Month: January 2023

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

There was a stir of excitement the moment attendees stepped through the door at The Rising Sun Inn. Even while taking their seats, guests spied fashion historian and collector Heather Hook assembling her display of women’s clothing from pre- and post-Revolutionary America and were thrilled by the sight.

Susan Giddings, volunteer docent and Grant Management Chairperson for Rising Sun Inn, welcomed everyone while outlining the history of the farmhouse built in 1753 by Edward Baldwin. Located on the road used by General George Washington and the French Major General Comte Jean de Rochambeau during the Revolutionary War, the farmhouse saw much history over the next 100 years as a residence and an inn which also served as a post office, stagecoach stop, public meeting place, and tax collector’s stop.

In 1916 the Ann Arundel Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution were able to acquire the much-degraded property from owner Bo Williams with a promise to restore and preserve the farmhouse and make it a center for community history and projects. The building became the DAR Chapter House as well as a historic house museum. It served as a Red Cross Work Center and a Recreation Center for Ft. Meade soldiers during World Wars I and II and, later, as a Tea House, drawing visitors from all over the world.

Giddings next had the honor of introducing Heather Hook as guest speaker for the latest installment of the Inn’s Tavern Talk and Tour Series. She’d first appeared at Rising Sun Inn for a similar event 20 years earlier.

A historic reenactor and collector of original women’s clothing dating from the 1700’s, Hook maintains a collection numbering some 5,000 pieces with most from the Civil War era. She opened her presentation by explaining how she got started.

“I’ve been collecting since my first year of college,” she said. “I had a boyfriend who was into Civil War reenacting, and he asked me to join in. Figuring anything worth doing was worth doing well, I began researching books on ladies’ clothing from the 1860’s and visiting museums. When I went to an antiques shop and found my first dress, I was just in awe that anything that old still existed. I’d simultaneously been gifted a garment from the 1890’s that had belonged to my great aunt that made me feel a direct link with her and increased my interest in clothing from the past.”

After many hours of research Hook realized how fashions change over time. Her lecture covering clothing from the 1750’s through the 1850’s, by the decade, was meant to show how fashion evolved.

She began by showing dresses from the 1750’s and 1760’s prior to the Declaration of Independence. The first was a wonderful example of the standard gown worn by fashionable women from the 1730’s to 1770’s that was known as a Robe a la francaise.

“This one is made out of silk and is trimmed with its own fabric,” she said. “It has a matching bodice called a stomacher, which is a piece that can be changed out to change the look of the dress. You can see from the back that it has fabulous Watteau pleats that fall to the ground.”

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Another fashion trend in the 1760’s was the use of quilted petticoats, an example of which could be seen in the second dress from Hook’s collection. The quilted petticoat (meant to be seen) is made from silk/satin and has extremely tiny stiches. As with stomachers, petticoats could be changed out to change the look of the dress. These dresses were worn by women from the higher classes.

Though “drawers” had not yet been invented (so women wore none), underclothes and accessories were important to “the look”. Cotton shifts were worn under the extravagant garments as were corsets that were intended to mold your body into a desirable shape. You would also wear a pair of pocket hoops (paniers) on either side of the hips. All of the dresses had open slits so you could put your hands through to the hoops where you would keep your incidentals.

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Shoes were a very important accessory and were made of satin. Some came with a wooden platform that the shoe rested in to keep it above the dirt and/or dry during periods of rain.

Hats, known as calash bonnets, were equally important for the well-dressed woman. Voluminous in size to accommodate elaborate hairdos piled high on the head, calashes had cane or whalebone inserts that expanded as the hair expanded.

Calash fabrics were predominantly silk or satin.

Other accessories included purses which tended to be small and delicate with intricate embroidery sometimes created using metal threads.

It was in this era that fans achieved prominence as a fashion statement. The artwork on hand painted fans from the mid-1700’s tended to be beautiful with decorative elements that could include ivory. The fans were large but in later decades, they would become smaller.

By the 1770’s things were changing as the public was less influenced by England and America was becoming more its own country. The next dress shown by Hook was worn in 1778 as the wedding dress of Mayflower family descendant Sarah Bass who married Dr. Ebenezer Alden, also descended from a Mayflower family. It is an English-style robe done in a brocade fabric with trims created from the same material. Simpler Watteau pleats flow down the back. The fabric was probably imported from England or France. At the time, silks and satins were less expensive than cotton which was the highest priced fabric because it wasn’t made here and had to be imported.

Accessories worn with all these dresses included beautifully embroidered aprons and mitts (both short and long).

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By the 1780’s clothing had become less restrictive though dresses still had a train that could be adjusted by a drawstring. Shoes from this time period had smaller heels. As before, and for a long time afterward, there was no right or left shoe. Both were the same. There were supposedly stockings during this period but Hook was not able to find any examples for her collection. As before, no underwear was worn other than a shift.

