A day before the Maryland BASS Federation Nation’s April 10, 2010, tournament trail opener at Smallwood State Park in Charles County, Scott Sewell, of Middle River, Maryland, has two things on his mind: catching a large largemouth bass and a wish that the wind dies down.

Humans have been enamored with water for centuries-from the Roman baths, to modern-day, mammoth water parks with slides, lazy rivers and wave pools. Water is soothing and can be provide therapy for both body and mind. So it’s no wonder indoor and outdoor pools in Southern Maryland, along with aquatic exercise, are quickly gaining popularity with residents of all ages and physical stamina.

Nothing says summer like a good old fashioned hot dog with all the right fixings. Beef franks are part of our American heritage right up there with baseball, apple pie and the Fourth of July. In this issue we are excited to bring you some hot dog fixings- recipes provided to us by Tyler Radez, owner of “On A Roll.” Radez has been operating his hot dog cart for more than two years.

She refers to them as “our wounded warriors.” Together, with other seamstresses, Joan Dulcey, an art teacher at St. Peter’s School in Waldorf, leads a team of volunteers who stand ready to help soldiers in a special way.

Richard Pelz, founder and CEO of the Circle C Oyster Ranch in Ridge, Maryland, stands on a modest pier that stretches out into St. Jerome Creek near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. “There used to be thick black muck here,” Pelz says of the beach, “now I leave footprints in the sand.” The water here is clear and teeming with fish, crabs and shrimp. Ospreys nest just off the end of the pier; this is the vision that Pelz has for the entire Bay.

Attending one of Southern Maryland’s county fairs includes more than just a spin on the Ferris wheel or a sticky-fingered taste of cotton candy. From the first step through the gates, fairgoers are hit with sensory overload -sights, sounds, smells, tastes and a pure adrenaline rush.

As eagerly anticipated as a successful harvest for folks who have painstakingly labored on their farms all year, is the opportunity to show off their fortunate bounty and share tales of their harvest with other farmers and citizens of their community. It is in this spirit that the first agricultural community gatherings or fairs came into existence in rural regions across the United States during the 1800s, including Southern Maryland.

A typical garden plan is usually laid out to either frame a home or to create a vista to be seen from within. A garden room- whether established or still in the planning stages-is a private destination within your own garden. It’s a secluded outdoor space that beckons you to pick up a book, sunbathe, or spoil children with a magical retreat limited only by their imagination.

Every once in a while, a special day comes along…With the Chesapeake Bay as a backdrop, a charter boat adventure can be just such a day.

Commercial watermen are immersed in harvesting and preserving the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay. They make it possible for Southern Marylanders to enjoy fresh crab feasts, fresh oysters and fish. Captain Edwin Smith, known to everyone as Smitty, is one of those hard working watermen. He lives in Solomons, where he owns and operates Capt. Smith’s Seafood Market, which he opened in 1990.