A Note of Sorrow

As the rains come and soak the soil of Betterton to wake up those sleepy bulbs of Iris, Tulip and Daffodil, sorrow spreads over our Jewel this week as Jeanette Ayars Thomas passed away after a heroic battle with lung disease. Jeanette was an amazing woman who many may not have seen during the past few years as her lungs would not let her venture far out of her house that she shared with her husband, Bob Thomas. Bob as many B-Blog readers know is Chair of our Zoning and Planning Committee and well known as the Ambassador of Bayside Boulevard where he greets strangers and friends from his porch at night.

The B-blogger will remember Jeanette as a woman of many unknown talents. Did you know that she was a great artist. Every holiday brought a unique hand designed card from Jeanette and these will serve as great memories as will her devotion to Bob.

At present plans for a memorial service are yet unknown, but please post a comment of your memories of Jeanette and or condolences to Bob and the Ayars family.

A Family Bonding Night - Movie Night at BCC (click here)

With the threat of another winter storm looming towards the end of the next week, what better than making plans for something close to home with food and friends. The BCDC will be hosting its first movie night (PG-rating) at the newly refurbished Betterton Community Center says Bettertonian Ann Hedgepeth.

BCDC would like to invite young and old and all ages in between to join us for our first family movie night at the Town of Betterton Community Center. Everyone is welcome and its FREE!

Click on to this Posting's Title and see the movie's trailer.

We encourage you to come early to spend some time exploring the Community Center, visiting with friends and meeting neighbors before the movie gets rolling.

Some chairs and other seating will be available and we will need to seat some people on the floor as well. Bring a pillow to make your movie viewing more comfy! While refreshments will be provided feel comfortable bringing a favorite treat that you might wish to share, too.

Our town The Jewel of the Chesapeake Bay shines a bit brighter by having another place for residents, families and friends to spend time together. We are fortunate to have this unique community center as a gathering space. Mark your calendar, plan to attend and spread the word!

Friday, February 18, 2011
Doors open at 6:45 pm
Film to begin around 7:00 pm
Film - Toy Story 3
Refreshments will be provided

Please contact Ann Hedgepeth if you have any questions about this event: 410.348.5282 (please leave a message) or annhedgepeth@gmail.com.

Its Not About Naugthy or Nice but Stranded or Not

While some dreamed of a white Christmas B-Town was blessed with a shade of gray, a wisp of frigid wind and a field full of white geese doing their best to create an illusion of snow. To the Blogger's surprise many residents chose to travel to family and relatives outside the Jewel and leave our wonderful hamlet a bit desolate for those that remained. To top this off many that did leave have been unable to return as they are stranded in locations hit by this weekend's winter storm. The Blogger and family left on Sunday during the height of the storm to travel North to the City of Brotherly Love. While Dr. Mel reports that B-Town was spared any accumulation of white, the Blogger reports that they have 11.8 inches of white throughout Philadelphia as evidenced in the photo above.

City Council members want us to know of a good deed done by our water meter reader, who happened to notice icicles on the inside of a First Avenue home. She immediately contacted Councilman Zellers and with the aid of Karen Russo, the residents were notified of a massive water pipe burst within their home. While there was significant damage done, it could have been much worse if our meter reader had not acted as she did. We should all be grateful to those neighbors and friends who keep an eye out for the little clues that can catch a big problem. A word to the wise is that if you will be leaving your home, especially during these winter months, shut off your water or at least the valves that go to sinks and toilets as well as ask a neighbor to keep an eye open.

So what's your Christmas story and or adventure? Lets hear about it with a post below.

Tis the Season

While the sun was shedding its rays on the Jewel today the thermometer barely reached 40 degrees and this evening is expected to bring below freezing temperatures, so just in case you weren't aware winter is knocking at our door. For some the thought of cold is more than chilling but this holiday season offers warmth with friends, family, food and drink. While Christmas brings bells, holly and Santa, Chanukah brings the festival of lights and as last year's photo reminds us, Betterton is and will be a town of bells, holly and lights for all and if you listen closely perhaps you'll hear Santa's reindeer as they lite on our Community Center's roof, thank goodness its been repaired. Oh! have you seen the trees that have been planted around the Center thanks to the grant that Joe Stock helped us secure?

To get the holiday spirit into full bloom, the Blogger has decided to use this post as an opportunity to share good wishes and good food. So our readers are encouraged to post their good thoughts and hopes and offer up their favorite recipe. To get us started the Blogger wants to wish all his fellow Bettertonians much happiness and health in the coming year and may B-Town blossom in 2011.

Now here is the Blogger's favorite recipe for Latkes (pronounced LOT KA's), potato pancakes served during Chanukah.

Ingredients:
6 Yukon Gold Potatoes ( about 2 lbs) peeled and halved
1-2 yellow onions (finely chopped)
2 large fresh eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons of all purpose flower
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4- 3/4 tsp of ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying, or if your arteries can take it, Chicken fat

Chop the potatoes in a food processor to a slightly lumpy slurry, or grate them by hand like my grandmother did. Use cheesecloth to drain the water from the potatoes, give them a good squeeze. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and add the onion, eggs, flour, and seasoning. Mix well.
In a large fry pan heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil or chicken fat until it bubbles
Use about 1 tablespoon of the potato mixture for each pancake and cook a batch at a time depending on the size of your skillet. Cook the each latke for 2-3 minutes on each side until it browns. It is ok to flatten the latke as it cooks.
Drain the hot latkes on paper towels and then keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

You can augment the latkes by adding applesauce or sour cream as a topping.

Be There or Forever Hold Your Tongue

The Kent County League of Women voters will hold the first ever candidate forum for Betterton Council and Mayor on Monday evening 7:00 PM, September 27th, 2010 at the Betterton Firehouse. Whether you are happy with town government or frustrated with it, this is your time to hear from the candidates as they vie for seats of leadership. Not a full time Betterton resident, doesn't make a difference , you should attend. Non voter residents can play a major role in promoting the candidate of their choice to those who can visit the ballot box. But supporting and or voting for a candidate requires a thorough understanding of what these candidates see as the future of the Jewel.. The B-blogger will be there listening, learning, and taking note of those who dare to care.