Moving into the 1790’s, one-piece dresses known as round gowns were fashionable. There was an emphasis on the back of the dress with a slight bump at the back descending into a train. The one shown was worn by Sarah Pennock from Pennsylvania.

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The 1800’s ushered in a risqué era of fashion known for it’s “barely there” gowns that featured empire waists and short bodices that barely covered the breasts. The dress from Hook’s collection was made from lightweight silk for evening wear. She believes the sleeves may have been added later.

The 1800’s also saw the introduction of underwear. Corsets became more structured with wooden pieces called busks running down the center to separate the breasts. Gloves, often made from Kidd, replaced mitts and bonnets became smaller.

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Moving into the Victorian era of the 1840’s, dresses became softer and more rounded with very full sleeves and bonnets became smaller and more casual. Toward the 1850’s there were more conservative American-made dresses created from wool/silk blends in varied and attractive prints.

Last but not least, Hook shared a splendid mid-19th century dress of eirjohn silk taffeta with a matching cape. A number of petticoats would have been worn beneath the dress.

Following much applause and appreciation for Hook’s presentation from the audience, Susan Giddings concluded the Rise and Fall of Fashion event by showing off three fans from Rising Sun Inn’s own collection that have not been on display for many years. The Inn recently received a grant from Americana Corner to conserve the fans and were able to complete the preservation of one fan. Donations from individuals are still being accepted to advance conservation of the remaining two fans. Two of the three fans are shown below.

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Noting that the Rise and Fall of Fashion event sold out and even more people viewed it online, Giddings thanked the audience and explained that Rising Sun Inn is a self-sustaining volunteer organization so funds raised from ticket sales are greatly appreciated. She then invited attendees to the Inn’s historic Tap Room for hot cider and sweets.

Upcoming events at the Inn include “Hopped Up!” on February 18 when guests will learn about the history of brewing in Colonial America presented by Chesepiooc Real Ale Brewery. They’ll also enjoy a brew tasting and some lite bites. There are three sessions at 1 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm. For prices and tickets, visit The Rising Sun Inn Crownsville, Maryland – Home .

Future events will include a Maryland Day tour with costumed guides on April 1, a Tea and Tour event on April 22 and a Make-Your-Own Mother’s Day Tea Cup Floral Arrangement on May 5.

Jing Ying Institute celebrates the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit beginning January 22

Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi will celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit with local performances including one for Anne Arundel County SPCA’s Paws at the Mall at 2 pm on January 22.

Jing Ying will continue celebrating with a series of free and low-cost classes and workshops.

Jing Ying will also host an open house on Saturday January 28 that includes a Chinese Lion Dance, demos of kung fu & tai chi, traditional treats, crafts for children, giveaways, and door prizes. January 28 marks the start of a Jing Ying Institute’s month-long silent auction fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association. For more information, visit Best Martial Arts Program in Annapolis, Severna Park (jingying.org)

The column is brought to you this month by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress.  Celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit with Jing Ying Institute beginning January 22.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Trai Chi

We first met Winsome Brown of Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services in October of 2020 not long after she and sister Dee (Danielle) Morgan Brown opened the business. As part of a virtual event focusing on Alzheimers patient care that she’d organized for the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce called “The Long Walk”, Winsome revealed how the Brown sisters started their company.

After working in New York’s financial sector for over twenty years, Winsome was unexpectedly thrust into the role of a caregiver for her mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2010.

The sudden pressure to make life-altering choices on her mother’s behalf, without being prepared to do so, forever shaped her views about our health system and what was needed for seniors and caregivers.

Soon, Brown and her sister Dee, a registered nurse, formed Lean On Dee Senior Care Advocates, serving as Certified Senior Advisors and Certified Dementia Live Coaches and Caregivers. Working together, the two basically managed dementia care for Alzheimer’s patients on their own. But, as demand for Lean on Dee’s services grew, they moved quickly from being a “no-touch” service doing home visits and assessments, and referring clients to other agencies, to a full care agency.

“We were doing all the marketing and management of patient care and sometimes even managing the staff of the other agencies we’d referred families to,” Winsome said. “We soon decided we could do it much better than those agencies.”

Working together, with Winsome taking care of business and Dee using her skills as a former Hospice and Palliative Care nurse to oversee patient care, the two developed a bottoms-up approach centered solely on the Alzheimer’s patient and family rather than a revenue-based model.

In the short time since getting their state license last June, Dee and Winsome have added 30 well-trained caregivers to their staff, becoming a level 3 agency, and they’ve instituted an approach to care that considers “the patient first”.

