Toddville Tidewaters

Toddville, on the tip of Dorchester County, MD, is one of the last frontiers on the East Coast. Nicknamed the Everglades of the North, the wildlife and locals (rednecks, hillbillies) make some interesting stories to this city boy who just moved here.

Though raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, I've been away far too long. Follow the characters who make the news in the marshlands where the high tides greet you at your front door and your truck doubles as an amphibious vehicle.

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Early Spring Snow Storm Whimpers Out

This morning, we woke up to a light snow. The quarter inch is a far cry from the one to three inches forecasted.

It ended by ten in the morning, but the rest of the day was mostly cloudy, windy, and the temperature didn’t make it to forty. The rest of our plants we dug up from our garden in Baltimore and didn’t finish planting yesterday are sitting in the yard waiting to be planted. Tomorrow is supposed to be nicer, so maybe we’ll finish up.

For the life of me, I can’t figure this out. Back in the winter, when it is supposed to snow, it rained. My thermometer registered 25 degrees, but it rained. Spring is here, my thermometer registered 38, and it snowed the whole time. The spring trees are in flower and the first leaves are unfurling, and it’s all covered in a quarter of an inch of snow.

Go figure.

I really need to make a list of the backwardness of Toddville. It rains in the winter, snows in the spring. Damp wood won’t burn, but marsh grasses dredged out of the water glow like lava all night. Mosquitoes are almost winter-hardy, sticking around clear into January. And our favorite bar, Carolyn’s Stone House, closes at ten pm on a Saturday night.

I can handle the winter rain and spring snow. I can tolerate the winter-hardy mosquitoes. I won’t ever understand why damp wood won’t burn, but sopping wet marsh grasses become glowing lava flows.

But Carolyn’s better damned well be opened tonight. It’s just not natural to close a bar on a Saturday night before one am.

© 2007
Mark Darien
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Shop Local Delmarva

In an effort to help preserve our individual community's unique identity and rural character, we have designed a new resource for our locally owned and operated businesses.

Shop Local Delmarva

Our locally owned and operated businesses help define who we are as a community. Just browse any "Best of" lists and it's the locally owned businesses that dominate. Shop Local Delmarva aims to provide an easy reference to and for our locally owned businesses. Be sure to visit and support your locally owned merchant!

The Shanty Shoppe

Catapulting Toddville into the digital age,

The Shanty Shoppe
offers old store charm to the world.

Yes, this is Mark and Keith's store. Some day, we may actually have a real building for it down here. In the mean time, feel free to browse around the Internet version. Read about our grand opening and what prompted us to open the store.

Please note, The Shanty Shoppe closed due to unreasonable price increases on eBay. We couldn't afford the high-priced rent. We haven't made a final decision as to whether or not close the store for good. We do continue to ocassionally list auctions on eBay under seller ID markdarien. Please feel free to look us up.

Notable Characters in Toddville Tidewaters

Mark - That's me! For the most part, you'll experience Toddville through my eyes. If you like, you may email me (or Keith)
Keith - He's my partner. Loving the mountains of Pennsylvania, he has no idea how he ended up in the tidal marshlands on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Occasionally, you may experience Toddville through his eyes.
Kiwi - At 6 months, Kiwi, our chihuahua-basenji-or-something-or-other mix, joined our family and became Thistle's second stepdaughter. I think Thistle will forgive us for this, some day, too.
Daphne - Since last summer, Daphne, a green tree frog, has faithfully hung out under our light by the door. There's more bugs there than she can eat, but she certainly tries to get them all. It's such a hard job for her, she often goes to sleep, ocassionally waking up to snatch a tender morsel that dared to disturb her rest.

Key Places In / Around Toddville

Jr's Stone House - The only bar for 30 miles around. Location: As you're heading down on MD 336, which is either Crapo, Crapo-Bishop's Head or Bishop's Head Road, she's on your left next to the radio tower. If you get to the two 90 degree turns in the road (not the first set you already passed a ways back), you went too far. Hours: We don't know yet
Dickie's Famous Subs - In addition to being a sandwich shop, he carries a small supply of groceries and lunch meats. Also doubles as a social gathering hall while waiting for an order. If you're in a hurry, don't stop in. The locals in Toddville don't know what hurry means. Location: about a mile or so down the road from Carolyn's Stone House on your left, across from the crab house. You might mistake it for an abnadoned house, but look closely and you'll see the "famous subs" motto faded on the side. Hours: M-Sat Around 6:00 AM until around 3:30 PM. (You might notice the locals don't stick to strict times.)
Mr. Pritchett's Store - In business since 1946, it's the only place for thirty miles to get gas. A soda machine and a shelf or two of basic groceries included inside. Location: Tedious Creek Road on the arc of the strong 90 degree turn. The Pritchett family graveyard is across the street. (Go past Dickie's Famous Subs about a mile or so and make a left on Tedious Creek Road.) Hours: M-Sat 5:00 AM - 7:30 PM Closed Sunday for Church. He sounded firm on those hours, but he always looks closed. Just walk on in and you'll find him sitting there waiting for you.
Our Birdfeeder - It only took a couple of weeks, but finally our feeder is attracting some of our feathered neighbors. At Our Birdfeeder, you can get caught up on all the news in the bird community, assuming our feathered friends come around and share their stories.
Blackwater Wildlife Refuge - While the visitor's center is located off of Key Wallace Highway (a country road a good 17 miles from Toddville), the refuge is in and all around Toddville. It encompasses 27,000 acres of woods and marshland with all sorts of hiking and canoing trails. A bird watcher's paradise!

In Memoriam

Gilligan - He's our rescued sea gull. With only one wing, he can't be returned to the wild so he may as well as join our family. Gilligan joined us Feb 18, 2007 and quietly departed on Feb 26, 2007.

Minnow - At 2-1/2 months, Minnow, our redbone coonhound-daschund mix, joined our family and became Thistle's stepdaughter. I think Thistle will forgive us some day. Minnow was with us a very short time. A stray cat and a rambunctious puppy that hadn't learned to listen led to a disaster on the road. Her spinal injuries were too severe and we let her go to sleep in my arms.

Carolyn's Stone House - Carolyn was a wonderful, caring woman who passed away from lung problems. For a year after her passing, Carolyn's Stone House stood, but new owners have taken over. No matter what they call the new bar, it will always be Carolyn's Stone House to us. Carolyn was a special woman and we'll never forget her.

Thistle

quietly passed on after battling lymphatic cancer for the last few months. Fortunately she left us on a Saturday so Keith and I were with her as she took her last breath. She's resting peacefully in the part of our woods we call the Sanctuary. There's plenty of deer for her to chase.