday evening at the VFW in Emmitsburg.

                                          – Emmitsburg Chronicle, October 12, 1972

October 1997, 25 Years Ago

Town To Meet With BOE, BOCC to Press for Middle School Return

A follow-up meeting regarding the erosion of Emmitsburg’s elementary school population and the possibilities of regaining its middle school will be held at the Emmitsburg Elementary School on Oct. 23, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was scheduled as a result of this community’s request “to give us back our kids.”

                                          – The Emmitsburg Regional Dispatch, October 1997

Interfaith Housing Location Challenged

At the Town’s Public Workshop held September 16 at the VFW, residents of the Silo Hill neighborhood expressed overwhelming opposition to the development of an affordable housing community next to their subdivision.

The housing project is being planned by Interfaith Housing of Western Maryland, a nonprofit organization created by the religious community of Western Maryland. There are currently five Interfaith Housing projects located within Frederick County.

“As noble as the cause may be, take it somewhere else,” was the message given to Peter Dean, project manager, by many of the residents. “We’re not rejecting what you’re proposing,” one resident said, “but feel it is just the wrong location.” A decrease in their property value was the main concern of the residents.

                                          – The Emmitsburg Regional Dispatch, October 1997

Looking Back

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

the unsolved murder That Haunted Hagerstown

by James Rada, Jr.

It seems Betty Jane Kennedy of Hagerstown was doomed to lead a short life, but her death continued to haunt Hagerstown for years afterward.

When Betty Jane was just six years old in 1933, a car on West Washington Street hit her. She suffered cuts and a fractured skull. This accident was her fault, though. The police report noted Betty ran out in front of the car, which caused the accident.

She recovered from her injuries, only to suffer a worse fate later.

On April 4, 1946, Martin Benchoff, a farmer who lived near the Maryland-Pennsylvania State Line, found the body of a young woman laying face down and against a log at the bottom of an embankment next to the Waynesboro-Rouzerville Highway in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The woman was also nude, except for a pink slip that was twisted around her body and up under her arms.

Benchoff said “he was attracted to the scene when he noticed a woman’s faded coat hanging from a tree,” reported to the Hagerstown Daily Mail. The coat had a store label for Leiter Brothers in it which gave police a clue to try to identify the woman. A brown leather purse found about a mile away and believed to be the woman’s had no identification in it.

The body was taken to Grove Funeral Home in Waynesboro.

The following day, Hagerstown Police, following up on a missing persons report, identified the dead woman as Betty Jane Kennedy, a 19-year-old Hagerstown waitress. She had been missing for five days after leaving home following an argument with her older sister.

The body was transported to Hagerstown so the family could arrange funeral services. In the meantime, an autopsy showed Betty Jane had been strangled and her neck was broken. Although she was nude, she had not been raped.

“There was some reason to believe that the victim had been alive when thrown onto the embankment, however,” the Daily Mail reported.

Washington County Sheriff John B. Huyett said Betty Jane appeared to have been dead 12 to 14 hours when she was found. This meant that she had been murdered during the evening of April 3.

Police in Maryland and Pennsylvania both investigated the case, because although Betty Jane had been found in Pennsylvania, it was barely over the state line. Police weren’t sure where she had been killed, among other questions.

Betty Jane was last seen alive around 11:30 p.m. the night before her body was found. She left a South Potomac Street restaurant in Hagerstown with a man no one knew. A waitress at the restaurant said he resembled Earl J. McFarland, an escaped killer and rapist from Washington, D.C., who was believed to be in the area.

Police quickly pulled in two men for questioning. One man, who was a taxi driver, who witnesses had seen with Betty Jane the last time she was seen alive. An associate who corroborated the man’s alibi said he was working, but the man’s boss said he wasn’t. Police also discovered the taxi driver had taken a pair of blood-stained pants and a jacket to the dry cleaner the day after Betty Jane’s death. Capt. William H. Peters of the Hagerstown Police said these two facts would require a lot of explanation on the taxi driver’s part.

A security soldier at Walter Reed who had been AWOL during the time of Betty Jane’s death underwent a lie detector test to prove he hadn’t been in the area.