Seated next to each other in their conference room after meeting with one of those caregivers, the sisters noted that they are meeting with so many people on a daily basis that their modest suite of offices at 815 Ritchie Highway suddenly seems crowded and an expansion may become necessary.

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For now, though, they like that the words Compassion, Respect, Quality and Dedication are emblazoned on the wall of the conference room as a reminder to caregivers and clients alike that Lean on Dee is about more than simply showing up and doing the job.

“As far as we’re concerned, our caregivers have to be happy, so we hire skilled people including med techs and pay them at a higher rate than other agencies because we want to have reliable people. As we’re a level 3 agency, we can dispense medications (unlike level 1 or 2 agencies) and we do everything from personal care and companion care to skilled nursing care, ” Winsome said.

With cognitively impaired patients, medication management is vitally important.

These days, a lot of patient care provided by Lean on Dee takes place in assisted living facilities. Most of those facilities care for patients at a ratio of 15 patients to one caregiver and simply aren’t equipped to handle more seriously impaired patients.

Dee emphasizes that keeping the patients engaged is one of the most important aspects of the care she believes every client deserves.

“Many of these people are lonely, so we try to find out from their families what their occupations or interests have been in the past,” she said. “Then we send each caretaker out with a book bag of activities based on those interests so there is something to do after the patient’s physical needs are met beyond just sitting around. One patient, for example, likes to paint bird houses that are built by a different patient. We find something for everyone.”

Dee and Winsome Brown have an ideal balance of skill sets though both are capable of covering all bases if need be. Dee, for example, was the guiding force in developing a template for keeping track of how a patient is doing on a daily basis – a template that has proven invaluable for keeping families informed about their loved-one’s condition and welfare.

Winsome handles the marketing and financial aspects of the business. To that end, she’s sometimes out and about spreading the word about Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services. She, Dee and team were seen at the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s “Shoptoberfest” in October.

One or both sisters will be making an appearance this Saturday at the Severna Park Community Center’s Health & Wellness Expo. (See below for details.)

Both Dee and Winsome are very optimistic individuals and feel that they are truly doing “God’s work”. But they do find a few things frustrating. Because they monitor what is going on in their patient’s lives daily, they have been upset and angered by the amount of fraud directed at seniors – especially those who are ill or cognitively impaired.

They note that these vulnerable individuals are constantly bombarded with mailings, phone calls from call centers, and even television commercials with fraudulent offerings. There is tremendous Social Security and Medicare fraud, for example, including ads that urge patients to call a number to see if they are entitled to more benefits.

“They are not going to get ‘more’. It’s simply a grift to get people to buy insurance,” Winsome said. “Families need to keep an eye out for this as we’ve seen people’s savings wiped out by these schemes.”

Beyond that, these are exciting times for Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services.

“We have the best caregivers on the planet and we feel rewarded every single day,” Dee said.

For information on Lean On Dee call 410-449-4538 or visit Senior Care Advocates | Millersville, MD | Lean on Dee Senior Care Advocates.

Health & Wellness Expo at Severna Park Community Center Saturday

A Health & Wellness Expo is being held at Severna Park Community Center this Saturday, January 14 from 10 am till 2 pm. In addition to University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, 25 health related businesses/practices will be represented. They range from physical therapy and chiropractic services to fitness training and senior home care. There will also be 13 presenters and demonstrations running the gamut from Anne Marie Flodd from Play & Thrive Speech Therapy and Justin Livezey from Severna Park Strength Performance to Billy and Nancy Greer from Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi.

For information, visit THE SEVERNA PARK COMMUNITY CENTER – SPCC Home (spcommunitycenter.org).

The Rise and Fall of Fashion, 1750-1850 at Rising Sun Inn this Sunday at 1 pm

Rising Sun Inn, in Crownsville, will host a presentation called “The Rise and Fall of Fashion, 1750-1850 this Sunday, January 15, 2023, at 1:00 p.m., for their Tavern Talk and Tour Series. This installment will feature Heather Hook. Heather started historic reenacting in 1990. Wanting to be as authentic as possible, she ran across her first original ladies Civil War dress in an antique shop and purchased it to study. She was immediately drawn into the world of collecting originals. The Heather Hook originals collection consists of men, women and children’s clothing and accessories from the years 1750-1980.

Heather will share original women’s clothing and accessories from the decades between 1750 and 1850, showing changing styles of ladies fashions. They include decadent fashions from the 1770s with their beautiful silks, those from the risqué 1800s with the Jane Austen Grecian style “barely there” dresses, as well as staunch Victorian gowns meant to show modesty. What women wore under those gowns will be revealed as well.

For information, visit Public Events – The Rising Sun Inn Crownsville, Maryland.

