caper

Spring has arrived in the Cape. Things are finally changing from brown to green, people are out walking around – it’s a most wonderful sight to see. As we move into May, Jerome, President of CSCIA, is again asking for volunteers to not only help with the Strawberry Festival coming in a few short weeks but around the Cape in general. Don’t forget that starting May 1st, all vehicles must display the CSCIA sticker in order to park in the community beaches and parks.

He also mentions the upcoming May calendar events! Beach Jams by Cape Vibes (check out the calendar right here to see when), the Cape St. Claire Volunteer Fire department Touch-a-Truck will be held on May 10th, the Garden Club’s plant sale will be on May 17th, Cape Conservation Corps “warrior” events are weekly and Goshen Farm is hosting their rescheduled open house on June 21st.

Frank Tewey’s message also reiterates that stickers are required now on your vehicles. Beach Attendants will also begin their duties this month – it’s essential that we treat those attendants with the respect they deserve. Next Quarterly Membership Meeting will be held on July 22nd at 7:30pm at the Clubhouse.

In community group news, Goshen Farm will have their first Free Friday Night Concert series starts on June 27th at 6:30pm. Don’t forget to get your Kayak Raffle tickets. Tickets are $5.

The Garden Club’s annual plant sale will be held on Saturday May 17th at the Clubhouse field from 8am – 2pm. They will have veggies, herbs, colorful annuals & perennials galore! More details in this month’s Caper.

Cape Conservation Corps has a great write-up on Mosquito control this month. As we head into mosquito season, it’s essential how you can help stem the mosquito population.

And then —- it’s nearly STRAWBERRY TIME! The 2025 Cape St. Claire Strawberry Festival will be held on Saturday June 7th. Parade begins at 10:00am at the firehouse and will end at 6:00pm at the Cape St. Claire main beach. All the information you need can be found in this month’s Caper – starting on page 17. In addition, you can visit the Strawberry Festival website for more info as well. Want to find out the best way to get to the festival? Check out the berry stops page on the website or page 26 in this month’s Caper.

See you around the Cape!

New Caper has dropped – just in time for the weekend! In Jerome’s Presidential message, he waxes poetic about April and warmer temperatures knocking on our doorstep. He also stresses the need for volunteers in the community. He also reveals details on the major community changes coming on April 1st. Be sure you check out his message for details on this BIG CHANGE.

Frank Tewey reminds everyone to SLOW DOWN when driving through the community. As the warmer temperatures arrive, it also bring people outside and making those needed home improvements. Make sure you are reaching out to CSCIA to approval – visit here for details on the building codes. Remember that the next quarterly membership meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22nd 2025 at 7:30 at the clubhouse.

In community news, Goshen Farm has their spring open house on Saturday April 12th from 10am – 2pm. This FREE event is a wonderful opportunity to explore the last Colonial-era farm on the Broadneck Peninsula. Lots of great activities will be available. Check out this month’s Caper for more details.

Cape St. Claire Garden Club is celebrating 50 years this year! Now that it’s April, their Yard Of the Month teams will begin their judging, so get out there and spruce up your gardens. Also in April, they will be hosting 8 potting parties right here in the Cape. Feel free to email them at [email protected] or visit them at https://capegardenclub.wordpress.com/ for more details. Mark your calendars for Saturday May 17th from 8am to 2pm for their yearly Plant Sale being held at the Cape Clubhouse field.

In Cape Conservation Corps news, up to 25 homeowners can apply for FREE trees, to be available for planting this fall. Check out their write-up on page 8 for more details on this. Mark your calendars for some great upcoming events! April 5th is their Project Clean Stream – 9am at Graul’s Field. Also, April 9th from 6-8pm spring into CCC events Open House at Little Magothy Beach Park. More details are in this month’s Caper.

The Easter Bunny is coming to the Cape on Saturday April 12th at the main beach. The hunt will begin promptly at 11:15am. Admission to the egg hunt is by ticket only – tickets must be obtained from Whimsicality, in the CSC shopping center NOW. The cost of the tickets is 1 dozen plastic eggs and 1 bag of individually wrapped candies small enough to fit inside of the eggs. More details on this amazing community event are on page 17.

The STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL IS COMING — Saturday June 7th 2025. Parade begins at 10:00am. The princess entry form is on page 20 – now is your time to get your entries in!

See you around the Cape!