By April 12, police had questioned 33 people and interviewed hundreds. “Captain Peters said several of the witnesses reversed or changed their stories yesterday when they learned of the possibility of the use of the ‘lie detector,’ and the fact that the alibis and stories are being changed ‘leads us to believe this man knows something about the case,’” the Daily Mail reported.

The cabbie said the blood on his jacket and pants was from the bloody nose of a drunk passenger. McFarland, who was never seriously considered a suspect, was captured in Tennessee and had not set foot in Maryland.

By April 15, police were trying to stay optimistic, but the investigation was going nowhere. They did not have a serious suspect, and a lot of unanswered questions remained. Where had Betty Jane spent her nights between the time she left home and the time she died? Where were the rest of her clothes? Where was she killed?

Two weeks after Betty Jane’s murder, the Washington County Sheriff offered a $400 reward for information leading to the murderer’s arrest and conviction. Of this amount, the sheriff offered $300 from his own pocket because the county commissioners could only offer $100 by law.

Around this time, a woman found a pair of shoes near where Betty Jane’s purse was found. Investigators believed the shoes were Betty Jane’s.

Police continued investigating but made no leads or arrests. The lead detective, Carl Hartman, retired in 1948. He said the case was still active, but with his retirement, it went very cold. Nearly 1,000 people had been interviewed or questioned among the seven investigative agencies in two states (FBI, Maryland State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Hagerstown Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and Waynesboro Police) with no strong suspects.

Not that there weren’t theories about what happened.

One theory said Betty Jane was killed in a hotel because she saw something she shouldn’t have. Her body was then lowered through a window to the ground, loaded into a car, and driven away. This theory got a boost when a red dress was discovered during the Potomac Hotel remodeling in 1951. It disappeared by the time the police arrived at the hotel to investigate if it was connected to the murder.

One man confessed to the killing before dying of natural causes, but it turned out he hadn’t been in the area at the time of the murder.

“Although Betty Jane wasn’t rich, exceptionally beautiful, or murdered in some unusual way, the case became one of the best publicized murders in this area during the 20th century, because of the vast scope of the investigation that followed,” the Daily Mail reported in 1976.

The murder remains unsolved today.

The Crazy Plant Lady

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by Ana Morlier

Weird and Wonderful Plants

Happy Halloween month, readers! Are you mentally prepared for the trials and tribulations of Halloween? From accumulating costumes to satisfying the pop-culture preferences of the whole family to making Pinterest-ready treats, one’s patience and mental capacity are stretched rather thin. Decorations are an entirely separate matter, as everyone is decking out their lawns and houses with all manner of monsters and inflatables. Have no fear, as this month’s column will give you a unique set of decorations that will be sure to surpass your neighbor’s eerie interior design. These plants enhance the sensory fears of Halloween. With unusual silhouettes, deep, drab color palettes (black prince snapdragons), putrid smells (Voodoo Lily), and unusual textures (Frankenstein cactus), you’ll be sure to scare guests with an all-new, organic level of terror, aside from the usual petrification that spawns from examining the receipt at the Halloween store. Here are my favorite spooky plants!

Bat flower plant (pictured right) is native to Australia and Asia, so growing it in a separate container is advised to prevent overpopulation and invasion. The plant earns its name from the long, black petals of the blooming flower that looks like bat wings or ears, as the seed pods give the illusion of eyes and a jaw. It is also known as “tiger beard” due to the long bracteoles that protrude from the center of the flower. It is, indeed, a spooky plant and may even shock guests with its unusual silhouette. Surprisingly enough, this is a perennial, so it will haunt your enclave year after year! Grow in partial sun, in well-draining soil, and keep the soil moist throughout the day. You can expect blooms in late summer and fall. Keep in warmer parts of your house, as it thrives in temperatures 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also use fertilizer for orchids to enhance plant growth.

