A Patchwork Quilt of Memories from Annapolis

The Perfect Launching Area for Kayaking at Meadow Gardens B & B

An Heirloom in the Making

Hot weather, boating, men and women in uniform, our nation’s capital, Americana, quilts, the sound of the water, seafood, red, white and blue, family and friends gathering, centuries worth of history—-these thoughts and more flood my mind during this sunny holiday period. I won’t be celebrating July 4th much this year, since I’ve decided to take advantage of the quiet time and catch up at my desk. But I am very much in the Fourth of July spirit and am nurturing memories of these bright, summertime moments even more.

Country Breakfast

Some of the best were experienced about the same time last year in Annapolis, Maryland. I visited this charming Mid-Atlantic town with my boyfriend and his family after his brother’s wedding in Virginia. Annapolis smacks of the sea and we enjoyed many aspects of it from savoring fresh seafood, to taking a sail on the Chesapeake Bay, to peering out into one of the many water inlets that typify this long-established seaport, home to the United States Naval Academy since 1845. We stayed in a charming bed and breakfast, one of countless in Annapolis that define the character of this old, historic town as much as their brick buildings and cobbled streets.

Wendy’s Salt & Pepper Collection

A Breakfast to Shore You Up for a Sail

The Parisian Room

Garden Bouquet

Wendy Mays

This one, Meadow Gardens Bed & Breakfast, however, is all about country charm and you guessed it, lovely, poetic gardens. The whole establishment, inside and out, reads like a poem in fact, which made our visit here even more pleasant. The owner, Wendy Mays, a native Annapolitan, possesses exquisite taste and has decorated each room of this house with a curated collection of artwork, interesting objets of all kinds and a multitude of heartwarming quilts. Wendy comes from a background of both inn keeping and art and illustration and here at Meadow Gardens Bed & Breakfast, her talents and endearing approach beguile the guest like a blooming rose.

I toured the gardens with Wendy and was thrilled to learn that one of the outbuildings houses a state-of-the-art studio where she holds quilt workshops and scrapbook and quilting retreats. How delightful, how American, how comforting. I instantly envisioned ladies bonding around a quilting table, a tradition likely carried out with great regularity during Colonial days, creating marvelous pieces of art that would be handed down for generations. You can come alone or with friends to Wendy’s special retreat weeks and steep yourself in a great American craft that has warmed people’s hearts and bodies for ages.

The Quilting Studio

It is after all so much about the memories and they’re the best when you see and do nice things with the people you love while making new acquaintances and experiencing new adventures. That’s the spirit of America I’ll celebrate this 4th of July even when I’m locked indoors plugging away at my desk. My heart rejoices with so many wonderful things I’ve discovered in this great country and so many interesting people I’ve come to know.

I hope your 4th fills you with similar joy.

Steve and Me Sailing on Chesapeake Bay

For other stories on the outlying area, read Mid-Atlantic Discoveries:  Baltimore, MLK, DC’s Black Heritage, Chuck Brown and Me, Appreciating Tea in DC and The Elegance of Paris in Our Nation’s Capital:  The Fairfax at Embassy Row.