It’s that time of year all over again. I’m not sure about you the brown-ness of nature right now is an eye sore. Blah and boring and dull and [insert your adjective here]. We need some much needed green and flowery blooms. It’s nicer now because I don’t leave work in the pitch blackness of early evening and I can step outside without the wind and cold taking my breath away. It’s the little things. I’ve put the snow shovel away and started regularly cleaning up after the dogs, still need to watch where I step though but progress! Things are slowly returning – winter is slowly retreating. Onto Cape Business!

In Jerome “Wonka” Zadera’s Presidential-y message, he pleads with all of you to get those yellow cards paid so you can use your Golden Ticket to enjoy all of the Cape’s amenities, including our beaches, parks and other community spaces. If you don’t pay until after Saturday (March 1st), you’ll be forced to pay a $10 late fee. Why pay for 2 of them for the price of one? Come on ya’ll, that doesn’t make sense. Make it happen!

Piers contracts are due back by March 15th, so please make sure you get them turned in by then. Mr. Wonka explains much more in his Presidential message. The board is also working on the final stages of the beach replenishment planning to help protect and restore the shorelines.

In Frank Tewey, the Town Manager’s message, he reminds everyone that daylight savings time is Sunday March 9th – Spring ahead and Fall Back. Another reminder about paying for those Golden Tickets and to get those piers contracts in. The next Quarterly Membership Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday April 22nd, 2025 at 7:30pm. In March, Frank will be traveling to Turin, Italy with other police officers from around the globe to carry the Flame of Hope to the 2025 World Winter Games for the Special Olympics. It’s an amazing honor. For more information about what Frank is doing, you can check out the link here.

In community news, Goshen Farm is holding a free community event on March 10th from 3pm to 5pm at the Cape St. Claire Clubhouse. They are having live music, delectable treats, complimentary coffee and tea, specialty beverages, and all to support a worthy cause. More information can be found in this month’s Caper.

In March, the Garden Club will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the club’s founding and 50 years of service to their beloved Cape community. Together, members will savor a catered dinner, 2 new club t-shirts drawn by 2 artists and lots of flowers of course! Then on April 1st, their meeting will start early so they can work outside and feature a hands-on Dividing Perennial Workshop. Mark your calendars for the Cape St. Claire Garden Club plant sale being held on Saturday May 17th! Information can be found on page 7.

Cape Conservation Corps is doing their 2nd annual College Scholarship. They are offering $1,000 to one Broadneck High School 2025 graduating senior that is planning on pursuing a degree in environmental studies or related field. Page 10 has the application you will need to fill out. On March 5th, they will be hosting Dr. Ellen Prager and Dave Jones, authors, scientists and local Cape residents at 6:30pm at the Club house. More information on this great event and their recurring ones can be found in this month’s Caper.

EASTER is coming – well in April anyway but now is your chance to get your egg hunt tickets. Beginning March 17th, during regular business hours, stop by Whimsicality during normal business hours in the Cape St. Claire Shopping Center to get your tickets. The cost of the tickets is 1 dozen plastic eggs and 1 bag of individually wrapped candies small enough to fit inside of the eggs. Check page 20 for more information on this amazing family event. Also, the easter egg scavenger hunt will be returning this year and the Easter bunny will be here on Saturday April 12th.. more details inside!

See you around the Cape!

What a cold January. Whew. I say this as someone who frequently complains when there isn’t enough cold and snow. I leave this January pleased at nearly 3 weeks of snow cover and temps, at times, far below freezing. The current temps are Beau shorts weather, shirt optional. Speaking of shirt optional, congratulations to Jerome Zadera for his 2nd term as President of Cape St. Claire Improvement Association. Golf clap. Seriously though, I know how difficult of a job it can be. Let’s give him a resounding round of applause. During the Annual Meeting that took place on January 14th 2025, several recurring board members made it back on, namely Beau Breeden, Mary Lamb, and Joe Angel. Big congrats go to Blake Morris for volunteering to roll the sleeves up and do Cape’s work. An exciting season is ahead and the Board is laying the groundwork.

Frank Tewey, Town Manager, updates us on the new office hours (they are open until 3:30pm now). He also provides a friendly reminder about the YELLOW postcards in the mail. Dues are due March 1st!

It’s quiet season in the Cape; see my first paragraph, but that doesn’t mean that our great Community groups aren’t hard at work. Goshen Farm starts their Java & Jazz, Tea & Tunes on Sunday March 9th. Don’t forget to join them for all the great events and meaningful impact they make to the community. Details inside.

On Tuesday February 4th, the Garden Club will be enjoying a talk titled “A Cutting Garden’s Bounty; Planning for Succession” about creating a series of blooms throughout the season by garden designer Drew Asbury of Hillwood Estate Garden. On Tuesday, March 4th, they will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary with a dinner. More details in this month’s Caper.

