Author: cscia

I am all for a great snowstorm – ask anyone around the Cape who knows me but I can’t get behind this icy sleet bomb on top of that great snow that we’ve been dealing with. Then, factor in temperatures that are almost absurdly low for these parts and it’s been quite a week. While the roads were tricky, a big thank you to the plows for getting us dug out—at least as best as I think we can expect – that ice is like concrete. As our new President Adam “Thor” Harris notes, the storm certainly created some challenges, but it also gave us a chance to see the Cape’s resilience in action.

Speaking of our new President, a big welcome to Adam “Thor” Harris! In his first message, he shares his vision of stewardship—preserving what makes the Cape special while planning for the future. He also gives a well-deserved thank you to Jerome Zadera for his steady leadership over the last two years and to Cheri Fairchild for her nine years of service on the Board. You can read his full message on page 1. Note that the next Quarterly Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28th at 7:30 PM.

Before we move on, we have to give a huge thanks to Jerome Zedara who has spent the last 2 years dedicating his time and energy as President of CSCIA. We owe him great thanks – “Thank you, Jerome.” – it’s a hard job and can often times (ok, mostly) be thankless.

Town Manager Frank Tewey has an important alert for everyone: Keep an eye out for the YELLOW maintenance fee postcards in your mail. These fees are due by March 1st, so please don’t lose that card!. If you need parking stickers or guest passes, you must fill out the vehicle info on the postcard. Frank also shares some great news about the Deep Creek pier project, which is nearing completion. Check out all the office details on page 3.

In Community News, our local organizations are hitting the ground running for 2026:

• Garden Club: They are hosting a talk on Pest Management on Feb. 3rd and celebrating their 51st Anniversary Dinner on March 3rd. See page 6 for more.
• Goshen Farm: Join them for a Genealogy Class on Feb. 28th and a special Black History Month event at the Severna Park Library on Feb. 7th. Full details are on page 7.
• Cape Conservation Corps: They are offering a “First Flowers in a Box” sale, featuring hard-to-find spring ephemerals to support early pollinators. Order info is on pages 8 & 9.

We also have a “Year in Review” photo spread on pages 12–14 that captures some great memories from the past year. Finally, mark your calendars for the 1st Annual Lillian Wilkinson-Mali Memorial Bingo on March 8th—proceeds go to a great cause!. You can find the flyer on page 19.

Happy reading, and stay warm!

December has come roaring in with cold temps and even a little bit of snow. I love it. It’s rare around here to get the white flakes this early, never take ’em for granted. The other good thing about December is the usual holiday madness. I for one am a Christmas nut – decorations galore, the smell of pine throughout my home and car, and the good times with friends and family. Sure it’s hectic at times but I truly wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s time to get reflexive. In his final Presidential message, Jerome waxes poetic about the time he has spent as our fearless leader over the last 2 years. Cape rules dictate that he cannot serve more than 2 years in a row and so he must relinquish the spot to someone else. We thank him for his service to this great community. YOU should thank him too, he’s earned it, as someone who knows, it’s not an easy gig. Thank you, Jerome.

Frank reminds everyone that the annual maintenance fee renewal postcards will be mailed out in late December. Keep an eye on your mailbox for the yellow postcard. The maintenance fees are due March 1st. The next Annual Membership Meeting is set for January 13, 2026 at 7:30pm. Don’t miss it! Ballots for voting are available in this Caper. See page 14.

In Community News, the Garden Club’s first meeting will be Tuesday, January 27th. More information on their events for 2026 can be found on page 6.

Goshen Farm wishes everyone a Happy Holidays and wants to remind everyone that their 2026 Membership meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 21st 2026 at 7:30 at the Cape St. Claire Clubhouse and online. Voting will be help online from January 1st through the 20th. More details can be found on page 7.

Cape Conservation Corps gives a great 2025 in review which is loaded with great information. There are too many things to list here – it wouldn’t do it justice anyway. Make sure you visit page 8 & 9 to get up to speed.

Page 14-17 contain the budget and biographies of those running to continue to serve on the board in 2026 and onward. Make sure you read about the financial direction of CSCIA and the biographies of those who will serve again.

This issue is always packed with goodies and this one is no different. We announced the winner of the Calendar Photo contest, there’s a history of the candy cane and a great word search and a great announcement of our newest Eagle Scout. Don’t miss it!

See you around the Cape and Happy Holidays to all of you.

Time to close the books on another amazing Halloween season. I posted on Facebook recently about how amazing it was simply driving around the Cape and experiencing the creativity. It’s truly amazing what folks have come up with for Halloween decorations. Scary – clever? All of the above. Let’s hope 2026 is even better!

Now that the new Caper has arrived, let’s dig into it. As usual, Jerome sets us up nicely with his Presidential Perspective. As we approach the holidays, we also approach the season of giving back. He offers some good ideas on how to do that. Also, keep in mind that pier repairs are underway at Deep Creek, so please be mindful of the workers and equipment in the area. There will also be some dredging activity going on at Little Magothy. There are a lot of residents who have an increase in desire to volunteer in the community. BRING IT ON!

In Frank’s Town Manager message, he reminds everyone that the November Caper is always filled to the brim with financials and budgets. This year is no different. Don’t forget to review the budget and be prepared to vote at the January General Membership Meeting on January 13th, 2026. The annual tree lighting is scheduled for Sunday, November 30th at 6pm so mark your calendars. More from Frank can be found on page 3.

The budget for 2027 is on page 6 & 7 so feel free to skip ahead!

