Marietta’s Lunchtime Lecture: Jane Austen and Today’s Historic Houses

By STACEY HAWKINS
Marietta House Museum

Please join us on Wednesday, March 5, from noon-1 p.m. for Marietta’s Lunchtime Lecture: Jane Austen and Today’s Historic Houses. Jane Austen turns 250 in 2025! Mark Women’s History Month by joining curator Lucinda Dukes Edinberg for her talk on the decorative arts during Jane Austen’s lifetime.

Ms. Dukes Edinberg is an expert in American art and decorative arts and serves as the curator at Hammond Harwood House in Annapolis, MD.

Free program. Walk-ins are welcome. Guests may bring a bag lunch. Ages 12 & up. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is recommended but not required. Please register at www.pgparksdirect.com with the ticket code: MHM-SPEC-GA-20250305

Marietta House Museum is located at 5626 Bell Station Road, Glenn Dale, MD, 20769 and is a property of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

TOP OF PAGE

Adult Grief Support Programs and Workshops Meeting This Spring

By ELYZABETH MARCUSSEN
Hospice of the Chesapeake

PASADENA, Md. (Feb. 18, 2025)— From free, come-as-you-are drop-in grief support groups to online groups that explore grief through imagery, Chesapeake Life Center offers a variety of grief support groups for adults this spring.

• Drop-In Grief Support Groups are open to anyone grieving. Groups offer participants an opportunity to share their feelings and obtain support from others who are experiencing loss. There is no fee. These groups will meet in Calvert County as follows:

- North Beach Senior Center, 9010 Chesapeake Ave., North Beach, Maryland, from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, April 2, May 7 and June 4.

- Southern Pines Senior Center, 20 Appeal Lane, Lusby, Maryland, from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, April 8, May 13 and June 10.

- Calvert Pines Senior Center, 450 W. Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, Maryland, from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, April 15, May 20 and June 17.

The following groups require registration and, in some instances, may require a fee:

• SoulCollage Studio—Join us in person or virtually for a time to create unique collages reflecting and expressing loss and the journey through life. It will meet from 2 to 5 p.m. on Monday, April 7 at 9500 Medical Center Drive, Suite 250, Largo, Maryland. The supply fee is $10.

• Loss of Life Partner/Spouse Evening Group is a group for individuals grieving the death of a spouse or life partner. It will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, April 9, May 14 and June 11 on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, Maryland. The cost is $10.

• Loss of Parent or Parental Figure Support Group provides space for those grieving the loss of a parent or parental figure to come together to feel supported in their grief. The group will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, April 10, May 8 and June 12 on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, Maryland. The cost is free.

• Child Loss Support Group is for parents grieving the death of a child, regardless of age or circumstance. It will meet from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Mondays, April 28, May 19 and June 30 on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, Maryland. The cost is $10.

• Nature’s Healing Power: A Grief Support Group Series is a free, nature-informed program that will include immersive walks in nature, time spent focusing on the cycle of the seasons and working with natural objects to contain and express the grief experience. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, May 1, 8, 22 and 29, at Greenbelt Park, 6565 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, Maryland.

Childcare is not provided and children are not permitted in any of these groups.

The following groups will meet virtually via Zoom for Healthcare:

• Loss of Life Partner/Spouse Virtual Group is a free group for individuals grieving the death of a spouse or life partner. It will meet from 10:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, April 8, May 13 and June 10 via Zoom.

• SoulCollage Virtual Support Group for Loss and Transition is a free group with participants creating collages to commemorate lost loved ones and visually journal the grief
 
process. The group will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 5 via Zoom.

Except for drop-in groups, registration is required and can be completed by calling 888-501-7077 or emailing griefinfo@chesapeakelifecenter.org. Visit www.hospicechesapeake.org/events

for a complete listing of in-person and virtual groups and workshops for adults and children.

New workshops focus on wellness and creativity for grievers and caregivers

PASADENA, Md. (Feb. 18, 2025)—Chesapeake Life Center offers many creative workshops to help adults find a path to healing from loss. From painting to mindfulness, there are options for grievers and caregivers. Here are some of the events planned for this season.

• Navigating Anticipatory and Ambiguous Grief in Dementia Caregiving—This free workshop is designed to support dementia caregivers and family members in understanding and managing the complex emotions associated with anticipatory and ambiguous grief. Caregivers often experience grief long before the death of a loved one due to the progressive nature of dementia. Anticipatory grief involves mourning the loss of the cognitive and physical abilities of a loved one, while ambiguous grief arises from the uncertainty of what has been lost and what remains in the relationship. It will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1 on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, Maryland.

• Creating Hope: Therapeutic Art Exercises in Griefwork—Creating can help us express things we have no words for, discover more about ourselves and glean beauty through our sorrow. In each session, people will participate in a therapeutic art project to help with personal grief work and connect with one another. This workshop is open to teens and adults. Supplies are provided. No art skills are required. It will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, May 3 and June 14 at the Burnett Center for Hope and Healing, 4559 Sixes Road, Prince Frederick, Maryland. The cost is $10 per session.

• Parent Loss Workshop—This workshop provides space for those grieving the loss of a parent to come together to feel supported in their grief. Join others for a time of sharing and reflection. The group will meet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at the Chesapeake Life Center offices at 9500 Medical Center Drive, Suite 250, Largo, Maryland. The cost is $10.

