Oysters

This beautiful green against blue against white happened a while back when Chesapeake Bay Daughter and I ventured out to the county beach even though it was past our bedtime of After Supper o'clock. The sun was behind us and provided great light for any pictures aimed eastward. Just look at how that grass glows.

Speaking not of that at all, let's talk about fried oysters. Or rather, let's start off talking about a noble oyster project, and then let's move right on into the consumption of delicious, delectable, crispy, fried oysters.

Strap on your bibs. Ready? Let's go.

Today's Daily Press talked about a wonderful program (which no doubt has a name, but which I cannot recall) sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation which involves ordinary people growing oysters.

For only $30 you can purchase 1,000 native oyster seeds which you plant in rows, two inches apart, in full sun, and then sprinkle with Miracle Grow.

No, don't do that. That's how you grow 568,422,169.5 red-hot chili peppers which all come ready to pick at the same time and which cause a very distinct and only slightly painful glow to the skin when consumed by the very stressed, now fire-breathing-dragon-like gardener.

Rather, for $30 you can purchase oyster seeds to plant along your dock, as long as you return the oysters for planting on sanctuary reefs the following year.

Why this is important is as follows:

1. Adult oysters filter up to 50 gallons of water a day removing algae and sediment.

2. The Urbanna Oyster Festival is the first weekend in November, and we wouldn't want them to run short on fried oysters.

3. Oyster reefs provide habitats for more than 300 different plants and animals.

4. Oysters should only be consumed in months that contain the letter "r". While this might be a wives tale, the fact is that months containing "r" tend to be colder and nothing good can come of eating an oyster plucked from warm waters unless it's the hot grease of a fry basket. None of this has anything to do with the oyster-growing program, by the way.

Remember, the Urbanna Oyster Festival is the first week in November, which is only two blinks of an eye away, just one wink before Christmas. Not only do I smell fried oysters, but I'm also smelling whiffs of a repeat Blog Fest-like gathering for anyone interested.

Big Hair Envy, Noe Noe Girl and Momx2 are sure to be on board given their proximity to this Celebration of Heavenly Morsels.

Anyone else?