Norma Jean's Column
for Southern Prince George's County
  

CLINTON COLUMN FOR JANUARY 23, 2003

During the time I have lived in this area, I have always told people that I felt we had the best weather there was. We never had more than a week or so of really cold weather off and on in the winter, and only a week or so now and then of excessive heat in the summer. Well, I certainly was wrong this year. Where's that "global warming" when you need it!

Happy Birthday in January to Helen DiAntonio and Shirley Smith, January 3, Helen Michalco, January 4, Dorothy Rice and Rebecca Duty, January 5, Charlie Weaver, January 6, Monnie Heister, January 7, Mildred Disalvo and Betty Bean, January 8, Albert Trott, January 9, Marilyn Hughes, January 16, Susan Denny, January 17, Hilda Underwood, January 18, George Moore and Robbie Moore, January 19, Melvina Lewis, January 22, Marguerite Brewer, January 23, Buddy Coffren, January 24, my granddaughter Denise Barkhurst, January 25, Marge Reynolds, January 27, my grandson Lance Wechsler, January 30, and Connie Kerr, January 31.

Any time I see a newspaper that looks like something I am interested in, I pick it up, and recently I found a paper called "Bay Weekly," which tells about the life cycle of the oyster. Wild oysters grow in reefs, living, rising mountains where each new generation of oyster begins with waves of eggs and sperm released by mature oysters. Fertilized eggs develop into oyster larvae, floating with the tides for about two weeks while going through progressive states of development. In the wild, the larvae settle to the Bay's bottom, where they look for something hard to attach to and grow. By the time they attach to their ancestral reef, they are called spat or seed and have the look of tiny oysters. As well as reefs, seed oysters will attach to anything hard - even shoes, branches or pulverized shells on "floating reefs." A few years ago, a group I am involved in, Patuxent Baysavers, went sailing on a Skipjack, where we were privy to a man who had been oyster fishing most of his life. He opened up a very large, very old oyster that he had raised from the water and showed us its tiny beating heart. It was very exciting, but sad.

Patuxent Baysaves meets on the first Monday of each month, and most of the time, we meet at Clagett Farm in Upper Marlboro, which is owned by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. If you would like to get involved in this group and helping to save the Bay, give me a call.

HorseMasters and Mounted Wanderers 4-H clubs are sponsoring the third annual Tack Swap and Sale on February 1 from 11 am to 3 pm at the Charles County Fairgrounds. Commercial building tables/spaces are available. Call 301-392-3969 or 301-609-7759.

The Civista Medical Center in La Plata has a support group for people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's and their family members which is meeting January 25 at 2 pm in the cafeteria. Call 888-332-4847 for more information.

If you are involved in real estate, a good idea would be to check out the "Mold Awareness for the Real Estate Professional" which is being held on January 22 at 9 am in Hughesville. To register, call 301-274-4406 or 888-340-8727.

Clearwater Nature Center is having a daytime campfire and puppet show on January 25 at1 pm for young children with an adult. Marshmallows will be provided for roasting. There is a fee and reservations are required. Call 301-297-4575 (TTY) 301-699-2544.

Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex is offering classes in Front Page at noon and Word 2000 at 3:30 pm for age 14 and older on Sundays from January 26 to February 2. Call 301-583-2430 (TTY) 301-583-2441.

Glassmanor Community Center is having Cheerleaders' Appreciation Day on January 25 with games, music, awards and prizes from 7 to 9 pm. This is a free program. Call 301-567-6033 (TTY) 30-203-6030.

The First Year of Life is offered by Southern Maryland Hospital Center one Saturday each month at 9:30 am in the SMHC Library. There will be information on car seats and home safety, newborn health and care, infant CPR, and first year milestones. There is a fee, and to register, call 301-877-5740.

An afternoon of musical entertainment is being presented at the Marietta House Museum in Glenn Dale on January 26 at 4 pm. Light refreshments will be served and there is a fee. Call 301-464-5291 (TTY) 301-699-2544.

More American households have television than have indoor plumbing.

Norma Jean Fazenbaker's column can be found in the Clinton Gazette, Prince George's Post, Prince George's Sentinel, and the Enquirer Gazette. You can contact Norma Jean by email - click this link.

2003 Archives: Jan. 2, Jan. 9, Jan. 17

2002 Archives: May 30, June 6, June 13, June 20, June 27, July 4, July 11, July 18, July 25, Aug. 1, Aug. 8, Aug. 15, Aug. 22, Aug. 28, Sept. 5, Sept. 12, Sept. 18, Sept. 26, Oct. 3, Oct. 10, Oct. 17, Oct. 24, Oct. 31, Nov. 7, Nov. 14, Nov. 21, Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 12, Dec. 19, Dec. 26

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