• Monday Morning Mindfulness—Start your week with intention and clarity with this morning session. Whether you're new to mindfulness or have an established practice, this session offers guided meditation, gentle breathwork and reflective prompts to help you center yourself for the week ahead. It will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, April 7, May 5 and June 2, at the Center for Hope & Healing on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena. This is a free program.

• Suicide Support Workshop—This workshop will provide a supportive environment to process loss and develop coping strategies for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. It will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 28 on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena. The cost is $10.

• Mindful Art—Let’s Have Fun with the Brilliant Blob Family!—Relieve stress and let your creativity flow with this workshop where you’ll tap into your strength, instincts, courage and imagination. A simple watercolor and marker project focuses on the process, not perfection. The more we practice creativity, the more we allow ourselves to let go and be free from judgment, rules and fear. There’s no wrong in art—just fun, expression and a deeper connection to your inner self. It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 at the Center for Hope & Healing on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena. The cost is $10.
 
• Mother’s Day Sip and Paint Wellness Workshop—Join the Chesapeake Life Center team for an event where participants paint while enjoying drinks and socializing. It's a fun way to celebrate and honor Mom by creating a unique painting! It will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17 on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena. The cost is $10.

Registration is required for all workshops and can be completed by calling 888-501-7077 or emailing griefinfo@chesapeakelifecenter.org. Visit www.hospicechesapeake.org/events for a complete listing of in-person and virtual groups and workshops for adults and children.

Chesapeake Life Center, a program service of Hospice of the Chesapeake, serves hospice family members and the community with bereavement services and activities aimed at enhancing the quality of life for those grieving the loss of a loved one. For details, visit www.chesapeakelifecenter.org.

TOP OF PAGE

Maryland Farm & Harvest Visits Brandywine Cow Cuddles in Prince George’s County During March 4 Episode

By PRESS OFFICER
MPT

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (Feb. 20, 2025) —Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) original series Maryland Farm & Harvest, currently in its 12th season, will feature farms and locations in Anne Arundel, Carroll, and Prince George’s counties during an episode premiering on Tuesday, March 4. An episode preview can be found on the series’ webpage at mpt.org/farm.

Maryland Farm & Harvest airs on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD and online at mpt.org/livestream. Episodes are also available to view live and on demand using the free PBS app and MPT’s online video player.

The popular weekly series takes viewers on a journey across the Free State, telling engaging and enlightening stories about the farms, people, and technology required to sustain and grow agriculture in Maryland, the state’s number one commercial industry.

Joanne Clendining, who has earned two Emmy® awards from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for her work on Maryland Farm & Harvest, serves as series host. She is joined by Al Spoler, host of “The Local Buy” segments, and by a variety of local chefs who serve as guest hosts of the series’ “Farm to Skillet” segments.

With introductions filmed at Church View Farm in Millersville (Anne Arundel County), the March 4 episode features the following stories:

• Brandywine Cow Cuddles (Prince George’s County)—As a former executive of a vascular surgery center, Aiden Dart is very familiar with stress. Cow cuddling—or “bovine-assisted therapy”—involves interacting with cows for therapeutic benefit. After seeing the solace her daughter found being around cows in high school, Dart purchased three highland cows for her family’s six-acre property in Brandywine. Then, she started Brandywine Cow Cuddles to help others experience the same calming effect. Today, Dart operates Brandywine Cow Cuddles as a full-time job, introducing people to the scientifically proven benefits of interacting with cows.

• Farm to Skillet: Chef Matt Lego (Anne Arundel County)—Chef Matt Lego of Leo in Annapolis leads viewers through the Anne Arundel County Farmers’ Market, where he finds fresh ingredients including meats from P.A. Bowen Farmstead (Brandywine) and vegetables from Knopps Farm (Severn) and Shlagel Farms (Waldorf). Back at the restaurant, Lego uses the locally produced ingredients to cook up a continental chicken dish he’s honed since childhood. The recipe will be available to download at mpt.org/farm.

More than 19 million viewers have watched Maryland Farm & Harvest on the statewide public TV network since its debut in 2013. The series has traveled to more than 500 farms, fisheries, and other agriculture-related locations during its 11-plus season run, covering every Maryland county, as well as Baltimore City and Washington, D.C.

Encore broadcasts of Maryland Farm & Harvest air on MPT-HD on Thursdays at 11 p.m. and on
 
Sundays at 6 a.m. Episodes also air on MPT2/Create® on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. Past episodes can be viewed on the free PBS app and MPT’s online video player, while episode segments are available on the series’ YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/MarylandFarmHarvest/featured.

Audiences are invited to engage with the series on social media @MarylandFarmHarvest on Facebook and @mdfarmtv on Instagram.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is MPT’s co-production partner for Maryland Farm & Harvest. Major funding is provided by the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board.

Additional funding is provided by Maryland's Best; MARBIDCO; a grant from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Block Program; Farm Credit; Maryland Soybean Board; Maryland Nursery, Landscape & Greenhouse Association; Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts; Maryland Farm Bureau; The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment; Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation; and by the citizens of Baltimore County.

TOP OF PAGE