Voodoo lily (A. henryi), also known as the devil’s tongue lily, bears a creepy color palette (ranging from a deep crimson to a dark mauve) and profile. Be warned: it does emanate the unsettling smell of a rotting carcass to allure a different sort of pollinator. As bees and butterflies merely pollinate more colorful flowers, the voodoo lily adapts so that insects usually attracted to the smell of decomposing animals pollinate it. Its dark, lengthy spadix- or central stalk common in Lillies, both emanates the smell and warrants its name, as it looks like quite the wicked tongue. Grow in well-draining, sandy soil in partial to full shade. Grow in temperatures 60 degrees or higher. Like the bat flower, let the soil dry out between waterings, as too much watering can lead to root rot. Requires mild-to-high humidity which can be accomplished with a humidifier or by misting the leaves.

Black prince snapdragons aren’t exactly creepy plants, but the deep, blood-red blooms certainly add to any mysterious color scheme! Grow in well-draining soil. Let the soil dry out until your next watering (moisten but not soak soil), avoiding watering blooms. Grow in full sun to partial shade. Expect blooms in the fall.

Cotton ball cacti (also known as old man cactus) have the appearance of a fluffy ghost and can be made quite friendly with the addition of googly eyes. Grow in well-drained soil and water every 2-3 days. Requires more water in the summer.

The Frankenstein cactus bears both a creepy name and an unusual shape. Out of its thick green stem protrudes a fan-like alabaster crest, lined with pink and crimson borders. It is certainly “out of this world.” Grow in full sun to partial shade, in an area with medium to high humidity and airflow, watering only when soil is dry.

Hopefully, these plants will make a small dent in your list of decorating to-dos. Whether you go for an all-out spooky theme of voodoo lilies and bat flowers or a friendlier, pleasant theme of cotton ball cacti and black prince snapdragons, you’ll be sure to make a statement, perhaps as a mini shop of horrors, minus Audrey II’s “feed me Seymour” vocalizations (unless you’ve majorly neglected your plants!). May your Halloween be entertaining and enjoyable.

Credit to: Cayla Leonard from Happy Sprout, Amanda Welch of We are Huntsville, Cynthia Haynes from Iowa State University, World of Succulents, Epic Gardening, and Peg Aloi, Marie Iannotti, and Jamie McIntosh from The Spruce.

Location, Location, Location

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

By K. Diane Bowers, realtor, GRI

J&B Real Estate, Inc.

What is going on with these interest rates? Let’s discuss the impact of the “higher” interest rates on buyers and sellers.

Why Did the FED Increase Interest Rates?   

The FED (Federal Reserve) scheduled interest rate increases in an attempt to battle inflation. In layman’s terms, to try to calm down higher prices. When it comes to real estate, to slow the crazy high appreciation on housing that is caused by very low inventory. When this happens, it’s been a common practice by the FED to increase interest rates in an effort to eventually balance prices and re-ignite a competitive buyer’s market.

What Do I Think of This Strategy?   

I need to preface this by saying that my response is based solely on MY OPINION of what I am experiencing in the current market versus my 20 years of expertise. Based on the competitive market conditions over the last couple of years, things were not sustainable, so increasing rates to slow the market, I support. My biggest issue with this rate increase schedule was the dramatic impact it had on my hard-working buyers in a very short period of time. It was not fair because it hurt those already hurting from high inflation prices on everything else: the working class!

In reality, there are a ton of cash investor buyers in the current market; interest rates have practically no impact on them (some use lines of credit outside the transaction that are short-term impact). Therefore, I am not sure the increased interest rates will have the final resolution the FED expects.

How Has This Impacted Buyers?

I touched on this above, so let me give you an example. I have been working with a young family since January who are looking to buy a small home in Frederick County. They are pre-approved with a lender for roughly $360,000 (depends on taxes, etc.), but have been “outbid” on so many homes due to the low selection of homes available in their specs. Now, on top of getting pushed out of more and more homes due to drastically increasing prices, they are saddled with outrageous increases in their interest rate.

A house in March of this year at $325,000 had a mortgage payment of roughly $1,732 (PITI 3-3.5%); that very same house this summer had a mortgage payment of roughly $2,311 (PITI 5-6%)—that is a $579 monthly difference! I have several buyers that have decided to put their home ownership on hold until the economy cools down. This part makes me very sad. One of the most important reasons I do what I do is for the pride in home ownership. It is hurting the wrong people and is very frustrating for me.

