Words That Play

When the excitement of the holidays fades and your spirits fall in time with the temperature, banish the wintertime blues with an outdoor adventure to Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Kent County, Maryland . Just a daytrip from Baltimore, Philadelphia and DC, nearly 2,300 acres of natural beauty await on this island cozied between the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay. One of the 500-plus refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System, Eastern Neck Island is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Whether under the water, on the water, on land or in the sky, their efforts provide sanctuary for myriad life forms. With more than 240 species of birds including bald eagles, hawks and osprey, tundra swans, Canadian geese, and other migratory types, it’s a veritable birding haven. Animal lovers will enjoy the diversity of amphibians and reptiles including diamondback terrapins with their intricately decorated shells and mammals like the endangered Delmarva fox squirr...

Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in response to the ever-widening social disparities of 1843 England. Observing that the spirit of the season had a way of bringing people together and fostering an altruistic attitude, it was Dickens’ appeal that everyone practice acceptance, generosity and good cheer not only during the holidays but every day. Like the reformed Ebenezer Scrooge in the final act, we should vow to honor the spirit of Christmas in our hearts and keep the cheer and generosity of the season with us all year long. This resolution will be easy to adopt if you set the tone in Kent County , where its Victorian-style architecture, Royal-Colonial history and mirthful locals make the perfect backdrop to your own Christmas carol story. From Thanksgiving weekend until the calendar flips into the new year, festive celebrations throughout the county offer opportunities to honor traditions from the past, embrace whims of the present and rejoice in future prospects. Tuning U...

From spring to summer, fall to winter, there’s always something fun happening in Peoria—it’s like the city that keeps on giving. So, don’t let the dropping mercury get you down. Instead, capitalize on the gifts of the season with these top things to do in and around Peoria. Whether ‘tis indoor, outdoor, personal, spectator, everyday or holiday, there’s plenty at play. Hockey When the frost glistens on the greens you know it’s time to put it on ice. Select weekends from mid-October through the first week of April, Carver Arena in the Peoria Civic Center transforms into an ice rink to host home games for the Peoria Rivermen , a Southern Professional Hockey League team. Single-game tickets can be snagged for as low as $11, so include dinner at one of Peoria’s delicious downtown eateries and make it a date. Skating There’s nothing like lacing up a pair skates and gliding along the glassy ice to warm your wintry state of mind. PNC Winterfest Ice Rink at the corner of Fulton Stree...