Friday, April 10, 2009

Firday's "My Town" Shoot Out

Be sure and click on photos to enlarge.


For those of you who do not know about our town shoot outs, we do them every Friday to highlight the fun and interesting things about our town. Everyone is welcome to participate. We only ask that you let us know in advance so we can add you to all our lists.

We have no rules in our town shoot outs. Everyone improvises. Since we are a seasonal town of around 3000 people, we don't gear up for the season until around Memorial Day. After that it gets hot around here, and I am not talking temperatures.

For that reason, I cheated a little, digging into my files for some photos.

Our "Welcome" sign.


Planting the spring flowers in front of the "Welcome" sign; a photo from last year.

Took this from the car. Don't you just love our crab on the water tower?


Another photo from last year when they were doing street work. These people were from up around the Great Lakes. They had sailed their boats from there, gone to the Bahamas, and landed in Crisfield for a little R&R at Somers Cove Marina; then they headed to Canada. Yes, it took them a long time - over a year.

Might not look like much to people who don't know anything about Crisfield, but Crisfield would not be Crisfield without Gordon's. It has been around since 1924. Make sure you drop in when you visit.

We are not a big town, and the terrain is flat, so people bike a lot. We also have groups of bikers who come to Crisfield several times a year to take in the breathtaking scenery.

Someone mentioned mail boxes. Well, here is one near the city dock. You can walk across the street and catch the tour boat to Tangier Island or eat crabs at a new restaurant - opening Memorial Day - the Olde Crisfield Crab Steakhouse and Tiki Bar, (formally Side Street and Captain Bud's Tiki Bar)or grab a bite to eat at Captain's Carry-out. Gordon's is just up the road, and there is a great ice cream shop for those with a sweet tooth. Oh, and there is Waterman's and The Cove.






Across from the mailbox, and next to above mentioned restaurants is our Visitor Center.


At the corner of the Visitor's Center, sits a monument in honor of Captain Rudy Thomas.


I went inside for this photo. This is Patty Green who owns the Weathered Porch, across from the Tourist's Center. In the future, I will highlight all of our business owners, and give you a tour around their stores. Those cooks books Patty is holding were written by Whitey Schmidt, better known as the "Blue Crab Guru." I will be highlighting him, too. If you like seafood, you must get one of his books!

A little history for you, folks.

I stepped off Main Street to get the back of this building. I love it.

I could not resist this "Me and My Shadow" photo taken on Main Street.

I took this while eating from Side Street before they closed for the season.

The view of Main Street from our city dock.

The woman to the right works at The Pizza Shoppe. I caught her relaxing on the dock with her family. She makes the best pizzas, and is always hard at work catering events around town. The Pizza Shoppe caters a lot of events both in and out of Crisfield.

I can't resist a seagull photo - taken at the city dock.

The Courtney Thomas. We have several mail boats that dock at the city dock twice a day. You can catch one and visit Tangier Island, VA. or Smith Island.

Caught myself a Smith Island captain.

**The rest of the photos are happenings and random shots around the dock, taken last summer.**







In the summer months everyone grabs a blanket or chair and heads down to the dock for movie nights. It just does not get any better than that, folks!

A good time is always had by all!

**A few of the dedicated people who make things happen around here**

Allison Castellana. She coordinates all our events.

Valerie Howard of the Chamber of Commerce, left, and Virginia Townsend. It takes a lot of people to run a town; these are just two of the many dedicated people who keep Crisfield moving along. A big "Thank you!" to all of our workers and volunteers.

All Ya'll come see us. I will be posting a calendar shortly. When you make your vacation plans, think of Crisfield - The Crab Capitol of the World!

_____________________________________


Please take a stroll though the towns of our shoot out participants. This is a much better that looking at stuffy old travel brochures. These are the ones that have posted as of Friday morning:

Barry in Toronto
Si in Exmore, VA.
Reggie Girl in Newnan, GA.
Loida in China.
Missy in Japan
Hensley in Hawaii
GingerV in Brazil Ginger picked this week's shoot out.
Butler and Bagman in Charleston, SC.
Jen in Michican
Gordon in Saint Augustine, FL.
Elaine Dale in Canada
J9 in Dublin, CA
Missy in Japan
A new blogger from Dublin
Gigi from Brunswick, Georgia
Gisele from St. Maarten


http://noenoegirl.blogspot.com/

23 comments:

A Scattering said...

Well, I've taken the plunge and I'm on board for the first time: http://ascattering.blogspot.com

Your entry is great - very informative

Barry said...

I'm struck by the rich variety in your photos and the exuberance! What a joy to visit!

Science Girl in France (http://sciencegirltraveler.blogspot.com/) is planing to join us next week as well.

You and Reggie Girl have started a World Movement, Patty!

The Pink Birdhouse said...

Your photos are perfect, every single one. But my favorites are the skateboarders (my son is one), the crab on the top of the store, the mailbox oh so american which makes me homesick to see some again, and your own shadow. wow, that is a fabulous shot! And the seagulls ust cuz I love birds so much. What a great tour of your town. I will be anxious to show mine off soon. the weather is warm and sunny this weekend for Easter, a campground owner's DREAM weather and we are booked solid! Yippee, let the season begin. Anyway, thoroughly enjoyed your tour. take care Debby

Anonymous said...

