August 2025 Issue

Dear Friends,

I’m writing this from my patio table, where a hummingbird keeps swooping in to sip from my husband’s petunias. The morning air is just right, and my hot coffee sends up wisps of steam in the sunlight. It’s my favorite time of day.

Last evening, a couple of friends and I took a casual mountain bike ride on the newly opened Margraff Plantation trail system. We chatted about nothing in particular while an owl called somewhere beyond the treeline. This magazine file sat open on my laptop, but the warm breeze and the feel of sweet summertime urged me to slow down and take it all in.

That’s the charm of this month: you can sit outside without piling on layers, feel the sun on your shoulders, and let a good cup of coffee go lukewarm because a neighbor’s story is better than any to‐do list. This issue carries that same easy rhythm. You’ll find snapshots of spontaneous lake‐side gatherings, profiles of locals who greet life with a grin, and pages that practically smell like that first pour of the day.

So prop your feet on the railing, tilt your face toward the sunny warmth, and linger a little longer with us. August is fantastic in the Maryland Mountains.

See you around the lake!

Sarah Myers, Editor-in-Chief