How Has It Impacted Sellers?

It hasn’t had as much of an impact on sellers, but it will very soon.  Sellers will need to be more cautious with their pricing, condition of home, inspections, flexibility, etc. This is not the time to “test the market,” so trust your Realtor! If they recommend $350,000, do not list for a dollar more! Any home listed longer than 30 days gets snubbed by buyers (unfair I know, but it’s true). That home will most likely take a little longer to sell, and they most likely will not get 10-20 offers like their family/friend did six months ago. Sellers may even need to have price reductions. Showings will be fewer. Prior to May, I would prep my sellers to leave Saturday and Sunday due to the overwhelming number of buyers (20-40) scheduled to see their home. There are still plenty of sellers getting multiple offers within the first 24-72 hours on market, but to be quite honest, there sometimes seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. We still have limited inventory. Yes, it’s slightly better than it had been, but nowhere near a healthy level. There have been more buyers canceling contracts than ever before, so don’t bank on anything until you are walking away from the settlement company with a check.

Overall, Are They Bad?

Absolutely not! It’s just sticker shock like everything else since the pandemic. Still, it makes me mad to buy something at the store that is now $6.00 that was only $3.00 just two years ago—but, I’m still gonna buy it.

I bought my first house in 1999 at roughly 7% interest rate, which is still a good rate. It is all about perspective. I advise all of my current buyers to plan to refinance in two to three years when the economy and pandemic aftermath have calmed down. There are three more FED meetings scheduled for 2022, with expected rate hikes. Just prepare your budget accordingly. To be honest, what’s the alternative? The rental market is even more outrageous and competitive. Purchasing real estate is always a great investment!

The Supermarket Gourmet

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by Buck Reed

What Did The Queen Eat?

If a person eats well and enjoys their meals, one might consider themselves royalty. Although there are many differences between the way you live your life and how the royal family lives theirs, you might look at how Queen Elizabeth II dined at her table and wonder just how different people are.

First of all, we are talking about her regular daily eating habits here. Obviously, state functions are filled with over-the-top food prepared in numerous courses by “artisan” chefs we commoners can only dream of. Yes, I have cooked for Presidents and various governors and even baseball team owners, but nowhere in my mind do I believe I have the skills to prepare or even stand in the kitchen of one of these functions. And although she ate very simply on a daily basis, she still had the same talented people in the kitchen preparing her daily meals.

Anyone who knew the Queen could tell you she enjoyed a cocktail almost daily made with gin. In fact, her various homes in Buckingham Palace and Sandringham House produced their own gins made from ingredients grown in the gardens there. Her two main cocktails were a Gin Martini and Gin and Dubonnet. Maybe that’s why she lived so long.

Queen Elizabeth started each day with Earl Grey Tea which she sipped with milk, no sugar. She is credited with helping keep it the fifth most popular tea in the world and is most certainly associated with being the choice of royalty because of her affection for it. She also enjoyed the tea with a breakfast of toast with marmalade.

Queen Elizabeth also observed the British tradition of Afternoon Tea and enjoyed tea cookies, scones with jam and clotted cream as well as tea sandwiches. Her Majesty’s favorite sandwiches were made with cream cheese and smoked salmon and served with the crust removed. It might be a good time to see if your kids are in line to be the next monarch of the British Empire, Charles III cannot last forever!

A well-known sportswoman most of her life, Queen Elizabeth was fond of venison, wild game birds and other game. She often dined on a hamburger made with venison. For the most part she enjoyed these evening meals with a simple vegetable and almost never had a starch served with her meal. She was not keen on garlic or dishes made with too much onion.

As far as snacks, she carried the same purse with her all the time which was large enough to hold her Penny Jam-style sandwich. This was a simple sandwich made with butter and jam.

At the end of dinner, she never skipped dessert, after all she was Queen. Her favorite dessert was Tea Biscuit Cake which was always available at her table. This was tea biscuits crushed and bound together with a ganache made with eggs and covered with chocolate. The recipe is easy enough if you want to give it a go.

