Food for Thought

Lee Wisniewski Downing is President of the Eastport Volunteer Fire Company (EVFC). She is a wife to Ed, a veteran, and mother of two -- Liam, active in Scouts and baseball, and Collin -- active in Cub Scouts and horseback riding. She is also mother to Bear the Dog, Smokey the Cat, and Tux the Cat. A beloved mother in the neighborhood, it is not uncommon for several babies to grace Lee's house. She helps many other mothers out when they are in need. Being a homemaker, Lee can assure you, she is never away from her work. Family is important to Lee. She says, "I'm a mom. As a mom you can lose your identity. I've chosen not to do that. My volunteering -- that's what I do." She considers the fire station her safe place, and an alternative space for her to be. Eastport Volunteer Fire Company supports firefighting crews. They do community outreach, fundraisers, and promote fire and life safety within the community. Lee is at home in her role with EVFC. She has previo...

Reynolds Tavern first caught my eye in my Facebook newsfeed. I think it came to my attention because of the comment about how beautiful Fall was. It would be another couple of years before I made it there. I had always wondered what a tea room was, and I was delighted to watch others sip their way through the afternoon.  Having hoofed it from the Gott's Court Garage down to St. Anne's Church, I finally stumbled across Reynolds Tavern the organic way. I decided to do my bi-annual pilgrimage to Irish Traditions for a wool sweater, and to get a watermelon lemonade on the way home. A usual tea drinker, I was surprised I didn't indulge, but it was just too hot. It was an odd time to be eating -- 4pm is not exactly a meal hour, but I was just in time for Afternoon Tea. I watched several other tables enjoy theirs with various little sandwiches or snacks. I myself ordered the Quiche Lorraine, which comes with a house salad. I will say, the quiche was pretty solid and warm. The sala...

Sophia Hardesty likes running the show. And over the last two years, she's learned that she can do so from anywhere. From her phone, she can control and enable the happiness and joy of groups of adults and children and individuals of all ages. All it took was some initiative, a smart phone, and the love of music. Naptown Sings and Plays is Sophia's dream come reality. Initially teaching voice lessons out of a friend's music studio, she had posted flyers in local restaurants to get that far. But once she studied marketing and formed a strategy, her personal studio mushroomed to the point that she needed a larger space and now has over a dozen music teachers working for her. Family is important to Sophia, and she has recently added to her own, with the birth of baby Irene. Sophia has taken this love of children and applied it to her strategy for Naptown Sings and Plays. The business now offers both group and private lessons, as well as classes, camps, and homeschooling. Napto...

  Arundel-on-the-Bay has certainly gone to the dogs. Christina Buckner and her horde moved in about 3 years ago, and the place hasn't been the same since. With two Irish Wolfhounds (DaVinci and Mozart) and her Great Dane (Picasso), Christina is good at staying busy. Christina always liked Annapolis. She has friends in the area, knows there’s music any night of the week, and there’s always something to do. Raised in Arnold, Maryland, she’s a big fan of the area, and is always out doing something fun and adventurous.  A technical project manager and systems engineer for a small cybersecurity company, Christina has the luxury of telecommuting. Having that option allows her extra time with her family members--especially her Great Dane, Picasso, who needs a little extra TLC as of late. Christina's two Irish Wolfhounds couldn't be more different form each other. Mozart is very outgoing and lovable, whereas DaVinci tends to be a bit shy till he gets to know you. All of her dogs ar...

Living in Oyster Harbor has always been a blessing to me. I've been in the community just over 5 years and still make new discoveries every day. My 13-year-old dog Lucy and I have our various routes and thus far we've discovered a new bench here and there in Arundel-on-the-Bay and a couple piers off of Washington that she enjoys. One even features a library swap box with books from the neighborhood. (The pickin's are pretty good, too!) I'm just now finishing my first book from that library box. It's called "Wild Card Quilt - The Ecology of Home" by Janisse Ray. It's about a young woman who returns to her native Georgia with her son, after being away for a long time. Reading it has helped me process a few things. Essentially, I'm redefining my definition of home, my take on the world, and my place in it. The conclusion I've come to, is that one place does not define us, but we can enjoy the wonder of our present. Oyster Harbor was a great place ...

Few places make lifetime nomads want to settle down, but it seems Oyster Harbor is one of those for Greg Machon and his wife Christine.  The guy has simply been around a lot — around as in like living in 13 states and slated to visit his fiftieth this year! (He’s also been to numerous countries in the Caribbean, and the pair were married in Belize!) So what would make this two service (Go Army!) ... er um, (Go Coastie!), veteran want to drop anchor? Well, that would seemingly be life on the Chesapeake Bay. Thus, the electronics tech slash petroleum supply specialist slash master truck driver slash IT professional decided to land himself a house on stilts...and a nice view to boot. Most folks in Oyster Harbor probably know Greg -- and if they don't, they at least know his dog, "Butter." Advertised as an Australian Shepherd, Butter was not expected to be so big. Per her later doggy DNA test, Butter is part Rottweiler, Collie, Saint Bernard, and German Shepherd. Regardless, ...