The Rockets Red Glare!

    September 6 is going to be an exciting time for all Bettertonians who can get outside at 11:27 PM.  According to reliable B- Blogger sources NASA will be launching the inaugural flight of its Minotaur V Rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in VA.   So grab your beach chairs and join neighbors and friends on our Beach to watch this historic event. The Minotaur V will carry and launch NASA's LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment) spacecraft into an elliptical orbit around Earth.and then around the moon. The targeted launch is planned for 11:27 - 11:31 PM and should be visible to us on the Eastern Shore.

The mission represents a number of firsts, including:

• First launch of the Minotaur V configuration
• First five-stage vehicle flown by Orbital
• First Peacekeeper-based vehicle launched from Wallops Flight Facility
• First Lunar mission flown by Orbital
• First Lunar mission flown from Wallops

For more information go to Minotaur V Launch . For those who can't get out at that time you can follow it on USTREAM on your laptop, tablet or other computer.

This launch is not the only unique event that will happen this fall.  This November will align our Thanksgiving Day holiday with the start of the Jewish celebration of Chanukah. The celebration of Chanukah is based on the Hebrew calendar while Thanksgiving is determined on the Gregorian calendar. This alignment occurs about ever 100 years so this experience will be a once in a lifetime event for most people living today.  Therefore if you will be at the Thanksgiving Day meal with relatives, friends and or neighbors who are Jewish don't forget to wish them a Happy Chanukah. Don't forget to send those Chanukah greeting cards out early rather than the usual Christmas accompaniment. 

Let's Get Regular Together

The official word is out, FIG FEST 2013 is a GO!  It's only a week away so unearth your favorite fig recipe, turn on the grill or stove and get cooking!  Check out the information below.

Fig Festival

Saturday, August 31st

4:00 pm

(at the corner of Park & Bayside)

Your $5 donation benefits BCDC and gives you voting rights to
determine the best fig dish

Prizes will be awarded for the best dishes

Fabulous New Items for Purchase

• Market Baskets Stadium Blanket Drink Cozies
• Apron Boat Bags (limited supply) Stationary Cards
• Fig Chutney Fig Festival Cookbook

If you wish to enter your dish for a prize, remember to bring a label for your epicurean delight as well as a written recipe

Fig or figless – the party will go on!! If we are figless, it will be potluck

Attire: Please wear more than a fig leaf!

Heavy rain cancels the event – a little drizzle never hurt anyone

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Barbara?

The figs they are!  As Barbara Palma , co-creator of Betterton's own Fig Fest, surveyed the town's trees and their fig production she feared for this year's Fest.  She declared "there are lots of figs but they're tiny in comparison to this year's Spring's crop and they are far from ripe!"  Palma consulted with her partner Wendell and made the executive decision to delay this year's Fig Fest by one week, so that it will now occur on Saturday August 31st.  The figs must have paid heed as suddenly they have started to ripen. (check out the photos).

For more information on Fig Fest 2014 contact Barbara at knitnteach@gmail.com.

In addition to the Figs misbehaving Kent County tomato growers are all seeing Fall Blight sacrifice their plants, with little hope for recovery.  According to Burpee's customer service personnel, there is little to do to stop this once it starts. The late tomato blight is caused by Phytophthora infestans , it has been around a long time and is the same disease that caused the Irish potato famine in the 1800. It is spread by the air, land, on infected plants and water on the leaves. Wet-looking spots start on the leaf edge and spread inward and spots soon turn black and leathery. Late blight attacks fruit and causes large, firm brown areas.

What to do: rotate the crops because the spores can live a whole year in the soil. Sanitation is very important, remove all debris from your garden bed as the fungus overwinters in the debris. Space plants farther apart to improve air circulation. Avoid overhead watering, the disease spreads in water. A mulch like straw will help prevent the spores from splashing up. Remove any infected plants by bagging them up in plastic bag, and throw out. Do not compost or throw the plant or debris in the woods as this will allow the spores to stick around. Keep your plants healthy. A fungicide may help prevent the spread; check with your county extension for recommendations in your area.

The Lizzano, Mountain Magic and Sweetheart of the Patio tomato varieties are resistant to the blight.

Marzella's or DiGiorno?

After the last post about our Thursday night community dinners the  population on Thursdays has increased tremendously.  In fact last Thursday some late comers were without food. Christa and Harry are thrilled with the numbers showing up for this great event but they really need headcounts to assure everyone has what they want.  So here are some suggestions:  If you have responded to Christa to alert her to your attendance please do so at mar.seas@gmail.com. ASAP.  Give Marzella's a call today and let them know you will be coming and what you might want for dinner tomorrow. This way if you do come a bit late your meal will still be there.  If this isn't possible then the B-Blogger would suggest that you stop on your way and pick up a DiGiorno frozen pizza and simply ask Frank or Maureen to warm it up.  Keep the crowds coming!

Don't Rain on My Parade

As fireworks burst from the eastside of town at 3:00 AM this morning , others were quietly working on last minute tweaks to their floats for the annual Betterton Day Parade.  This year unlike many of the past, clouds loomed as runners gathered to kick off the day with a 5 K run. It was barely a little past 8 AM when a well muscled and oiled young man led the pack down Park to Bayside Boulevard whizzing by Betterton's award winning Unique Bayside Doc's Babka.  The amazing white poodle was not to be upstaged, although prohibited to enter the 5K, he hit the pavement hard to stay on the heels of the front runner until the Boulevard's foot bridge.  Boulevard residents were out in droves to support the "B" and the runners that followed.  As runners caught their breath and re-hydrated; friends, relatives and neighbors within the Jewel and from afar gathered along Main street and the beach to await the start of our Annual Parade.  While raindrops fell the crowd continued to gather with chairs, bikes, grand-kids and pets. As per usual the 10 AM start was delayed but worth the wait.  The parade of fire trucks from various locales seemed endless and inspiring, this year coming from both Maryland and Delaware.  Of course, our Mayor Carolyn Sorge, was just behind the front-line color guard and sported one of her wonderful bonnets.  Kent County's Band with Mark Mumford in the lead provided some great marching music that flipped all spirits to the positive despite the ominous cloud cover. This year's parade rekindled floats from streets, families and locales that bolstered its success.  As the clouds dissipated and the sun came out parade participators and onlookers began their walk through the vendor collection on the Beach.  As the B-blogger collected thoughts from the beach crowd, comments were disappointing and included concerns as to why the Fish Fry people were not here? The vendors seemed less diverse and purchase were therefore diminished. The most frequent feedback was "Can you believe the beer mugs are $7.00?" However, everyone loved the parade!  For those who were there and those who weren't go relive today's parade by clicking on to the following links:

Don't Rain on My Parade (Music)

Pictures of the Parade ( you will need to sign in, no cost involved)