We all marvel at her extraordinary life, taking and serving office since she was 14, her service during WWII (she actually drove a truck for the war effort), serving under, over, or with (I don’t know how it worked) 15 prime ministers and 14 presidents and cannot help but wonder how she kept the whole Royalty phenomenon moving into modern times. But how she lived her everyday life should be made note of as well.

Culinary Arts Creations

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by Ava Morlier, Culinary Arts Writer

Happy October! These increasingly cold temperatures call for warm, hearty dishes to satisfy both the body and the soul. Today’s dish will provide just that with its creamy, savory flavors: Gourmet Mac n’ Cheese! A few techniques in this recipe may seem a little strange, but they give an added depth of flavor. Here’s an explanation of a few of them. While it may seem odd to steep the half-n-half with shallot and clove, this step will provide an extra flavorful component to the Béchamel sauce (a cheesy, rich sauce that will coat the noodles). Adding breadcrumbs to the top of the dish provides a deliciously crunchy contrast to the soft and gooey texture of the Mac n’ Cheese. Finally, the recipe involves parboiling the pasta and shocking it. Cooking the pasta until a little bit before al dente will prevent the noodles from being overcooked in the oven. Shocking the pasta (putting the pasta in a strainer that is then placed in an ice bath) will effectively stop the cooking process and allow the noodles to finish cooking in the oven.

Though it seems much harder than cracking open a cardboard box of Kraft, this Gourmet Mac n’ Cheese recipe will be sure to warm your body and satisfy your taste buds with its richness and depth of flavor. Enjoy!

Gourmet Mac N’ Cheese

Ingredients

2 c. pasta (mini shells or penne)

4-6 c. water

Ice water

2 shallots

1 whole clove

2 c. half-and-half (can use regular milk if needed)

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

4 slices American cheese

½ c. cheddar cheese

1 c. gruyere cheese

1 c. fontina cheese

2 c. panko breadcrumbs

Note: reserve a handful of the assorted shredded cheeses for the top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 3500. Start boiling water: bring 4-6 c. water to a boil in a large pot. Be sure to salt the water. Once it has reached boiling point, add pasta and allow to cook for 5 minutes. While it is cooking, prepare an ice bath (fill a large bowl halfway with ice and cold water).

Once the pasta has finished cooking (and pasta still has a slight bite/firmness to it), strain with a colander and place in the ice bath. The pasta should be fully immersed in the water. Add oil to the pasta and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes. Once time is up, lift the colander from the ice water (making sure all water is drained) and place pasta in a bowl. Oil well.

Prepare the Béchamel sauce: in a medium pot, combine half-and-half, whole clove and shallot. Allow to steep 10 minutes or less on low heat. Can be slightly steamy but should not boil. Once it has steeped, remove the shallot and clove and set aside (you can either drain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve, or you can get them out with a spoon).

Start a separate pot with tall sides on medium-low heat. Add butter and allow to melt. Finely mince shallot and add to the pan.

Cook the shallots on medium low heat, making sure they don’t develop any color (about 2-3 minutes). Set shallots aside for later use.

Make the roux: In the same pan, add 2 tbsp. butter and allow to melt. Once melted, add flour and whisk well. Allow roux to cook for about 2 minutes, or until the roux develops a nutty smell. The roux should be bubbly.

Add the shallots back in. If half-and-half is done, add to the roux. Mix well with a metal whisk until roux is well combined with the half-and-half.

Add in cheese: starting with the American cheese, add cheese to the mixture in small portions, mixing well after each addition. Make sure to mix immediately after each addition of cheese so that the cheese doesn’t sink to the bottom and burn.

Once all the cheese is added (the mixture should be quite thick), add pasta to the mixture. Fold in gently. Once the Béchamel sauce has been fully incorporated into the pasta, add to a well-greased casserole dish. Smooth out the top with a spatula.