The column is brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress.  Jing Ying’s Kung Fu and Tai Chi training is an ideal way to start 2023 off on the right foot.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Fishpaw’s Marketplace

and Jing Ying Institute of Tai Chi & Kung Fu

Sophomore Josiah Williams is never more comfortable than when he’s behind a chess board. The Old Mill High School sophomore is young to be president of the high school’s chess club. But it’s not surprising when you consider that he began playing the game at the age of 10 and his honed his skills to a high level. He has participated in local and regional chess tournaments and just competed in his first national event – the U.S. National Chess Federation K-12 Championships held at National Harbor from December 9-11.

Josiah said the experience was challenging but he learned a lot. Contestants came from across the Eastern United States and competed according to their grade level. He was paired in matches with five other 10th-grade level competitors with a chess rating over 1100. The pairings for each round were indicated on a large white board. (In round 3, for instance, he was paired with sophomore Daniel Prizant from Stuyvesant High School, New York.)

Each match meant intense concentration on the part of each participant including Josiah. As mentioned in Old Mill High School’s Patriot Post newsletter, Josiah competed hard and represented the school and the Old Mill High School Chess Club very well.

At the end of the event, champions were declared for each grade level. While Josiah did not win the coveted title of champion, he gained a lot of valuable experience and knowledge and met many competitors as well as chess luminaries including Carol Meyer, Executive Director, of the U.S. National Chess Federation.

Josiah discovered the art of chess in a somewhat unique way.

“I was introduced to the game by a staff member at Kim’s Karate & Learning Center in Glen Burnie where I was studying Taekwondo,” he said. “His name was Mr. Matt and he introduced all of us to chess.”

The 10-year-old learned by playing other Taekwondo students. However, he progressed more quickly than any of the others, so he began playing the learning center staff members. He also found chess applications (aps) that were instructional and enabled him to practice his skills and increase his powers of concentration. Shortly thereafter, he discovered The Severna Park Chess Club and was delighted that the adult members were willing to play him and help him improve his game. One member, national chess champion and playwright Joe Coppola was especially helpful.

On entering Old Mill High School in 2021, Josiah was urged by his parents to “join the chess club to make friends”. The freshman was the club’s youngest member at the time as the others were seniors but he continued to learn from them. To his amazement, he entered the high school’s chess tournament and won the championship beating the club president.

It was at that point that Josiah became club president… though with a smaller membership because the seniors graduated. The club currently has seven members with hopes of recruiting more. They meet twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The new president adapted quickly to his leadership role, overseeing the meetings, recruiting members and accepting the responsibility to teach the other members. The team is also fortunate to be coached by Dr. Eric Hehl, an Old Mill High science teacher and chess player extraordinaire.

“He’s very good. I can’t beat Dr. Heil,” Josiah says.

Each meeting begins with setting up chess boards and/or clocks and pairing off for the matches. Josiah will observe and teach the members new openings or strategies. He also encourages them to compete in nearby tournaments like those held weekly by the D.C. State Chess Federation to give young players from area chess clubs experience. Once every four weeks, the D.C. State Chess Federation tournament is held at the American Legion in Annapolis.

He sometimes talks with chess club members about how exciting it was to participate in the U.S. National Chess Federation K-12 Championships. But he also tells them that he trained hard for it.

Josiah’s father Darrell Williams confirmed that his son worked hard and trained for the national championship meet by competing in smaller tournaments. He also trained for two months last summer by playing members of the Severna Park Chess Club who have a higher skill level than he does. The gentlemen were happy to challenge him and give him advice.

Josiah is currently in training for the Spring 2023 High School Championships in Washington, D.C. where he will, again, be representing the Old Mill High School Chess Club. He says 800 to 900 students are expected to play in that one from many different high schools and he looks forward to playing some exciting matches.

For more information or to contact Old Mill High School Chess Club, visit Clubs and Activities – Old Mill High School (oldmillhs.org).

Health & Wellness Expo upcoming at Severna Park Community Center

For the first time since this COVID pandemic, a Health & Wellness Expo is being held at Severna Park Community Center on Saturday, January 14 from 10 am till 2 pm. In addition to University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, 25 health related businesses/practices will be represented. They range from physical therapy and chiropractic services to fitness training and senior home care. There will also be 13 presenters and demonstrations running the gamut from Anne Marie Flodd from Play & Thrive Speech Therapy and Justin Livezey from Severna Park Strength Performance to Billy and Nancy Greer from Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi.

For information, visit THE SEVERNA PARK COMMUNITY CENTER – SPCC Home (spcommunitycenter.org).

The column is brought to you this week by Fishpaws Marketplace, 954 Ritchie Hwy. – a family business that carries fine wines, spirits and beers plus gourmet foods.

and by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress.  Jing Ying’s Kung Fu and Tai Chi training is an ideal way to start 2023 off on the right foot.