Oh! I love you and your shadow and the silhouettes are awesome! :)

Every time I visit your blog and you talk about the seafood, I get hungry. :) mmmm...fresh fish, mmmm...crab, mmmmm...

GingerV said...

Okay if I start listing the photos I like I will miss my lunch - and by my stomachs reaction to your dialog and phots of crabs and other goodies it is time to go eat. but my favorite is the scateboarders in shadow... ABSOLUTLY wonderful.

Okay I am coming to visit. where do I stay in July. where do I find a shrimp poorboy?

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Oh awesome summer photo's Patster!! Love the kiddos swimming and the crab on the water tower.
Did you see Loida's........WOOT, WOOT!!
There are lots more people who have posted. I think though that asking everyone to notify in advance is making rules in a NO RULES fun adventure though. I think that we are taking the fun out of it. It all shows on the dashboard if anyone just list it in their title you know?
Great shoot.........as always :)
Hope the bunny drops lots of eggs at your and Huey's house....the chocky kind :)

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Joanne said...

I like the movie night on the docks. We do the same thing here except it's movie night on the beach, blankets and chairs set up on the sand, Long Island Sound off in the darkness a sea breeze lifting off the water. What better way to watch a movie?

gigi said...

All I can say is I love these pictures and I sure want to visit! Would love the movie on the dock. And eating at Gordons, yum!
This is going to be fun.

Gordon said...

I hope that one of these days an angel will come to me while I am sleeping and make me half the photographer that you are. Terrific stuff!! Thanks for the tour. Gordon

aurbie said...

Thanks to all! You are right Reggie Girl. No rules. Boy, it is hard keeping up with everyone. As we grow it will get harder and harder to keep up, but we sure want Oprah to know who everyone is, don't we? Wink, wink!

This is all for fun, and everyone is welcome to show off their towns. Next week: Native foods, restaurants; street vendors if you have them. Just whatever is good eatin' around your town or city.

Yum. I get hungry justy thinking about that assignment.

J9 said...

I'm in! It took me WAY longer to organize just one town (which is the only one up). I need to shoot these a week ahead of time and post them on Thursday night. Working on the second town now, hopefully to get up tonight!

Missy said...

I love all your photos!!! You really a pro photographer :-) And your camera ohhhh I love it, nice lens! hahaha Your town looks interesting and the crab thingy looks inviting :-) You should teach me how to take a good shot hahaha

hensly said...

I liked the photo of the movies on the dock. In Hawaii, We have something called "Sunset on the Beach" which features movies shown at sunset on Kuhio Beach.

HalfCrazy said...

EVen though you said that Crisfield is a not so big town, it's still interesting to walk around with you in this trip! Since Crisfield is close to the ocean, one might always feel a gentle breeze while walking on the streets.

I especially love the photo of the kids with skateboards! You captured the motion, so beautiful!

The movie night is awesome! Summer nights are much more interesting if you get to hang out and watch movies with people around your town!

Bagman and Butler said...

Great photos as always. The silhouetted skateboarders are magnificent!!!! And the shadow self-portrait -- what a lens!!! Bagman is envious. LOL. By the way, for anyone who reads this -- check out Patty's "Mother and Child Website" by clicking above. IT is well worth the look!

Loida of the 2L3B's said...

Dearest Patty,

How were you able to shot your own shadow..? So cool. I am sure Crisfield is really a good and safe place to visit noting the minimal car traffic. Biking would be such fun. I'd been missing doing that. Biking leisurely along the roadside; here is kind of unsafe, too many cars now. It looks like there a food festival in the docks. That would be the best spot.

Crab and Steak in one place? I wonder what will happen to me if I eat both crabs and steak at the same time. I hope I could try it somehow.

Hope your Easter would be spiritually enhancing as ever.

Care, Loida

Girl Tornado said...

Well, with mum here all week and working on house projects, I wasn't able to join, but will work on it next Friday! :)

Love all your Crisfield shots... esp the back of the old building, very neat historically speaking. I love the skateboarders shadows and your shadow with your camera. All the crabs (on the water tower and in signage) are definitely so "Crisfield".

Thanks (again!) for sharing a little piece of your town.

aurbie said...

Loida: I was able to shoot my own shadow because I always shoot with 3 cameras. I was walking by the building and saw my shadow, stooped down, composed, and shot.

Glad you liked it. It seems everyone likes that shot, and the skateboarders. So people like shadows and shadowy things.

OZ Girl: Missed you this week. Hope you can join us for native foods, bars, and good eatin' next week.

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

WHOO HOO!!!!!!! I gave Gordon three more names today to add to our list of known shooter's. The rest we can pick up from dashboards.
It's a REVOLUTION......is that the Beatles I hear playing in the background????

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Olivia said...

my favorite picture is the one's of the skatboarders! love it!

Anonymous said...

Hey Patty! Every picture you take, and post you make is wonderful for the City of Crisfield! Thank you for taking the time to showcase what a great community we have--everyone is excited about what you are doing! And, I love all of your photos!!!

aurbie said...

Thanks Anon: There is always something beautiful to see in Crisfield. I can't wait for the summer events to gear up. And I can't wait to get the boat in the water. Crisfield is a great place to live!

Wendy said...

I love that silhouette shot. Looks like a neat town. It's weird because your town is about the same population as mine and it looks so much bigger and busier!

Since you're in a small town, you might also like to check out Small Town Snapshot Sunday.