Add breadcrumbs and reserved handful of cheese to the top evenly. Put in the oven and allow to bake until the breadcrumbs are light brown and the cheese is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes (if you’re pressed for time, set the heat to broil and cook for less than a minute, or until the breadcrumbs are browned).

Take out and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Dish and serve.

Veteran Spotlight

By On · Add Comment · In Columns, Veteran Spotlight

Dana French

45 Years in the Navy

by Richard D. L. Fulton

Note: Priscilla Rall contributed various materials for the purpose of writing this article.

Dana French of Frederick County served aboard and/or commanded several Navy vessels over the course of the 45 years he served in the United States Navy, from 1955 through 1990.

Raised in Newburyport, Massachusetts, French decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and enlisted in the Navy at age 17. After French signed on with the Navy, he qualified to attend the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS), in Bainbridge, Maryland.

French attended the academy as a sailor, and then graduated in 1961 as an ensign. He chose to pursue a career in the naval surface (non-submersible ship) service, as opposed to air or submarine services.

His first shipboard assignment came a month after he graduated, when he was assigned to the destroyer U.S.S. Coontz, which was then sent along with ships accompanying the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger to the Middle East for two seven-month deployments.  French served as the assistant 1st lieutenant in charge of the deck force, then became gunnery assistant at the end of the deployment.

French was then ordered as an executive officer in 1963 to report to the wooden minesweeper U.S.S. Whippoorwill during the Korean war. The minesweepers were wooden while metal alloys were employed wherever necessary—then to keep from triggering magnetic mines. The ships were responsible for cleaning mines from harbors for use by United States’ forces.

In the wake of the Tonkin Gulf incident (which technically triggered the Vietnam War), the minesweepers were sent on a “secret mission” to the Tonkin Gulf to screen a harbor for mines, rocks, and debris that would prevent the proposed port from being used.

In 1965 French was ordered to the U.S.S. Koka, an auxiliary ocean tug as Commander (the first such rank assigned to his academy class).

French said one of the more interesting incidents was when his ship was ordered to tow a “floating bomb” out to sea where it could be detonated to test how far around the world the detonation could be detected via deep sea sound channels. The “floating bomb” actually was a “Liberty” ship, made of concrete.

French was tasked with towing it, along with a second tug, to a desired location for detonation, which “seemed like a simple idea, except the weather turned bad. The weather really turned awful.” As the vessels approached to drop-point, the tow lines gave way, and the “floating bomb” was then loose. French was able to recapture the “Liberty” ship and begin towing it, but the scientists present decided to blow up the ship where they had it, rather than risk further issues trying to tow it to the original designated location.

During 1968, French was again heading back to Vietnam for seven months, this time in command of the guided missile destroyer U.S.S. Robison. He and the Robison became part of an operation deemed “Giant Slingshot,” a plan to ambush Vietcong attempting to cross two parallel rivers, using the cover of night, leading from Cambodia into Vietnam. 

The Robison and other Navy ships under French’s command, joined by several riverine combat ships, were concealed during the day until nightfall, and then to rush the two river crossings and take out as many enemy combatants as they could, then fall back before Vietcong artillery could get a fix on their ships’ locations.

French was subsequently assigned as a weapons officer on the guided missile cruiser U.S.S Leahy in 1970, when the ship was sent off with its sister ship and an aircraft carrier to Gibraltar and then Jordan to counter a Russian move in that area, resulting in a stand-off and the retreat of the Russian ships.

After his services at sea, French had also subsequently developed a number of programs addressing officer leadership and enlisted men and organizational effectiveness. After his retirement from the services, he began a career as a self-employed organization development consultant and trainer, based in Frederick.

For additional information regarding Dana French, visit elementalimpactsolutions.com/dana-french-bio.

Health

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

Gallstones

by Dr. Thomas K. Lo, Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ that stores bile and is located in your upper right abdomen, below your liver.

Gallstones are hard, pebble-like pieces of material, usually made of cholesterol or bilirubin, that form in your gallbladder. They can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. The gallbladder can make one large gallstone, hundreds of tiny stones, or both small and large stones.

When gallstones block the bile ducts of your biliary tract, the gallstones can cause sudden pain in your upper right abdomen. This pain is a gallbladder attack, or biliary colic.

