"What are .... The Things Sydney Misses About Maryland?"

My mom's cooking and grocery shopping.

My parents watching The Weather Channel when I wake up.
Starbucks coffee made the way my mom makes it.

Endless quoting.

Debates over my head all around me.
Smooth walls (mine are all textured).

Small roads.

Hills.
Trees growing with silly abandonment.
Seasons ... 4 of them.
Spring blooms.
Fall colors.
9:30 Club.
Ramshead.
DC Metro.

49 West, Annapolis.

Annapolis.
Monuments & Museums.

Movies on the Mall.
Orioles.
The smell of fireplaces burning.
Snap of cold and beauty with it.
My Sister ... being understood.

Donut Shack.
Record & Tape Traders.
B&A Trail.
Listening to Jeff Buckley when the weather turns to Fall.

Driving just to see the beauty, and actually having something to see.
My Lindsay, Rachels, James, Kyle .... and so on.

Maggie Blanchard.

*****My nephew, Stevie Wonderful.*****

Playing blocks and toy drums.
The water, the boats, the seafood, especially MD Blue Crabs.
The oldness.
Jazz.
Cherry blossoms.
Unconditional love.
Crinkly-eyes smiling Daddy.
Lil Brudder laughing at what he's reading ... nobody knows what ... but soon he'll read it to us.

My Daniel-in-law, who seems to be as defensive of me as a blood relative.
Protection.
Being myself.
Being close enough to many things to go anywhere.
History.

It's such a small state, nobody gives it much credit. "Where's Maryland? Isn't that in, like, Boston or something?" (True story.) I certainly didn't want to go there. But then I went, and now it's like Home, in a  way no other place will ever be. As long as my family is there, I will love and miss Maryland.

   Fear The Turtle!!!!!