Cape Conservations Corps is celebrating 10 years this year! Isn’t that awesome? In this month’s Caper, they announce their Habitat Hero of 2024 – it’s a surprise. Coming up on March 5th, they are having local authors, Ellan Pragar and Dave Jones at the clubhouse. Doors open at 6:30.

What would a February be without the YEAR IN REVIEW. Only in the online version do you get color photos so flip over to page 13 and soak in the memories from the past year.

For me, one of the best things about Cape St. Claire is the holiday season. Driving around the Cape and looking at the lights is a visual feast. We really know how to do it. Now that the political ads have stopped, we can finally enjoy the holidays. Jerome sets things straight after a politically divided election cycle. “Even though our views differ, those differences are what make us stronger.” Well said, Jerome. Is his Presidential message, Jerome also discusses the Fairwinds Marina inquiries. There are no drawings, permits, or textual amendments applied to their zoning. Let’s be mindful of others during the conversations.

Frank Tewey, the Town Manager, is giving a friendly reminder about the annual maintenance fee renewal postcards which will be mailed in late December. Those fees are due March 1st. Starting on January 2nd, the office hours will be changing to 8:30am to 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. Don’t forget about the Annual Membership Meeting on January 14th, 2025 at 7:30pm. Ballots for voting are in this Caper.

This is the yearly Caper edition famous for the budget, assessment and cap discussion. Your time to vote on it will take place at the Annual Membership meeting. See page 4 for the full details and budget for your review. The ballot is on page 7.

In community news, Goshen Farm’s annual meeting will be held on January 15th 2025 at 7:30pm at the Cape St. Claire clubhouse. To be eligible to vote, you must be a current member as of January 10th 2025. As the year comes to a close, please consider supporting the Goshen Farm Preservation Society with an end-of-year charitable donation. See their website for more details. Their first Java & Jazz will be held on Sunday January 9th from 3 to 5pm. More details in this Caper.

Cape Garden Club continues to thrive and grow and since October they have added 3 new members to bring their total to 61! On Tuesday January 7th, they will be hosting a workshop called Winter Seed-Sowing & Rock-paining and are hoping you can attend. For more details, see this month’s Caper.

Congratulations to Vicki Sanders for winning the 2025 CSC Community Calendar Photo Contest. Her picture will dominate the cover of the Cape Calendar and she received a $100 cash prize.

Cape Conservation Corps shares a wonderful write-up about leaving the trees behind as we head into winter. Don’t miss this great article.

The Holidays are their most wonderful when you spend the time with your friends and family. I hope you’re able to do that. Happy Holidays everyone. See you around the Cape.

I saw a funny Facebook short that made fun of us for how quick we jump on the Fall bandwagon. Second that we can, we hit Starbucks for the Pumpkin lattes, we throw up the Halloween decorations, close the pools, and start apple picking. Then, mother nature keeps temps warm and humid and our enthusiasm is worn by the lack of real fall weather once it actually gets here. It happens every year but I still love it. I mean, who doesn’t love those light jacket days? I do. Although, I do think that Starbucks coffee is highly overrated – I digress.

As with all things Cape, some amazing project is going on. Jerome, in his Presidential message, brings everyone up to speed on the beach projects. So much hard work has taken place down at our beaches and still so much to do. He lays out the plans for using the dredging material to help support the 1,625 linear feet of shoreline restoration and enhancement and 900 linear feet of stream restoration. In addition, there are proposed improvements to consist of a marsh area at the mouth of Lake Claire. So many details, so please be sure to read this edition of the Caper.

In Frank Tewey’s message, he gives a shoutout to all of the hard work done by Cape Conservation Corps at the Serene Ravine and Little Magothy Beach. He also provides so real pro tips on handling the leaves that are starting to drop from the trees. Should you rake ’em or leave ’em? He answers that for you.

In community news, Goshen Farm has their final open mic night coming up on Saturday October 12th.. sign ups start at 4pm. On Saturday October 19th, 2024, they are having their Harvest Pasta Dinner at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. They are also warning the community about email fraud attempts. CSCIA has also experienced this. It’s when someone is pretending to be someone else and asking for money. Please ignore. Details inside this Caper.

Community Swap will be held on Sunday October 13th from 10am to 2pm at the Cape Clubhouse field. Details on what you can bring are inside of this month’s Caper – page 7. The Cape Garden club is holding their next meeting on Tuesday October 2nd at the clubhouse where they are hosting Stormy Acres Beekeeping to talk about Basic Beekeeping 101. On October 20th, they will celebrate another happy year together at their annual Harvest Dinner Potluck.