However, most gallstones do not cause blockages and are painless, called “silent” gallstones.

The two main types of gallstones are cholesterol stones and pigment stones.

Cholesterol stones are usually yellow-green in color and are made of mostly hardened cholesterol. In some countries, cholesterol stones make up about 75 percent of gallstones.

Pigment stones are dark in color and are made of bilirubin. Some people have a mix of both kinds of stones.

The Biliary Tract

Your biliary tract, which is made up of your gallbladder and bile ducts, helps with digestion by releasing bile.

The bile ducts of your biliary tract include the hepatic ducts, common bile duct, and cystic duct. Bile ducts also carry waste and digestive juices from the liver and pancreas to the duodenum.

Your liver produces bile, which is mostly made of cholesterol, bile salts, and bilirubin. Your gallbladder stores the bile until needed. When you eat, your body signals your gallbladder to empty bile into your duodenum to mix with food. The bile ducts carry the bile from your gallbladder to the duodenum.

How Common Are Gallstones?

Gallstones are very common, affecting 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. population—almost 25 million people.

Certain groups of people have a higher risk of developing gallstones than others.

Women are more likely to develop gallstones than men. Women who have extra estrogen in their body due to pregnancy, hormone-replacement therapy, or birth control pills may be more likely to produce gallstones. As you age, the chance of developing gallstones becomes higher. People with a family history of gallstones have a higher risk.

American Indians have genes that raise the amount of cholesterol in their bile and have the highest rate of gallstones in the United States. Mexican Americans are also at higher risk of developing gallstones.

In addition, people with certain health conditions are more likely to develop gallstones, especially if you have one of the following health conditions: cirrhosis, a condition in which your liver slowly breaks down and stops working due to chronic or long-lasting injury or infections in the bile ducts, which can also be a complication of gallstones; Crohn’s disease; high triglyceride levels; low HDL cholesterol; metabolic syndrome; diabetes and insulin resistance.

Those who are obese or have had fast weight loss, been on a diet high in calories and refined carbohydrates and low in fiber, are also more likely to develop gallstones. 

Symptoms

If gallstones block your bile ducts, bile could build up in your gallbladder, causing a gallbladder attack, sometimes called biliary colic. Gallbladder attacks usually cause pain in your upper right abdomen, sometimes lasting several hours. Gallbladder attacks often follow heavy meals and usually occur in the evening or during the night. If you have had one gallbladder attack, more attacks will likely follow.

Gallbladder attacks usually stop when gallstones move and no longer block the bile ducts. However, if any of your bile ducts stay blocked for more than a few hours, you may develop gallstone complications. Gallstones that do not block your bile ducts do not cause symptoms.

A gallstone attack may cause pain in your abdomen, lasting several hours; nausea and vomiting; fever—even a low-grade fever—or chills; yellowish color of your skin or the whites of your eyes, called jaundice; tea-colored urine, and light-colored stools.

These symptoms can also be signs of a serious infection or inflammation of the liver or pancreas.

Possible Causes & Preventions 

Gallstones may form if bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, or not enough bile salts. Researchers do not fully understand why these changes in bile occur. Gallstones also may form if the gallbladder does not empty completely or often enough.

Healthy food choices may lower your chances of developing gallstones.

Experts recommend that you eat more foods that are high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and peas, as well as whole grains, including brown rice, oats, and whole wheat bread. Eat fewer refined carbohydrates and less sugar. Eat healthy fats, like fish oil and olive oil, to help your gallbladder contract and empty on a regular basis. Avoid unhealthy fats, like those often found in desserts and fried foods. In addition, lose weight safely if you are overweight or obese; try to maintain a healthy weight through healthy eating and regular physical activity.

If you are struggling with health issues, call the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center at 240-651-1650 for a free consultation. Dr. Lo uses Nutritional Response Testing® to analyze the body to determine the underlying causes of ill or non-optimum health.

The office is located at 7310 Grove Road #107 in Frederick. Check out the website at www.doctorlo.com.

*Sources: National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).