In community news, Cape St. Claire Garden Club is teaming up with Annapolis Horticulture Society to welcome Karl Gercens, Conservatory Manager of Longwood Gardens to speak on The How of Wow on Tuesday November 4th. YES! Tomorrow night! In addition, their annual tradition of Evergreen Wreath workshop will be held on an amazing day, Tuesday December 2nd.

Goshen Farm gives a huge shoutout to their 2025 sponsors on page 9. Cape Conservation Corps is hosting their free speaker event on November 7th from 6-8:30pm at the clubhouse. Be prepared to hear from Joan Maloof to discuss “How to recognize old growth forests and how to keep them standing.” There’s also an auction. Check out page 10 for more details!

The holidays are coming, this is the November issue and so what does that mean? YUP – the sign up forms for Breakfast with Santa coming on Saturday December 13th from 8:30 – 10:30 am. Get your signups in early because these seats go quickly. Get all the information you need on page 18.

The holidays are coming!!! See you around the Cape.

Mother nature seems stuck. While the next few mornings will give us that cool Fall air, the daytimes will remain gorgeous and coat-less. I suppose I’m for it but now that it’s October, I like those chilly reminders that the season is changing. Will the leaves take note? Nothing beats driving down College Parkway in the fall with the orange and yellows. It’s spectacular.

With fall, comes the fall activities us Capers all love and enjoy. Before we get to those, Jerome waxes poetic again. Who knew our fearless leader was so adept with his pen? In his message, he asks everyone to take a moment and remember Fred Graul who passed away in August. Fred and his family have been a staple of the Cape St. Claire Community for almost 70 days. We were all sad to hear of his passing. He also takes a moment to remind everyone that with the beautiful temperatures and Halloween approaching, the roads are filled with the squeals and delights from the little ones. Be diligent and SLOW DOWN when out and about on the roads.

Don’t forget, the Board is always looking for nominations for future leaders to serve the community. To get your feet wet on what that process looks like, the October Quarterly meeting is on the 28th at 7:30pm at the Clubhouse.

In Community News, the Garden Club is hosting their first ever Pumpkin Centerpiece workshop on Tuesday October 7th. All guests are welcome! Also, on Sunday October 19th at 6pm, they will celebrate another year’s harvest with their Yard of the Month winners at the Annual Dinner Potluck. You can find more details on page 6.

It was a great summer for Goshen Farm with over 14 musicians attending their Summer Concert series. The next Goshen Goodies sale will be held on Saturday November 29th from 10am to 2pm at Goshen Farm.

Cape Conservation Corps will be hosting their Fall Planting Day at Little Magothy Beach Park from 9-3pm and on October 25th will be mulching the path at the Serene Ravine – 1038 Lake Claire Drive.

Don’t miss the Community Swap which will be held on Sunday October 12th from 10am – 2pm at the Cape Clubhouse field. Details on what you can bring are on page 14.

And then … BOOM – Halloween Happenings will be held on Saturday October 18th from 10am to 3pm. Admission to the event is $6.00 per child. It’s a must do family event here in the Cape. See page 18 for details and the sign up sheet. And don’t forget that on Thursday October 23rd, 2025 they will be Trick or Treating at the Cape St. Claire Shopping Center from 5:30pm to 6:30pm (or until the candy is gone)

See you around the Cape!

September is knocking on our door. Judging from the cool temps, you’d think it was late September already. It was a weird weather summer everyone. You know what September means … it is that magical time when the air says “fall,” your thermostat says “still summer,” and the pumpkin-spice economy opens up. School’s back, alarms are cruel again (sorry Teachers!), and backpacks remain suspiciously larger than the humans carrying them—so please take it slow around our bus stops and crosswalks. (Yes, that was also a friendly nudge from Jerome this month.) [see page 1]

Speaking of Jerome, in his Presidential Perspective message please drive carefully, budget season is underway and the shoreline work is top of mind. Don’t miss out onit this month.

Frank Tewey, The Town Manager, wraps summer with gratitude for our Beach Ambassadors and a timely yard-waste refresher (paper bags or marked rigid containers; no plastic; bundles <4′ and <4″ diameter; ≤40 lbs; collected year-round). [see page 3]

In community news, Goshen Farm’s Wine Down at the Farm was a sell-out—thanks to many local sponsors. Last FREE Summer Concert is Fri, Sep 5 with 24 Karat & Laura Brino (6:30–8:30 p.m.). [see page 7]

Cape Garden Club: Congratulations to July & August Yard of the Month winners! Meetings resume Tue, Sep 2, 7:30pm at the clubhouse; They will be going to Winterthur House & Garden on a bus trip on Saturday September 27th. There will be a 9am departure and a 7pm return. [see page 6]

Cape Conservation Corps’s Fall Native Plant Fest & Sale will be held on Saturday, Sep 20, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., field behind the clubhouse (1223 River Bay Rd). There’s a great lineup of plants here: milkweed, goldenrod, asters, beautyberry, witch hazel, oakleaf hydrangea, sedges, grasses, ferns, and more—low prices and expert advice on site. [see page 8]

It would be the September issue without the information for HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS on Saturday October 18th from 10am to 3pm at the clubhouse field. Admission to the event requires $6.00 per child. The registration information is on page 9! It’s a MUST do event with the kids!

Trick or treating will be held at the Cape St. Claire Shopping Center on Thursday October 23rd from 5:30 to 6:30pm (or until the candy is gone) Don’t miss this fun event!

See you around the Cape!