Cape Conservation Corps will be installing a Teaching Library at Little Magothy Beach on October 5th and on the 18th and 19th, join them for their 100 Trees & Shrubs planting days. This month, Stacey Wildberger has a great write-up about Cape Conservation Corps Fight Against Invasives. A must read.

And then… boom shaka laka, with October just around the corner, Halloween Happenings will take place on October 19th from 10am to 3pm. Advanced registration IS REQUIRED but you can get them inside this month’s Caper. Lots of info here so don’t miss it. It’s on page 19.

Enjoy your pumpkin spice latte and this month’s Caper! See you around the Cape.

Ahhh, the season is changing. Pumpkin Spice Lattes have returned to Starbucks. The stores have popped way open with fall displays. Soon, the temps will cool…. the leaves will change…

Jerome, in his Presidential message, talks about the seasons changing. The first sign that they are is Back to School which started today. As we send our kiddos off for another year, it’s a good time to remind ourselves that we only borrow our kids for a short time. Don’t take that send off for granted. Jerome hopes that every school year is filled with exciting new opportunities, growth and learning, and community support. It’s a great message, so don’t miss it.

Frank Tewey, the Town Manager, thanks the Beach Ambassadors for another great season as well as the residents for their cooperation. It was another great year. He also provides great tips on getting that yard work done. Time for cleanup is coming soon!

In community news, Goshen Farm will be dedicating a tree in the Memorial Grove to Dr. E Joseph “Joe” Lamp who passed away in December of 2023. More details on his amazing life and career can be found in this issue. Goshen’s last summer concert will be held on September 6th from 6:30 – 8:30pm. The Biondi Family Band and 24 Karat will be in attendance. The Cape JOM Sound Team will also be hosting their last Open Mic summer series on September 20th. More details inside.

Cape Garden Club resumes their membership meetings on Tuesday September 3rd at the Cape Clubhouse. Want to learn more about gardening in the Cape and what their members learned this summer? This meeting is for you. 7:30pm.

Cape Conservation Corps’s announced their Habitat Hero for 2024 and it’s Jamie Wilhelm! Congrats! Feel free to visit this website to read about her journey.

Don’t forget about submitting your best photos to the 2025 calendar photo contest. For entries details, see this month’s Caper. Remember that the Cape Community Swap will be on Sunday October 13th from 10am – 2pm. Details on what you should bring are in here.

See you around the Cape!

I believe we’ve run out of superlatives to describe how hot it’s been this summer.

“It’s really hot!”
“It’s a real scorcher!”
“My sweat’s been sweating!”
“It’s hot as Hades!”
“Mother nature is hammered!”

Those phrases have worked in the past but they simply don’t cut it anymore. BWI hit 104 yesterday. That’s like Death Valley hot. Although, humidity there barely crests 20% so, they don’t have a thing on us. Capers, we’re in this sweat box together, let’s embrace it but reminisce about times when it was cooler out. Like the beginning of June and the Strawberry Festival. Jerome, in his Presidential Perspective message, discusses how amazing that event truly was. Was it the biggest ever? You’ll need to read to find out. He also provides some great “swimming near boat piers” advice and gives more gratitude to the many volunteers of Cape St. Claire.

Frank Tewey, in his Town Manager message, also thanks the many members of the Strawberry Festival Committee and the hard work they do every year. Reminder that the Quarterly Membership Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday July 23rd at 7:30pm.

In community news, Goshen Farm has their next Summer Concert on July 26th from 6:30 – 8:30pm. In addition, their Wine Down At the Farm event will be held on Sunday August 18th from 4-7pm. More details on these great events can be found in this month’s Caper.

Cape St. Claire Garden Club has added 18 new members in the past 2 years. It’s a growing club that thanks you for everyone’s support over the years. Check out this month’s Caper for more information.

Cape Conservation Corps has another outstanding article discussing “Lessons Learned by a Garden Advisor” which offers a ton of great information about creating your best yard.

The best part about the online edition of the Caper?? COLOR PHOTOS! In this issue is the Strawberry Festival 2024 and July 4th 2024 recap photo collages. Amazing displays from our amazing community.

Hey photo nerds! Now if your time to enter this year’s Calendar Photo Contest. See this month’s Caper for information on how to enter to get your photo featured in the 2025 calendar.

Stay cool, Capers. See you around the Cape!